INTRODUCTION TO

POLITICAL
ANALYSIS AND
RESEARCH
Class 1
 Topics to Discuss

What we'll cover

Introduction
Course outline
Housekeeping
Introduction to the research process
 Introduction

Rachel Citrin
Peace Corps Volunteer
Course Outline

This course will provide an introduction to the theory and

method of political analysis and research in political science
Formulating research questions and hypotheses, designing a
research plan, correct methodologies, and collecting data
Cover political theories related to political science analysis
Grading

Final research presentation 30%

Midterm 30%
Constructive class participation 20%
Class presentations 10%
Quizzes 10%
 Grading continued

Final Research Presentation (30%): As a final project for the course,

students will choose a research question given from a list of options
(which will be given at the end of October). Students will work in groups
of three to four students. Based on the chosen research question, groups
will give a 10‐minute presentation on the background research regarding
the research question and propose what type of research they would
conduct to answer the question, including a proposed hypothesis and
proposed research methods.
 Grading continued

Class Participation (10%): It is important that you participate in the discussions each
class. Class participation will be graded on a scale of 1‐5, with 5 being the lowest
grade and 1 being the highest.

Grading Scale:
- If you are absent, you get 5
- If you say nothing, you get 3
‐ If you answer 1 question, you get 2
‐ If you are actively participating with insight, you get 1 for that class

PLEASE MAKE A NAME PLACARD

 Grading continued

Class Presentations (10%): Each week, a group of students (group of three to four students) will
give a ten minute presentation of the assigned reading for the class. It is important that the group
members practice and work together to prepare for the presentation and make sure that each
member is allotted time to speak. The presentation will cover the following questions:

1. What was the hypothesis of the study?

2. What were the research methods?
3. What did the research find?
4. What was good about the research? Is there anything that should be improved?

See syllabus for grading rubric. You can ask me for help/questions if you don't understand the
article, but not the night before
 Grading continued

Quizzes (10%): Pop quizzes will be given at the start of some classes on the assigned
reading for that class. It is important, therefore, that you do the reading each class to
make sure that you will excel in the quizzes.
 Grading continued

Attendance: There is no grade for attendance (though your participation grade comes
from attending the class), but as per LNU policy, attendance will be taken each class. If a
student has more than 7 absences, she/he will be dropped from the course. Students
will receive a warning at 4 absences.

Honor Code: The Honor Code will be heavily enforced in the class. Copying or
plagiarizing your work will result in an automatic fail of that assignment and referral to
the university.

Deadlines: Assignments are due by the deadline. Late submission will not be allowed.
Class Expectations

Lots of discussion!
Debate
Disagreement is ok
There are no wrong answers
One mouth rule
No cell phones
What are your expectations?
Any Questions?
This Past Week's Homework

Submission by Monday (September 2)

Everyone join Google Classroom
Email etiquette
Subject line
Name
Attach word or PDF
Write in email attachment and what is being attached
INTRODUCTION TO
THE RESEARCH
PROCESS
What is Social Science?
What is Social Science?

The scientific study of human society and social relationships

It is important to study the social sciences is because a knowledge of
the social sciences can help us improve our societies.
Becoming better informed about how societies should be put
together.
What are the steps of the
Scientific Method?
What are the steps of the
Scientific Method?

Observation
Question
Hypothesis
Experiment
Results
Conclusion
 Observation

The first step of the scientific method involves making an observation

about something that interests you.
Is there something you want to learn more about?
Something that does not make sense?
A pattern you see?
 Question

Once you've made your observation, you must formulate a question

about what you have observed. Your question should tell what it is that
you are trying to discover or accomplish. When stating your question
you should be as specific as possible.
 Hypothesis

A hypothesis is an idea that is suggested as an explanation for a

natural event, a particular experience, or a specific condition that can
be tested. It states the purpose of your experiment, the variables used,
and the predicted outcome of your experiment. Your hypothesis must
either be supported or falsified by your experiment. An example of a
good hypothesis is: If there is a relation between listening to music
and heart rate, then listening to music will cause a person's resting
heart rate to either increase or decrease.
 Experiment

This tests the hypothesis. You should develop a procedure that states
very clearly how you plan to conduct your experiment. It is important
that you include and identify a controlled variable or dependent
variable in your procedure. Controls allow us to test a single variable in
an experiment because they are unchanged. We can then make
observations and comparisons between our controls and
our independent variables(things that change in the experiment) to
develop an accurate conclusion.
 Results

The results are where you report what happened in your research. That
includes detailing all observations and data made during your
research.
 Conclusion

This is where all of the results from the research are analyzed and a
determination is reached about the hypothesis. Did the experiment
support or reject your hypothesis? If your hypothesis was supported,
great. If not, repeat the research or think of ways to improve your
procedure.
DEVELOPING A
RESEARCH
QUESTION
Research Questions

In most cases research questions focus on the relationship of one

variable with the values of another.
Research questions may originate from personal (drawn from your
own life experiences), scholarly (academic journal articles or books),
or nonscholarly (journalistic accounts) sources.
Reading by Jane Agee: Qualitative
Research Questions

Qualitative versus Quantitative

Good questions do not necessarily produce good research, but
poorly conceived or constructed questions will likely create
problems that affect all subsequent stages of a study. Aka: The
quality of a research question is important.
Qualitative Research Questions:
What to Consider

Qualitative research questions need to ask what a researcher wants

to know about the intentions and perspectives of those involved in
social interactions.
A question needs to move the researcher toward discovering what
is happening in a particular situation with a particular person or
group. Ex: ‘How do deaf adults manage to succeed academically
and in the workplace given the stigma of deafness in our society?’
A research should also understand his/her role in the process and
one's relationship to participants to reduce bias
Developing a Research Question

Begin with some initial questions. These are only a beginning point, as
qualitative questions are ‘evolving.’ First questions are tentative and
exploratory. Ex: Why do some countries have good relationships and
others have bad relationships? How does a country's economy relate to
its political relationships?
Should not be too specific or answered with "yes" or "no" --> tunnel vision
This overall research question can turn into the goal
Most questions start because one has a deep interest or passion in a
topic
Developing a Research Question

Later, one makes specific sub questions. Ex: if you wanted to research how
immigrants adjust to their new country --> what factors result in economic
integration? How do immigrant children adjust to a different academic system?
The development of new questions, especially sub-questions, often occurs during
the inquiry process, sometimes during data collection and analysis.
A researcher may find that the initial focus of the research question is too limited
to fully address the phenomenon under study and add new questions.
Can create questions that flow from each other. Ex: If an immigrant child's parent
quickly integrates economically, will she adjust quickly to her new school?
Developing a Research Question:
Ethical Considerations
Because the researcher is representing the lives of individuals, the kinds of questions a
researcher is asking become important when considering the short- and long-term
effects on others.
Consider how you represent the people you are studying
Think of your biases: are you a student who is researching your peers or friends?
Do no harm
Ex: A student wanted to study how well the teachers in her department were
implementing a new initiative she had developed. The study was not approved because
it could jeopardize these teachers’ jobs and professional lives due to issues of authority
and coercion
You CAN look at sensitive issues, but think about how you are asking. Do you need to
have the subjects be anonymous? Do you need to change your questions?
Writing a Research Question

You need a focus: be specific: explain specifically what you are focusing on
and what specific data your research will use
Point to specific theories. Ex: if looking at immigration, look at immigration
theories on integration
Is the question answerable? Is your sample measurable? Do you have enough
time or the right resources? (I.e., you cannot interview every person in
Tacloban)
Do not have multiple questions in one question. Ex: How do immigrants
integrate economically, socially, and academically, and what issues of
discrimination do they face?
LOGIC MODELS
What is a logic model?
What is a logic model?

Used in forming a research question

Hypothesized descriptions of the chain of causes and effects leading to an
outcome of interest (If X happens, then Y happens).
The logic model is more than the graphical depiction: it is also the theories,
scientific evidences, assumptions and beliefs that support it and the various
processes behind it.
Gives the framework to plan research
 Logic Models

The process for thinking through change includes: 

Identifying the problem(s) (What is the community need?)
Naming the desired results (What is the vision for the future?)
Developing the strategy for achieving the goal(s) (How can the vision be
achieved?)
Logic Models
How you can use Logic Models

Identify a pattern or a gap --> create questions

Ex: If X leads to Y, why is this the case?
Ex: Why doesn't X lead to Y?
Create your potential hypothesis
Ex: Because these factors exist, I think that X will lead to Y
Display your results visually