The American University in Cairo
Political Science 504
Research Methods in Political Sceince
Spring 2014
Tuesday 5:00-7:25
Dr. Gamal A. Gawad Soltan
Office Hours: Sunday, Wednesday 10:00-11:00
Tuesday 2:30-4:00
And By Appointment
Office: HUSS 2036
Email: gsoltan@aucegypt.edu
Course Description
This course is designed to introduce students to research methods used in
political science. The goal of this course is to provide students with
research methods that should help them produce quality research. In this
class, students will learn some of the quantitative techniques widely used
in political research. However, this class is not just about quantitative
methods. Qualitative research methods are also covered in this class.
Research methods should not be separated at any moment from the
content of our subject matter, i.e., politics. Moreover, methods are
broadly linked to the theoretical constructs developed by political
scientists to explain political phenomena. Some of these theoretical
approaches will be discussed in class, and students are encouraged to
establish the link between their research and these theories.
Course Requirements and Student Evaluation
I. Attendance policy: attendance is integral part of the course. Students
are allowed only 1 time of absence without penalty. Each additional
absence will cost 1 point of the final grade. Students who exceed 3 times
of penalized absence might be advised to drop the course. Students who
observe the attendance rules will be rewarded a maximum of 5% of the
total grade.
II. Class participation and presentations: Students are expected and
encouraged to participate in class discussions. Five percent (10%) of the
total grade is assigned for class participation and presentations.
III. Database Project: In this exercise, the student is required to submit a
detailed report and make a presentation about two databases/sets. The
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dataset known as “Human Development Index” will be addressed by all
students. The dataset can be found in http://hdr.undp.org/en/data. In
addition to that, the student will select one of the following databases to
be included in his report. All this datasets can be found in
http://www.systemicpeace.org/inscr/inscr.htm.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Forcibly Displaced Populations 1964-2008
Major Episodes of Political Violence, 1946-2012
PITF State Failure Problem Set 1955-2012
High Casualty Terrorist Bombings, 1989-2013
Memberships in Conventional Intergovernmental Organizations
(CIO)
1952-1997
Polity IV Annual Time-Series 1800-2012
Polity IVd Polity-Case Format
1800-2012
Coups d'Etat
1946-2012
State Fragility Index and Matrix
Time-Series Data, 1995-2012
The student’s report should include detailed description of the dataset, the
concepts and variables included in it, description and evaluation of the
method used to construct it, the database’s value and limitations. The
report should also include a minimum of five research questions that can
be addressed using the data at hand. Please specify the variables that can
be used towards answering these research questions. Fifteen percent
(15%) of the total grade is assigned to this exercise.
IV. Joint Class project: All students will take part in a joint project that
will occupy us for the entire duration of the semester. A number of
assignments will be conducted by students toward the completion of the
class project, as the following:
1. Questionnaire drafting
10 points
2. Data collection, phase 2
5 points
3. Report and analysis
15 points
TOTAL POINTS
30 points
V. Individual Student's Project
2
Each student has to develop his own project/paper. Students are expected
to enhance their own research papers through the application of relevant
research methods among those covered in class. Papers will be evaluated
according the following criteria:
1. Overall research design
2. Relation to existing literature
3. Use of research methods
4. Added value to knowledge
Points allocated to the individual student research paper distributed
among the different related activities as the following:
1. The enhanced research proposal
10 points
2. Literature review
10 points
3. Final research paper
20 points
TOTAL POINTS
40
Points in this class are distributed as the following
Attendance
5%
Class participation and presentations
10%
Database project
15%
Class joint project
30%
Individual student project
40%
Reading and Sources
Three kinds of readings and sources will be used in this class
1. A textbook: Janet Buttolph Johnson and H.T. Reynolds, Political
Science Research Methods, 2008.
This book provides through discussion of a number of empirical research
methods. It is available in both the bookstore and the reserve section in the
library.
2. A reference book: Joseph F. Healy, Statistics: A Tool for Social
Research, 2012.
This book will be consulted when addressing issues of quantification and
statistics. Copies of this book can be found in the bookstore and in the library
reserve section.
3. Selected articles in which particular methods and topics are addressed and
applied. These articles should help illustrate the utility of certain methods and
how they can be applied. Selected articles will be posted on blackboard.
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Topics and Readings
1. Feb 4
Introduction
Johnson and Reynolds, Ch. 1. Introduction
Assignment: prepare a one-page draft proposal of your individual research project
to be submitted Feb 11.
2. Feb 11
Submit draft individual research proposal
Readings:
1. Johnson and Reynolds, Ch. 2. The Empirical Approach to Political Science.
2. Sharon Crasnow, The Role of Case Study Research in Political Science,
2012
Activity: Discussion for the individual research proposals
3. Feb 18
Readings:
1. Johnson and Reynolds, Ch. 3. Identifying a Research Topic, Developing
Research Questions, and Reviewing the Literature.
2. Abhishek Chatterjee, Ontology, Epistemology, and Multi-method Research in
Political Science, 2011
Activity: Discussion for the individual research proposals continues
4. Feb 25
Readings:
1. Johnson and Reynolds, Ch. 4. Hypotheses, Concepts, and Variables
2. Joseph Healey, Ch. 1
3. Joseph Healey, Ch. 2
5. March 4
Deadline for submitting database report
Readings:
1. Johnson and Reynolds, Ch. 5. Measurement
Activity: Presentation of database reports
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6. March 11
Deadline for submitting individual project proposal
Readings:
1. Johnson and Reynolds, Ch. 10. Survey Research and Interviewing
2. Joseph Healey, Ch. 3
Activity: Group joint project: Preliminary discussion
7. March 18
Readings:
1. Johnson and Reynolds, Ch. 6. Causal Inference
2. James Druckman, The growth and development of experimental research
in political science, 2006
3. Joseph Healey, Ch. 4
Activity: Group joint project: elaboration
Assignment: Draft group project questionnaire
8. March 25
Deadline for Submitting group project questionnaire
Readings:
1. Johnson and Reynolds, Ch. 7. Sampling
2. Joseph Healey, Ch. 5
3. John Gerring, What Is a Case Study and What Is It Good for? 1998
4. Mark Tessler, Amaney Jamal, Michael Robbins, New Findings on Arabs and
Democracy, 2012
Activity: Discussion and finalization of group joint project questionnaire
Assignment: Use the final questionnaire to Conduct 20 interviews according to the
agreed upon criteria. The collected data should be coded and entered in the provided
data file and submitted by e-mail no later than April 8th.
9. April 1
Deadline for the submission of the enhanced research proposal
Readings:
1. Johnson and Reynolds, Ch. 8. Direct and Indirect Observation
2. Joseph Healey, Ch. 6
10. April 8
Deadline for submitting collected data for joint project
Readings:
1. Johnson and Reynolds, Ch. 9. Document Analysis
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2. K. J. Holsti, National Role Conceptions in the Study of Foreign Policy, 1970
3. Joseph Healey, Ch. 7
Activity: Discussions for the findings of the class' project
Assignment: Prepare a report describing the class project data and the findings you
see in it. The report should be submitted no later than April 29th.
11. April 15
SPRING BREAK
12. April 22
Deadline for the submission of literature review
Readings:
1. Joseph Healey, Ch. 8
2. Mark Tessler, Islam and Democracy in the Middle East: The Impact of
Religious Orientations on Attitudes toward Democracy in Four Arab
Countries, 2002.
13. April 29
Deadline for the submission of class' project analytical report
Readings:
1. Joseph Healey, Ch. 9
2. Michael Ross, Oil, Islam and Women, 2008
3. AMANEY A. JAMAL, Reassessing Support for Islam and Democracy in the
Arab World? Evidence from Egypt and Jordan 2006.
Activity: Presentation of the findings of students joint project
14. May 6
Readings:
1. Joseph Healey, Ch. 10
2. Steven Fish, Islam and Authoritarianism, 2002
3. Stephen Ansolabehere, Shanto Iyengar, Adam Simon and Nicholas Valentino,
Does Attack Advertising Demobilize the Electorate, 1994.
Activity: Presentation of students' individual research project
15. May 13
Deadline for the submission of student individual final paper
Readings:
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1. Joseph Healey, Ch. 11
2. Ryan E. Carlin and Gregory J. Love, The politics of interpersonal trust, 2011.
Activity: Presentation of students' individual research project continue
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