The American University in Cairo

Political Science 404

Political Science Methods

Fall 2013

Thursday 5:00-7:25

Dr. Gamal A. Gawad Soltan

Office Hours: Monday & Thursday 12:00-1:30

Office: HUSS 2036

Email:

Course Description

This course is designed to help advanced undergraduate students to master the skills needed to produce quality research. At this stage, students should have accumulated a solid body of knowledge about politics and society. At this stage too, students should have written a good number of term papers, a process through which students should have developed valuable writing and research skills. This class should build on these accumulated knowledge and skills towards the enhancement of students’ research skills. Learning and applying established research methods is the strategy applied to achieve this goal.

Hands-on is the approach applied in this class. A particular research topic is selected to be used as a case study through which different methods will be studied and applied.

Course Requirements and Student Evaluation

Democratic transition is the topic selected for this class. This topic will be discussed in class in some details in order to allow students to identify some of the many dimensions of this complex topic. While different dimensions will be addressed through readings and class discussions, each student will be required to thoroughly investigate one of the many dimensions of this topic. Producing a quality research paper on the dimension at hand will be the main task for each student. One or more of the methods discussed in class should be used in a student's paper.

The development of students' research papers will proceed gradually. It is a process that will occupy the entire semester, rather than being just a term paper to be submitted at the end of semester. The consecutive phases of the research process will closely follow the progress made in class discussion.

Students are expected to submit the following assignments towards the completion of their research papers.

1.  Literature review

2.  Conceptualization, research hypothesis, and definitions

3.  Method

4.  Hypothesis testing

5.  Final paper, where the conclusion and final remarks will be made

Evaluation of students will go along the following rules:

a. Attendance policy: attendance is integral part of the course. Students are allowed only 1 time of absence without penalty. Each additional absence will cost 1 point of the final grade. Students who exceed 3 times of penalized absence might be advised to drop the course. Students who observe the attendance rules will be rewarded a maximum of 10% of the total grade.

b. Participation and Presentations: Students are expected and encouraged to participate in class discussions. Students are expected to do the readings before coming to class, so that they can contribute to class discussion. Students will take turns presenting readings. Ten percent (10%) of the total grade is assigned for class participation and presentations.

c. Literature Review: A student will submit a review of the literature relevant to his research topic/dimension. Guidelines for the literature review will provided on time. Fifteen percent (15%) of the total grade is assigned for the literature review.

d. Conceptualization, research question, and research hypothesis: A student will submit a paper that includes a conceptualization of this research topic, statement of his research question, and the hypothesis of his research. Ten percent (15%) of the total grade is assigned for this paper.

e. Method: A student will submit a paper in which he details the research method he is going to use toward the completion of his paper. A method's paper should address which research method will be used and why, definition s of the concepts implied in the research hypothesis, the data which he is going to use. Fifteen percent (15%) of the total grade is assigned for this paper.

f. Hypothesis testing: A student should submit a paper in which he analyze the data towards the testing of his research hypothesis. Fifteen percent (15%) of the total grade is assigned for this paper.

g. Final research paper, including a conclusion and final remarks. All the papers submitted earlier should be included as sections properly ordered in this final paper after introducing final refinement and editing. Twenty percent (20%) of the total grade is assigned for the final paper.

A summary of the evaluation scheme used in this class is provided below:

1.  Attendance policy 10%

2.  Participation: 10%

3.  Literature Review: 15%

4.  Conceptualization, research question,

and research hypothesis 15%

5.  Method 15%

6. Hypothesis testing 15%

7. Final research paper 20%

Sources

The following two books will be used in this course. The two books are placed in the reserve section in the AUC library. Copies of the Wysocki'a book are available in the bookstore in case you want to have it. Additional readings might be assigned in proper time.

Diane Kholos Wysocki, Readings in social research methods, 3rd edition, 2008

Samuel Huntington, The Third Wave: Democratization in the late Twentieth century, 1991

For statistical topics, the following book will be used as a reference. Copies of this book are available in the bookstore.

Joseph F. Healy, Statistics: A Tool for Social Research, 9th edition, 2012.

Additional readings will be assigned in proper time to enhance class discussions and students’ research skills.

Readings

1.  September 5

Introduction

2.  September 12

Diane Kholos Wysocki, Readings in social research methods, pp. 1-22

3. September 19

Samuel Huntington, The third wave , pp. 3-30

Earl Babbie, Introduction to Social Research, Ch. 14: Social Research Literature (Reserve)

4. September 26

Diane Kholos Wysocki, Readings in social research methods, pp. 61-73

5. October 3

Samuel Huntington, The third wave , pp. 31-58

Earl Babbie, Introduction to Social Research, Ch. 10: Nonreactive methods (Reserve)

6. October 10

Due date for Literature Review

Diane Kholos Wysocki, Readings in social research methods, pp. 82-85

Diane Kholos Wysocki, Readings in social research methods, pp. 91-97

7. October 17

Samuel Huntington, The third wave , pp. 59-84

8. October 24

Diane Kholos Wysocki, Readings in social research methods, pp. 98-102

Diane Kholos Wysocki, Readings in social research methods, pp. 111-116

9. October 31

Due date for Conceptualization, research question, and research hypothesis

Samuel Huntington, The third wave , pp.85-108

10. November 7

Diane Kholos Wysocki, Readings in social research methods, pp. 117-122

Diane Kholos Wysocki, Readings in social research methods, pp. 130-137

11. November 14

Samuel Huntington, The third wave , pp.164-173

Samuel Huntington, The third wave , pp.192-207

12. November 21

Due date for Method's paper

Diane Kholos Wysocki, Readings in social research methods, pp. 130-137

13. November 28

Due date for Hypothesis testing paper

Samuel Huntington, The third wave , pp.174-191

14. December 5

Diane Kholos Wysocki, Readings in social research methods, pp. 191-193

Diane Kholos Wysocki, Readings in social research methods, pp. 213-221

15. December 12

Due date for Final research paper

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