The paper assignment for this class is a critique of an article of academic political science research. The goal is for you to use what you have learned in the class and apply toward interpreting and assessing the presentation of research. You will choose one of the articles below and write a paper of approximately 1500 words. You must upload an uncorrupted WORD file in the assignment app (link below). Use the following questions and outline to guide your work:

The paper will be due November 26th. The assignment will open for submissions on November 12th. I encourage you to choose an article early and work on the paper throughout the semester as the concepts you will employ in writing the paper will be covered throughout the semester.

Outline

I suggest the following outline for your paper:

I. Introduction:

• Names article choice
• Frames the problem the article attempts to solve
• Identifies the larger field and the articles place within the field
• Questions to answer in this section:
  • Identify and describe the general research field: What is the general research field that this article falls within, and how does this article contribute to the general field?
  • Identify and describe the research question: What is the problem that the authors have identified? How are they approaching their research? What is their research question?
  • Identify and describe relevant theories: What are the competing theories (i.e. what is the common debate)? What do the authors suggest is the correct theory and why?

II. Research Design Components:

• Identifies the elements of the research design and methods
• Discusses possible limitations of the design, measures, data, etc.
• Questions to answer in this section:
  • Identify, describe, and assess the research design: What type of research design do they use, and is it the best choice why or why not? Identify and describe some benefits and limitations of the choice.
  • Identify and describe the hypotheses and variables: What are their hypotheses, and key concepts of interest (causes and effects)?
  • Identify, describe, and assess other factors included or forgotten: What are some other things they suspect are important? Do they identify all the possible factors (did they leave anything out)? Explain.
  • Identify and discuss the data and measurements: What data do they use? How do they measure their concepts? Are the measurements chosen reliable and valid? Explain your answer.
  • Discuss the analysis used to answer the research question (test the hypothesis): What types of tests or models do they use? Are they the best choice, why or why not? Discuss the benefits and limitations.

III. Findings:

• Discusses the authors findings
• Reflects back on the larger field and the authors place within the field
• Discusses the limitations of the findings due to design, measures, data, methods, etc.
• Questions to answer in this section:
  • Discuss the findings: What are their findings? What are the implications of their findings? What are some implications or limitations beyond what the author(s) discussed? Explain your answer.
  • Reflect back on the larger theory: Given what their literature review identified as the problem and key theory for that problem: do the findings support their theory? Explain your answer.

 IV. What does it all mean?

• Given the various aspects of the article, what are the implications
• What does this mean in a practical (i.e. ‘real world’ or publically accessible) sense?
• What does this mean in an academic sense (how does the article contribute to knowledge and academic research)?
• Questions to answer this section:
  • Discuss the overall implications: What can we actually say about this article? What are the academic (i.e. knowledge-building) and practical (i.e. real world) contributions they make?
  • Discuss additional implications: What are some of the limitations of the research that the author(s) does(do) not identify? Explain your answer.

Paper Choices

• Fine, Terri Susan. 1994. “Interest Groups & the Framing of the 1988 Democratic & Republican Party Platforms.” Polity. 26(3): 517-530.Download Fine, Terri Susan. 1994. “Interest Groups & the Framing of the 1988 Democratic & Republican Party Platforms.” Polity. 26(3): 517-530.
• Meier, Kenneth J. 1984. “Teachers, Students, and Discrimination: The Policy Impact of Black Representation.” Journal of Politics. 46(1): 252-263.Download Meier, Kenneth J. 1984. “Teachers, Students, and Discrimination: The Policy Impact of Black Representation.” Journal of Politics. 46(1): 252-263.
• Schafer, Mark and Scott Chichlow. 2002. “The Process-Outcome Connection in Foreign Policy Decision Making: A Quantitative Study Building on Groupthink.” International Studies Quarterly. 46(1): 45-68.Download Schafer, Mark and Scott Chichlow. 2002. “The Process-Outcome Connection in Foreign Policy Decision Making: A Quantitative Study Building on Groupthink.” International Studies Quarterly. 46(1): 45-68.

Submit assignment here.