This course introduces the methods used in most social science disciplines for making causal arguments (i.e., why outcomes of interest occur or do not occur). After learning about the building blocks of causal analysis, we will examine three empirical research strategies: 1) experiments, 2) “large N” or quantitative studies that use statistics, and 3) “small N” studies that typically analyze qualitative data. Along the way, students will learn to code in R, an open-source statistical analysis software. The goals of the course are to provide students with the analytic tools to critically evaluate social science research and causal arguments found in everyday life and the practical tools to conduct analyses of quantitative data. By the end of the course, students should have a foundation for researching and writing thesis projects that use one of the core social science methods.