Planned for academic year 2012-2013; subject to change
Description
This course is an introduction to the theory and practice of empirical research methods in political science. Students will become familiar with the core concepts and basic principles of political science research. They will not only learn why research methods are important but also how to use them. Among the topics covered in the course are theory, empirical reasoning, the development of testable and verifiable research questions, and the operationalisation of key concepts and terms. In addition to the lectures, students will attend corresponding workgroups and use SPSS to conduct empirical research. Besides working with SPSS, the workshops will focus on the presentation and interpretation of empirical results. A complete syllabus with the lecture and workgroup topics and examination dates will be available at the beginning of the semester.