Through reading and critiquing political science research in American politics, comparative politics, and international relations, students learn how to select a research question, formulate testable hypotheses, find and evaluate relevant literature, locate or collect data that addresses their research question, analyze the data, and write a research report. The primary task for the semester is to complete a research paper on a topic the student chooses jointly with the instructor. Students work on individual or joint projects. The course is not a prerequisite for writing a senior honors thesis, though it is good preparation for doing so. With that in mind, near the end of the semester, juniors who are interested in doing an honors project during the senior year will be assisted in their efforts to identify a faculty member with whom they can work and in formulating a plan to carry out the thesis during the ensuing year. Prerequisite: Permission of the instructor. Open to juniors and seniors (and outstanding sophomores). Past or concurrent enrollment in a techniques of analysis course (PSC 200, 201, 203, 205, ECO 230 231, or the equivalent).

Through reading and critiquing political science research in American politics, comparative politics, and international relations, students learn how to select a research question, formulate testable hypotheses, find and evaluate relevant literature, locate or collect data that addresses their research question, analyze the data, and write a research report. The primary task for the semester is to complete a research paper on a topic the student chooses jointly with the instructor. Students work on individual or joint projects. The course is not a prerequisite for writing a senior honors thesis, though it is good preparation for doing so. With that in mind, near the end of the semester, juniors who are interested in doing an honors project during the senior year will be assisted in their efforts to identify a faculty member with whom they can work and in formulating a plan to carry out the thesis during the ensuing year. Prerequisite: Permission of the instructor. Open to juniors and seniors (and outstanding sophomores). Past or concurrent enrollment in a techniques of analysis course (PSC 200, 201, 203, 205, ECO 230 231, or the equivalent).

Through reading and critiquing political science research in American politics, comparative politics, and international relations, students learn how to select a research question, formulate testable hypotheses, find and evaluate relevant literature, locate or collect data that addresses their research question, analyze the data, and write a research report. The primary task for the semester is to complete a research paper on a topic the student chooses jointly with the instructor. Students work on individual or joint projects. The course is not a prerequisite for writing a senior honors thesis, though it is good preparation for doing so. With that in mind, near the end of the semester, juniors who are interested in doing an honors project during the senior year will be assisted in their efforts to identify a faculty member with whom they can work and in formulating a plan to carry out the thesis during the ensuing year.

Prerequisite: Permission of the instructor. Open to juniors and seniors (and outstanding sophomores). Past or concurrent enrollment in a techniques of analysis course (PSC 200, 201, 203, 205, ECO 230 231, or the equivalent).