Contact Information
Office: 614 MacKinnon
Phone: (519) 824-4120 Ext. 52198
Fax: (519) 837-9561
Email: dwalters @ uoguelph.ca
 

Research Interests

My primary area of interest is quantitative methods and applied statistics, and my substantive areas of research include the sociology of education, immigration, and mental health. My current substantive research covers a variety of issues relating to the school-to-work transitions of postsecondary graduates.  In recent research, I have compared the school-to-work transitions of trades, college, and university graduates of various fields of study during the early 1980’s through the mid 1990’s.  I have also investigated the early employment outcomes of university graduates who obtained a college diploma following graduation.  My research has also focused on issues relating to the underemployment of postsecondary graduates, where I have provided an empirical evaluation of the credentialist and human capital theory of education.  In addition, I have explored gender issues relating to school-to-work transitions, and have conducted policy oriented research which compares the early labour market outcomes of Aboriginals, other visible minorities, and native-born Canadians with postsecondary credentials. I am also investigating gender differences in mental health outcomes.

I am currently a co-investigator two research grants involving the economic integration of Canadian immigrants.  The first project examines how human capital (e.g., education), social and situational factors, discrimination, cultural identity, attachment to community and trust contribute to the labour market outcomes of Canadian immigrants.  The second examines the value and effect of foreign education and personal/country of origin characteristics on the successful integration of recent immigrants.  These grants are funded by SSHRC and the Canadian Council on Learning, respectively.

I am also the principal investigator on a SSHRC standard research grant.  The purpose of this research is to examine the changes and challenges facing postsecondary graduates of various fields of study in North America.  Many of the issues explored in this research involve the implications of the new “knowledge-based” economy on the school-to-work transitions of recent graduates.  This research also identifies changes in the school-to-work transitions of graduates of various fields over time and across cohorts, and involves comparisons among recent university (baccalaureate) graduates in Canada and the United States.

I am interested in working with graduate students on topics involving advanced statistical methods.  I also offer statistical consulting to academic and community researchers.

Courses 
University of Guelph
Quantitative Methods (SOAN 3120)
This course is an introduction to inferential statistics, analysis of variance, regression, and multiple regression.

Quantitative Research (SOC 6130)
This is a graduate course in regression analysis.  It covers topics such as regression with interactions, regression diagnostics, regression in matrix, logit and probit models, and estimation techniques (i.e., maximum likelihood estimation).

Advanced Regression Analysis (SOC 6660)
This course covers advanced regression topics including linear and generalized linear models, hierarchical linear models (i.e., models with fixed and random effects), event history (survival) analysis, time series analysis, path analysis and structural equation modeling