We have an online methods course, and I've found that Corbett & LeRoy's
Research Methods in Political Science from Thomson is good primarily
because of its software supplement.
Our virtual students cannot access our site license for SPSS, so using
that package isn't feasible for our online population. New copies of
Corbett & LeRoy's text include a code that accesses the Thomson website
(not used copies, so you'll have to insist on new) for a free downloadable
copy of MicroCase analysis software along with dataset excerpts from the
GSS, NES, and others. If your students can access a SAS or SPSS license,
then this isn't a concern. But if, like our students, they cannot get a
copy of more sophisticated software, MicroCase will allow them to do some
rudimentary data analysis up to and including multiple regression.
One limitation is that the worksheets are only available online in .pdf
format, so students will need to rewrite the worksheets into an editable
format or scan hand-written copies and e-mail them in. Either way the
method is clunky. I've also found their tech reps to be reticent. They
refuse to send .doc files of the worksheets so students could submit them
electronically or assisting in work-arounds for distant learners. Michael
LeRoy has put some web-based exercises up but they're not as good as the
MicroCase-based worksheets in the book.
The Corbett & LeRoy book is very process-oriented, though, so you might
want to pair it with Johnson & Reynolds' Political Science Research
Methods from CQ or Carlson & Hyde's Doing Empirical Political Research (my
choice, our students responded better to it than to Johnson & Reynolds) to
build on the theoretical and scientific inquiry elements of the course.
I hope that helps, and good luck,
Chap Rackaway
Dr. Chapman Rackaway
Assistant Professor, Department of Political Science,
316 Rarick Hall Fort Hays State University
600 Park Street Hays, KS 67601
[V] 785.628.5391 [F] 785.628.4162
[log in to unmask] http://www.fhsu.edu/polisci/rackaway.shtml
Tom Holbrook <[log in to unmask]>
Sent by: Political Methodology Society <[log in to unmask]>
10/04/2006 02:06 PM
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Subject
[POLMETH] On-line methods course
I'm working on developing an on-line undergraduate data analysis course
and
was wondering if anyone has experience doing this. I'd appreciate any
tips
concerning books and stats programs that might be particularly appropriate
for the on-line course environment. The in-class version of this course
takes students from frequencies up through some elementary multiple
regression.
Thanks,
Tom
Thomas M. Holbrook
Wilder Crane Professor of Government
Department of Political Science
UW-Milwaukee
3210 N. Maryland Avenue
Milwaukee, WI 53211
www.uwm.edu/~holbroot
414-229-6468
414-229-5021 (Fax)
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