Description
Book SynopsisProviding expert advice from established scholars in the field of political science, this engaging book imparts informative guidance on teaching research methods across the undergraduate curriculum. Written in a concise yet comprehensive style, it illustrates practical and conceptual advice, alongside more detailed chapters focussing on the different aspects of teaching political methodology.
Each chapter draws on practised teaching methods covering the what, how and when for teaching political methodology with an in-depth look at systematic research methods. The book is split into four distinct sections for undergraduate research methods education: the approach, the foundations of research design, quantitative analysis and qualitative data. All the advice is evidence-based and grounded in the science of teaching and learning (SoTL) literature from experienced, award-winning and highly recognized instructors of political methodology.
Teaching Undergraduate Political Methodology will be required reading for faculty wanting to establish excellent methods for challenging subjects within the fields of political science, public administration and public policies. It will also serve as a useful resource for instructors wishing to gain greater student engagement with their courses by utilising different methods.
Trade Review‘These chapters on political science research methods are absolutely wonderful! They can help to develop a methods curriculum, a methods course syllabus, or a methods assignment. The book is filled with practical advice, examples, and helpful tools from seasoned faculty who cover a wide range of research related topics!’ -- Lonna Atkeson, Florida State University, US
Table of ContentsContents: Introduction to Teaching Undergraduate Political Methodology 1 Mitchell Brown, Shane Nordyke, and Cameron Thies PART I APPROACHING RESEARCH METHODS IN THE POLITICAL SCIENCE CURRICULUM 1 What should be taught and when 8 Charles C. Turner 2 The case for an applied approach to teaching research methods 16 Laura C. Bucci 3 Students as consumers and producers: the research methods course and information literacy 22 B. Gregory Marfleet 4 Teaching political methodology to undergraduate students 35 John Ishiyama 5 Teaching political methodology 47 Mandie Weinandt 6 What do we teach with? An examination of texts 55 Christopher N. Lawrence 7 Teaching writing about political science research 63 Kaye Usry and Joel T. Shelton PART II FOUNDATIONS OF RESEARCH DESIGN 8 Questions, queries and problems 79 Joe Weinberg 9 Hypotheses and research expectations 87 H. Whitt Kilburn 10 Teaching experimental and quasi-experimental designs 96 Federico Vegetti 11 The history and art of sampling 104 Theodore Arapis 12 Causality reasoning: what it is and how to teach it 113 Tom Ellington 13 It’s actually not in the syllabus: incorporating ethics in research methods courses 119 Christi Siver PART III QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS FOR UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH METHODS EDUCATION 14 How to teach descriptive statistics 128 Joice Chang 15 Bivariate regression: a good beginning makes a good ending 137 Babak RezaeeDaryakenari 16 Basics of multivariate analysis 146 Emily Clough 17 Practical extensions of regression 153 Soren Jordan 18 Teaching big data 164 Jennifer Bachner 19 Student-led survey projects 174 Ian G. Anson 20 Data visualization 181 Alexis Henshaw PART IV QUALITATIVE DATA FOR UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH METHODS EDUCATION 21 The case study approach 189 Weining Ai 22 Interviewing 197 Janet Elise Johnson, Candice D. Ortbals, and Lori Poloni-Staudinger 23 Content analysis as an effective teaching tool for critical thinking 205 Tijen Demirel-Pegg 24 Field and observational research 213 Stacey Leigh Hunt 25 Teaching qualitative-interpretive research methods 220 Daniel T. Kirsch Conclusion: taking the next steps 227 Mitchell Brown, Shane Nordyke and Cameron Thies Index
