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Overview
Overview
Required for political science majors
Key component of full capstone experience
Provides students with standard practices for research in the discipline including peer review, iterative writing assignments, and independent quantitative or qualitative research projects.
Typically taught Spring (1 section)
Taught 2 sections total
Sample Syllabi
Sample Syllabi
Pedagogical Approach and Curricular Revisions
Pedagogical Approach and Curricular Revisions
PSCI 4800: Political Science Research Methods is a core component of the senior capstone sequence, designed to equip political science majors with essential skills for independent research. The course emphasizes peer review, iterative writing, qualitative and quantitative methods, and provides structured advising alongside ongoing faculty support.
I developed PSCI 4800 beginning in 2021 to address significant challenges in the existing capstone research process. Previously, students completed their research papers in PSCI 4999 while simultaneously preparing for comprehensive exams. This setup offered minimal faculty support, resulting in ad hoc meetings, inconsistent feedback, and uneven research quality. For instructors, the lack of a dedicated course created unsustainable advising demands without formal teaching credit.
To resolve these issues, I proposed a credit-bearing, synchronous research course. The Academic Council approved my proposal in Fall 2023, and PSCI 4800 launched in Spring 2024, offering regular meetings, scaffolded assignments, and consistent faculty engagement.
The inaugural course featured a structured curriculum with scaffolded assignments, peer review workshops, iterative writing, and conference-style presentations, all designed to demystify the research process and foster student accountability.
In response to student feedback and my own reflections, I refined the course in Spring 2025 by integrating textbook worksheets as mandatory in-class activities, expanding hands-on research workshopping, and increasing the frequency and structure of peer review sessions. I also introduced instruction on responsible AI research tools and citation management software, helping students enhance research efficiency while fostering critical engagement with digital resources. Additionally, I incorporated examples from my own scholarly work to model best practices and provide personalized guidance.
These curricular enhancements have led to improved student engagement, more consistent research progress, and higher-quality capstone projects, significantly enriching the senior research experience.
Click below to view course evaluations and curricular changes by year.
Spring 2024
Spring 2024
In Spring 2024, I taught the inaugural iteration of PSCI 4800: Political Science Research Methods and implemented several key revisions to improve student learning and streamline the research process. Drawing on prior advising and curricular experimentation, I designed the course around best practices that offered students both clarity and continuity as they undertook independent research.
To build a strong methodological foundation, I selected a core textbook aligned with my previous advising practices. The text’s companion worksheets helped students structure their projects and served as a scaffold for their final papers. I replaced traditional readings with hands-on workshopping and peer review, fostering a collaborative environment where students could learn from each other’s work and apply shared lessons to their own.
A central feature of the course was an iterative writing process. Students submitted individual sections of their research paper throughout the semester and received detailed, individualized feedback on each component. This transformed the final paper from a high-stakes, solitary task into a supported, cumulative process that resulted in more rigorous and coherent submissions.
The course culminated in conference-style presentations where students formally presented their research and fielded audience questions. This format simulated professional political science conferences and gave students valuable experience in public communication and intellectual defense. A final reflection paper encouraged metacognition by asking students to assess their development over the semester.
Student Learning Outcomes:
Oral communication (through presentation practice and actual oral presentation of research, students will learn to effectively articulate their knowledge of discipline);
Critical thinking and analysis (through review of literature, discussion of scholarly work about the course topics, research paper assignment);
Effective, concise writing (through responsiveness to evaluators’ comments and systematic improvements in the quality and clarity of each written assignment);
Empirical Reasoning (Research and thesis writing, testing through research paper assignment);
Comprehending the views of others and articulating and defending one’s own position (through readings and one on one discussions with Primary advisor, research paper assignment);
Ensure all graduates have knowledge of critical issues in the field of Political Science and have a common vocabulary with which to discuss those issues.
Course Evaluations:
Spring 2024 data based on 5 student responses
Student Feedback on Instructor
Students consistently praised my clarity, structure, and dedication to student success. Multiple students highlighted my strength in breaking down complex research components and communicating expectations clearly, which helped demystify the research process. I was commended for offering constructive feedback, being accessible, and accommodating students facing challenges. My guidance through the revision process and ability to contextualize lessons were particularly effective in supporting student learning.
To enhance the learning experience further, students suggested dedicating less class time to textbook discussions and more to in-class research workshopping. They also indicated a preference for hearing more directly from my own perspective rather than relying as heavily on textbook frameworks, as this would help resolve confusion over differing guidelines.
Student Feedback on Course
Students appreciated the course's structure and its focus on developing real-world research skills in political science. They found the gradual breakdown of research paper components and the opportunity to tailor their projects to personal interests especially valuable. The textbook was seen as a helpful resource by some, particularly for guiding paper construction.
However, others felt it could be de-emphasized in favor of more interactive, instructor-led instruction. A common theme in the feedback was the desire for more time: students suggested either extending the length of individual class sessions or offering a multi-semester format to allow more space for project development. Additionally, increasing opportunities for peer and instructor feedback during class time was proposed to alleviate stress and promote deeper engagement with the research process.
Grade Distribution:
Grades reflected a healthy academic environment. Five students earned B’s, two earned A’s, and three earned C’s. One student received an F. The distribution suggests appropriate course difficulty, with most students meeting or exceeding expectations.
Spring 2025
Spring 2025
Building on feedback from Spring 2024 and my own reflections, I introduced several refinements to PSCI 4800: Political Science Research Methods in Spring 2025 aimed at boosting student engagement, streamlining instruction, and enhancing research quality.
A key change was integrating textbook worksheets as required in-class activities rather than optional assignments. This ensured consistent progress and provided a structured framework for research development. To increase interactivity, I expanded hands-on research workshops during class time, reducing outside readings and allowing students to apply skills with immediate feedback. This addressed earlier concerns about time constraints and inconsistent guidance, leading to steadier student progress and improved submissions.
Peer review sessions were expanded in frequency and structure, becoming a central part of the course. These workshops fostered iterative revision, clarity, and peer learning, reinforcing critical engagement and constructive critique.
Reflecting pedagogical growth and student needs, I introduced instruction on responsible use of AI tools for source discovery and synthesis, alongside training in citation management software like Zotero. These technologies enhanced research efficiency and encouraged critical thinking about digital knowledge production.
To meet requests for more instructor-led guidance, I shared examples from my own scholarship and demonstrated my editing and revision processes. This personalized approach demystified research and clarified professional academic standards.
Student Learning Outcomes:
Oral communication (through presentation practice and actual oral presentation of research, students will learn to effectively articulate their knowledge of discipline);
Critical thinking and analysis (through review of literature, discussion of scholarly work about the course topics, research paper assignment);
Effective, concise writing (through responsiveness to evaluators’ comments and systematic improvements in the quality and clarity of each written assignment);
Empirical Reasoning (Research and thesis writing, testing through research paper assignment);
Comprehending the views of others and articulating and defending one’s own position (through readings and one on one discussions with Primary advisor, research paper assignment);
Ensure all graduates have knowledge of critical issues in the field of Political Science and have a common vocabulary with which to discuss those issues.
Evaluation of Course Changes:
Although I did not collect formal evaluations for the Spring 2025 course, my self-reflection indicates that these curricular revisions have significantly improved the rigor and consistency of student research. Embedding research instruction into a dedicated capstone course has provided students with sustained guidance and reduced the need for ad hoc advising outside the classroom. As a result, final projects have become more sophisticated, and students appear better equipped to engage with independent political science research.
Grade Distribution:
The Spring 2025 grades show a balanced outcome: four A’s, four B’s, and four C’s, with no D’s or F’s. This distribution suggests maintained rigor paired with effective student support, enabling success across the class.
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