PLSC 677 – Analytical Methods in Public Administration
Department of Political Science
College of Arts & Sciences
Eastern Michigan University
Fall 2013
Gregory K. Plagens
Class Time: 5:30 to 7:20 PM, Monday
601J Pray-Harrold
419 Pray-Harrold
(734) 487-2522
Office Hours: 10:00 to 11:00 a.m., Mondays & Wednesdays
gregory.plagens@emich.edu
2:00 to 5:30 p.m., Mondays
9 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., Thursdays
and by appointment
Why do some individuals score higher on standardized exams?
Is workplace diversity associated with productivity?
Course Description
The ability to analyze complex phenomena in a systematic way is an asset that will serve you well
in your professional career. Public and nonprofit administrators work in highly public and political
environments, where deciding what gets done often involves winning over skeptics or those preferring
alternative courses of action. Success for you may at some point hinge on choosing an effective solution to
a problem and being able to defend that choice. Where will you turn for information? How will you
assess your options? An often underappreciated source of information is academic research, but
extracting meaning from studies requires some knowledge of the scientific process. This course will aid
you in becoming literate in the language of research design and statistics so you can expand your
knowledge of the field; it will also prepare you to design your own research project, something you must
be able to do to graduate from the program.
PLSC 677 is the first of two required courses in the MPA program that focuses on research. You
should not miss the obvious emphasis being placed here. Numerically, 22.2 percent (almost one-fifth) of
core courses in the program are in this subject. If you add to that PLSC 695, which requires completing
original research, the percentage rises to 33.3 percent (or one-third of the core). An MPA student who
opts not to embrace this material from the outset will find the program increasingly difficult to complete.
We recognize that few of you may aspire to pursue research full time, but we expect all of you to improve
your analytical skills in this area to the point of at least a basic understanding. The pervasiveness of
information in today’s professional environment demands that leaders and managers in public and
nonprofit organizations possess the ability to evaluate reports and causal claims put before them.
Thinking scientifically is only one approach for assessing the value of information, but in the modern
world it is increasingly important.
The course begins with an introduction to the language of research and research design. The
midterm exam will assess how well you understand and can articulate these ideas. While introducing
some of the main ideas behind research and research design, several exercises will require you to begin
developing your own potential research project. You will read independently on a subject of your
choosing, prepare a literature review on this subject (citing sources correctly) and present a proposed
research design at the conclusion of the semester.
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Course Resources
The course resources provide far more information than we will attempt to cover. I will assign readings
that are most relevant to the assessments in this course. You are welcome to read further and more
deeply, if you are interested and believe it will not confuse you. Listed below are a few supplemental
resources that I found useful for understanding this material and the more advanced material you will
encounter in PLSC 678.
Required
Berman, Evan M. and XiaoHu Wang. 2012. Essential Statistics for Public Managers and Policy
Analysts, Third Edition. Washington, D.C.: CQ Press.
Supplemental
Harris, Robert A. 2005. Using Sources Effectively: Strengthening Your Writing and Avoiding
Plagiarism, 2nd Edition. Glendale, Calif: Pyrczak Publishing.
Galvan, Jose L. 2006. Writing Literature Reviews: A Guide for Students of the Social and Behavioral
Sciences, 3rd Edition. Glendale, Calif: Pyrczak Publishing.
The Chicago Manual of Style, 16th Edition is available online from campus computers at
http://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/16/ch15/ch15_toc.html. A universally available Citation
Quick Guide for the 16th Edition is available at
http://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/tools_citationguide.html. When using the Citation Quick
Guide, remember to click on the tab for the Author-Date format, commonly referred to as the
reference format. Note: There is slight variation between Turabian and the 16th Edition that we
will discuss in class. The important thing is to be consistent in whichever you choose.
Meier, Kenneth J., Jeffrey L. Brudney, and John Bohte. 2009. Applied Statistics for Public &
Nonprofit Administration, 7th Edition. Belmont, Calif.: Wadsworth.
o This book is one I have used before, too. Any of the recent editions (borrowed from the
library or purchased) would give you another take on the material.
Hoover, Kenneth R. and Todd Donovan. 2010. The Elements of Social Scientific Thinking. Boston,
Mass.: Wadsworth
o This book is in the 10th edition, but I believe any of the editions (borrowed from the
library or purchased) would be useful for learning social science research.
StatSoft provides an electronic and paper version of their materials. Information can be found
here: http://www.statsoft.com/textbook/stathome.html.
Course Objectives
Students will learn the following:
to think in terms of a basic social science research framework;
to identify different sources and to cite them properly;
to distinguish between experimental and quasi-experimental research;
to recognize ethical, privacy and security issues pertaining to the use of data;
to distinguish among types of data;
how samples are used to make inferences about larger populations;
to interpret, at a basic level, the statistical findings in published research;
to independently read and understand academic and professional literature.
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Course Activities to Meet Objectives
The language of research design and statistics is likely to be foreign to you. Consider approaching
this course as if it were a foreign language. This means you should be prepared to read and reread
material and to memorize definitions and ideas, regardless of how well you understand them at first.
This also means preparing to think and contribute in class and being willing to do so. The key to learning
this material is to practice by applying it to examples beyond what I give you in class. So, if I illustrate an
element of research design or a statistical technique using ideas or data about worker productivity, you
should consider that example and try to think of other examples that fit your work interests. We use the
same framework and techniques to analyze many topics in the social sciences.
Increasing your understanding of research methods depends on your willingness to engage the
material. We will approach the topics covered several ways. First, readings are assigned for each week to
help introduce you to the material. You are expected to have read the material prior to class. Several
passes at the readings, both before and after the appropriate lecture, may be necessary for you to grasp
the meaning intended. Please note that far more material is covered in the book than will be covered in
class and that you should, upon second look, pay more attention to parts of the readings that reinforce
what I cover in class. Additional reading materials may be made available throughout the semester
because I am always finding new and interesting material that is pertinent to this subject.
Second, class sessions have been designed to simplify and illustrate many ideas related to research
design and statistics. My choices for including material or leaving it out are based upon what I think the
class, on average, can digest in the time we have together. A primary objective of the course is for you to
be able to “independently read and understand academic and professional literature that includes
statistics.” Courses you may have had in the past or that are available in other departments may teach
this same material differently. You are encouraged to keep the objectives of this course in mind
throughout the entire semester. The bulk of class time will be dedicated to discussion of course readings
and topics related to them. You are expected to be in attendance for all class sessions.
Third, small group discussions will allow you to think about the material more concretely and to
learn from your peers. It is here that you will be able to discern how well you grasp the ideas being
presented in the readings and in the lectures, and to compare your self-assessment to the understanding
of others in the class. Each class ends and begins with a call for questions. Be aware that this material can
seem deceptively simple. Please do not wait for a graded assessment to attempt to figure out what you do
not understand. You should be attempting to extend your thinking about the material continuously
throughout the semester.
Finally, to help you reach the course objectives, there will be a series of graded assessments that
will be given regularly throughout the semester, including two short assignments, a midterm exam, a
problem statement, a literature review and a research design. All students begin this course with a zero. It
is assumed that you are entering this course with no knowledge of the subject. Your final grade will
reflect your ability over the semester to demonstrate understanding of the material presented. You work
independently when completing assignments and examinations. The weighting of the assessments for
this course are detailed below:
Short Assignment One – 10 percent
Short Assignment Two – 10 percent
Midterm Exam – 30 percent
Problem Statement – CR/NC
Literature Review – 20 percent
Research Design – 30 percent
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Short Assignments
Short assignments are intended to be completed in a week. The writing and work involved will not
be extensive, but in both cases they will serve the purpose of providing practice at an important skill or
task that must be learned for successful completion of the literature review and research design. The first
short assignment will involve searching and citing sources, as well as identifying the types of sources that
have been found. The second short assignment will involve taking a single source and drawing from it
basic ideas important to all social science research. More details about both of these assignments will be
provided on the date they are distributed. Grading of these assessments will be on a scale of A through F.
The highest grade is reserved for work that shows mastery of the material assigned.
Midterm Exam
Students will be provided with two weeks to complete a take-home midterm exam. The exam will
test students on their understanding of the social science research process and its related ideas.
Additionally the midterm exam will provide a second opportunity for students to demonstrate mastery
of the material covered in the two short writing assignments. More details on the midterm exam will be
shared closer to the event.
Problem Statement
Researchers can increase the likelihood of their projects going smoothly and efficiently by carefully
crafting a problem statement at the outset. A good problem statement will do four things: frame a topic,
point to a void in our knowledge about the topic, explain how this void can be studied, and explain the
significance or the benefits of such an investigation. You are required to draft a problem statement for this
course, but you get to choose your own topic. I will work with you to reach a final product, whether you
get to an acceptable product on the first try or on subsequent tries. This course requirement is not graded,
but it must be completed on time before the remaining assessments will be accepted.
Literature Review
Learning to write an effective literature review is important for two reasons. First, it will help you
develop the ability to search for and to compare information and arguments being advanced in social
science. As mentioned in the introduction, public and nonprofit leaders and managers face problems in
need of solutions and you may find your personal success one day hinges on coming up with a defensible
and successful response to a problem. Learning to read and synthesize social science research will help
broaden your knowledge and thinking about a subject, which may position you to make a better decision
at some point in the future. Second, and perhaps more immediately practical, you will need an effective
literature review as part of you capstone project in PLSC 695. Put simply, if you cannot write one, you
cannot graduate from the MPA program. A wise student will use short assignments one and two as the
foundation for their literature review. If you happen to identify a topic that holds your interest, this
literature review may even serve as the basis of your capstone project in PLSC 695. More details on the
literature review will be shared closer to the event.
Research Design
A research design is the final work product of the course, and it will include your literature review
as well as details about how you will study the problem identified in your problem statement. Important
details expected as part of your research design include a summary of what is known about the problem
currently (literature review), an explanation of how you will extend current knowledge, the data you
would collect as part of the study, an explanation of the unit of analysis and levels of measurement, and a
discussion of statistical tests that would be appropriate for your data. Note that in this final product you
will resubmit your literature review, which means you will have the opportunity to improve on the work
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you did earlier in the semester. A wise student will use short assignments one and two, as well as the
literature review, to complete the research design.
The last three weeks of class are reserved for presentations and workshops on your designs. For
these three nights, we will meet in smaller sessions (one-third of the class each night). You will be
required to attend one of these sessions to present your research design and to get feedback from the rest
of the class. Those who present early will have less time overall during the semester, but will have the
opportunity to make improvements based on class feedback before turning in the final product (two
weeks or one week later). Those who present last will have more time before presenting and may attend
earlier sessions to learn from feedback on other designs, but they will have to turn in the final product at
the conclusion of the last class (shortly after presenting).
University Services to Assist You in Learning
Disability Resource Center
It is my goal that this class be an accessible and welcoming experience for all students, including those
with disabilities that may impact learning in this class. Students who believe they may have trouble
participating or effectively demonstrating learning in this course should meet with me (with or without a
Disability Resource Center (DRC) accommodation letter) to discuss reasonable options or adjustments.
During our discussion I may suggest you contact the DRC (240K Student Center; 734-487-2470;
drc@emich.edu) to talk about academic accommodations and the need for an accommodation letter. You
are welcome to talk to me anytime during the semester about such issues, but it is always best if we can
talk at least one week prior to the need for any modifications so that I can plan accordingly.
University Writing Center
The University Writing Center (115 Halle Library; 487-0694) offers one-to-one writing consulting for both
undergraduate and graduate students. Students can make appointments or drop in between the hours of
10 a.m. and 6 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays and from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Fridays. Students should
bring a draft of what they’re working on and their assignment sheet. The UWC opens for the Fall 2013
semester on Monday, September 9 and will close on Thursday, December 12.
The UWC also offers small group workshops on various topics related to writing (e.g., Organizing Your
Writing; Incorporating Evidence; Revising Your Writing; Conquering Commas; Using APA or MLA).
Workshops are offered at different times in the UWC. Visit the UWC page (http://www.emich.edu/uwc)
to see our workshop calendar. To register for a workshop, click the link from the UWC page for the type
of workshop you wish to attend.
The UWC also has several satellite sites across campus. These satellites provide writing support to
students within the various colleges. For more information about our satellite locations and hours, visit
the UWC web site: http://www.emich.edu/uwc.
The Academic Projects Center (116 Halle Library) also offers one-to-one writing consulting for students,
in addition to consulting on research and technology-related issues. The APC is open 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Mondays through Thursdays for drop-in consultations. Additional information about the APC can be
found at http://www.emich.edu/apc. Students visiting the Academic Projects Center or any of the
satellites of the University Writing Center should also bring with them a draft of what they’re working on
and their assignment sheet.
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Course Outline
Week One – Sept. 9
Topic:
Syllabus Overview
Why Study Research Design and Analytical Methods?
National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration Standards
Ethical, Privacy and Security Issues in Gathering and Using Information
Variance and Causation: Two of the Most Important Words You Must Know
Assigned Readings
Berman and Wang: Ch. 1.
Turabian, Ch. 1.
Week Two – Sept. 16
Note:
Short Assignment One Distributed
Topic:
The Importance of Questions
Introduction to Writing Literature Reviews
Using and Citing Sources Effectively
Research Design: Theories and Concepts
Assigned Readings
Berman and Wang: Ch. 3 (48-50 only)
Turabian: Ch. 2 (2.1 and 2.2 only); Ch. 3; Ch. 15; Ch. 18; and Ch. 19 (skim only).
Hechter, Michael and Christine Horne. 2003. Theories of Social Order. Stanford, Calif.:
Stanford University Press. (3-8 only)
Putnam, Robert D. 1995. "Bowling Alone: America’s Declining Social Capital." Journal
of Democracy 6:65-78.
Foldy, Erica Gabrielle. 2004. "Learning from Diversity: A Theoretical Exploration."
Public Administration Review 64:529-38.
Week Three – Sept. 23
Note:
Short Assignment One Due
Topic:
Experimental Design vs. Quasi-Experimental Design
Assigned Readings
Berman and Wang: Ch. 2
Powell, Jack L. and Aaron D. Drucker. 1997. “The Role of Peer Conformity in the
Decision to Ride with an Intoxicated Driver.” Journal of Alcohol and Drug Education
43:1-7.
Bohte, John. 2001. “School Bureaucracy and Student Performance at the Local
Level.” Public Administration Review 61:92-99.
Lewis-Beck, Michael and John R. Alford. 1980. “Can Government Regulate Safety?
The Coal Mine Example.” American Political Science Review 74:745-756.
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Week Four – Sept. 30
Note:
Short Assignment One Returned
Literature Review Assigned
Problem Statement Assigned
Topic:
Last Extinction: What Killed the Mammoths? (PBS Home Video)
Measurement, Data Collection and Sampling
Assigned Readings
Berman and Wang: Ch. 3 and Ch. 5.
Turabian: Ch. 1.
Simonsen, Bill, Mark D. Robbins, and Lee Helgerson. 2000. "The Influence of
Jurisdiction Size and Sale Type on Municipal Bond Interest Rates: An Empirical
Analysis." Public Administration Review 61:709-17.
Week Five – Oct. 7
Note:
Problem Statement Due
Topic:
Descriptive Statistics
Assigned Reading
Berman and Wang: Ch. 6 and Ch. 7.
Stone, Clarence N., Jeffrey R. Henig, Bryan D. Jones, and Carol Pierannunzi. 2001.
Building Civic Capacity: The Politics of Reforming Urban Schools. Lawrence, Kansas:
University of Kansas Press. Ch. 3.
Lentz, Corliss. 1998. "Why Some Communities Pay More than Others? The Example
of Illinois Teachers." Public Administration Review 58 (2):137-44.
Week Six – Oct. 14
Note:
Problem Statement Returned
Short Assignment Two Distributed
Topic:
Hypothesis Testing and Statistical Significance
Research Method: The T-test (or Difference of Means Test)
Assigned Readings
Berman and Wang: Ch. 10 (169-74 only); Ch. 12.
Hays, Steven W., and Richard C. Kearney. 2001. "Anticipated Changes in Human
Resource Management: Views from the Field." Public Administration Review 61
(5):585-97.
De Soto, William, Cynthia Opheim, and Hassan Tajalli. 1999. "Apples and Oranges?
Comparing the Attitudes of Public Policy Versus Public Administration Students."
American Review of Public Administration 29 (1):77-91.
Week Seven – Oct. 21
Note:
Short Assignment Two Due
Midterm Exam Distributed
Topic:
Contingency Tables and the Chi-Square
Assigned Readings
Berman and Wang: Ch. 8; Ch. 10
Starks, Glenn L. 2007. "The Effect of Person-Job Fit on the Retention of Top College
Graduates in Federal Agencies." Review of Public Personnel Administration 27 (1):59-70.
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Week Eight – Oct. 28
Note:
Short Assignment Two Returned
Topic:
Case Study Research
Reliability and Validity
Assigned Readings
Berman and Wang: Ch. 2 (37-39 only); Ch. 3 (55-57 only); Ch. 4.
Yin, Robert K. 2003. Case Study Research: Design and Methods, Third Edition. Ch. 1 and
Ch. 2.
Fleischmann, Arnold. 2000. “Regionalism and City-County Consolidation in Small
Metro Areas.” State and Local Government Review 32: 213-226.
Battaglio, Paul, and Stephen Condrey. 2006. “Civil Service Reform: Examining State
and Local Government Cases.” Review of Public Personnel Administration 26:118-38.
Week Nine – Nov. 4
Note:
Midterm Exam Is Due
Research Design Assigned
Topic:
Research Design In-Class Group Exercise
Assigned Reading
None
Week Ten – Nov. 11
Topic:
Using Interviews and Observation to Collect Data
Assigned Reading
Kelman, Steven, and Jeff Myers. 2011. “Successfully Achieving Ambitious Goals in
Government: An Empirical Analysis.” American Review of Public Administration
41:235-62.
Fenno, Richard F. Jr. 1978. Home Style: House Members in Their Districts. New York:
HarperCollins. Introduction and Ch. 1.
Week Eleven – Nov. 18
Topic:
Literature Review Is Due
Survey Development and Application
Assigned Reading
Berman and Wang: Ch. 5.
Asher, Herbert. 1998. Polling and the Public: What Every Citizen Should Know.
Washington, D.C.: CQ Press. Ch. 3.
Week Twelve – Nov. 25
Topic:
Presentation and Workshops on Student Research Designs
Week Thirteen – Dec. 2
Topic:
Presentation and Workshops on Student Research Designs
Week Fourteen – Dec. 9
Topic:
Presentation and Workshops on Student Research Designs
Week Fifteen (Exam Week) – Dec. 16
Topic:
Research Design Due
Presentation and Workshops on Student Research Designs