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1. Identify a Research Question
Research Question: Does the type of media we consume affect/influence the way we vote?
2. Theories to Draw From
Several disciplines and theories can inform this research question:
Political Science: Agenda-Setting Theory, Framing Theory, Priming Theory (how media shapes political priorities).
Sociology: Cultivation Theory (long-term media exposure shaping reality), Social Identity Theory (reinforcing group affiliations).
Psychology: Cognitive Dissonance Theory (selective exposure to media), Elaboration Likelihood Model (how media persuasion works).
Communications: Uses and Gratifications Theory (why individuals choose specific media and how it satisfies needs like information, validation, etc.).
2.1. Operationalization (Measurement)
Key factors to consider for measurement:
Type of Media: Social media, traditional news (TV, radio), online news platforms, print media.
Political Orientation of Media: Conservative, liberal, neutral.
Voter Behavior: Turnout rates, party preference, issue-based voting.
Demographics: Age, gender, education, location, socioeconomic status.
Frequency and Intensity of Media Consumption: Daily hours spent consuming different media types.
3. Research Methods
3.1. Data Sources
Potential data sources to support your research:
Public Opinion Polls: Pew Research, Gallup, or national election studies (e.g., American National Election Studies).
Government Websites: Federal Election Commission (FEC) for voter turnout and demographic data.
Social Media Platforms: Data on user engagement (e.g., Facebook, Twitter).
News Media Content: Analyzing the content of traditional media like CNN, Fox News, and others.
3.2. Methods
Patterns to analyze:
Correlations between media consumption and voting behavior: Analyzing if higher consumption of certain types of media correlates with specific voting patterns.
Media Content Analysis: Quantifying the political bias, tone, or focus of different media outlets.
Surveys or Experiments: Gathering individual-level data on how media affects political attitudes.
Statistical Analysis: Regression models to identify the relationship between media consumption and voting behavior, controlling for demographic variables.
4. Interpretation and Discussion
Potential findings could include:
Strong Correlation: Evidence that specific types of media (e.g., social media vs. traditional news) significantly influence voter behavior.
Media Bias Impact: Discovering that partisan media consumption reinforces existing beliefs rather than changing them, leading to political polarization.
Demographic Variations: Media influence might differ based on age, education, or socioeconomic status, with younger generations possibly being more influenced by social media.
Research Paper Overview:
Goal: Analyze a public policy or management issue using empirical research and quantitative data. The analysis must be informed by literature from political science, public administration, and public policy.
Data Requirement: Download and analyze quantitative data from government, nonprofit, or other free databases. Primary data collection is allowed but must be feasible within the semester.
Statistical Methods: Use a statistical method taught in class (e.g., univariate analysis, correlations, regression, difference of means tests).
Originality: The paper must be original work, not used in other classes. Using previously compiled data tables or summarized information is prohibited.
Structure of the Paper:
Introduction:
Explain the importance and relevance of your topic to government studies.
Clearly define your research question.
Literature Review:
Summarize the existing research and theories related to your topic.
Identify gaps or debates in the literature.
Develop hypotheses based on this background.
Research Methods:
Describe your data source, measures, and methodology.
Include descriiptive statistics and explain how you analyzed the data.
Analysis and Findings:
Present your results and discuss broader implications.
Address the limitations of your analysis and suggest areas for future research.
Conclusion:
Summarize key points and wrap up your discussion.
Submission Details:
SPSS Data Files: This must be submitted with the final paper.
The professor emphasizes originality, proper use of quantitative data, and alignment with methods taught in class. This structure ensures a logical flow from the research question to the analysis and conclusions.
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