This summer I had 8 students help me with my research on three different projects. The students were ambitious, hard-working, and well-trained. Among other things, these research assistants helped:
- Code existing survey data
- Search through digital depositories for speeches from governors
- Travel to archives to collect speeches given over 200 years ago
- Check the transcriptions done by computers to make sure it correctly captured what was originally in cursive 200 years ago
- Code press releases from members of Congress
In all cases the students were extremely helpful.
I attribute their helpfulness in part to the fact that we both recruit great students and train them well. We require all our undergrads to complete a quantitative methods course in our department. They are currently 149 students enrolled in Data Science for Politics this fall. We also have an increasing number of undergrads who are taking our advance Research Design and Methods course (there are 32 students currently enrolled in the class). This advanced course helps students build on their coding and other skills to develop the skills they need to think critically about how they would design and carry out research to answer important questions. Through these and other classes we offer, we are helping students learn how to credibly contribute to the world. As someone who has benefitted from the skilled students we have in our department, I am excited to see the difference they will make in the world.
Dan Butler
Professor of Political Science
Director of Undergraduate Studies