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Conclusion

Conclusion. Parker (2010). Do political science programs require undergraduate students to take a methods course? Do political science programs require undergraduate students to take a quantitative methods course?

garrett-stewart
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Conclusion

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  1. Conclusion

  2. Parker (2010) • Do political science programs require undergraduate students to take a methods course? • Do political science programs require undergraduate students to take a quantitative methods course? • Do political science programs require undergraduate students to write a research project/thesis?

  3. Political science in the U.S. has generally neglected methods education in favor of a broader exposure to the different subfields • Should students be made to take methods? • What should that course look like? • Scope and methods • Quantitative methods • Two separate courses • One course (50/50)

  4. What is the purpose of this course? • Expose students to various methods • Survey, experimental, interviews, focus, group, historical/comparative, etc. • Discuss the strengths and weaknesses of these approaches • Expose students to quantitative methods • What is statistical analysis • Software used to conduct statistical analysis

  5. The 50/50 approach • Can all of this be done in 15 weeks? • Should the course focus on methods and not statistics? • Should it focus on statistics and not methods? • Should two courses be required?

  6. Learning Objectives? • Not likely to remember all methods • Not likely to remember formulas • But may retain the concepts behind the use of formulas and use of statistical notation. • Not likely to remember how to use statistical software • Get a general sense of the rectangular dataset • Columns = variables; rows = unit of analysis

  7. Learning Objectives? • All classes (methods or not) should convey the complexity of the world, complexity of trying to answer questions about this world. • No obvious answers (if so, there you don’t need to study it). • One study’s findings is unimportant (but may be interesting). We are interested in a body of work/findings.

  8. Paradox of Science • Kant (CE 1724-1804): Dare to use your own reason. • Sextus Empiricus (CE 200) science based on reason or logic is not to be trusted. Experience is our best guide. • Pyrrho (365-275 BCE): one must neither trust nor reject your senses. • In the end science teaches us to be skeptical: of authority; of ones own logic; of one’s own senses. The need to design a method that helps reduce error and bias.

  9. Purpose of a Research Design • Theory: Explains our reasoning/logic to everyone (so people can poke holes in it, if they can) • Hypothesis: Provides a decision criteria for us (rather going with your gut) • Methodology: • Data collection – • Being empirical and systematic • Avoid looking for cases to support our hypothesis. • Data analysis technique • Adopting a technique that avoids bias, too much interpretation

  10. Sir Francis Bacon (1561-1626) "Method is like a pathway and if the pathway leads in the right direction, you will eventually get to the truth. Genius is the ability to run quickly. However if a genius is on the wrong pathway, he will never be able to come to the truth since he will just move more quickly in the wrong direction."

  11. Final Exam • 1pm, Tuesday May 8th • Study Guide is available on webpage

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