Political science research methods proposal

Research Proposal Check-In #2

Re-read the research proposal assignment before completing this check-in.

1. What research question is the group planning on using for the research proposal? State the research question as a causal (or “what is the effect of”) question.

2. Write a theory for answering your research question. The theory should be one to two thoughtful paragraphs long. After your theory, provide a null and alternative hypothesis based on the theory. Your hypothesis should have the “characteristics of a good hypothesis” discussed in class. You may offer as many as two hypotheses based on your theory.

3. Explain what evidence you would need to see in order to support the hypothesis. As part of your explanation, identify the likely unit of analysis and the variables (IV and DV) that are involved.

4. Compile an annotated bibliography of at least 12 scholarly articles or books. The sources included in check-in 1 can beincluded as part of your 12. However, you should eliminate sources that you do not think will be of use to you (e.g. they are not appropriate for your revised research question, they are not appropriate sources). Structure each annotation to include information on the research question, the theory, the method, the result, and any additional notes. Here is a model:

Minkoff, Scott L. and Jeffrey Lyons. “Living with inequality: Neighborhood income diversity and perceptions of the income gap.” American Politics Research 47.2 (2019): 329-361.

Research Question: What is the effect of neighborhood income diversity on attitudes about income inequality?
Theory/Hypothesis: The authors expect that people who reside in more income diverse neighborhoods (which is different than income unequal neighborhoods) will be more likely to perceive and income gap and think that government should do something to reduce this. The theory is based on previous research on the effects of contextual exposure. People from places where neighbors have similar income are less likely to see contrasts between groups making it harder for them to understand the problem or the need to do something about. The opposite will be true of people who live around people of contrasting economic means.
Method: The authors used a cross-section survey-based design. They surveyed people in New York City and asked them questions about income inequality. Since they also knew where these people lived, they incorporated income diversity data into the dataset. They looked for trends in the data that showed that income diversity was correlated with knowledge of the income gap and a desire for government intervention.
Results: They find support for their hypotheses. In particular, they find the strongest support for people at either end of the income spectrum. This suggests that people of minimal means and people of considerable means may be more susceptible to the contextual effects of income diversity.
Additional Notes: Take a look a the literature review. It is a good summary of the literature on perceptions of income inequality. In particular, review Solt 2008 and 2010.