POLS 3003 - Research Methods in Political Science
Course Overview
This upper-level undergraduate course introduced students to research methods used in political science, including survey research, experimental design, statistical analysis, and qualitative methods.
Course Details
Students: 24
Meeting Time: TR 2:00-3:15 PM
Location: HSS 2015 (Computer Lab)
Prerequisites: POLS 1013, STAT 2003
Learning Outcomes Achieved
Students successfully learned to: - Design research questions and hypotheses - Conduct literature reviews - Analyze quantitative data using SPSS - Understand sampling and survey methodology - Write research proposals and reports
Major Assignments
Research Proposal (40% of grade)
Students developed original research proposals on topics of their choice: - Topics ranged from: voter turnout, social media influence, policy attitudes - Average grade: 88.5% - Skills developed: Literature review, hypothesis formation, research design
Data Analysis Project (35% of grade)
Using real political science datasets: - Software: SPSS and Excel - Datasets: American National Election Study, General Social Survey - Focus: Descriptive and inferential statistics
Methodology Critique (25% of grade)
Students evaluated published political science research: - Critical thinking: Research design evaluation - Academic writing: Formal critique papers - Class presentations: Student-led discussions
Technology Integration
- SPSS training: Hands-on statistical software experience
- Online surveys: Created using Qualtrics
- Data visualization: Introduction to graphing best practices
- Research databases: JSTOR, Political Science Complete
Course Reflection
This was a challenging but rewarding course that prepared students for senior capstone projects and graduate school. The small class size allowed for individualized attention and peer collaboration.
What Worked Well
- Hands-on computer lab sessions
- Real data analysis projects
- Peer review of research proposals
- Guest speaker from university survey center
Areas for Improvement
- More qualitative methods coverage
- Additional statistics review sessions
- Earlier introduction to research software