CAPPP Program Description
The CAPPP Research Fellowship is designed to teach political science majors how to conduct original social science research. This Fall we will learn what it means to engage in social science reasoning; to identify and critique existing social science research; and to apply social science approaches to analyze information about politics. Our primary goals this quarter are 1) to develop an interesting and feasible research question, 2) to identify relevant data sources and 3) to develop an initial research design that will allow you to examine that question using scientific criteria. Meanwhile, we will also learn how to analyze these data using statistical research methods.
Required Material
Lisa Baglione. 2020. Writing a Research Paper in Political Science: A Practical Guide to Inquiry, Structure, and Methods, 4th Ed. CQ Press. [LB] Access LB ch 1-2 here
Christopher Howard. 2017. Thinking Like a Political Scientist: A Practical Guide to Research Methods. University of Chicago Press [CH]
Recommended Material
Nick Huntington-Klein. 2022. The Effect: An Introduction to Research Design and Causality. Chapman & Hall. Digital copy available at: https://theeffectbook.net/
Note: The texts are available through CQ, University of Chicago Press and other online retailers for prices ranging from $10-$30 each. Please talk to me if you have trouble locating or purchasing any of these texts.
Grading
Fall and Winter quarter grades register as independent study credits and are based on weekly assignments and quarter milestones that advance important components of your research project. Spring quarter grades count toward the POL S major and are evaluated on the basis of your final research project. All grades are calculated the 4.0 scale.
Evaluation
Weekly exercises – 10%
Lab assignments – 10%
Participation – 30%
Research Design – 50%
Learning Statistics in R
Throughout the quarter, we will learn to use a statistical software program called R. We will learn the basics in weekly lab sessions with Becca P. beginning on October 10. There will be weekly assignments designed to teach you the skills that you’ll need in order to analyze and interpret your own data in Winter quarter. You should feel free to work together on these exercises.
Fall Quarter Agenda
At the end of the quarter, you will turn in a final paper that includes 1) a research question that Becca and I have approved; 2) a falsifiable hypothesis; 3) alternative rival hypothesis; 4) a review of the literature related to your question; 5) a preliminary research design (e.g., how you will test your hypothesis), and 6) identification of data sources and/or a data collection plan. Everything that we do during Fall quarter is meant to advance these goals and help you to successfully complete this research design paper.
Your Physical & Mental Health
Your physical and mental health are a priority, and I will work with you to accommodate any health issues or family circumstances that come up this quarter. It is your responsibility to let me know ASAP if you are experiencing difficulties resulting from personal or family circumstances. I will make every attempt to make appropriate adjustments that will help you succeed in this class, while allowing you to prioritize your physical, mental and emotional well-being.
Academic Integrity/Unauthorized Use of AI
Cheating and plagiarism will not be tolerated under any circumstances. This includes copying someone else’s words without proper attribution as well as the use of artificial intelligence to generate work that you pass off as your own. Cases of plagiarism, including the unauthorized use of ChatGPT, will be reported to the Academic Student Conduct Office, and may result in a failed grade. All students should make sure they are familiar with the Student Conduct Code.
Access and Accommodations
I will make every effort to accommodate students who are registered with the Disabilities Support Services Office and who provide me with necessary documentation. If you have already established accommodations with Disability Resources for Students (DRS), please communicate your approved accommodations to me at your earliest convenience so we can discuss your needs in this course.
Religious Accommodations
Washington state law requires that UW develop a policy for accommodation of student absences or significant hardship due to reasons of faith or conscience, or for organized religious activities. The UW’s policy, including more information about how to request an accommodation, is available at Religious Accommodations Policy (https://registrar.washington.edu/staffandfaculty/religious-accommodations-policy/). Accommodations must be requested within the first two weeks of this course using the Religious Accommodations Request form (https://registrar.washington.edu/students/religious-accommodations-request/).