POSC 295, Section 1 – POLITICAL RESEARCH METHODS (Summer 2005)
Dr. Chris Blake
Maury 207 – 568-6344 – BLAKECH@JMU.EDU
Office Hours: MTuW 4-5:30 and by appointment
COURSE HOME PAGE: http://www.jmu.edu/polisci/bios/blake/ps295/
This course introduces students to quantitative and qualitative approaches to research in the field of political science. The computer lab
will enable students to develop basic skills in common software packages in spreadsheet applications and statistical analysis; lab exercises also
reinforce and hone research skills. With the guidance of the instructor, students will conduct research assignments that integrate the skills developed
in the course and lab assignments.
EVALUATION:
Lab Assignments
Research Assignment #1
Test #1
Test #2
Research Assignment #2
Final Exam
-- 15%
-- 15%
-- 15%
-- 15%
-- 15%
-- 25%
PROCEDURES:
As a point of fairness to your classmates, the honor code must be observed at all times & written work must be handed in promptly. Tests must be
handed in at the end of the class period. Lab work and written work handed in late will be penalized 5 points plus an additional 5 points for every
additional 24-hour period. All work is to be original work done specifically for this course. Make-up exams will be given only under exceptional
circumstances: do not assume that you will be permitted to take a make-up test. Readings should be completed by class time of the date listed; lab
exercises are due at the beginning of the next class session. The professor reserves the right to alter this course outline as circumstances demand. For
additional information on course policies, review the relevant materials on the course website.
TEXTS:
Monroe, Alan D. Essentials of Political Research. Boulder, CO: Westview Press, 2000.
Additional readings will be made available in online form via the course website.
COURSE OUTLINE:
Part I: Basic Issues in Systematic Research
WEEK ONE:
May 16 – Introduction to the Scientific Method == Monroe, pp.1-15
Research Assignments in POSC 295 == HANDOUT
LAB (5/16/05): MicroCase exercise #1 in handout (introduction to MicroCase)
May 17 – FROM HUNCHES TO HYPOTHESES
Induction & Deduction; Theories & Hypotheses == Monroe, pp.17-30
From the Literature Review to the Research Design == RESERVE reading on BLACKBOARD [see web site]
LAB (5/17/05): NO new lab exercise assigned lab time for work on preliminary bibliography
May 18 – MEASUREMENT
RESEARCH QUESTION & PRELIMINARY BIBLIOGRAPHY DUE at 9am on 5/18/05
Conceptualization and Levels of Measurement == Monroe, pp.83-90
Reliability & Validity == RESERVE reading on BLACKBOARD [see web site]
Units of Analysis; The Role of Time == Monroe, pp.22-24, 48-49 and RESERVE reading on BLACKBOARD [see web site]
LAB (5/18/05): MicroCase exercise #2 in handout (levels of measurement)
May 19 – RESEARCH DESIGN
Causal Models & the Need for Control== Monroe, pp.31-32
Experimental Approaches to Control == Monroe, pp.32-40
Quantitative Approaches to Control == Monroe, pp.40-43
LAB (5/19/05): MicroCase exercise #3 in handout (quantitative approach to control)
WEEK TWO:
May 23 – CAUSAL MODEL & HYPOTHESIS WORKSHOP
Causal Diagrams
Review Session
LAB (5/23/05): NO new lab exercise assigned: lab time for review & work on literature review
(OVER)
Part II: Data Collection
May 24 – TEST #1 from 9am to 10am
Qualitative Secondary Sources == RESERVE reading on BLACKBOARD [see web site]
LAB (5/24/05): Research Protocol exercise in handout
May 25 – GATHERING DATA & EVALUATING GATHERED DATA
RESEARCH ASSIGNMENT #1 DUE at 9am on 5/25/05
The Basics of Sampling == RESERVE reading on BLACKBOARD [see web site] and Monroe, pp.67-71
Aggregate Data == Monroe, pp.47-57
LAB (5/25/05): MicroCase exercise #4 in handout (finding measures for concepts)
May 26 – SURVEY RESEARCH
The Basics of Survey Research == Monroe, pp.71-72
Asking Questions in Survey Research == Monroe, pp.73-81
Measuring Attitudinal Intensity in Surveys == RESERVE reading on BLACKBOARD [see web site]
LAB (5/26/05): Survey Construction exercise in handout (writing survey questions)
WEEK THREE:
May 30 – NO CLASS: Memorial Day
May 31 – SURVEY RESEARCH (cont.)
Interpreting Surveys: an example == HANDOUT
Review Session
LAB (5/31/05): NO new lab exercise assigned: lab time to work on Research Assignment #2
Part III: Quantitative Research Approaches
June 1 – TEST #2 from 9am-10am
DESCRIPTIVE STATISTICS
Frequency Distributions; Measures of Central Tendency; Measures of Dispersion == Monroe, pp.90-92
LAB (6/1/05): NO new lab exercise assigned: lab time used to deal with new material on descriptive statistics
June 2 – TABULAR DATA ANALYSIS
Contingency Tables & Controlling with Contingency Tables == Monroe, pp.92-93, 96, 159-166
Statistical Significance Tests: Chi-Square == Monroe, pp.99-100,124-131
LAB (6/2/05): MicroCase exercise #5 in handout (collapsing variables)
WEEK FOUR:
RESEARCH ASSIGNMENT #2 DUE at 9am on 6/6/05
June 6 – INFERENTIAL STATISTICS WITH NOMINAL AND ORDINAL VARIABLES
Nominal Measures of Association: lambda & Cramer’s V == Monroe, pp.117-122
Ordinal Measures of Association: gamma, Kendall’s tau, & Somer’s D == Monroe, pp.120-126
LAB (6/6/05): MicroCase exercise #6 in handout (nominal & ordinal statistics)
June 7 – INFERENTIAL STATISTICS WITH INTERVAL & RATIO VARIABLES
Correlation: r, r2 == Monroe, pp.141-149
Bivariate Regression: scatterplots, the regression line, outliers
LAB (6/7/05): MicroCase exercise #7 in handout (correlation and bivariate regression)
June 8 – WORKING WITH MULTIPLE REGRESSION
Multiple OLS Regression: R, R2, beta coefficients, F, t == Monroe, pp.167-182
Making Decisions about Multiple Regression: dummy variables, degrees of freedom, regression assumptions
Interpreting Multiple Regression: One Example == HANDOUT
LAB (6/8/05): MicroCase exercise #8 in handout (multivariate regression)
June 9 – COURSE WRAP-UP: **Today’s class session begins at 10am**
CROSS-TABULAR DATA ANALYSIS PROJECT DUE at 10am on 6/9/05
Review Session
LAB (6/9/05): no new lab assignment: lab time for review
June 10 -- FINAL EXAM
**FINAL EXAM: Friday, 6/10/05 from 9am to 11am **