Teaching

Testimonials

“Please keep Jennifer Holland at all costs. Nobody ever taught me anything mathematics-related in such a great, respectful, calm and warm manner.” (MISOC graduation survey)

“The professor was well prepared, and she sounds like a Ted Talk (very nice to listen to the lectures, online and in ‘real life’).” (Quantitative Methods)

“I want to give a big thanks to our professor Jennifer Holland. She was the most inspiring, enthusiastic professor I have seen thus far and this has really helped me get my motivation on for this tougher course.” (Quantitative Methods)

“I hate this course with all my heart, but Dr. Holland has made it bearable!” (Quantitative Methods)

“In recent years I have never attended all of the lectures for a course, or even more than twice per block. With Jennifer I went to all of the lectures! She is a very good teacher and knows how to turn boring static material, such as statistics, into something fun and interesting! Nice ending [to my Bachelor’s degree]!” (Advanced Quantitative Methods)

“She’s good.” (Advanced Quantitative Methods)

Current courses

1.4C Sociologische vraagstukken 2: Bevolking, Familie en Werk (BA)

This course provides an introduction to demography, i.e. the field of population research. In this course students become acquainted with the discipline and the theories, methods and data sources that are central to this discipline. We study important social issues related to population development, population structure (including aging) and population policy from both a historical and a contemporary perspective. In particular, we will examine contemporary issues in how demographic changes affect the arrangement of our family and working lives. We will approach these issues from both a theoretical and a practical point of view, using national and international comparisons. The course will also pay specific attention to how behavior within our family and working lives intersects with different socio-demographic (age, gender), economic (education, social class) and contextual (country) factors.

1.4C Quantitative Research Project (premaster)

The aim of the Quantitative Research Project is further acquaintance with sociological research in practice. Central is the independent connection of sociological theory and empirical research. The research project is carried out in groups of an average of 5 people, and supervised by an instructor. Each group formulates a research question and conducts quantitative research using existing (survey) data. Through various sub-assignments, students develop their research question into a conceptual model, operationalize their model using secondary data, formulate and test hypotheses and report their results in the form of a research article.

3.5 Advanced Quantitative Methods (BA)

Advanced Quantitative Methods is the sequel to 1.4C Quantitative Methods. Advanced Quantitative Methods starts with a review of bivariate and multivariate regression analysis, building on previously acquired knowledge. The techniques covered are reliability analysis, factor analysis, multivariate regression analysis and logistic regression analysis. In addition, there is substantial emphasis on how to translate conceptual models into statistical analyses (e.g., control, moderation, mediation models) and the elaboration of relationships between concepts (e.g., replication, explanation, interpretation, specification). Both the lectures, in computer practicals and in assignments, Advanced Quantitative Methods places emphasis on reporting and interpreting research results.

Previous courses

Erasmus University Rotterdam

1.4C Quantitative methods (BA)

1.4P SPSS (BA)

Sociology Bachelor’s Thesis coordinator

Social Science Research in Practice/Sociaal wetenschappelijk onderzoek in het praktijk  (MA)

Sociology Master’s Thesis coordinator

University of Southampton

Introduction to Quantitative Methods (BSc)

Population Analysis (BSc)

Demographic Methods I (MSc)

Dissertation Coordinator (MSc)