POLI 202: Statistical Analysis and Mapping of Social Science Data

Course Information

Course Description

This course is designed to introduce you to the basic and intermediate skills most commonly used in the systematic study of the social sciences. A common assumption in our discipline is that a great deal of social activity, including in politics, can be analyzed in a scientific manner. What does that mean? How do we engage in scientific inquiry? This course is designed to strengthen your theoretical capacity to engage in scientific inquiry, as well as enhance your data analysis and interpretation skills.

The course will help you develop the skills necessary for you to engage in your own political inquiry. During the semester, you will learn how to interpret poll results while getting hands-on experience working with commonly used social science datasets to test interesting social science hypotheses. You will also develop a working knowledge of Stata, one of the leading statistical software packages used in the social sciences.

This course also serves as a building block for future courses in the social sciences. In many upper-division courses, you will be expected to read and understand work published in leading social science journals. After this course, you will likely be more comfortable critiquing methods and interpretations used in major works of the social sciences.

The first portion of the class offers a brief review of statistical principles. Even students with “math phobia” tend to do very well in this course. Most of the time we will emphasize conceptually what each statistic is trying to demonstrate and why. We will then move into issues in empirical analysis, including the use of control variables to establish and test hypotheses relating to causality. Next we will learn about linear regression, one of the most commonly used statistical techniques in political science.

We will primarily learn by doing. We will examine different social science datasets (including the National Election Studies and General Social Studies) and develop and test specific hypotheses.

Course Learning Outcomes

• Familiarize students with core scientific methods, methodological concepts, and statistical principles used in the social sciences to discover new knowledge.
• Teach students how to use statistical analysis to identify, test, and distinguish between likely causal and spurious (false) relationships.
• Develop students’ capacity to offer methodological critiques of a wide variety of statistical studies.

Required Texts, Hardware, and Software

Required texts

• Paul, Richard and Linda Elder. 2020. Critical Thinking: Concepts and Tools (8th Edition). Tomales, CA: Foundation for Critical Thinking.
• Pollock, Philip H. 2020. The Essentials of Political Analysis (Sixth Edition). Washington: Sage/CQ Press.
• Pollock, Philip H. 2019. A Stata Companion to Political Analysis (Fourth Edition). Washington: Sage/CQ Press.

Optional: Stata

OPTIONAL: Stata Version 17. Minimum version: Stata 17/IC (6 months) – approximately $48. Student pricing (requires student ID): https://www.stata.com/order/new/edu/gradplans/student-pricing/

Product comparison: http://www.stata.com/products/which-stata-is-right-for-me/

Required hardware

Students are required to purchase and bring to class a 16GB (or larger) USB flash drive formatted for Windows. Please bring the flash drive by the second class session.

Other Resources to Help You Learn Stata

Grades

Final grades for the course will be based on performance in the following areas:

Course grade scale

Daily Quizzes / Participation

Students will be graded on timely presence in class and participation in discussion. Students are required to have read assigned material before coming to class. Participation is based on physical presence, the quantity and quality of contributions, and the extent and quality of preparation as measured by participation and daily class quizzes.

Class attendance and taking quizzes are required for completion of the course. Daily quizzes will be taken using Poll Everywhere. Please download the free Poll Everywhere software for your phone or tablet. While you can take the quiz on your computer from Poll Everywhere, students have experienced fewer glitches using mobile apps. Please log in using your @redlands.edu email address and choose PollEv.com/profthorson to join.

Daily quizzes ask about: (a) main points from the previous class discussion, and (b) major points in the new readings to be discussed that day. These quizzes reward attendance, attentiveness, and preparation.

The lowest two quizzes are dropped during the semester. Approved and unapproved absences count toward these dropped quizzes.

Exercises

You may work on exercises and extra credit individually or as part of a group, but each person must print and submit their own work for credit. Include your name, chapter number, and due date on each exercise, and upload them to the course Canvas site.

Exercises are due on the day after the assigned chapter is covered. Example provided in the syllabus: Chapter 1 is scheduled for September 5th; the corresponding exercise questions (1–3) are due the next class period (September 7th).

Extra credit

Students may voluntarily complete the non-assigned questions from Pollock’s Stata Companion for extra credit. Extra credit questions are due at the same time as assigned questions for each chapter, and must be turned in separately and clearly labeled “Extra Credit.”

Current Events / Polls / Research Studies

One objective of the course is to increase students’ statistical literacy and capacity to critique statistical studies and presentations of data found both in political science journals and in mainstream media.

On assigned days, students upload to Canvas a PDF copy of a statistical analysis described in the media (emails not accepted), print the analysis with their name and the class date, turn it in at the beginning of class, and be prepared to critique the article with the instructor and classmates.

Examples include polling data, economic data, or medical health studies. The content does not need to be political in nature. Potential sources include the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Washington Post, USA Today, Riverside Press-Enterprise, and Redlands Daily Facts.

Assigned groups / dates

• Group 1: August 31, September 28, November 2
• Group 2: September 5, October 3, November 7
• Group 3: September 7, October 5, November 9
• Group 4: September 12, October 17, November 14
• Group 5: September 14, October 19, November 16
• Group 6: September 19, October 24, November 21
• Group 7: September 21, October 26, November 28
• Group 8: September 26, October 31, November 30

Midterm and Final Exams

The midterm and final exams are closed book and closed note and will be composed of short answer and short essay questions. Review sheets will be provided. The midterm lasts 75 minutes and the final lasts two hours.

Make-up exam and quiz policy

Absences are approved when a student has an instructor-approved reason for missing a quiz or exam (e.g., extracurricular music or athletic events, illness with a doctor’s note, etc.).

Office Hours

Please feel free to stay a little longer after class (either in person or via Zoom) to ask any non-confidential matters related to class content and/or academic questions.

For other matters, set up an appointment through Microsoft Bookings: https://outlook.office365.com/owa/calendar/ProfessorThorsonsMeetingTimes@uredlands.onmicrosoft.com/bookings/

• You will receive an email confirmation—add it to your calendar immediately.
• If there are no appointments available, email the instructor or keep checking (additional times may be added).
• Please arrive no later than five minutes before your scheduled start time.
• If you need to cancel a meeting, please do so at least 24 hours in advance.
• Please avoid “no shows.”

Policies

Withdrawal / Incomplete

Students are responsible for voluntarily withdrawing should they decide not to complete the class. If your name appears on the registrar’s final grade sheet and there is no work on which to base a grade, an “F” must be assigned. University drop deadlines are observed. Incomplete grades are given only under extraordinary circumstances.

Title IX Information

The University of Redlands is committed to providing a safe learning environment free from discrimination, sexual misconduct, and sexual harassment, including sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking. Faculty are “responsible employees,” meaning disclosures involving these issues must be shared with the Title IX Coordinator. Students control how their case will be handled, including whether to pursue a formal complaint.

Reporting options and resources are listed on the University Title IX website: www.redlands.edu/titleix.

Names and Personal Gender Pronouns

It is important to the instructor to learn students’ preferred names and personal gender pronouns. If either is stated incorrectly, please correct the instructor during or after class.

Freedom of Expression

The instructor is committed to free expression of ideas in the classroom. Viewpoints should not be privileged because they are popular or supported by influential elites. Ideas and assumptions should be defended by reason and evidence. Students may hear statements they consider disagreeable or offensive; broad discretion is given for speech and writing.

This does not mean anything goes: threats, harassment, and using speech to suppress the expression of others are not permitted. Students who make offensive statements should expect to be challenged by others who also enjoy freedom of expression.

The University of Chicago’s “Report of the Committee on Freedom of Expression” is available at: https://freeexpression.uchicago.edu.

Accommodations for Students with Disabilities

Accommodations are available. Please contact the University of Redlands Disability Services office to set up arrangements.

Academic Honesty

Scholastic dishonesty includes plagiarism; cheating; unauthorized collaboration; taking, acquiring, or using test materials without faculty permission; submitting false records; dishonestly obtaining grades or endorsements; altering/forging/misusing academic records; or fabricating/falsifying data or analysis. Penalties can include up to an “F” or “N” for the course. Students are responsible for understanding and following University policies.

Course Outline / Assignments (Tentative)

This schedule may be adjusted at any time by the Professor.