The American University in Cairo
Political Science 2104-02
Introduction to Research Methods in Political Science Fall 2016
Al Waleed C142
Sunday and Wednesday 10:05-11:25 Dr. Gamal A. Gawad Soltan
Office Hours: Sunday and Wednesday 12:00-2:00, and by appointment Office: HUSS 2036
Email: [email protected]
Course Description
The goal of this course is to introduce students to qualitative and
quantitative (empirical) research methods widely used in political science and other social science sister disciplines. The skills learnt in this class should enhance both the career and academic potentials of students. In
addition, methods taught in this class should help students write quality term papers in political science classes.
Qualitative methods include several methods, including literature review, archival work, content analysis, different modes of observation, personal interview, and focus groups. Many of these methods will be covered in this course.
Quantitative methods are statistical methods. Students will be introduced, step by step, to preliminary techniques of reading and interpreting tables and charts, in addition to introductory descriptive and analytical quantitative techniques. Students will be given the opportunity to learn and get trained to use a powerful statistical package designed to serve the needs of social science researchers.
Textbooks
A number of textbooks, all by the same author, can be consulted in this class. Students can alternate between the different books to get used to different treatments of the subject and also according to availability. The books can be found the library’s reserve section.
Earl Babbie, The Basics of Social Research, 3rd edition (Reserve) Earl Babbie, The Basics of the social research, 6th edition (Reserve)
Below, these two books are referred to as “Basics” and distinction between them is made by the edition.
Earl Babbie, Introduction to social research, 5th edition (Reserve) Below, this book is referred to as “Introduction”.
In addition, The following statistics reference is placed on reserve for students to consult.
Joseph F. Healey, Statistics: A Tool for Social Research
The particular chapters to be consulted from this book will be announced in due time in class and on blackboard.
Course Requirements and Student Evaluation
Attendance and Participation: According to the AUC’s policy, attendance is integral part of the learning process. Missing more than the equivalent of three weeks of class meetings without acceptable excuses puts the student at the risk of penalty. However, the AUC’s policy does not reward students just for attendance. Active attendance, on the other hand is highly encouraged.
Students who actively take part in in class activities and discussions can win a maximum of 15% of the total grade.
Weekly Assignments: Each student should respond to five assignments during the semester. Students will be assigned to two groups to alternate responding to the weekly assignments. This exercise begins at week no. 2.
The due date for each assignment is the second class period in the following week. Typed hard copy of the assignments should be submitted in class on due date. Each day of delay will cost a deduction of 0.5% of the total grade.
Late assignments are not accepted beyond the due date of the following
assignment. Each assignment is worth 5% of the total grade. A total of 25%
of the total grade is allocated to this exercise.
Midterm Exams: One midterm exam will be administered as scheduled.
The final exam is worth 15% of the total grade.
Hands-on Methods Exercises: In these assignments the students are given the chance to experience firsthand some methods of data collection and analysis. Four assignments are included in this exercise:
1. Using and documenting archival data 2. Text analysis
3. Interviewing
4. Observation exercise
The exercises together make 20% of the total grade.
Final Exam: A comprehensive final exam will be administered during the finals' week. The final exam is worth 25% of the total grade.
Points in this class are distributed as the following Attendance and participation 15%
Weekly Assignments 25%
Methods exercises reports 20%
Midterm 15%
Final Exam 25%
The following is the grading scheme in this class
D 50-59%
C 60-74%
B 75-89%
A 90-100%
Topics and Readings
Week 1 (Week of September 4th)
Human Inquiry and Science (Babbie, Basics, Ch. 1) OR
Beginning Principles (Babbie, Introduction, Ch. 1)
Week 2 (week of September 11th) (Eid El-Adha) Week 3 (week of September 18th)
Paradigm, Theory, and Research (Babbie, Basics, Ch. 2) OR
Research and Theory (Babbie, Introduction, Ch. 2) Week 4 (week of September 25th)
28 Sep is the due date to submit the archival data report.
Research Design (Babbie, Basics, Ch. 4) OR
Structuring Research Project (Babbie, Introduction, Ch. 3) Week 5 (week of October 2nd)
Conceptualization, Operationalization, and Measurement (Babbie, Ch. 5) OR
Social Measurement ((Babbie, Introduction, Ch. 4)
Week 6 (week of October 9th)
Indexes, Scales, and Typologies (Babbie, Basics, Ch. 6) OR
Composite Measure(Babbie, Introduction, Ch. 5)
Week 7 (week of October 16th)
19 Oct is the due date to submit the interview report.
The Logic of Sampling (Babbie, Basics, Ch.7) OR
Sampling (Babbie, Introduction, Ch. 6)
Week 8 (week of October 23rd) Experiments (Babbie, Basics, Ch. 8) OR
Social Experiments (Babbie, Introduction, Ch. 7) Week 9 (week of October 30th)
MIDTERM EXAM (Sunday October 30
th)
Week 10 (week of November 6th)
9 Nov. is the due date to submit the observation report.
Survey Research (Babbie, Basics, Ch. 9)
OR
Survey Research (Babbie, Introduction, Ch. 8)
Week 11 (week of November 13th)
Qualitative Field Research (Babbie, Basics, Ch. 10 ONLY in 6th edition) OR
Field Research (Babbie, Introduction, Ch. 9) Week 12 (week of November 20th)
Unobtrusive Research (Babbie, Basics, Ch. 11 in 6th edition and Ch. 10 in 3rd edition) OR
Nonreactive Methods (Babbie, Introduction, Ch. 10) Week 13 (week of November 27th)
30 Nov. is the due date to submit the text analysis report.
Evaluation Research (Babbie, Basics,Ch. 12 in 6th edition and Ch. 11 in 3rd edition) OR
Evaluation Research (Babbie, Introduction, Ch. 11)
Week 14 (week of December 4th)
Qualitative Data Analysis (Babbie, Basics,Ch. 13 in 6th edition and Ch. 14 in 3rd edition) OR
Analyzing Qualitative Data (Babbie, Introduction, Ch. 12) Week 15 (week of December 11th)
Reading and Writing of Social Research (Babbie, Basics,Ch. 15 in 6th edition) OR
Social Research Literature (Babbie, Introduction, Ch. 14) Week 16 (week of December 18th)
The Ethics and Politics of Social Research (Babbie, Basics,Ch. 3 in 6th edition) OR
Ethical and Political Issues (Babbie, Introduction, Ch. 15)
