Students should always feel free to meet with me individually or in groups. If you are a student and you find me, it is always okay to ask to talk about your work in a particular course or your broader educational or career goals. If I am working on something else, I will set it aside to speak with you. There are two surefire ways to find me during the spring 2020 semester:
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I have fixed office hours on Mondays and Thursdays from 10:45 to 11:45 a.m. in Ballston 3010 on each of those days that classes are scheduled. At those times please feel free to come speak with me without an appointment.
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I am also available every other Wednesday from 1:00 to 2:15 p.m. in Ballston 6094, plus an average of 6 additional hours every other week (with more during periods of peak demand) in my office on main campus, Rowley 1015. To meet me at one of those times you must make an appointment. To see the schedule and make an appointment use my appointment calendar. (You must be logged in to gmail or Marymount email. Scroll to the right to see future weeks.) The calendar will indicate where the meeting will be.
The required textbook is: Lisa A. Baglione. Writing a Research Paper in Political Science: A Practical Guide to Inquiry, Structure, and Methods. 2019. 4th Edition. ISBN-10: 978-1506367422. Available from the campus bookstore, Amazon, and probably lots of other places also. Please have assigned readings completed by the Thursday meeting each week.
January 13
Project overview, discussion of scope, and writing review
January 16
The systematic study of politics
Read chapter 1 and 2 and How politics makes us stupid
Types of analysis assignment due January 22
January 23, 27, and 30
Reading journal articles
Read chapter 3
Topic paragraph due February 2
February 3 and 6
Finding journal articles
Read chapter 4
please bring a computer to class if you have one
February 10 and 13
Connecting writing to politics careers
Article summary #1 due February 16
February 17 and 20
Causality
Article summary #2 due February 23
February 24 and 27
Paper organization
Article summary #3 due March 1
March 2 and 5
Literature review
Mandatory one-on-one meetings to plan research strategies around here, as scheduled
March 16 and 19
Paper structure and evidence
Read chapters 5 through 8
Literature review due March 22
March 23 and 26
Evidence
Discussion of variables due March 29
March 30 and April 2
Structured Observation
Single observation due April 5
April 6
Writing review (slides)
April 14 and 16
Draft workshop
Most peer reviews due sometime in the next week or so
April 20 and 23
Draft review and writing workshop (data: sample, another sample, link)
April 27 and 30
Presentations
May 7 (noon to 2:30 p.m.)
Writing workshop