Below are links to empirical & scholarly articles on teaching about elections in the United States.

How and Why Teachers Taught about the 2020 U.S. Election: An Analysis of Survey Responses from Twelve States

by Paul Fitchett, Brett Levy, and Jeremy Stoddard

This study explores social studies teachers’ self-reported instruction about teaching the 2020 election in U.S. secondary schools. We analyzed survey responses from 1,723 secondary social studies teachers from 12 states (3 left-leaning, 3 right-leaning, 6 battleground) collected in the weeks after the election, examining self-reported pedagogies, topics taught, and overall frequency of teaching about the election. 

Teaching about the 2020 Presidential Election

by Wayne Journell

The contest between President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden has been divisive and vicious - and has certainly captured the attention of students. This article explores how educators can seize this moment to help students understand the election and the various issues at stake. 

"For Millions of People, This is Real Trauma": A Pedagogy of Political Trauma in the Wake of the 2016 Presidential Election

by Beth Sondel, Hannah Baggett, and Alyssa Dunn

The authors report on and analyze educators' responses to students who were deeply distraught by the outcome of the 2016 election. They identified three helpful pedagogical responses: (1) attending to students' emotions, (2) emphasizing civic knowledge, and (3) developing students’ critical consciousness and activism. 

The Trump Effect: The Impact of the 2016 Campaign on Our Nation's Schools

by Maureen Costello

This paper explores the impact of 2016 election campaign on the instruction and culture within U.S. schools. The author reports on findings from a survey of about 2,000 teachers during run-up to the election. 

Generating Dynamic Democratic Discussions:
An Analysis of Teaching with U.S. Presidential Debates   

by Brett Levy, Lauren Collet, and Thomas Owenby

This paper describes how teachers can guide productive, interactive discussions about candidate debates. It includes analyses of how seven teachers taught about presidential debates and several key lessons from those experiences.  

Fostering Political Interest among Youth during the 2012 Presidential Election:
Instructional Opportunities and Challenges in a Swing State 

by Brett Levy, Benjamin Solomon, and Lauren Collet-Gildard

This article analyzes data from hundreds of students in four Midwestern high schools to identify several instructional strategies that can foster students' political interest during an election.  

Teachers' Controversial Issue Decisions Related to Race, Gender, and Religion
during the 2008 Presidential Election

by Wayne Journell

The author describes how six high school government teachers responded to the racial, gender, and religious diversity included on the presidential tickets of the two major political parties.