We are on the doorstep of a new era of social science. Never before have political scientists had access to so much data about the attitudes and actions of individuals, institutions, and nations. Data on everything from the votes of members of the U.S. Senate in 1855 to terrorist attacks from around the globe are only a few clicks away. This class is designed to make you an active participant in this new data-rich world. The goal is to introduce you to the methods and practices by which you can use this data to answer questions that are important to us as political scientists and citizens. How many citizens currently approve of the president, and how do we know? What policies are most effective at reducing poverty? Which campaign ads are most effective at persuading voters? Can we affect the behavior of our Facebook friends just by sharing our opinions?
Course Attributes: AS SSC; AS AN; BU BA; EN S; FA SSC; AR SSC
