Academic Year:
2022/23
3393 - Bachelor's degree in Philosophy, Politics and Economics (joint degree UPF-UAM-UC3M-UAB)
22944 - Research Methodology in Political Science
Teaching Plan Information
Academic Course:
2022/23
Academic Center:
339 - Faculty of Political and Social Sciences
Study:
3393 - Bachelor's degree in Philosophy, Politics and Economics (joint degree UPF-UAM-UC3M-UAB)
Subject:
22944 - Research Methodology in Political Science
Ambit:
---
Credits:
6.0
Course:
561 - Degree in Philosophy, Politics and Economics (joint degree UPF/UAM/UC3M): 3
561 - Degree in Philosophy, Politics and Economics (joint degree UPF/UAM/UC3M): 4
667 - Degree in Philosophy, Politics and Economics (joint degree UPF/UAM/UC3M/UAB): 4
667 - Degree in Philosophy, Politics and Economics (joint degree UPF/UAM/UC3M/UAB): 3
Teaching languages:
Teachers:
Danislava Milkova Marinova
Teaching Period:
Second quarter
Schedule:
Presentation
The course introduces students to the principles of research design in the social sciences. We devote a session to conducting and writing a literature review. We survey different ways of generating research questions. We examine the purpose of theories, approaches to generating theories and ways of evaluating their validity. We discuss the purpose and nature of testable hypotheses; how to derive hypotheses from theories; how to test competing hypotheses; how to measure theoretical constructs; and what to do (and not to do) with empirical evidence. We explore how different styles of testing hypotheses – the construction of counterfactuals, case studies, comparative research designs, quasi-experiments, and experiments – may be used to help us make valid causal inferences. Finally, we devote a session to academic writing with a focus on research proposals.
The course strives to provide students with the methodological tools required to design research projects in the social sciences. One goal of the course is to enable students to prepare a research proposal for their undergraduate theses in the final year of study. The course provides an overview of the different stages of research (e.g., defining a research problem; reviewing the literature; operationalizing concepts), anticipates potential obstacles in the research process, and offers possible workarounds as discussed in the literature.
The course is non-substantive in nature; we are not directly concerned with specific substantive areas of research in the social sciences. The focus is epistemological, and the examples of research employed throughout the module are directed at methodological rather than substantive issues.
Associated skills
COMPETENCIAS BÁSICAS:
CB2. Que los estudiantes sepan aplicar sus conocimientos a su trabajo o vocación de una forma profesional y posean las competencias que suelen demostrarse por medio de la elaboración y defensa de argumentos y la resolución de problemes dentro de su área de estudio.
CB3. Que los estudiantes tengan la capacidad de reunir e interpretar datos relevantes (normalmente dentro de su área de estudio) para emitir juicios que incluyan una reflexión sobre temas relevantes de índole social, científica o ética.
CB4. Que los estudiantes puedan transmitir información, ideas, problemas y soluciones a un público tanto especializado como no especializado.
CB5. Que los estudiantes hayan desarrollado aquellas habilidades de aprendizaje necesarias para emprender estudiós posteriores con un alto grado de autonomía.
COMPETENCIAS GENERALES:
CG1. Capacidad de análisis y síntesis.
CG2. Capacidad de organizar y planificar.
CG4. Habilidades básicas de manejo del ordenador.
CG5. Trabajo en equipo.
CG7. Capacidad de trabajar en un equipo interdisciplinar.
CG9. Habilidad de trabajar en un contexto internacional.
CG10. Habilidades de investigación.
CG15. Diseño y gestión de proyectos.
CG17. Preocupación por la calidad.
CG18. Motivación de logro.
COMPETENCIAS ESPECÍFICAS:
CE1. Identificar las principales teorías y enfoques de la Ciencia Política y de la Administración.
CE17. Aplicar los métodos y las técnicas de investigación política y social.
CE18. Analizar con datos de investigación cuantitativos y cualitativos.
Sustainable Development Goals
ODS 4: Educació de qualitat / Quality education
Prerequisites
There are no prerequisites, given that this is an introductory course in political science research methods.
Contents
Part I: Introduction to research
- Research question: How do we define a research problem?
- Literature review: How do we review the pertinent literature?
- What are theories, and how are they generated?
- From theories to hypotheses: How do we generate testable hypotheses?
- From concepts to variables in social science research
Part II: Styles of hypothesis testing
- Principles of research design
- Causal inference and experiments
- Quasi-experiments: Statistical large-N analysis
- The comparative method: Small-N and Qualitative designs
- Single case studies and process tracing
- Qualitative research designs
- Mixed-method research designs
Teaching Methods
Theory sessions are combined with research-and practice sessions throughout the course. The objective of the latter are to guide students at specific stages of the research process and to receive feedback on their ongoing research projects. Different aspects of the research process will be discussed, including problem definition, building a theoretical framework and research design. The final three research and practice sessions will be devoted to presenting and discussing students’ reverse research proposals.
Evaluation
Grading will be based on the following criteria:
- Three short assignments (30%). Two pages, double-spaced.
- Research design (65%).
- Class presentation of research design (5%).
Late Submissions: A 10% grade penalty will be applied for each day that a student is late with a graded submission.
Absences: Please notify me at least 48 hours in advance if you have a conflict that prevents you from attending class. Notify me at least 72 hours in advance if you have a conflict that prevents you from completing a graded assignment, in or out of class. We will make arrangements to complete the graded assignment at an agreed upon time.
Lesson preparation: Participation is an essential component of this class. Lessons will not recapitulate the readings but build off on the readings to investigate research agendas, design and methods. You are expected to complete assigned reading prior to attending class and be prepared to discuss their contents. Required readings will usually include a chapter from our textbook; occasionally, you will be assigned a journal article as an example of a specific type of research design. In addition to required readings, the course program below lists further readings; these are recommended but not required.
Plagiarism: Plagiarism on any one assignment will result in a failing grade for the course.
E-mail policy: If you have a quick question, email is the best way to reach me. I typically respond to emails within 48 hours. If you do not receive a response within 48 hours, follow up with a reminder. It is important that you look at the assignments early to ensure I can answer any questions you may have in a timeframe that is useful to you. Therefore, if you email me the night before a deadline with a last-minute request, please do not expect a response. Longer questions -- for example, those dealing with your performance in the course or substantive questions about the course material -- are better asked in person.
Bibliography and information resources
Bartolini, S. 1993. “On Time and Comparative Research.” Journal of Theoretical Politics 5(2): 131-167.
Blais, A., & Galais, C. (2016). Measuring the civic duty to vote: A proposal. Electoral Studies, 41, 60-69.
Burns, Nancy, and Gallagher, Katherine. (2010). “Public Opinion on Gender Issues: The Politics of Equity and Roles.” Annual Review of Political Science 13(1); 425-443.
Collier, D. 1993, “The comparative method” in Political Science: The state of the discipline II, Washington: American Political Science Association
Coppedge, M. et al. 2011. “Conceptualizing and Measuring Democracy: A New Approach.” Perspectives on Politics 9(2): 247-267.
Druckman, Green, Kuklinski, Lupia. Cambridge Handbook of Experimental Political Science.
Falleti, Tullia G. and Lynch, Julia F. 2009 “Context and Causal Mechanism in Political Analysis”, Comparative Political Studies 42(9): 1143-1166.
Fish, M. Steven. 2002. “Islam and Authoritarianism.” World Politics 55:1, pp.4-37.
Geddes, Barbara. 1990. “How the Cases You Choose Affect the Answers You Get: Selection Bias in Comparative Politics.” Political Analysis 2(1): 131-150.
Geddes, Barbara. 2003. "Big Questions, Little Answers: How the Questions You Choose Affect the Answer You Get." Paradigms and Sand Castles: Theory Building and Research Design in Comparative Politics. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press.
Gerber, A.S. and Green, D.P., 2012. Field experiments: Design, analysis, and interpretation. WW Norton
Gerring, J. 2004, “What is a Case Study and what is it good for” American Political Science Review, 98: 2. An easier version can be found in the Oxford Handbook of Comparative Politics (edited by C. Boix and S. Stokes)
Hancké, B. 2009, Intelligent research design: a guide for beginning researchers in the social sciences. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Kaya, R., & Bernhard, M. 2011. “Are Elections Mechanisms of Authoritarian Stability or
Democratization? Evidence from Postcommunist Eurasia.” Perspectives on Politics 11(3): 734-752.
Keohane, Robert O. 2009. “Political Science as a Vocation” PS: Political Science & Politics 42:2. pp.359-363.
Kerlinger, F. N., & Lee, H. B. 2007. Foundations of behavioral research (4th ed.). Holt, NY: Harcourt College Publishers. Can be downloaded here: http://www.csun.edu/~vcpsy015/Researchbookz.pdf
Klingemann, H. D. (1998). Mapping political support in the 1990s: A global analysis (No. FS III 98-202). WZB Discussion Paper.
Knopf, Jeffrey W. (2006). “Doing a Literature Review.” PS: Political Science & Politics 39(1): 127-132.
Lieberman, Evans S. 2005. “Nested Analysis as a Mixed-Method Strategy for Comparative Research.” American Political Science Review 9(3): 435-452.
McDermott, Rose. “The Ten Commandments of Experiments.” PS: Political Science & Politics. 46:3 (July 2013), pp.605-610.
Pollock, P. 2016. The essentials of political analysis, Washington: CQ Press, 3rd ed, ch 1. Preview of Ch. 1 can be accessed on Google Books: https://books.google.es/books?id=oV90CAAAQBAJ&dq=essentials+of+political+analysis+pollock&source=gbs_navlinks_s
Ragin, Charles C. 1987. The Comparative Method: Moving Beyond Qualitative and Quantitative Strategies. University of California Press.
Ross, Michael L. 2008. “Oil, Islam and Women.” American Political Science Review 102 (1): 107-123.
Tarrow, Sidney “Bridging the Quantitative-Qualitative Divide” in Brady & Collier, eds., Rethinking Social Inquiry, Chapter 10, pp. 171-180.