210262 UE d2: Quantitative Methods of Empirical Social Research (2008S)
Quantitative Methods in Party Research
Continuous assessment of course work
Labels
Ab Fr. 14.03. 2008, 14.45 - 16.15, UZA 2 Geozentrum Raum 2C502
Details
max. 35 participants
Language: English
Lecturers
Classes
Currently no class schedule is known.
Information
Aims, contents and method of the course
Assessment and permitted materials
Minimum requirements and assessment criteria
" Attendance is obligatory.
" Participants will be evaluated based on:
¢ Homework: statistical problems and computer assignments requiring the use of statistical software (SPSS). Students are expected to hand-in the Homework on Wednesdays by noon and should be prepared to present homework problems in class.
¢ Short oral presentations (based on selected readings)
¢ A short final paper (not longer than 10000 words) due September 30, 2008. Based on existing literature, the paper serves as a test of a hypothesis of the student's preference using the SPSS software and the available dataset (MEP Survey).
" Participants will be evaluated based on:
¢ Homework: statistical problems and computer assignments requiring the use of statistical software (SPSS). Students are expected to hand-in the Homework on Wednesdays by noon and should be prepared to present homework problems in class.
¢ Short oral presentations (based on selected readings)
¢ A short final paper (not longer than 10000 words) due September 30, 2008. Based on existing literature, the paper serves as a test of a hypothesis of the student's preference using the SPSS software and the available dataset (MEP Survey).
Examination topics
Reading list
Readings:
By March, the required readings will be made available in a folder at the Copy Shop opposite the NIG (possibly also on the Blackboard Vista). The reading list includes recent relevant political science articles and working papers on MEPs; also, some of the articles are using the dataset we use in class.Required Readings:Articles/Working Papers/Conference Papers:
¢ Lord, Christopher J. (2006) The aggregating function of political parties in EU decision-making, Living Rev. Euro. Gov., Vol. 1, No. 2:
http://www.livingreviews.org/lreg-2006-2
This article (and esp. part 3.3.: "Aggregation of Representatives' Preferences") should give you an overview of the scholarly work on the topic.
¢ Scully, Roger (2001), National Parties and European Parliamentarians: Developing and Testing an Institutionalist Theory, EPRG Working Papers, Available online at:
http://www.lse.ac.uk/collections/EPRG/pdf/Working%20Paper%206.pdf
¢ Scully, Roger and David M. Farrell (2003) MEPs as Representatives: Individual and Institutional Roles, Journal of Common Market Studies, Vol. 41, No. 2: 269-288.
An Abstract of this paper is available online at: http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/doi/abs/10.1111/1468-5965.00422?journalCode=jcms
¢ David Farell et al. (2006) A survey of MEPs in the 2004-09 European parliament, Paper presented to the Annual Conference of the American Political Science Association, Philadelphia, August 31 - September 3. Available online at:
http://www.lse.ac.uk/collections/EPRG/pdf/farrell_et_al_eprg_2006_MEP_survey.pdfSelected chapters from:
¢ Farrell, David and Scully, Roger (2007, forthcoming) Representing Europe's Citizens? Electoral Institutions and the Failure of Parliamentary Representation in the European Union. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
¢ Scully, Roger (2005) Becoming Europeans? Attitudes, Behaviour and Socialization in the European Parliament, Oxford University Press.Useful websites:
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/members.do?language=EN
http://www.europa-digital.de
http://www.euractiv.com/en/Fixed/groups/EU-political-parties.htm
http://www.conservatives.com/tile.do?def=people.europe.page
http://www.socialistgroup.org/gpes/index.do?lg=en
http://www.eldr.org
http://www.greens-efa.org/index.htm
http://www.e-f-a.org/home.php" Software: SPSS. The program is installed at the University's computers, so students can do the exercises at the Computer Labs. So, students do not need to purchase this program.
" Data: David Farrell, Simon Hix, Mark Johnson and Roger Scully (2006) 'EPRG 2000 and 2006 MEP Surveys Dataset', http://www.lse.ac.uk/collections/EPRG/
More info on the European Parliament Research Group (EPRG) and the survey is available online at:
http://www.lse.ac.uk/collections/EPRG/survey.htm
By March, the required readings will be made available in a folder at the Copy Shop opposite the NIG (possibly also on the Blackboard Vista). The reading list includes recent relevant political science articles and working papers on MEPs; also, some of the articles are using the dataset we use in class.Required Readings:Articles/Working Papers/Conference Papers:
¢ Lord, Christopher J. (2006) The aggregating function of political parties in EU decision-making, Living Rev. Euro. Gov., Vol. 1, No. 2:
http://www.livingreviews.org/lreg-2006-2
This article (and esp. part 3.3.: "Aggregation of Representatives' Preferences") should give you an overview of the scholarly work on the topic.
¢ Scully, Roger (2001), National Parties and European Parliamentarians: Developing and Testing an Institutionalist Theory, EPRG Working Papers, Available online at:
http://www.lse.ac.uk/collections/EPRG/pdf/Working%20Paper%206.pdf
¢ Scully, Roger and David M. Farrell (2003) MEPs as Representatives: Individual and Institutional Roles, Journal of Common Market Studies, Vol. 41, No. 2: 269-288.
An Abstract of this paper is available online at: http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/doi/abs/10.1111/1468-5965.00422?journalCode=jcms
¢ David Farell et al. (2006) A survey of MEPs in the 2004-09 European parliament, Paper presented to the Annual Conference of the American Political Science Association, Philadelphia, August 31 - September 3. Available online at:
http://www.lse.ac.uk/collections/EPRG/pdf/farrell_et_al_eprg_2006_MEP_survey.pdfSelected chapters from:
¢ Farrell, David and Scully, Roger (2007, forthcoming) Representing Europe's Citizens? Electoral Institutions and the Failure of Parliamentary Representation in the European Union. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
¢ Scully, Roger (2005) Becoming Europeans? Attitudes, Behaviour and Socialization in the European Parliament, Oxford University Press.Useful websites:
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/members.do?language=EN
http://www.europa-digital.de
http://www.euractiv.com/en/Fixed/groups/EU-political-parties.htm
http://www.conservatives.com/tile.do?def=people.europe.page
http://www.socialistgroup.org/gpes/index.do?lg=en
http://www.eldr.org
http://www.greens-efa.org/index.htm
http://www.e-f-a.org/home.php" Software: SPSS. The program is installed at the University's computers, so students can do the exercises at the Computer Labs. So, students do not need to purchase this program.
" Data: David Farrell, Simon Hix, Mark Johnson and Roger Scully (2006) 'EPRG 2000 and 2006 MEP Surveys Dataset', http://www.lse.ac.uk/collections/EPRG/
More info on the European Parliament Research Group (EPRG) and the survey is available online at:
http://www.lse.ac.uk/collections/EPRG/survey.htm
Association in the course directory
Last modified: Fr 31.08.2018 08:53
Growing research has been interested in the membership of the EP. As a result, each elected EP has been surveyed. Data observed at the level of the person or groups of persons (such as party groups in the EP or countries) enable political scientists to test theory-driven hypotheses about party politicians across countries and over time. Surveys and statistical analyses are therefore particularly useful tools for the exploring continuity/change in the orientations and behaviour of the Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) over time; moreover, they facilitate researchers to conduct meaningful comparisons across parties and party groups.
In this context, we will introduce students to the EPRG MEP Survey which inquires about: Campaigns and Election (What were MEPs' experiences of the process by which they won election?), Major Policy Issues (What are MEPs' attitudes towards major socio-economic policy issues facing the European Union?), Norms of Behaviour (How do MEPs view the major factor shaping their voting and committee behaviour within the parliament?) and Representative Attitudes (How do MEPs view the role of the European Parliament as a representative institution, and how do they understand and carry out their own role as individual representatives?). We will investigate MEP's attitudes on these issues using quantitative concepts and measurements, covering: descriptive statistics, basic probability theory, inferences concerning means, correlation, and an introduction to regression analysis.
Course Requirements
" No background in Statistics is required. However, it should be noted that our lectures follow the curriculum of the general course in Quantitative Methods offered by Professor Dr. Kritzinger. Consequently, students are assumed to regularly attend that course as well.
" Students are expected to be able to read, speak and write good English, as lectures, reading materials, students' presentations and the subsequent discussions will be in English; the final essay should also be written in English.
" Students are advised to inform themselves regarding the EP and MEPs by consulting the official websites of the European Parliament and of the Party Groups (see below: Course Materials).