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Empirical Research and Writing
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Empirical Research and Writing
A Political Science Student’s Practical Guide

January 2015 | 320 pages | CQ Press
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Students can easily misstep when they first begin to do research. Leanne C. Powner’s new title Empirical Research and Writing: A Student's Practical Guide provides valuable advice and guidance on conducting and writing about empirical research. Chapter by chapter, students are guided through the key steps in the research process. Written in a lively and engaging manner and with a dose of humor, this practical text shows students exactly how to choose a research topic, conduct a literature review, make research design decisions, collect and analyze data, and then write up and present the results. The book's approachable style and just-in-time information delivery make it a text students will want to read, and its wide-ranging and surprisingly sophisticated coverage will make it an important resource for their later coursework.
 
Part I: The Preliminaries
 
Chapter 1: From Research Topic to Research Question
Doing Social Science

 
Research Questions and This Course’s Research Project

 
From Research Topic to Research Question

 
Finding and Refining a Research Question

 
Writing Your Paper

 
Summary

 
Key Terms

 
 
Chapter 2: From Research Question to Theory to Hypothesis
What Is a Theory?

 
From Question to Theory

 
From Theory to Hypothesis

 
Writing Your Theory Section

 
Summary

 
Key Terms

 
 
Part II: The Practicalities
 
Chapter 3: Doing Pre-Research
The Parts of an Empirical Paper

 
How to Think About Literature(s)

 
How to Find Literature(s)

 
How to Organize Literature(s)

 
How to Write the Literature Review

 
Summary

 
Key Terms

 
 
Chapter 4: Choosing a Design that Fits Your Question
Types of Hypotheses

 
What Type of Analysis Should I Conduct?

 
Overview of Techniques

 
Summary

 
Key Terms

 
 
Chapter 5: Case Selection and Study Design for Qualitative Research
Qualitative Study Design

 
Hypothesis-Testing Techniques and Case Selection

 
Writing Your Methodology Section

 
Summary

 
Key Terms

 
 
Chapter 6: Qualitative Data Collection and Management
Information, Data, and Evidence

 
Measurement

 
Maximizing Leverage Over Your Hypotheses

 
Data Collection Techniques

 
Sources and Resources

 
Data Management Options

 
Writing About Data Collection

 
Summary

 
Key Terms

 
 
Chapter 7: Quantitative Data Collection and Management
Identifying Data Needs: What Cases?

 
Identifying Data Needs: What Variables?

 
Measurement: Matching Concepts to Indicators

 
Getting Ready-to-Use Data

 
Collecting and Managing Your Own Data

 
Summary

 
Key Terms

 
 
Chapter 8: Preparing Quantitative Data for Analysis
Transferring Data into Your Stats Program

 
Dealing With Missing Data

 
Preparing to Analyze Your Data

 
Other Data Manipulations

 
The Theory-Data Danger Zone: Endogeneity, Simultaneity, and Omitted Variable Bias

 
Summary

 
Key Terms

 
 
Chapter 9: Writing up Your Research
The Abstract

 
The Bookends

 
The Results: Conventions of Reporting and Discussing Quantitative Analysis

 
Discussing Qualitative Evidence and Claims

 
Summary

 
Key Terms

 
 
Part III: Post-paper Processes
 
Chapter 10: Practicing Peer Review
Writing Without Whining

 
Self-Editing

 
Practicing Peer Review

 
Writing Your Review of Peer Research

 
Summary

 
Key Terms

 
 
Chapter 11: Posters, Presentations, and Publishing
Presentations

 
Posters

 
Slip ‘n’ Slide

 
Post-paper Possibilities

 
Brief Remarks on Graduate Study in Political Science and International Relations

 
Summary

 

Supplements

Instructor Resource Site
Password-protected INSTRUCTOR RESOURCES you’ll actually use!
Save time and ease class preparation with the additional guidance and tools, including:
  • Graphics from the text
  • Classroom activities
  • Instructor's Manual
Student Study Site
Open-access STUDENT RESOURCES put knowledge to the test, featuring:
  • Mobile-friendly eFlashcards strengthen understanding of key terms and concepts
  • Chapter Summaries
  • Over 40 additional sections, essays, and examples to expand on book material
  • Research paper template
  • Extensive collection of linked and annotated data site links to facilitate student research

Clear and rich in hands-on learning tools!

Dr Alessandra Russo
International Studies, University of Trento
July 7, 2021
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This is an excellent introduction for students starting a PhD

Professor DONNA PANKHURST
Department of Peace Studies, Bradford University
January 26, 2016
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The students preferred this over Johnson et al, we will keep it on the syllabus for next year.

Ms Sophia Hatz
Dept of Peace & Conflict Research, Uppsala University
July 6, 2015
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A well written and thoughtful piece for thesis preparation. I will use chapters of the book to advice my students to write empirical papers.

Mr Christopher Kaan
BITS Berlin, Business and Information Technology School
June 16, 2015
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Sample Materials & Chapters

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Chapter 2

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