Description

How do social scientists know what they think they know? This course will introduce students to a variety of tools used to conduct empirical research in political science. We begin by considering what it means to be “scientific” and the assumptions behind a scientific approach to political inquiry. Then we turn to issues of research design and measurement, including sampling and survey techniques. Finally, we examine some statistical procedures for describing the subjects of political inquiry (voters, organizations, nation-states, etc.) and for drawing inferences about why they think or behave the way they do.

Although the course provides an introduction to some of the statistical methods used by political scientists, including cross-tabulation and linear regression, emphasis is placed more on the application of these methods than on their mathematical foundations. The course does not require any previous coursework in mathematics or statistics. We will spend a fair amount of time in the computer lab working with real data and data-analytic software.

Learning Objectives

The general objective of this course is to develop the student's capacity to conduct quantitative empirical research in political science and public policy, and to critically evaluate the research of others. By the end of the term, students should be able to:

• identify topics in political science amenable to systematic empirical analysis;
• design a research project involving the collection and analysis of quantitative data;
• employ basic statistical methods to test hypotheses about political processes; and
• communicate the results of empirical research clearly and professionally.

Requirements and Evaluation

There are exams in this course. Course grades, for both undergraduates and graduate students, are based on three exercises to be completed during the term (20 percent each) as well as a more substantial project due at the end of the term (40 percent). Assignments for graduate students will require somewhat greater familiarity with their fields of study. Attendance is required for all, and participation in class discussion is expected.

Readings

One coursebook is available for purchase at the Portland State Bookstore:

• William M. K. Trochim, The Research Methods Knowledge Base (Atomic Dog Publishing, 2001)

Students may purchase an online-only version of this book, at substantial savings, by following these instructions. Other readings have been assembled as a course packet, which is available at Clean Copy, 1704 SW Broadway.

CLASS SCHEDULE

• Trochim, Research Methods Knowledge Base, chaps. 1, 5.
• Michael Nicholson, Causes and Consequences in International Relations: A Conceptual Study (Pinter, 1996), chaps. 2-3.

• Trochim, Research Methods Knowledge Base, chap. 6.
• Stephen M. Walt, "Alliance Formation and the Balance of World Power," International Security, vol. 9, no. 4 (1985).

• Trochim, Research Methods Knowledge Base, chap. 3.
• UN Development Programme, Human Development Report 2003 (Oxford University Press, 2003), chap. 2, technical note 1.

• Trochim, Research Methods Knowledge Base, chap. 4.
• Shoon Kathleen Murray, Anchors Against Change: American Opinion Leaders' Beliefs After the Cold War (Unversity of Michigan Press, 1996), chap. 2, appends. B, D.

• Trochim, Research Methods Knowledge Base, chap. 10.
• Paul F. Diehl and Gary Goertz, War and Peace in International Rivalry (Unversity of Michigan Press, 2000), chaps. 2-3.

• Trochim, Research Methods Knowledge Base, chap. 2.
• Gary King, Robert O. Keohane, and Sidney Verba, Designing Social Inquiry: Scientific Inference in Qualitative Research (Princeton University Press, 1994), chap. 2.

• Arend Lijphart, Democracies: Patterns of Majoritarian Government in Twenty-one Countries (Yale Univeristy Press, 1984), chap. 7.
• A. F. K. Organski and Jacek Kugler, The War Ledger (University of Chicago Press, 1980), chap. 1.

• Trochim, Research Methods Knowledge Base, chaps. 11-12.
• Robert A. Dahl and Edward R. Tufte, Size and Democracy (Stanford Univeristy Press, 1973), chaps. 7-8.
• Daniel W. Drezner, The Sanctions Paradox: Economic Statecraft and International Relations (Cambridge University Press, 1999), chaps. 1, 4.
• Raymond E. Wolfinger and Steven J. Rosenstone, Who Votes? (Yale University Press, 1980), chap. 2, append. C.