University of the West of England

MODULE SPECIFICATION

(Revised November 2002)

Code: UPPN53-30-M Title: Empirical Political Analysis: Version: 1

Research Methods in Political Science

Level: M UWE credit rating: 30 ECTS credit rating: 15

Module type: Standard

Owning Faculty: HLSS Field: Politics

Valid from: September 2002 Discontinued from:

Contributes towards: MA, MSc

Pre-requisites: none

Co-requisites: none

Excluded combinations: none

Learning outcomes (assessment method in parentheses)

Students at the completion of this course will have gained knowledge and a competent understanding of:

• The importance of theory building and hypothesis testing in empirical research within political science. (presentation and essay)

• Advanced techniques of sampling and valid data gathering to political scientists. (essay)

• To effectively use their statistical skills in the manipulation and interpretation of data. (essay and presentation)

• The effective presentation of their research results. (essay and presentation)

• The importance of method triangulation. (essay)

Syllabus outline

(Note: A seminar topic can be covered in more than one seminar meeting).

• Introduction: Type of information that is relevant to political science research.

• Positivism: Theory building and the use of hypotheses in political science.

• The comparative approach and political science.

• Experimental and non-experimental research designs.

• Sampling and the use of surveys in political science.

• Interviewing for quantitative and qualitative outcomes.

• Researching political elites.

• Elaborating on bivariate relationships. Measuring and modelling electoral change.

• Public opinion and political behaviour. (The use of Factor Analysis)

• The importance of method triangulation.

• The interpretation and presentation of quantitative analysis. (Constructing graphical representations relevant to political science)

• The potential of surveys and new techniques of investigating human interaction. (Sociometric and QSR software).

Teaching & learning methods

Based on a weekly lecture introducing the major themes in each research area examined and a seminar in which students will have to take the role of presenter-discussant on a pre-determined academic paper, relevant to the themes investigated. A set of workshops on specific research methods and computer software will be run in tandem with the seminars.

Indicative Sources

Marsh, D. and D. Stoker (1995) Theory and Methods in Political Science. London: MacMillan Press.Pennings,

Manheim, J. and R. Rich (1991) Empirical Political Analysis, third edition. White Plains, N.Y.: Longman.

P., Keman, H. Kleinnijenhuis, J. (1999) Doing Research in Political Science. Sage.

Taylor, A.D. (1995) Mathematics and Politics: Strategy, Voting, Power and Proof. New York: Springer-Verlag.

Tsebelis, George (1990) Nested Games: Rational Choice in Comparative Politics. Berkley: University of California Press.

• Black, T.R. (1999) Doing Quantitative Research in the Social Sciences, London, Sage.

• Czaja, R. and J. Blair (1996) Designing Surveys: A Guide to Decisions and Procedures. Thousand Oaks, California: Pine Forge Press.

• van Deth, Jan W. and Elinor Scarborough eds. (1995) The Impact of Values. Oxford UP.

• Denzin, N. and Lincoln, Y. S. eds. (1994) Handbook of Qualitative Research. Thousand Oaks, California: Sage.

• Inglehart, Ronald (1990) Culture Shift in Advanced Industrial Society. Princeton: Princeton University Press.

• King, G.; Keohane, R.; Verba, S. (1994) Designing Social Inquiry: Scientific Inference in Qualitative Research. Princeton: Princeton University Press.

• Marsh, D. and R. Rhodes eds. (1992) Policy Networks in British Government. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

• Miles, M.B. and Huberman, A.M. eds. (1994) Qualitative Data Analysis: An expanded Sourcebook ,2nd edition. Thousand Oaks, California: Sage.

• Miller, William (1983) The Survey Method in the Social and Political Sciences. London: Frances Pinder.

• Miller, W.; Timpson, A. M.; Lessnoff, M. (1996) Political Culture in Contemporary Britain: People and Politicians, Principles and Practice. Oxford: Clarendon Press.

• Putnam, R. et al (1993) Making Democracy Work: Civic Traditions in Modern Italy. Princeton: Princeton University Press.

• Rossi, P.H. et al eds. (1983) Handbook of Survey Research. New York: Academic Press.

• Rasmussen, Eric (1994) Games and Information: An Introduction to Game Theory. 2nd edition. Cambridge Massachusetts: Blackwell Publishers.

• Scott, John (1991) Social Network Analysis. London: Sage.

• de Vaus, D.A. (1991) Surveys in Social Research, third edition. St. Leonards, Australia: Allen and Unwin.

• de Vaus, D.A. (2001) Research Design in Social Research. London, Sage.

• Wasserman, S. and Faust, K. (1994) Social Network Analysis: Methods and Applications. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

• Wassermann, S. and Galaskiewicz J. eds. (1994) Advances in Social Network Analysis: Research in the Social and Behavioural Sciences. Thousand Oaks, California: Sage.

• Wright, Daniel, B. (1997) Understanding Statistics: An Introduction for the Social Sciences. London: Sage.

( * Indicative Sources list required to be reduced)

Journals

American Political Science Review

Comparative Politics

European Journal of Political Research

Government and Opposition

Government and Policy

Journal of Common Market Studies

Political Geography Quarterly

Politics

West European Politics

Assessment

Weighting between components A and B A: 50% B: 50%

ATTEMPT 1

First Assessment Opportunity

Component A

Description of each element Element weighting

1. 20 minute class presentation 50%

Component B

Description of each element Element weighting

1. 4000 word essay 50%

Second Assessment Opportunity (further attendance at taught classes is not required)

Component A

Description of each element Element weighting

1. 20 minute class presentation 50%

Component B

Description of each element Element weighting

1. 4000 word essay 50%

SECOND (OR SUBSEQUENT) ATTEMPT: Attendance at taught classes is required.

Specification confirmed by …………………………………………Date ……………………………

(Associate Dean/Programme Director)

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