Overview: In this course you are building key analytical skills that can help yo

Overview:
In this course you are building key analytical skills that can help you to solve problems both professionally and personally. There are key skills that graduates of a political science or global studies undergraduate program should have, including the ability to communicate clearly in written form, the ability to identify problems or questions, and the ability to conduct an orderly analysis to create insight into those problems or questions.
In this assignment you should identify at least one peer-reviewed academic journal article that illuminates a question or gap in the literature (though you may need at least 2-3 articles to better define that question or gap). You should use the article(s) to discuss a theory of how the phenomenon works, and devise a testable (falsifiable) hypothesis. You should then design a survey instrument that measures at least two variables (one dependent and one independent) the analysis of which will test your hypothesis. Finally, you should conduct a statistical test of your hypothesis and report your findings in a brief write-up.
This will not be a publishable project (that would require more in-depth literature reviews at the very least, but likely would also require a more scientific sampling approach); it is, however, a project that you can add to your portfolio, and that you can discuss in job or school applications to showcase your research, analytical, and communication skills.
Please note: The reason that this project is designed to be an open, learner-driven project is because of the diverse goals of individuals in this course. This course contains students from multiple majors whose ambitions span a great number of professions and areas of interest. I encourage each student to select a topic of personal and/or professional interest that will make sense to interviewers in the next stage of their professional careers. That is to say, if you plan to go to law school, perhaps a subject related to law or the judiciary would be beneficial. If you hope to join the foreign service, perhaps a comparative government subject would be better. (Etc.)
Requirements:
Your final submission should be at least three pages and no more than five pages double-spaced with one-inch margins using Times New Roman font. Citations, headers, and title pages do not count towards the length requirement/limit.
You are required to submit the clean survey data you have collected.
You will be required to submit your work demonstrating your hypothesis test. If you’ve conducted calculations by hand, you can upload your notes. If you’ve used a spreadsheet software you can submit that. If you’ve used SPSS, R, or STATA then you can submit your do/read/syntax file.
Your analysis must be appropriate for the variables you measure. Think critically about your variables to assure that you’ll be prepared to conduct the analysis with the tools from this course.
Your final project is due on the final day of class. Projects submitted early will be reviewed as possible, and students will be given feedback for resubmission as time permits.
There can be no extensions on this assignment as it is due the final day of class and I will have very limited time to complete scoring and post final grades.
See the rubric for specific requirements.
Suggestions:
Are you having trouble with your analysis? Post in the class’s discussion board for support!
Google Forms is an excellent resource for collecting your data. You have complete access to Google Forms through ASU’s license with Google. You are welcome to use any survey tool you’d prefer, or you are welcome to collect survey responses with pen and paper (which you would then record in a spreadsheet software for analysis).
You can conduct your analysis using Google Sheets. There are other tools available to you including Microsoft Excel, R (and R-Studio), and SPSS (available through apps.asu.edu).
PLEASE reach out to me with questions, or post them in the class’s discussion board. I know that this project will make some of you feel anxious—the project is open-ended and relies on your own creativity and career ownership. It’s okay to feel anxious about it, and I’m more than happy to walk you through the project to boost your confidence in your growing abilities.