Political Science Research Methods - Softcover

Johnson

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0871878070 ISBN 13: 9780871878076

Publisher: Congressional Quarterly Books, 1994

Synopsis

This concise introduction to political science tools covers the research process and scholars use of research methods.

About this title

About the Author

Janet Buttolph Johnson is associate professor of political science and international relations at the University of Delaware, where she specializes in public policy, state and local politics, and environmental policy and politics.

H.T. Reynolds is professor emeritus of political science at the University of Delaware. He is the author of Governing America with David Volger, The Analysis of Nominal Data, 2nd Edition, and has published several articles on methodology.

Review

Political Science Research Methods offers students a comprehensive and engaging view of both the scientific research process and the application of research methods. The authors skillfully integrate examples throughout the book that illustrate how scholars utilize methodological techniques to address substantive theoretical questions in political science. In so doing, the book systematically unpacks the foundation for understanding, evaluating, and producing scientific research. The companion workbook, Working with Political Science Research Methods, provides exercises and data sets to help students build an applied foundation for the statistical techniques they learn about in the text. The superb balance achieved between methodological theory and application makes the entire package an immensely valuable tool for both students and teachers -- Bryan W. Marshall Janet Buttolph Johnson and H.T. Reynolds have developed an outstanding research methods textbook that has wide applicability for both undergraduate and graduate courses. It has been the primary textbook in my undergraduate political analysis class for several years because it offers a sophisticated introduction to empirical political science and both qualitative and quantitative research methods, while presenting the material in a writing style that is easily accessible to undergraduate students. The range of methods discussed in the book and the many topical examples it provides has given me great flexibility to select exactly what I wanted to use in class. The companion workbook has been a great resource for homework assignments and in-class exercises and discussions. I consider this the leading textbook of its kind -- Scott Silverstone I have found Johnson and Reynolds' Political Science Research Methods to be one of the most important texts which I have adopted, not only for this course, but for any one. Many methods texts which are published are directed at the social sciences in general. This text is superior to the more general social science texts and other political science methods texts with which I am familiar because it successfully engages students in building methodological and statistical literacy. The book incorporates much of the important foundational information that today's undergraduate political science major needs to learn. The need to study both human behavior as well as institutions requires a more focused course of study. This text is superb because it provides students with a host of applications specific to the discipline. It is accessible and yet it does not encourage lower order thinking. I am very likely to continue to use this text because of its comprehensiveness and design -- Robin Lauermann

Edition details

• Publisher: Congressional Quarterly Books
• Publication date: 1994
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0871878070
• ISBN 13: 9780871878076
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 3
• Number of pages: 450