Political Science Laboratory
A methods course from MIT OpenCourseWare that teaches quantitative techniques for political research. Students work through the practical mechanics of public opinion surveys, voting behavior analysis, studies of Congressional behavior, cross-national comparisons of political processes, and evaluation of public policies. The course centers on applied work rather than lecture alone: students take part in joint class projects and design and carry out individual research projects using these methods. Materials include course readings, assignments, and project guidelines published through MIT OpenCourseWare under a Creative Commons license, free to access with no certificate attached. It suits students who want hands-on experience with quantitative research design in political science rather than a purely theoretical survey of the field.