The Handbook of Political Research Pedagogy aims to address questions of why political science programs teach the research process and, centrally, how instructors come to teach these courses and develop their pedagogical approaches. What role do research courses have in political science education? What are the ultimate objectives of research courses, particularly for the vast majority of students who will not pursue a doctoral degree? These questions often go overlooked, even though research process courses are common in political science curricula—over 80 percent of political science departments offer at least one research course. Contributors to this Handbook offer a variety of perspectives on pedagogical approach, student audience, and the role of research in their curricula. Across four sections—information literacy, research design, research methods, and research writing—authors offer personal stories that showcase the evolution of their pedagogy through experience. Each offers best practices that can serve the wider community of teachers. Ultimately, this text focuses less on the technical substance of the research process, and more on the experiences that have guided instructors’ philosophies and practices related to teaching it.

Read the Table of Contents here

Endorsements:

“The Handbook provides an enjoyable and reflective read about the journeys of colleagues who have taught research and writing. You will be inspired by their wisdom and creativity. Undoubtedly, your own course design and how you approach learning will be impacted.”

--Janet Box-Steffensmeier, APSA President (2020-21), Distinguished University Professor, The Ohio State University, USA

“In this Handbook, instructors will find a diverse and inspiring resource for teaching any course that has a research component. The breadth of personal knowledge in the chapters provides insights into the pedagogical thought process from a variety of perspectives, sparking both ideas for innovative assignments and rethinking of course goals.”

--Rebecca Glazier, Associate Professor of Political Science, University of Arkansas at Little Rock, USA

“How do we thwart the authoritarians? One way is to teach our students to distinguish fact from fiction, quality research from social media rabbit holes. Mallinson, Marin Hellwege, and Loepp, along with their wide-ranging team of scholars, have written a book that should be on the desk of every political science teacher.”

--Mark Carl Rom, Associate Professor of Government and Public Policy, Georgetown University, USA