POL 206 Scope and Methods of Political Analysis

This course introduces the student to the variety of approaches and tools available to those studying politics. Students will become familiar with the nature of and debates inherent in contemporary political studies, as well as the strengths and weaknesses of the various methods employed by students of politics. By developing their own research project, students will struggle first-hand with the issues central to all types of social science research: selecting from alternative models of explanation, attempting to isolate variables, and dealing with questions of cause and effect to name but a few. Students may have the opportunity to develop and work on a prototype political studies journal as well.