The Graduate School of International Studies
Yonsei University
Fall 2006
Research Design in Social Science
Ajin Choi
choiajin@yonsei.ac.kr
112 New Millennium Building
4:30-6:00 Tuesday and Thursday
Office Hour: 3:00-5:00 Wednesday or by appointment
Course Description
This course purposes to introduce students the various methods of empirical inquiry in
social science, and to help students learn how to formulate empirical research projects
comparing the strengths and weaknesses of each method. The course begins with a
discussion of the elements of research design and turns attention to the process of theory
construction and the collection of data. After the midterm period, the course will be
devoted to the analysis and discussion of the various methods of empirical research,
including: experiments, single case studies, comparative case studies, and large-n
statistical studies. The final section of the course will encourage students to present and
discuss their research design papers.
Course Requirements
Midterm Exam: 30%
Homework: 20% (to be assigned in class)
Class Participation: 20%
Research Design Paper: 30%
Course Readings
Course-Pak may be available
Course Schedule
Week 1(9/5-7): Introduction
What is Research Design?
King, Keohane, and Verba (KKV), Designing Social Inquiry, Chapter 1
Booth, Colomb, and Williams(BCM), The Craft of Research, pp. 3-74.
Week 2(9/12-14): Theory Building: Formulating Argument and Hypothesis
KKV, Chapter 3
BCM, pp.114-150
Manheim and Jarol (M and J), Empirical Political Analysis, Chapter 2
Week 3(9/19-21): No Class
Week 4( 9/26-28): Operationalization and Measurement
M and J, Chapter 4
Carmines and Zeller Chapter 1 and 2
Collier, David and Robert Adcock, “Democracy and Dichotomies,” Annual Review of
Political Science 2 (1999)
Polity III Dataset Codebook
Week 5(10/3-5): No Class
Week 6(10/10-12): Collecting Data I: Survey and Interview
M and J, Chapter 6, 8
Earl Babbie, Survey Research Methods, Chapter 3, 4, 7, 8
Week 7(10/17-19): Collecting Data II: Direct Observation, Content Analysis, and
Aggregate Data
M and J, Chapter 9, 10, 11, 12
KKV, Chapter 4
Jay Ovsiovitch, “News Coverage of Human Rights.” Political Science Quarterly, 46/3
(1993)
Week 8(10/24-26): Midterm Exam
Week 9(10/31-11/2): Discussion on Your Project
Week 10(11/7-9): Arranging Cases I: Experiments and Single Case Studies
M and J, Chapter 5
KKV, Chapter 6
James Fearon “Counterfactuals and Hypothesis Testing in Political Science,” World
Politics 43/2 (1991)
Week 11(11/14-16): Arranging Cases II: Comparative Case Studies and Large N
Studies
David Collier, “The Comparative Method,” in Ada Finifter ed., Political Science
Mahoney and Rueschemeyer, Comparative Historical Analysis in the Social Sciences,
Chapter 1
Dessler, William, “Beyond Correlations,” International Studies Quarterly 35/3 (1991)
Curt Signorino, “Strategic Interaction and the Statistical Analysis of International
Conflict,” American Political Science Review 93/2 (1999)
<Debate>
Michael Desch, “Democracy and Victory,” International Security 27/2 (2002)
Ajin Choi, “The Power of Democratic Cooperation,” International Security 28/1 (2003)
Week 12(11/21-23) : Application and Practice I
Week 13 (11/28-30): Application and Practice II
Week 14 (12/5-7)): Application and Practice III
Week 15(12/12-14): Wrap-up and Papers Due