3211 Comparative Politics: Discussion Area

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Writing Chapter III

Chapter III is composed of 7 parts.

• Method
• Respondents or Participants/Selections
• Locale of the Study
• Research Instrument
• Data Gathering Method/Procedure
• Data Analysis
• Ethical Considerations

Many students and writers mistake that many parts of this chapter is a patch of paraphrases defining the parts.  Keep in mind that the thesis is YOURS.  Hence Chapter III is where you narrate and justify the procedure on how you intend to answer your problem, and to prove your thesis statement.

In method you will discuss 3 to 3.5 things.

• Method
• Approach
• Deisgn

There are two basic Methods:  Qualitative and Quantitative.

Advanced methods are Quanti-Quali and Quali-Quanti.

How does one determine or justify which one to use? 

Qualitative is used when there is not enough authorities or not enough data to conceptualize the thesis statement.  You will do qualitative in order to help gain insight into the essence of the phenomenon.  As extension.  Because of this, the writing of Chapyer IV should be more righ than rigorous.   It means, that there should be more high level of abstraction of concepts.  Deep explanations of ideas.

Quantitative if there’s an existing theory that rightly fits the phenomenon.  You will do quantitative in order to test the theory using statistical tools.  It will be more rigorous than rich.  It means that there will have to be more focus on the accuracy of the data in order to arrive at the conclusion.  It will be careful attention to details and ensuring that every detail match perfectly in order to avoid questions on accuracy.

There are three basic approaches:  Historical, Descriptive, and Experimental.

A qualitative historical research explains (studies) the past.

A qualitative descriptive or quantitative descriptive explains (studies) the present.

A quantitative experimental project or predicts (studies the possibilities of) the future.

Take note where the method and the approach matches.

A warning to keep in mind is that experimental approach may seem fancy as a word to use.  But again, make sure that you can justify.  It’s the most rigorous among the approaches.  And you will need cutting edge statistical designing for that.

For political science writers.  There is an additional approach.

You have to identify which approach in the study of politics does your research fall into:

• Institutionalism (old or new)
• Behavioralism
• Postbehavioralism / Normativism
• Postmodernism

Design varies depending on the goal of the research.

For qualitative:

There should be two basic designs.

Phenomenology – if the goal is to know based on the experiences of people.  If one’s purpose is to describe the phenomene based on the experience of the people involved.

Case study – is also experiential, but it’s purpose is to know what makes a particular situation unique.  Case studies are best used for model studies.  E.g.  You can’t propose solutions without models.  You can’t discuss problems also without any cases.  Case study fits best here.

To write: Identify and explain each. One to three paragraphs will do.

Respondents or Participants are terms used based whether you are using qualitative or quantitative methods.

The term, respondent, is best used in quantitative researches.  The people answer by responding to surveys.

Participant or Selection are used synonymously in a qualitative research.  The people participate in an interview, focus group discussion or any activity that can help in producing the needed data.

The number of respondents are determined based on sample size formula.  An important factor in this is the consideration of representation.  Is the population devided into different groups?  E.g. year levels of students? Programs?  Age groups?  Gender?  Do these need equal representation in the population?  Descriptive research may not require equali representation.  But experimental will have to considere having equal representation.

Selections are synonymous to participants because of the choosing.  They are not determined by statistical formula, but by arbitrary determination of best possible number.  You “select” participants because they will be your information base.  And the number ranges from 1 to 20.  This will depend on the design used.  For example.  A case study of a person who behaves politically based on TV exposure will be made to write in a Journal.  That one person can be the participant.  But more is better. 

The principle used in adding to the number is to gain saturation - in interviews, saturation happens when as you visit different people, there seems to manifest a particular pattern of answers.  You add because saturation is not yet evident.

This is different in an FGD.  You limit it to 7.  More will open the possibility of free riders, and one or a few will dominate the focus group.

To write: Identify and explain each. One to two paragraphs will do.

Locale of the Study is basic.  Simply justify why you chose the location.  The justification should be objective, not personal.

Research Instrument

The tool to gather the primary data.  For qualitative, the common instrument used is the Questionnaire Protocol.  For quantitative the common one is the Survey Questionnaire.

There are instruments that already exist, tried and tested. This is the best path for researchers.  But if it happens that you can’t find a suitable instrument.  You construct your own.

Constructing the instrument is based on the conceptual framework.  The questions to be rated or answered will be guided by the elements found there.  For qualitative, you are looking for indicators.  So you ask questions that can bring forth the indicators if such exist.  For quantitative, you quantify the parameters.  Such as rating performance, rating cleanliness.

Once composed.  The instrument must be pre-tested.  For qualitative, have 1 or 2 people who fit the same category as your selections (but not your actual selections) participate in a test interview.  For quantitative, have around 10 to 20 surveys accomplished by people who also fit the qualifications of your respondents (again, not your actual respondents) answer the survey.

Take note of how the test interview or the pretest survey happens.  The people will ract, not react, not understand your questions.  After that, note, does the answers satisfy the Problem?  Are they complete or incomplete?  Edit the instrument as necessary.

Data Gathering Method

This is where you narrate the actual process of how you will collect the data.  Will you do a survey?  An FGD?  An interview?  Is the interview structured or semi-structured?  Will you be using printed primary sources?  Will you interview people who experienced the phenomenon?  Or will you interview experts on the phenomenon?

Will the procedure be done in several steps?  Will it be in stages? Or Will it be in levels.

Identify each, then narrate and explain why you plan to do so.

Data Analysis Method

Reading the interview transcriptions is not analysis.  There are tools for analyzing the data.  And you choose the tools based on the approach and design that you use.  A correlational experiment will require T-Test or Perason’s R analysis.  Acase study or phenomenology will required data thematization, tabulation, and classification.  There are technologies that use these tools, such as MS Excel and SPSS for statistics.  And MaxQDA and AtlasTi for analyzing transriptions. 

Discuss in proper sequence and in detail, with appropriate justification why you plan to use which particular tool.

Ethical Considerations

This is where you narrate how you plan to protect the research subjects.  You declare a particular reference for research ethics.  And provide a summary of how you plan to comply. Do you brief your respondents and participants?  Do you ask for consent to answer questions?  Do you have plans and procedures to conceal their identities?  Enumerate and narrate.  Cite as needed.

Writing Chapter II: Review of Related Literature and Studies (RRLS)

This chapter informs the reader of the progress or development of knowledge, from its creation until the present.  Many disciplines require an age limit to sources of no older than x years from present.  This is to ensure that the topic of the researcher is 1) timely, and 2) not tired jaded.  There are few exemptions to the age limit rule. Samples of exemptions are classical sources or the classic material of a particular topic.  For example,  you can’t discuss cultural conflict between nations without mentioning Huntington.  Nor you can’t have a discussion of Realism without Morgenthau.

The Review of Related Literature and Studies surveys what has already been written about your topic.  It creates a map and shows a missing gap where your thesis can fit in.

A good example is going to the library and looking at the shelf.  Have you noticed that all compa books are lumped together in one shelf (sometimes if there's a lot they extend to the next).  The same with the Pol Thought books, and the Pub Ad books.  If you look at the library number, those numbers are assigned based on what they are about.  Sample Political Science is "J" under that Political Theory is "JC"  the books with JC will be JC+ number.  Hence, Aristotle, Augustine, Machiavelli will be in "JC."  Where should Hobbes be?  Somewhere before Machiavelli?  And any shelf will have such a sequence.  But have you ever noticed if "Elazar" is in the sequence?  If you haven't then that means that there's a GAP.  That's what's not yet been added.  Going back to your thesis, what's already been written on the topic?  Has someone already done what you propose now?  If yes then better drop that proposal.  How about, is there a difference between your proposal and all that's been written before?  If yes, then that's the GAP which you are accomplishing.

Difference between Literature and Study:

The best way to distinguish is to begin with Studies.  A requirement of being a study is that it is a scientific, methodical research on the topic.  Most journals and monographs are studies.  Though there are studies that are published in book form.  The basic way to identify is, check out if the material is a journal.  If it is then it is a study.  Anything else is Literature. 

And literature can vary in many ways.  Primarily, they are books.  But they can also be multimedia sources, and internet webpages.

In any research, the headings are basically based on topics.  But for some disciplines, it is required to identify which sources are foreign and which are local.

The identifying mark is the place of publication.  Whether it is a book, journal, webpage, news, media, or a pamphlet.  The place where the material originated is what makes it Foreign or Local.

How does one proceed with writing?

Use topic headings as guided by your variables.  These headings should be in the form of phrases not one or two word terms, not sentence, e.g. Federalism and environmental protection, Gender and voting behavior.  There should be topics talking about your independent variable and your dependent variable.  Again the point of doing this is that you are pointing out what people have already written in the past.  Hence you identify what have they contributed to political science?  To the specific topic you are working on?  These include, where they conducted the study, what they studied, what method they used, and what findings they provided.  Since this is a review or related ness.  You should discuss these in relation to other writers.  E.g.  "Castillo (2005) and Aricheta (2004) conducted studies on gender in Japan.  Castillo provided the following findings .... while Aricheta....  somewhat similar but different because..."   

Aside from the Theoretical Framework, this part is mistaken as another patchwork of paraphrases from various sources.

Again the thesis is yours.  You cite to support yourself.

In the case of the RRLS you are writing about what you know on the development of the ideas or topics.  And you mention each Literature or Study as your identification of the parts of that development.  Since each of these literatures and studies contribute to this progress.

Each topic should begin with an introductory paragraph for that topic.  The same paragraph will enumerate the prominent writers or wittings on that topic. 

e.g.  Human rights is a much discussed topic nowadays.  Among the present literature include….

Or Writters such as xyz (2015), abc (2015), and efg (2016)  each proposed their ideas on TOKHANG phenomenon…

Looking at preceding sample.  Take into mind that the literatures and studies should be enumerated and discussed ad majoritas (from oldest to youngest) to show the chronological development.

After the introductory paragraph.  Give each of the mentioned sources their own discussion.  Again, YOU discuss.  Paraphrase to support what you say about the article.  Again, add paragraphs if there are subsequent ideas in that article that needs discussion (e.g. you are reviewing Almond and Verba who said that that there are three political cultures.  Then based on your discussion, you might have at least two paragraphs for that.  And of course, don’t forget to cite.

Provide a closing paragraph after each topic. 

Definition of Terms

There are teomain parts with format subheadings.

• Operational Terms
• Conceptual Terms

Operational definitions are defined by the writer, fitting the terms to the research.  Because not all existing definitions will be exact for your thesis. 

Conceptual definitions are sourced from disciplinary authorities.  Never use the discionary or encyclopedia please.

A very important note.  Before proceeding to define every term you might think of.  The first things to define are the components of the Thesis Statement.  

Scope and Limitations

Should have two parts.  Both have format subheadings as follows:

• Scope
• Limitations

Each should have approximately 1 paragraph each.

Scope should identify specifically:

What?

Who?

Where?

When

Why?

How?

Of your thesis.

The same holds true with the Limitations, you have to specifically identify what won’t be the topic.  Where the scope defines what IS the topic.

Along with the limitations include another paragraph, which may be needed to be written.  These include what you cannot do.  E.g.  Language barrier, the researchers cannot speak Korean, and therefore will need the services of a translator.  The researchers cannot physically go to Vietnam, hence the interviews will be conducted via Sype.

Conceptual Framework

This part of the thesis is where the writer digests for the reader.  Divides the variables into their components elements.  These elements are what make up each idea.  For example:  Federalism, what are its components?  According to Elazar it’s shared-rule, and self-rule.  Sometimes, the theory provided in the Theoretical Framework can already deliver these.  Sometimes, you’ll need more authors.  At least one for each of the two variables.

The elements identified should be discussed in detail.  And applied on how the thesis statement is working.  And since this part is an exercise of explaining ideas.  It is accompanied by a diagram called paradigm.  It is the Thesis Statement in diagram form.  A way to imagine the idea.

In making the paradigm, make sure that the following are identifiable:

• The two variables.
• The elements that compos each variable.
• The relationship of the two variables.
• The relationships of the elements.

These elements help in formulating the Statement of the Problem sub-questions.  In fact, the sub-questions and the Conceptual Framework should echo each other.

These same elements eventually become the parameters and/or indicators for the study.

Parameters provide a way of measuring.  For example, if one is talking about economic growth.  Then corollary to it is the question of what are the things that we need to measure that can mean that there is growth?  GDP?  Income?  Savings?

Indicators, are more qualitative.  They are another way of saying symptoms.  An example is social decay.  What are the things that should be noted to mean that there is social decay?  Presence of apathy?  Presence of vote abstention?

These elements should help as guides when formulating the research instrument which will be used in the methodology.

Theoretical Framework

This part is among the most parts of a thesis where many writers are mistaken.  Students usually paraphrase someone’s writing on a theory about the topic, add a diagram, and voila.  A wrong way of writing the theoretical framework.

As I’ve mentioned your thesis is yours, and everything else supports you.   The same here.  You are supposed to have chosen, from among all the theories that you’ve studied about your topic, the best one.

And best means 2 things:

One, that the particular theory fits in with the thesis statement.  And,

Two, that the theory or theorist who proposed the theory, is recognized as an authority on the topic. 

In writing the Theoretical Framework, state the theory if it has a name.  If not, state it as the theory of –specific author-.  From there state within the same paragraph a declarative statement of the theory.  It will be aligned with the essence of your Thesis Statement.

What if there is no direct statement from the author?  You digest the writing of the author into an acceptable declarative statement.  What’s important is that this idea is recognizable and acceptable by any reader familiar to the topic.

Writing Significance of the Study

Significance and Objective might sound confusing.  The difference is that Objective of the Study discusses the output.  Significance of the Study, on the other hand, identifies who will benefit and how.

This part of Chapter I has two parts.  Each should have the specific subheadings.

• Theoretical Significance
• Practical Significance

Each should have 1 or more paragraphs each.  Identifying, enumerating in paragraph form, who will benefit and discussing how each of those listed will benefit.

The Theoretical Significance is involved with the academe, while the Practical Significance is involved with the industry (or profession) where the discipline or topic can be found.

E.g.  A thesis on migrants is theoretically significant to migration scholars, professors, students, and researchers.  Each having their own reason why.  It will be practically significant to migrants and government officials.  Better to identify which particular government officials or offices. 

A very important part of the Theoretical Sigificance is that you have to state how the thesis is significance to the discipline to where you belong.  This is called “filling in the gap.”  You made a survey of existing literature and studies.  From this, you are supposed to have found where in the sequence of all the discoveries on the topic does your idea fit in.  And it fits in because your thesis is new.  Among all the published works, what does your thesis add to the existing body of knowledge of your discipline.

Say for instance, a thesis on social capital.  It was Putnam who first wote on social capital.  From then on other social scientists have made wrote new articles.  If I write on social capital, do I add something new?  A new way to study?   A new way to approach?  A new thesis about it?

Writing Objectives of the Study

Writing in a particular discipline is pointless without a particular useful output.  Research can be an expensive endeavor.  And having a good objective is what makes a particular research fundable.

The Objectives of the Study is written following a format of the Statement of the Problem (introductory paragraph, though you may include one).  There will be a one liner declaring the main objective followed by specific objectives.

The Objective has the goal of producing output.  Hence:

There should be a one liner of a ceclarative sentence stating the output.  And this output is directly aligned with the one liner of the Statement of the Problem.  The knowledge to be discovered via the research is the main output.  The sub-objectives are a list of feasible uses of the output of the research. E.g.  Training manual, policy basis, report for the U.N. or ASEAN.

Writing Statement of the Problem

Problem means two things that are essentially entwined.

1^st is the situation in the world, particularly a phenomenon, that you are problematizing on.  To problematize means to ask questions about.  Or to have deep inquiries about.  It is from this activity of the mind of the researcher from which the research question arise.

2^nd is the actual research question.  Which will not be phrased as a question.  It is what the researcher wants to know about the particular phenomenon, along with specific questions that can be raised to help in answering it.

The Statement of the Problem is written in two parts.

1^st part: A short paragraph succinctly summarizing the problematization,

2^nd par: A one liner, a declarative sentence stating what the thesis aims to know.  It follows the format: “This thesis (this research) aims to know (has the goal of) knowing (understanding, analyzing) ___________________________________________________________________________.”

e.g.  This thesis aims to know what is the potential application of federalism to the Republic of the Philippines.

The one liner is your main problem.  It will be followed by a numbered list of questions introduced this way:

Furthermore it seeks to answer the following questions:

1.  How does federalism manage the scattered islands of an archipelago?  (sample)
2.  How does federalism unify the varying cultures in an archipelago? (sample)
3.  How does federalism promote economic equality in an archipelago? (sample)

These sub-questions do not come from nothing.  They are based on the elements that compose each of the two variables.  And these elements are identified in the conceptual framework.

Writing Background of the Study

There are four parts to the Background.  I’ll detail them as tasks to do when writing.

Introduce the Manuscript (optional or no sub-heading)

In 1 to 3 paragraphs, explain what you are writing about and explain why you are writing about it.  Begin the 1^st paragraph with a hook.  And the entire et of paragraphs should inform the reader what you intend to accomplish, and that it is worth accomplishing.

Introduce the Independent Variable (make a strategic sub-heading)

Discuss in a minimum of 3 paragraphs.  Inform the reader about the Independent Variable.  The discussion should proceed from the general idea about it, going towards the specific idea.  E.g. Solid Waste, begin with environmental problems.  And with solid waste management in Manila (if Manila is your locale).

Introduce the Dependent Variable (make a strategic sub-heading)

Do the same as with the Independent Variable,

Introduce the Thesis (make a strategic sub-heading – preferably a rewording of the actual thesis statement)

Approximately 1 to 3 paragraphs.  Talk about the thesis statement.  Which is the relationship between your Independent and your Dependent Variables.  The last paragraph should end with the actual thesis statement.

In summary:

Introduce the Manuscript

Introduce the Independent Variable

Introduce the Dependent Variable

Introduce the Thesis

The Essence of Chapter I

Chapter in the undergraduate, particularly in AB is called Introduction.  In some disciplines, and sometimes in the Graduate School, it’s called “The Problem and It’s Background.”

This particular chapter lays down the foundation of what the thesis is all about.  The word thesis applies to two things:  one is your written manuscript, and second and most important the content of the manuscript – the thesis (or argument, or idea, or claim.

You write because there is a particular thing in the world that invites intellectual curiosity.  It’s not simply a pet peeve of writing.  It has the goal of trying to understand something.  Isaac Newton wrote his thesis on gravity because he problematized on “why things fall to the ground.”  And after so many observations, he deduced from every individual event (which we call phenomenon) that “gravity pulls things to the ground.”  It’s a specific idea.  A thesis as an idea should be both specific and generalizable.  The general equivalent of Newton’s is that Forces affect the motion of objects.  Force is the general concept to which gravity belongs.

Now think of your thesis?  What are you problematizing about which belong in your specific discipline?  There must be a particular phenomenon that elicits questions that needs finding out?  That is not yet your thesis.  That is the background of your problem.  The answer to this question is your thesis.

A thesis usually is composed two parts.  The independent and the dependent variable.  The independent variable is a component of the phenomenon that affects the other component – which is the dependent variable.  The values of the dependent variable rely on the independent.

We call them variables because their values vary depending on the thesis.

E.g.  A thesis on student getting high grades because they listened to Celine Dion have two components.  Getting high grades is one.  The other is listening to music.  From that phenomenon, it’s music that affects student performance.  And those two make up the generalizable thesis.  Music affects student performance.  Specifically, Celine Dion’s music makes students perform better. J

This is what you introduce in Chapter 1.  And will be the foundation of next 4 chapters along with subsequent parts of the thesis.

Four Principles of Thesis Writing

1. No stress.  -  You write better when relaxed.

Symptoms that your thesis was written with a stressed mind include: 

• Overly long paragraphs that span a whole page if not more than one page.  
• Overly long and/or too complicated sentences that span several lines.  

This happens because you were rushing to write everything or you were not stopping to see the written thoughts of what you were thinking.  Always remember, one sentence = one thought.  One paragraph = one set of ideas centering around a one idea.

2. Write because you have something to say.  -  Your thesis or any other paper is not a patched quilt of paraphrases that you connect to make a cohesive whole.  Rather your thesis is a manuscript which relays YOUR ideas.  Hence you write around your THESIS STATEMENT.  An idea or argument or claim that you want to prove.  E.g.  Kant’s was “All democracies do not go to war.”  And thus, “The type of government determines if states will go to war.”  Michel’s – Organizations tend to become hierarchic.”  What is YOURS?  

This idea should be prominently be seen all across the five chapters of your thesis.  The thesis statement influences the sequence of contents of the Background of the Study.  It answers the Statement of the Problem.  It is based on your Theoretical Framework, and is explained in detail in your Conceptual Framework.  Its terms are defined.  The topics of the RRLS are influenced by it.  Your method should be aligned to it.  And your discussion of Chapter IV is outlined by it.  Your Conclusion answers the Statement of the Problem (which means that the Conclusion affirms your Thesis Statement.)   The Objectives of the Study and Significance of the Study are aligned with your Statement of the Problem.  And your Recommendations in Chapter V address the Significance.  

The purpose of citations are so that they can support your argument.  Hence, you quote, paraphrase, refer to a source because you said something that is contestable.  Since it is a manuscript detailing a claim of yours, it is one manuscript which is one big explanation, with a hell lot of proofs.  Make sure that you have an argument, and that what you are arguing about has use to people at present and the future.  Or else, your entire thesis does not have any significance.  It’s not worth arguing and it’s not worth reading, nor writing.

3. Write as if you are talking to a child whom you care for. -  Most of the time, panel evaluators have very precious time, hence they are busy.  Sometimes, they already lack the energy to review your work.  Sometimes they’re just cranky as a person undergoing menopause if not in the middle of a bout with dysmenorrhea.  

Hence, since you are writing your thoughts, make sure that you write clearly.  

• This means that each sentence should be clear and direct.  
• Each paragraph should be a standalone idea.  Not composed of several ideas.  If there are several ideas in one paragraph, that means there should be as much number of paragraphs as there are ideas.  
• Each sentence should connect to the previous or to the next sentence.  
• Each paragraph should connect, through transitional devise, to the previous or the next paragraph.  
• And most importantly.  Be addicted to the use of HEADINGS AND SUB-HEADINGS AND EVEN SUB-SUBHEADINGS.  These boldfaced words (e.g. “Scope,” “Method”), phrases (“Decay of Democracy,” “Rise of the Fifth Wave”), and even sentences (“Federalisms effect to poverty,”  “The community’s lure to transnational”) are ways for the reader to easily see the big picture of your thesis. 

4. Write because you know.  -  Your thesis is one of the requirements of graduation.  It is, because it is proof that in your four years, you have proven that you know something about a particular area of your discipline.  It is what defines your gaining your Bachelor’s degree.  

Make sure that you master your topic in terms of your discipline.  You may write about solid waste.  But you write about it as a feature of the Philippines or an Asian country if you are an Asian Studies student.  You write about it in terms of power relations and governance if you are a Political Science student.  You write about it in terms of media awareness and social responsibility if you are a Media Studies student.  

Part of being in the discipline means that you speak the Jargon, hence you will use terms that are used in your particular discipline, this helps you speak better to your target audience – YOUR PANEL.  

In addition, you also cite names and works whom your panel will recognize. It helps build rapport with the panel.  This coupled with the clear way of expressing will help you in passing your defense.
 

Pol 3211 History of the Discipline ppt

To help you in reviewing.

https://docs.google.com/file/d/1CKqK5KZwlqnqaAeAqS5_O31KPLjNOaD_/edit?usp=docslist_api&filetype=mspresentation