Intro Research Methods

This course is designed to introduce students to the scientific study of politics and the foundations of political science research. It will explore the critical concepts and methods political scientists utilize to investigate political questions. The course covers how to formulate a research question and a hypothesis, identify independent and dependent variables and the steps in the research process. It will present various research designs employed by political scientists to empirically investigate political phenomena. The course will provide students with the training to begin the process of conducting their own independent research. The course will conclude by introducing students to various applications of qualitative methods utilized in political science. Offered fall and spring semesters.