Teaching
As a teacher I believe it is critical that students participate in the creation of knowledge. One of the first steps on this process is to understand where students are coming from–what knowledge and experiences they have that will inform how they understand the material. With this information I can then help students work through the process of research and thinking critical about political topics. Students can then bring to bear their own experiences to the topics at hand while also coming to see how our understanding of politics is created. Along with this I have a purposeful practice of treating students as active managers of their own learning by having conversations with them about the purposes behind activities and work and how it relates to their other experiences in college. I implement these strategies in all of my interactions with students, both inside and outside the classroom.
I have often found it helpful to see other faculty’s syllabi while designing my courses. Below are the syllabi I have developed at Miami University and I hope they are helpful for others.
POL 306 Applied Research Methods
POL 306: Applied Research Methods covers research design (external, internal and measurement validity); descriptive statistics; hypothesis testing; and linear regression. Students also learn how to use R in the course. Students in the class are mainly upper level political science or public administration majors. They are evaluated using a midterm and a final exam as well as submitting assignments throughout the semester. The assignments require students to analyze some data and write up a short report explaining their findings.
Syllabi
Fall 2023; Fall 2022; Spring 2022; Spring 2021; Fall 2020; Spring 2020; Fall 2019; Spring 2019; Fall 2018
POL 307 Public Opinion Research Lab
POL 307: Public Opinion Research Lab covers the fundamentals of surveying. Students learn to write survey questions, field a survey and analyze results. When possible the course fields a real survey of Ohio voters, collecting data for the students to present. Students are evaluated through weekly in class quizzes, regular homework, a midterm, and a final project. The course has a combination of political science and data analytics students in it.
Syllabi
POL 345Y Class and Inequality
POL 345Y: Class and Inequality focuses on the role of economic inequality in American politics. We cover what economic inequality looks like in the United States today, the role of money in politics and representational biases. The final project is a paper where students analyzed a policy they were interested in looking at it from the perspective of differing economic interests. They submit draft sections of the paper throughout the semester and then make revisions for a final paper draft at the end of the semester. Students in this course are mainly upper level political science majors.
Syllabi
Fall 2025; Fall 2024; Fall 2023; Fall 2022; Spring 2021; Fall 2019