Designing Political Science Research

Timetable

The course "Designing Political Science Research" will take place at the Faculty of Political Science and Journalism, Adam Mickiewicz University, located at:

ul. Uniwersytetu Poznańskiego 5, 61-614 Poznań, Poland

The compulsory sessions will be held in Room 133 at 16:45–18:15 on the following dates:

17.03.2026, 16:45-18:15, Room 133

24.03.2026, 16:45-18:15, Room 133

31.03.2026, 16:45-18:15, Room 133

14.04.2026, 16:45-18:15, Room 133

28.04.2026, 16:45-18:15, Room 133

05.05.2026, 16:45-18:15, Room 133

12.05.2026, 16:45-18:15, Room 133

19.05.2026, 16:45-18:15, Room 133

26.05.2026, 16:45-18:15, Room 133

02.06.2026, 16:45-18:15, Room 133

09.06.2026, 16:45-18:15, Room 133

16.06.2026, 16:45-18:15, Room 133

In addition to the regular sessions, I will be available for optional individual consultations for students who wish to discuss their research project ideas, ask questions, or get guidance on specific aspects of their projects. The following dates and times in Room 138 are currently planned, but attendance is optional: 26.02.2026, 18:30–20:00, 26.02.2026, 20:05–21:35, 16.03.2026, 18:30–20:00 [Update: absence excused due to late registration]. We will also arrange additional consultation sessions during the semester (later), to accommodate students arriving later in Poland or facing visa-related delays, so there will be additional opportunities for everyone to receive guidance at a convenient time under the framework of individual consultations.

Module aim (aims)

- to introduce and explain how to plan and design research on topics interesting to students,
- to introduce the elements of the research process and account for their role in a research project,
- to introduce methodological and theoretical approaches useful in political science,
- to show how to conduct and improve social research,
- to present how to discuss and disseminate research results.

Pre-requisites in terms of knowledge, skills and social competences (where relevant)

-curiosity about politics and society,
-competence to analyze sources critically,
-competence to deal with research problems,
-command of English.

Syllabus

Week 1: Introduction: Research Process in Political Science

Week 2: Research Planning and Designing: Topic, Research Subject, and Goals

Week 3: Literature Review: Role of Theory in Political Science

Week 4: Presentation and Evaluation of Literature Reviews

Week 5: Research Field and Its Subject, Subject Matter, Time, and Territory Bounds

Week 6: Research Problems

Week 7: Research Hypotheses

Week 8: Research Methods, Techniques, and Tools

Week 9: Consultations: Pilot Testing and General Strategies for Controlling Artifact and Bias

Week 10: Sources Selection and Data Collection, Preparation, and Analyses

Week 11: Writing Strategies and Ethical Consideration

Week 12: Presentation and Evaluation of Research Projects, part I

Week 13: Presentation and Evaluation of Research Projects, part II

Week 14: Presentation and Evaluation of Research Projects, part III

Week 15: Discussion on Limits and Avenues for Future Research. Disseminating Research Results


Class attendance and participation: Class attendance is required for this course. If you must miss, come out early or arrive late to a class for any reason, please let me know in advance. Everyone is expected to come to class prepared and participate actively in work on their own research project. This participation is to be based on an informed familiarity and thoughtful engagement with the assigned reading and research. Students work on their research projects and present partial and final results for 15 weeks. There is no exam.

Reading list

Cheek, Julianne, Øby, Elise (2022), Research Design: Why Thinking About Design Matters, Sage, London.

Creswell, John W., Creswell, J. David (2018), Research Design, Quantitative, and Mixed Methods Approaches, 5th edition, Sage, London.

Curini, Luigi and Robert Franzese (eds.) (2020), Research Methods in Political Science and International Relations, Sage, London.

Harris, David (2020), Literature Review and Research Design: A Guide to Effective Research Practice, Routledge, London and New York.

Kellstedt, Paul M., Whitten, Guy D. (2018), The Fundamentals of Political Science Research, 3rd edition, Cambridge University Press, New York.

Kothari, C.R. (2004), Research Methodology: Methods and Techniques, 2nd edition, New Age International Publishers, New Delhi.

Marczyk, Geoffrey R. DeMatteo, David, Festinger, David (2005), Essentials of Research Design and Methodology, John Wiley & Sons, New Jersey.

Paja, Boro (2022), Introduction to Research Methods: A Hands-on Approach, 2nd edition, Sage, London.

Punch, F. Keith (2014), Introduction to Social Research: Quantitative and Qualitative Approaches, 3rd edition, Sage, London.

Shively, W. Phillips (2016), The Craft of Political Research, 9th edition, Routledge, London and New York.

Yang, Keming (2010), Making Sense of Statistical Methods in Social Research, Sage, London.