Writing a Research Paper in Political Science: A Practical Guide to Inquiry, Structure, and Methods

Even students capable of writing excellent essays still find their first major political science research paper an intimidating experience. Crafting the right research question, finding good sources, properly summarizing them, operationalizing concepts and designing good tests for their hypotheses, presenting and analyzing quantitative as well as qualitative data are all tough-going without a great deal of guidance and encouragement. Writing a Research Paper in Political Science breaks down the research paper into its constituent parts and shows students what they need to do at each stage to successfully complete each component until the paper is finished. Practical summaries, recipes for success, worksheets, exercises, and a series of handy checklists make this a must-have supplement for any writing-intensive political science course. New to the Fourth Edition: A non-causal research paper woven throughout the text offers explicit advice to guide students through the research and writing process.      Updated and more detailed discussions of plagiarism, paraphrases, "drop-ins," and "transcripts" help to prevent students from misusing sources in a constantly changing digital age.   A more detailed discussion of "fake news" and disinformation shows students how to evaluate and choose high quality sources, as well as how to protect oneself from being fooled by bad sources.   Additional guidance for writing abstracts and creating presentations helps students to understand the logic behind abstracts and prepares students for presentations in the classroom, at a conference, and beyond.   A greater emphasis on the value of qualitative research provides students with additional instruction on how to do it.

Table of Contents:
PREFACE CHAPTER 1: So You Have to Write a Research Paper What Is a Research Paper? A Few Helpful Metaphors What Research Paper Writing Entails Blueprint of the Book CHAPTER 2: Getting Started: Finding a Research Question Characteristics of a Good Question Practical Summary Recipe 1: The Research Question Exercises CHAPTER 3: Learning Proper Citation Forms, Finding the Scholarly Debate, and Summarizing and Classifying Arguments: The Annotated Bibliography What Are Bibliographies, and Why Do We Bother With Them? Plagiarism versus Paraphrasing and Avoiding Drop-Ins and Transcripts, Too Annotating the Bibliography Identifying the Key Conceptual Issues Searching for Sources Identifying Similar Arguments and Grouping Your Sources One Last Word of Advice: Generic Schools of Thought Writing the Annotated Bibliography Practical Summary Recipe 2: The Annotated Bibliography Exercises CHAPTER 4: Making Sense of the Scholarly Answers to Your Research Question: Writing the Literature Review Preparing for and Understanding the Literature Review The Fundamentals of the Literature Review Writing the Literature Review Practical Summary Recipe 3: Literature Review Exercises CHAPTER 5: Effectively Distilling Your Argument: The Thesis, Model, and Hypothesis The Thesis The Model The Hypothesis Applying These Insights Practical Summary Recipe 4: Thesis or Model and Hypothesis Section Exercises CHAPTER 6: Revising and Editing Your Work: The Research-Writing-Thinking Spiral Practical Summary Recipe 5: Revising and Editing Exercises CHAPTER 7: Making Your Plan and Protecting Yourself from Criticism: The Research Design Research Design: The Courtroom and Medical Science Analogies Writing the Research Design, Focusing on Hypothesis-Driven Research The Research Design: Two Examples Practical Summary Recipe 6: Research Design Exercises CHAPTER 8: Evaluating the Argument: The Analysis and Assessment Section Qualitative Analysis Mixed (Qualitative and Quantitative) Analysis Quantitative and Statistical Analysis Practical Summary Recipe 7: Analysis and Assessment Exercises CHAPTER 9: Bringing the Paper Together in Essential Ways: The Conclusion, Introduction, Title, Abstract, and the Utility of a Presentation Considering the Significance and Limitations of Your Findings: The Conclusion Writing a Good Introduction A Last Element in Attracting Readers: Developing an Appealing Title Almost Done: Writing an Abstract and Giving a Presentation Are You Done? The Joy (and Continued Responsibilities) of Finalizing Your Draft Practical Summary Recipe 8: Conclusion, Introduction, Title, and Abstract Exercises BIBLIOGRAPHY INDEX

About the Author :
Dr. Lisa A. Baglione is a professor in the Department of Political Science and a member of the International Relations Program at Saint Joseph’s University in Philadelphia. Currently, Dr. Baglione also serves as the co-director of the Gender Studies Program. During her career, Dr. Baglione has conducted research in five areas, and while they are varied, she has benefited from the ways that insights from each have interwoven: negotiations between adversaries, authoritarian transformation, peacebuilding, gender in politics, and pedagogy. She has published two other books, To Agree or Not to Agree: Leadership, Bargaining, and Arms Control with University of Michigan Press and Writing a Research Paper in Political Science: A Practical Guide to Inquiry, Structure, and Methods, now in its fourth edition, with Sage.

Review :
"Writing a Research Paper in Political Science is a helpful research and writing guide for students from various disciplines and undergraduate levels." "Lisa A. Baglione’s book is a highly accessible resource to help undergraduate students transition from writing about politics to writing about empirical political science research." "With clarity and compassion, Lisa A. Baglione leads undergraduates step by step through the morass of empirical research." "Writing a Research Paper in Political Science is an essential text for every political science major."