University of
Southern California
Political
Science 600
Advanced
Political Science Research Methods
Spring 1998
Matthew Cahn
VKC
213
Wednesdays: 10:00 am - 12:45 pm
Phone: TBA &
Office Hours: W 9:30 -10:00 am
(818)
677-4797
& W 1:00 - 2:00 pm, & by
appointment
email: mcahn@csun.edu
Seminar
Description: As a social
science, political science endeavors to apply social scientific methodologies
to social and political problems facing our society. This seminar introduces students to data management and
quantitative analysis. Emphasis is
placed on the procedures for identifying available data, managing large
datasets, and data analysis using microcomputers and UNIX based mainframe
systems. The seminar emphasis will be
on introducing students to handling complex data files with available
statistical packages (e.g., SPSS).
Internet resources such as FTP, WWW, Telneting, and Email will be included as
appropriate. All Students are expected
to acquire a UNIX account (and email address) on the university system.
By the end of the course you will
understand:
Internet Resources including:
email, WWW, Telneting, & FTP;
Data Acquisition including:
traditional sources (e.g., ICPSR), and evolving
sources (e.g.,
online sources);
Data Management including:
building data files (datasets), defining data,
file
transformation, coding and recoding data;
Data Analysis including: elementary social statistics,
univariate analysis (e.g.,
frequencies, central tendency,
variation), bivariate analysis (e.g.,
cross tabulations, basic correlation,
comparing population means), and
multivariate
analysis (e.g., regression, factor analysis); SPSS;
Required Reading
The Primer: The USC Guide to Network
Tools and Resources
(USC Bookstore
Publication)
Babbie:
The Practice of Social Research, 7th edition (Partial Use)
(Belmont,
CA: Wadsworth Publishing, 1995)
Kinnear & Gray: SPSS For Windows
Made Easy
Norusis: SPSS 6.1 For Windows Student
Version (Optional)
APSA:
Style Guide for Political Science ( DC: APSA)
In addition, several articles will be
distributed in class.
Course Requirements: Seminar
Participation
10%
Exercises 40%
Research
Paper 50%
Participation: Participation means active and intelligent
participation in seminar readings,
skills-based
exercises, discussion, and activities.
Exercises: Several exercises have been designed to help
you develop skills in data collection, dataset management, and computer based
quantitative analysis. The exercises
are not simply pedagogic puzzles, they correspond to specific components of
your research project. Exercises will
be assigned in class. Collectively, the exercises are worth 40% of your final
grade.
The
Research Paper: The Research Paper
is the central focus of the course. It
functions as the foundation of the research process. The Research Paper allows the researcher to conceptualize the
project, assess the state of the disciplinary literature, and design the most
appropriate methodology for data acquisition and analysis. While POSC 500 focused on research design,
POSC 600 focuses on data acquisition and analysis. There are four central components of the Research Paper: A clear and concise research question
establishing the focus of the study; A critical review of the relevant
disciplinary literature establishing what other scholars have offered on the
research topic; The application of appropriate quantitative analysis to
relevant data (e.g., hypothesis testing); and, a discussion of relevant
conclusions.
The
Research Paper should be written as an integrated paper utilizing the
appropriate disciplinary protocols as outlined in the APSA Style Manual. We will discuss this further in class. The Research Paper is worth 50% of your
final grade.
Semester
Outline:
Please note that reading assignments are
in bold and (parentheses). Readings
must be
done prior to class assigned. Exercises will be discussed in class.
Week I (1/7): Introduction to Course
(The Primer: all)
- Why Quantitative Analysis?
- Plan of Semester
- Review 500
- UNIX
Week II (1/14):
Internet Resources
(Primer: all)
- Internet Introduction: email, gopher,
WWW, telneting
** Get Unix Account: Email me at mcahn@csun.edu
**
Week III (1/21):
Data Acquisition
(Babbie Appendix A, B; ICPSR Handouts)
-Types of Data: Raw Data, Datasets, Data
Formats
- Traditional Sources: ICPSR
- Online Data Searching
! Unix Search Vehicles
! Internet Searches
Telnet & FTP
World Wide Web
Week IV (1/28): Using SPSS for Data Management
(Kinnear and Gray 1-2)
- Introduction to SPSS
- Building Datasets (loading data)
- Importing Datasets
Week V (2/4): Defining & Coding Data
(Kinnear and Gray 3)
- Coding Data
- Defining Variables
- Defining Values
- Recoding Variables
Week VI (2/11): Using SPSS for Data Analysis
(Kinnear and Gray 4)
- SPSS for Data Analysis
- Exploring Data
- Displaying Data
Week VII (2/18):
Revisiting Social Statistics
(Babbie 14-15; Kinnear and Gray 5-6)
- Quantifying Data
- Introductory Social Statistics
- Descriptive Statistics
! Frequency Distributions
! Measurements of Central Tendency
! Variance
Week VIII (2/25):
Bivariate Analysis
(Babbie 17-18)
- Crosstabulations
- Correlation Analysis
- Comparing Population Means
Week IX (3/4): Multivariate Analysis
(Norusis 14-17; Kinnear and Gray 7, 11)
- One-Way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA)
- Correlation, Multiple Correlation,
Partial Correlation
Spring
Break 3/9-14
Week X (3/18): Simple Regression
(Norusis 18-19; Kinnear and Gray 12)
- Regression
Week XI (3/25): Multiple Regression
(Norusis 20-21; Beck: all)
-Multiple Regression
Week XII (4/1): Factor Analysis
(Handout: Kachigan on Factor Analysis;
Kinnear and Gray 15)
- Factor Analysis
Week XIII (4/8): Reporting the Data in the Research Paper
(APSA: all; Norusis 22-27)
- Reporting Data
- Academic Writing
- Components of the Research Paper
! Abstract (Executive Summary)
! Introduction
! The Research Question
! Literature Review
! Blueprint for Research Methodology
-statement of hypotheses
-variable list
-discussion of how data will be acquired
! Data Summary
! Data Analysis
! Conclusions & Further Research
! Appendices
! Notes
! References
Week XIV (4/15):
Lab Time for Trouble Shooting
- Open Lab for Trouble Shooting
- Displaying Data for Final Paper
Construction
Week XV (4/22): Final Class
- Present
Research & Final Discussion
ALL PAPERS DUE IN CLASS 4/22!!
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Matthew Cahn
Department of Political Science
California State University Northridge
18111 Nordhoff Street
Northridge, CA 91330-8254
(818) 677-3488
matthew.cahn@csun.edu