POLS 199 RESEARCH IN POLITICAL SCIENCE ARIES ARUGAY

FIRST SEMESTER 2014-15

DEPARTMENT OF POLITICAL SCIENCE

POLITICAL SCIENCE 199

RESARCH IN POLITICAL SCIENCE
First Semester, AY 201415
Wednesday & Friday 10:00 11:30a
Course credit

3.0 units

Class Location DPS Sem Rm

Instructor

Aries A. Arugay, Ph.D.

Email

aries.arugay@upd.edu.ph

Prerequisites

Sr. standing; PS110; SS103 Office

East Palma Hall 320

First class

Fri, 8 Aug

Office Hours TTh 10-11:30a; WF 1-4

Last Class

Fri, 5 Dec

Phone

Total

28 class sessions

981 8500 loc. 2380

COURSE DESCRIPTION AND PEDAGOGY

This course aims to provide students with the toolkit necessary to conduct empirical
research in political science. This toolkit is partly composed of a familiarity with the body
of knowledge related to understanding causality, gauging relationships between variables,
the types of explanations in politics, and the disciplines various research methodologies. It
is also about acquiring the skills in defining concepts, measuring variables, formulating
hypotheses, building and evaluating data, and testing theories. As the terminus course in
the undergraduate political science program, the student is expected to produce a
rigorously crafted and defensible research design in political science.
Throughout the semester, students will:
1. Think and write critically about the conduct of political science research.
2. Consume and evaluate sophisticated published research in political science.
3. Assess existing datasets and build or reconstruct your own.
4. Conceptualize, formulate, write, and defend your own research projects.
The critical requirement for this course is a complete research proposal which will be
developed by the student in modular stages.
The course will be treated as a senior seminar. This means that students are expected to
heavily contribute to class discussions, deliver presentations on the assigned readings,
regularly present their research projects as well as critique and make comments on the
projects of their classmates.

POLS 199 RESEARCH IN POLITICAL SCIENCE ARIES ARUGAY

FIRST SEMESTER 2014-15

COURSE READINGS1
The following texts are required for the course:
(1) Monroe, Alan D. 2000. Essentials of Political Research. Boulder: Westview Press.
(2) King, Gary, Robert Keohane and Sidney Verba. 1994. Designing Social Inquiry.
Princeton: Princeton University Press.
(3) Pollock, Philip III. 2009. Essentials of Political Analysis. Washington DC: CQ Press.
(4) Berry, William D. and Mitchell S. Sanders. 2000. Understanding Multivariate
Research: A Primer for Beginning Social Scientists. Boulder; Westview Press.
(5) Readings. Selected Excerpts or Journal Articles [to be shared to students]

COURSE REQUIREMENTS
Requirement
MIDTERM EXAM
RESEARCH NOTES/DIARY
MODULAR OUTPUTS
CLASS PARTICIPATION & INDIVIDUAL
PRESENTATIONS
RESEARCH PROPOSAL
TOTAL

%
20
10
20
20
30
100

MIDTERM EXAM (20%) There will be an examination in the middle of the semester (1 Oct). The
exams will test the familiarity of the student with the ideas, concepts, and information discussed in
class, their ability to summarize, integrate, and assess the reading material of this course, and their
ability to analyze and express their positions on debates. It is highly recommended for the students
to be present during exam sessions. Make-up exams shall only be given to students with valid
excuses (e.g. medical reasons). However, students will not be given the exact examination.
RESEARCH NOTES/DIARY (10%) Students are expected to document the process behind their
respective research projects: from the inception of their research problem/question to the final
version of their research proposals. Entries should be at least 500 words and use concepts, ideas,
and other insights from the assigned readings. There should be at least 20 entries and submitted
to the instructor at the end of every month.
MODULAR OUTPUTS (20%) These comprise the basic elements of the research proposal
submitted periodically throughout the semester: (1) research question or dependent variable
concept paper; (2) theory and hypothesis paper; (3) literature review
CLASS PARTICIPATION & INDIVIDUAL PRESENTATIONS (20%) Class participation entails attentive
listening to lectures, proactive engagement in the form of questions, comments, or opinions both
inside and outside the classroom (even emails related to class discussions). Coming to class
prepared in terms of reading the assigned material, being attentive and engaged in class, asking
clarificatory questions, and discussing aspects of the course with the Instructor during office hours
all fall under this heading. It also includes the giving feedback and critique to the research projects
of other members of the class. While the quantity of student participation is important, quality is,
perhaps, more important.
Students are also expected to make an individual presentation on a sample research that
corresponds to their research projects.
RESEARCH PROPOSAL (30%) The written research proposal, whose topic needs to be
approved, is composed of the different revised modular components as well as the other
components of the research proposal. The complete research proposal must be submitted at the
1

The typical reading load is 25-40 pages per class period, give or take. The readings will help you acquire
and integrate new concepts and prepare for the class discussions and lectures that extend and refine them.

POLS 199 RESEARCH IN POLITICAL SCIENCE ARIES ARUGAY

FIRST SEMESTER 2014-15

end of the course. Part of this requirement is also a presentation of the proposal on the final week
of class.
COURSE GRADING SYSTEM

96-100
90-95
85-89
80-84
76-79
72-75

1.00
1.25
1.50
1.75
2.00
2.25

68-71
64-67
60-63
55-59
0-54

2.50
2.75
3.00
4.00
5.00

COURSE POLICIES
Citation Format
Students are required to use the APSA Citation format. It is very near the APA system. The APSA
Citation Manual could be downloaded at:
http://www.apsanet.org/media/pdfs/publications/apsastylemanual2006.pdf
Attendance
Attendance will be taken regularly. Students who incurred six or more absences are required to
formally drop the class or file a LOA. Failure to do so will mean a final grade of 5.00. However,
perfect attendance throughout the entire semester (without any absences, excused or otherwise),
will increase ones final grade of up to 5 percentage points. Perfect attendance is defined as not
having any absence, including those with valid excuses. It also entails not being late (beyond 10
minutes) and staying throughout the entire class session.
Academic Dishonesty and Plagiarism
The 2014 UP Student Code defines academic dishonesty as any fraudulent act performed by a
student to achieve academic advantage or gain for oneself or others. This includes, among others:
copying or providing the means or accessing means to copy exam answers, homework, projects;
plagiarism, and submission of the same work in two or more courses without the professors
consent. This class enforces a strict no tolerance policy on academic dishonesty. Sanctions
include a failing grade in class and additional charges brought to relevant university disciplinary
bodies.
Dropping from the class
The last day to formally drop from the class is Thursday, 6 November. Beyond this point, a student
will incur a grade of 5.0 if s/he withdraws from the class. Formally dropping from the class on time is
your responsibility.
Incompletes
An Incomplete (INC) may be given to a student who for nonacademic reasons beyond his or her
control is unable to meet the full requirements of the course. In order to qualify for an Inc, a
student must: (a) have completed most of the major assignments of the course, and (b) be earning
a passing grade in the course (aside from the assignments not completed) in the judgment of the
instructor.
Disruptive Behavior
Policy on against disruptive behavior will be strictly enforced. It includes, but not limited to:
verbal or physical threats, repeated obscenities, unreasonable interference with class discussion,
making/receiving personal phone calls or pages (text messaging) during class, leaving and entering
class frequently in the absence of notice to the instructor of illness or other extenuating
circumstances, and persisting in disruptive personal conversations with other class members. For
purposes of this policy, it may also be considered disruptive behavior for a student to exhibit
threatening, intimidating, or other inappropriate behavior toward the instructor or classmates outside
of class.

All cell phones and other communication devices must be turned off. Students who disrupt the
learning environment may be asked to leave the class for that session or be dropped from the course.
3

POLS 199 RESEARCH IN POLITICAL SCIENCE ARIES ARUGAY

FIRST SEMESTER 2014-15

E-Mail Notifications
I will be sending e-mail messages through the email accounts you provided in CRS.
Changes to the syllabus.
The course syllabus provides a general plan for the course; deviations may be necessary.

COURSE SCHEDULE
8/8

0.0

Introductions, Course Orientation, Overview

8/13

1.0

The Science in Political Science 1

King, Chap. 1
Political Science are Lousy Forecasters (check email)

8/15

8/20

The Science in Political Science 2

Almond & Genco, Clouds, Clocks, and the Study of Politics
How Reliable are the Social Sciences? (check email)
Sherman, Believing Strange Things (Ted Talks)
2.0

8/22

8/27

Forming Research Questions 1

Monroe, Chap. 1
Forming Research Questions 2
Workshop 1: Research Question Formation

3.0

Concept Formation and Operationalization 1

Pollock, Chap. 1

8/29

Concept Formation and Operationalization 2

Exercise in Concept Measurement

9/3

Concept Formation and Operationalization 3

Workshop 2: Conceptualization
Turn In Research Diary

9/5

4.0

Causality: Differentiating Description and Explanation 1

King, Chap. 2, pp. 75-98.
DEADLINE: RESEARCH QUESTION PAPER
Causality: Differentiating Description and Explanation 2
In Focus: Democratic Peace Research Program

9/10

5.0

Maoz, Zeev and Bruce Russett. 1993. Normative and Structural Causes
of Democratic Peace, 1946-1986 The American Political Science
Review [APSR] 87(3): 624-638.
Rosato, Stephen. 2003. The Flawed Logic of the Democratic Peace
Theory, APSR 97(4): 585-602.

Theorizing and Hypotheses Formation 1

Monroe, Chap. 2

POLS 199 RESEARCH IN POLITICAL SCIENCE ARIES ARUGAY

9/12

9/17

FIRST SEMESTER 2014-15

Theorizing and Hypotheses Formation 2

Pollock, Chap 3.
Report 1: Research in Focus
6.0

Theorizing and Hypotheses Formation 3

King, Chap. 2, pp. 99-114.
Report 2: Research in Focus

9/19

Theorizing and Hypotheses Formation 4

Workshop 3: Theory Construction and Hypotheses Formulation

9/24

Writing Break/Individual Consultations

9/26

Review for Midterms

DEADLINE: THEORY AND HYPOTHESES PAPER

10/1

MIDTERM EXAM
Turn In Research Diary

10/3

Report 3: Research in Focus

10/8

7.0

10/10

10/15

Research Design 2
Monroe, Chap. 3
Report 4: Research in Focus
8.0

10/17

10/22

Research Design 1
Pollock, Chap. 4

Experimental Research 1
Druckman, et al. 2011. Experimentation in Political Science, In
Cambridge Handbook on Experimental Political Science.
Experimental Research 2
Gerber and Green. 2008 Field Experiments and Natural
Experiments, In Oxford Handbook on Political Methodology
Report 5: Research in Focus

9.0

Survey Methods 1
Johnston, Survey Methodology, In Oxford Handbook on Political
Methodology

10/24

Survey Methods 2
Guest Lecture
Report 6: Research in Focus

10/29

Workshop 4: Literature Review

POLS 199 RESEARCH IN POLITICAL SCIENCE ARIES ARUGAY

10/31

10.0

FIRST SEMESTER 2014-15

Statistical Methods 1
Berry and Sanders, Chap. 1
Report 7: Research in Focus

11/5

Statistical Methods 2: Logic of Sampling

Pollock, Chap. 6
Turn In Research Diary

11/7

Statistical Methods 3: Correlation and Linear Regression

Pollock, Chap. 8
Berry and Sanders, Chap. 2
Report 8: Research in Focus
DEADLINE FOR DROPPING

11/12

Statistical Methods 3: Multivariate Regression

Berry and Sanders, Chap. 3-4
Report 9: Research in Focus

11/14

11.0

Qualitative Methods 1: Case Studies

Gerring, John. 2004. "What is a case study and what is it good for?"
APSR 98(2): 341-354.
DEADLINE: LITERATURE REVIEW

11/19

12.0

Qualitative Methods 2: Comparative Case Studies

Pennings et al., Chaps. 2-3
Report 10: Research in Focus

11/21

Individual Consultations on Methodology

11/26 & 28

Writing Break

12/3

Ethics in Political Science Research

Lee Ann Fuji. 2012. Research

Ethics 101: Dilemmas

Responsibilities. PS: Political Science and Politics 45(4): 717-23.

and

Turn In Research Diary

12/5

Research Presentations

TBA

Deadline for Full Research Proposal

NOTE: Your constructive assessment of this course plays an indispensable role in shaping
education at the University of the Philippines.