PLAW 270 Methods of Political Inquiry

Spring, Fall
4

Why do political scientists call themselves scientists? How can we learn about politics using the tools of scientific inquiry? What are the tools of scientific inquiry? This course introduces the methods political scientists (and others) use to generate and answer empirical questions about politics. We explore a wide variety of quantitative and qualitative research methods, including experiments, observation, interviews, and surveys. Students in this course will develop their own research question and literature review, test hypotheses, and analyze data. This course is recommended for the sophomore year and must be taken by the end of the junior year.

Prerequisites