Political Science 260                               Donovan
Political Analysis                               Winter 1995

   Course purpose: 
    This course is designed as a survey of political analysis 
and political argument.  It will explore some of the methods 
that a student or researcher might employ when asking and 
answering questions about politics.  There are two main 
components of the class.  First, we are interested in the 
critical analysis of political argument.  The first half of 
the quarter will be dedicated to themes related to such 
topics as: the use of evidence in political writing, fallacy 
in argument, the distinction between empirical and normative 
arguments, and the "scientific" study of politics.  We will 
aslo explore how computer-based resources can be used in 
research.

   The second component of the course focuses upon the 
analysis and description of quantitative data.  The last half 
of the quarter will be spent developing a working knowledge 
of basic statistics used often in political research.  You 
will also be introduced to a PC statistic package.

Tasks:
  The class will meet Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday 
afternoon at 1:00pm.  Monday through Wednesday will be used 
for lecture and discussion.  Thursdays will often be used for 
class presentations, discussions, and computer lab sessions. 
Exams and some supplemental lectures will be scheduled on 
occasional Fridays.

  Grades will be based on the successful completion of 
several tasks. You will write two short (3-5 pages) essays: 
one advancing a normative argument, and one advancing an 
empirical argument.  You will complete two computer projects 
involving the analysis and description of quantitative data.  
You and your colleagues will benefit from active student 
participation in discussion.  As such, you will be asked to 
present material in class.  Finally, your grade will also be 
based upon two exams (midterm and final).

Reading Material:
Browne, M. Neil and S. Keeley (1990) Asking the Right 
Questions.  (3rd edition, Prentice Hall).

Hoover, Kenneth and Todd Donovan (1995) The Elements of 
Social Scientific Thinking. (Sixth Edition, St. Martin's).  


Additional Reading Material:

A small number of readings will be placed on 2-hour reserve 
in the library. Students will also need to subscribe to the 
New York Times, which will be provided at a discount. 

Grading

Papers.........................25  
Data Analysis Assignments......15 
Midterm Exam...................25
Final Exam.....................25
Participation/Presentation.....10


Course Outline/Reading assignments

 (NOTE: Dates of readings subject to change.  Additional 
readings from the NY Times will be announced on a weekly 
basis).

Week 1:
 Course Introduction:
 Reasoning vs. Assertion                            1/4
 Approaches to the Study of Politics                1/5
   Read Hoover and Donovan, Chapter 1              

Week 2:
 The Empirical Study of Politics                    1/9
   Read Buchanan, Chapter 2
 An Introduction to Argument                   1/10-1/11 
   Read Bronwe & Keeley pp. 1-26
 Class critique of arguments
   Exercises B&K, TBA;  NY Times TBA               1/12

Week 3:
 Dr. Martin Luther King Day (HOLIDAY)              1/16
 Normative Argument/ Assumptions                     
   Read B&K, p. 29-52                              1/17
 Language and Politics                             1/18
   Read Orwell (In Rottenberg, on reserve pp 599-610)
 Class critique of arguments                        
   Exercises B&K, TBA; NY Times TBA                1/19

 Normative argument/essay due              FRIDAY  1/20 

Week 4:

 Fallacy                                            1/23
  Read B&K, p. 107-132; Weddle (Chapter 2, on reserve)
  Rottenberg (reserve, pp. 223-38)
 Evidence                                         1/24-25                                     
  Read B&K, p. 64-77 (suggested, Rottenberg pp 104-130)
 Class critique of arguments                        
  Exercises B&K, p. 80; NY Times TBA                1/26 

 Midterm Exam                               FRIDAY  1/27


Week 5:
  
  Surveys, Samples and Opinion Polls             1/30-31
   Read Hoover and Donovan, pp 98-108 
  Statistical Evidence                             
   Read B&K, pp. 81-103                              2/1
  Class critique of arguments                      
   Exercises B&K, TBA;  NY Times TBA                 2/2

Week 6:

  Using Internet Resources                           2/6
  Working with Quantitative Data                     
   Read Hoover and Donovan, Chapter 2                2/7                                
  Operazionalizing Concepts/Variables 
   Read Hoover and Donovan, Chapter 3                2/8
  Computer Introduction                              2/9

Week 7:

  Hypothesis Testing Intro                          2/13
    Read Hoover and Donovan, Chapter 4
  Statistican Significance                          2/14
  Univariate Statistics: Central Tendency           2/15
    Read H & D pp 91-108
  Computer lab session                              2/16



Week 8:
  President's Day (HOLIDAY)                         2/20
  Univariate Statistics: Dispersion              2/21-22
  Bivariate Analysis: T-Test                       
  Computer lab session                              2/23

Week 9:
  Bivariate Analysis: T-Test (con't)                2/27
  Bivariate Analysis: Chi-Square              2/28 - 3/1
  Computer lab session                               3/2 

  Empirical argument/essay due               Friday  3/3

Week 10:
  Correlation                                        3/6
    Read H & D, pp 108-23
  Regression                                       3/7-9
  Conclusion and Review                             3/10 
    Read H & D, Chapter 6


Final Exam: Wed. March 15, 8:00 - 10:00 a.m.