PLSC 304: Research Methodology in Political Science

Fall 2019; 11:00-12:15 (Tuesday, Thursday)

Classroom: E-347

Instructor: Dr. Ryan Brasher

Office #: E-032
E-mail: ryanbrasher@fccollege.edu.pk
Office Hours: Mondays and Fridays: 2-4pm; Tuesday/Thursdays: 3-4pm

Course Description:

Some people may be under the impression that Political Scientists simply engage in argumentative
discussions about contemporary politics with one another, much like in talk shows. Political Science,
however, is driven primarily by curiosity, a desire to comprehend how the (political) world works. Rather
than giving easy answers, students should learn to ask the right questions about particular events or
processes in order to come to some preliminary understanding of them. In this course, you will be
confronted with the basic approach to political inquiry: that is, how to ask questions, and how to go
about answering them. You will learn about the two logics of political inquiry, quantitative and
qualitative. You will pursue research projects both in a group setting and individually. In the end, you
should have an idea of how to write a research paper. But more importantly, I hope that you will have
gained new insight on how to approach and understand the world as a whole

Course Objectives:

By the end of course, students will …

 Understand how political scientists seek to understand the world, particularly by asking the right
questions
 Know how to organize and start writing a research paper
 Use appropriate citation format
 Understand what variables are, how they can be put together to create hypotheses, and how
hypotheses lead to theories
 Understand the difference between qualitative and quantitative research
 Understand basic principles of descriptive statistics
 Create survey and apply it to FC College
 Understand principles of structured interviews and how to use them to help test hypotheses
 Learn how to work effectively in groups
Course Requirements:

o Attendance and Participation (10%)

I expect respectful, interested, and active participation of everyone in class, as we aim
to spend a good chunk of our time in class discussion. If you want to achieve satisfactory
marks in this class, you will have to attend the class. Absences can ONLY be excused in
the event of an emergency or medical reasons. A doctor’s note is REQUIRED if you wish
to be excused for sickness. Please let me know well in advance if you are unable to
come for an excusable reason. I should note that you will not be able to sit for the final
exam if your attendance is below 80% for the semester. Two late arrivals count the
same as one absence.
o Reading Quizzes (10%)
To hold you accountable, weekly reading quizzes will be given on moodle, opening on
Friday, and to be completed by Tuesday 10am. Questions will focus on the reading,
which you are allowed to consult while taking the quiz.
o Final Exam (20%)
Final Exam: TBD
o 3 Assignments: (60%)
o Literature Review (20 %)
We will discuss what a literature review is, why we do them, and how we can
construct them. Part of the assignment will be individual, creating a literature
grid: create a literature grid for three sources that focus on your outcome of
interest. Part of it will be a group assignment: you have to group everyone’s
sources into categories based on common ideas or themes. In the review, you
have to discuss each of different types of explanations that are competing with
one another.
Due Dates:
Individual Literature Grid: October 1st (5%)
Group Literature Review: October 8th (15%)

o Survey Project (20%)

Based on your group’s common interest, a particular outcome variable and
potential explanatory variables, you will be constructing a survey, which you will
then carry out on campus. After constructing the survey, your group will be required
to develop a sampling strategy, and to carry it out. However, while developing a
common data base, each group member will submit an individual data analysis.
When you submit the data analysis, you need to also submit a survey report,
detailing how you carried out the survey in detail, and how each member of the
group was involved in the survey. Active involvement in the whole group survey
project will be absolutely necessary. If you do not participate, you will most likely
receive an F on the paper. More details on the exact requirements will be given to
you later in the semester.
Due Date: November 7th (group submits survey data separately on same day)
 o In-Depth Interview Project (20%)
In your groups you will develop an interview guide with questions that match or
seek to test your hypotheses. You will also discuss your interview targets. You will
then conduct interviews individually (one interview per person), and hand interview
recording and transcript/notes. Interviews should be at least 30 minutes. Lastly, you
will write a paper analyzing the interview results in light of your hypotheses. Papers
should be at least 7 pages in length.
Due Date:
Interview Guide: December 11th (5%)
Interview recording and transcript/notes: December 18th (5%)
Interview Analysis Paper: December 20th (10%)

Academic Integrity and Plagiarism:

In this course, as in every course at this university, your work must be entirely your own. Cheating is not
only dishonest; it is unfair to your fellow students who have worked to get the grades they receive.
Providing or receiving help during exams, submitting the work of another as your own, or copying even
small portions of an electronic or printed source without directly quoting and citing it, all constitute
academic misconduct. The standard penalty for these or any other forms of academic misconduct is a
failing grade for the course; more severe penalties are also possible. WHEN IN DOUBT, DON’T DO IT (OR
ASK ME BEFORE YOU DO!).

Course Outline

 Module 1 (September 12 to October 3: Introduction to Political Science Research

o Introduction: What is Political Science?
o How to Cite Appropriately, and NOT commit plagiarism
Reading: https://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/tools_citationguide/citation-guide-
1.html
o How to Write a Research Paper in Political Science
Reading: Downes PPT Presentation
o Developing Interesting Research Questions
Reading: Snyder: Creative Hypothesis Generating in Comparative Research
o Building Blocks of Political Science Inquiry
Reading: Van Evera: Variables, Hypotheses, and Theories
o How to write a Literature Review
Reading: Adeney: How to Understand Pakistan’s Hybrid Regime
o Introduction to Basic Logics of Research: Quantitative vs. Qualitative
Reading: Goertz and Mahoney “Causes-of-Effects versus Effects-of-Causes”

Assignment Nr.1:

Literature Grid: Due October 1st

Literature Review: Due October 8th

 Module 2 (October 8th through November 7th) Introduction to Quantitative Approach

o Introduction to Quantitative Study of Political Science
Reading: Huddy and Khatib “American Patriotism, National Identity, and Political
Involvement”
o Basics of Descriptive Statistics.
 On Measurement and Variation: Reading: Kellstedt and Whitten “The
Fundamentals of Political Science Research”, Chapter 5
 Bivariate Hypothesis Testing; Reading: Kellstedt and Whitten “The Fundamentals
of Political Science Research”, Chapter 7
o Creating a Survey and Carrying it out
 Survey Design: Reading: Pasek and Krosnick (2009) “Optimizing Survey
Questionnaire Design in Political Science”; World Values Survey 2012
 Sampling Strategy: Reading: Kellstedt and Whitten “The Fundamentals of
Political Science Research” Chapter 6

Assignment Nr. 2: individual analysis of Group Survey Research Data: November 7th

 Module 3 (November 12th through December 17th): Introduction to Qualitative Approach: In-
Depth Interviewing
o Research Design I: The Case Study
Reading:
Van Evera “What are Case Studies?”
Ragin “Method of Difference and Method of Agreement”
o Interviewing Principles
Reading:
Weiss “Learning from Strangers”
Leech “Asking Questions: Techniques for Semistructured Interviews”
Berry “Validity and Reliability Issues in Elite Interviewing”
Tansey “Process-Tracing and Elite Interviewing”

Assignment 3: Interview Project, three parts

Group Interview Guide, along with hypotheses, and interview plan: due December 10th

Individual Interview transcript/notes and recording: due December 17th

Group Paper, analyzing interviews, and confirming/disconfirming hypotheses: due December 19th

Final Exam: TBD (In January)

Instructor: ……………… HOD………………….. Dean:……………………………