California State Polytechnic University, Pomona
Department of Political Science
MPA 504_01 Quantitative Methods
Dr. Sandra M. Emerson
Telephone (909) 869-3879
Office Hours: Sat. 1:30-2:30
Mon. 12:30 – 1:30, Tues 1-2 p.m.
Office Bldg 94; Room 309
E-mail: smemerson@csupomona.edu
Fax: 909 869-6995
Goal and Objectives:
The primary goal of this course is to take the mystery out of quantitative analysis for students
and practitioners. Students will be introduced to the logic of the social scientific method and the
rationale for using systematic, measurable, and verifiable means for describing, explaining, and
predicting consequences in policy and politics.
The discussion will center on how data is analyzed and how conclusions are drawn from the
data. Students will focus on describing and graphing data to make analysis and findings
understandable to themselves and members of the general public.
Quantitative data is used to explain cause-effect relationships between variables that may
enable one to predict future events. The ability to understand relationships and predict probable
outcomes aids in developing reasoned recommendations and suggestions for policy
alternatives.
Texts and Materials:
Meier, Kenneth, Jeffrey L. Brudney and John Bohte 2009. Applied Statistics for Public
and Nonprofit Administration, 8th edition. Belmont CA: Thomson. -Recommended
Pollock, Phillip. 2012 An SPSS Companion to Political Analysis, 4th edition. Washington
D.C.: Congressional Quarterly. (P-SPSS)
Szafran, Robert 2012. Answering Questions With Statistics. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
This course requires students utilize a program called SPSS. Students may lease IBM
SPSS Statistics Base GradPack 20 for Windows for 6 months ($35) SPSS is available
at no cost to students in the computer labs (98-5-13 to 15).
To rent the software you will need to contact e-academy at
http://www.onthehub.com/spss/. You may reach them by FAX at 1 866 469
7512 or by phone at: +1(613) 526-3005 (Firm is in Canada)
Cal Poly staff may obtain a copy of SPSS through the Help Desk in Building 1-100.
The Help Desk is opened until 6:00 p.m. Students need to provide the Help Desk with a
blank CD ROM.
Articles are on Blackboard:
American Evaluation Association 2004. " Guiding Principles for Evaluators”.
Fenwick, John and Karen Miller, 2012. Political management and local performance: a
testing relationship. International Journal of Public Service Management, 25 (3), 221230.
Kelly, William E., 2004. Sleep Length and Life Satisfaction in a College Student Sample.
College Student Journal, 38 (3), 428-30.
Waltman, J. and S. Pittman, 2002. Determinates of State Minimum Wage: A public
policy approach. Journal of Labor Research; 23, (1), 51-55
Weitzer, R., Tuch, S. A. & Skogan, W.G., 2008. Police community relations in a majority
black city. Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency 45 (4), 398- 428.
► O’ Sullivan, E., Rassel, G.R. and Berner, M. 2002. Beginning a research project: The
preliminary steps, from Research Methods for Public Administrators. New York: NY:
Longman. [Class handout]
Course Requirements
Students will be evaluated on the basis of two examinations, a final research project and
participation in course work.

Say “Hi” – 5 points- on Blackboard. Student demonstrates ability to access and
participate in class efforts using Blackboard.

Mid-term 35 points of the grade: Please bring the assigned article for PART A of the
exam and a 100 item Scantron. PART A is open note and PART B uses Pollack data
which is accessed from the text disk or is on student’s (Z) drive.

Final Quiz exam 25 points of the grade.

Project 35 points of the grade. This includes an 8-10 page paper with citations and
relevant appendices. Appendices are not counted in 8-10 page written portion of paper
which is due in week 10.

Presentation of Research --up to 8 points for presenting research and findings as extra
credit. If you wish to participate only as a reviewer, up to 2 points may be earned. ALL
PRESENTERS must indicate they will be making a presentation no later than FEB, 16.
Grades: Best 100 points of 110 possible points.
A = 95 and above
B+ = 87 to 89
C+ = 77 to 79
D+ = 67 to 69
A- = 90 to 94
B = 84 to 86
C = 74 to 76
D = 64 to 66
B- = 80 to 83
C- = 70 to 73
D- = 60 to 63
Plagiarism or any value less than 60 is F
Plagiarism, the presenting of other’s work as your own, is an automatic F in this course. There
are no exceptions to this rule. Plagiarized papers will be forwarded to Judicial Affairs Office for
adjudication.
Week
1
Jan
12
2
Jan
19
Topic
Introduction to
Research Methods
Szafran
Chapter1
Pollack
Preface
Tools for quantitative
analysis
Descriptive Statistics
and Levels of
Measurement
Chapter 2
Chapter 1 and
11
Chapter 2
Chapter 3 -4
Waltman, J. and S.
Pittman, 2002. State
Minimum Wage
3
Jan
26
4
Feb.
2
5
Feb 9
6
Other and Assignment
O’ Sullivan, E.,
Rassel, G.R. and
Berner, M. 2002
3X5 card with topic
Say “Hi” on
Blackboard for 5 points
Creating/Transforming
Variables; Making
comparison
Chapter 5 and
7
Chapter 3 and 4
Hypothesis testing
and measures of
association
Chapter 8 and
15
Chapter 5 and 7
Elaboration Testing of
Nominal and Ordinal
Data
Mid Term;
--
Chapter 5 and 7
Chapters 1-5,
7-8 and 15.
Chapters 1-5, 7
and 11.
After exam Sampling
Discussion
Chapter 11-12
How Big a
Sample is
Needed?
Fenwick, John and
Karen Miller, 2012
Random
Numbers
U. S. Senate.sav
Standard
Errors, Z
scores, etc.
Indicate if you are
volunteering to do a
final presentation via
email.
Feb.
16
DRAFT of intro and
brief summary of
relevant literature. -10
to 0 points. Submit via
TURNITIN on
Blackboard
On-line POWERMUTT
Readings: Control
Variables
O’ Sullivan, E.,
Rassel, G.R. and
Berner, M. 2002
7
Feb.
23
8
Mar.
2
9
Mar.
9
10
Mar.
16
Inferences: T and
ANOVA
Chapters 13-14
Chapter 6
Correlations and
Regression
Chapter 9
Chapter 8
U.S. Senate
IRB and protection of
human subjects. Prof.
Kennedy of IRB
Chapter 10
Chapter 9
IRB on-line and
American Evaluation
Association
Dummies and Multiple
Regression
Student Presentations
Hard copy of paper
due at beginning of
class.
Address questions
from weeks 6-9
ORIGINAL submitted
via TURNITIN on
Blackboard.
Info on short quiz
Final
Short quiz
Chapters 9-14,
Chapters 6, 8-9
Mar.
23
Volunteers present
papers and reviewers
evaluate presentations
IRB on –line and
American Evaluation
Association
Weitzer, R, et al.,
2008. Police
community relations.
On Blackboard.
Student Participation and Course Protocol
Students are expected to:


read all materials prior to class and
Exam questions and project papers are taken directly from Pollack readings and
exercises. Students are to attend each class session, come with all relevant materials
and participate as a scholar and professional.

Answers to Pollack exercises are on line in Blackboard under Assignments.

Paper to Demonstrate Student’s Competence in Analyzing Quantitative Data
The objective of this paper is to provide the student with an opportunity to demonstrate a
competency with the utilization and interpretation of data. Therefore each paper will be judged
based on the following criteria:
The student has developed a viable hypothesis from existing theory and has cited references.
The hypothesis has been adequately stated.
a. The student has tested the main hypothesis. Alternative variables have been taken
into account and employed to enhance the analysis or dismissed as not statistically
significant. The student has demonstrated an understanding of PRE tests and/or
coefficients in the analysis of data.
b. The student has utilized appropriate statistical tests and appropriate displays of data
have been integrated into the paper and presentation.
c.
Appropriate conclusions been drawn from the data.
d. Reference lists and works cited conform to academic standards (APA)
Quarterly Paper Outline:
1. Introduction to Research Question and/or Policy Issue
2. Statement of the hypothesis.
State what is in the popular literature or-- is the conventional wisdom --about the
causes/factors influencing the dependent variable you are interested in analyzing.
a. This section provides a brief overview of what is known, when it became an issue, who
champions the issue and how the issue is generally viewed. This discussion must be
cited using a standard APA citations
b. Statement of the hypothesis. Typically as is an IF—THEN statement.
3.
Scholarly Literature
Organizes BRIEF discussion into themes and cluster author/s in the scholarly literature who
share your view and identify what is the basis of their support
4. Identify author/s in the scholarly literature who don't share this view and identify what is the
basis of the opposition.
Articles should be synthesized and interpreted for the reader. This section should include
scholarly articles. See JSTOR or Wilson Web library databases for scholarly journal
articles from Cal Poly web page. Identify themes, theories and methodological differences.
3. Methodology
Students will use data bases in Pollack, or data base files provided by Dr. Emerson. Identify
which database was used; the source/s of the data and in what timeframe the data was
collected.
4. Analysis [This is the core of the assignment]
a) There should be a section that describes the data, makes inferences from the
data and, if possible, models the interaction between the independent,
intervening and dependent variables. Each section should include the
following:
• What is to be analyzed? [Description, inferences, and models]
• Describe what was anticipated and provide a picture that summarizes what is
observed. –Show SPSS output pages
• Indicate the statistical test used – Show SPSS output.
• Explain the test, why it is appropriate and what it means.
• Repeat this 4-step review for each part of your analysis.
5. Conclusions and Recommendations

What conclusions may be drawn from the analysis? Should the null
hypothesis be accepted or rejected? What might the analysis mean for the
discipline? What consequences might this have for policy?
6. List all references and cite these references using APA format.