Quantitative Methods I

Catalog description

In recent decades, political scientists have used quantitative methods more and more frequently in their research. While econometric analysis is not the only analytic tool available for researchers assessing causal claims, it is imperative that any student of the discipline be able to digest and interpret the language of statistics. It is rare to pick up a journal in the discipline these days that is completely devoid of statistical analysis. Students must be able to understand this language at a minimum, and successful publication strategies (which in turn are important for successful careers) will involve the production of independent results. The trend towards econometric analysis (alongside formal theory) is unmistakable, and occurs in all subfields with the possible exception of political theory. Statistical literacy is simply indispensable for political scientists. Theoretic development is important as well, and can work hand in hand with empirical testing in important political science research. Some of you may not have had learning statistics in mind when you decided to attend graduate school. Some of you may have little mathematics or statistics background, perhaps dating back to high school. However, you should not be intimidated or afraid of integrating this language into your research interests. Moreover, if you don’t learn this material and takes steps to produce your own results, you will miss out on what is going on in your field. Even if you do not end up producing copious amounts of data and analysis, you will at a minimum need to become a competent consumer of quantitative political science research. This course, along with its partner course next semester, will allow you to recognize the foundations of econometric analysis in political science and give you the tools to accurately discern its meaning. You will also begin to produce your own conclusions based on careful analysis and interpretation. The emphasis in this course is on understanding the building blocks of quantitative research in political science.