Political Science Data: Find Data, Produce Results, Share Insights.

We feature resources to support teaching and learning political science research merthods with The Essentials of Political Analysis and the Companions to Political Analysis. Featured resources update weekly to track typical fall, spring, and summer teaching patterns

THIS WEEK: A Scientific Approach to Politics

Overview: Students are introduced to the scientific approach in political analysis, focusing on evidence-based reasoning and critical inquiry. The course begins by discussing how scientific principles are applied to study political phenomena, setting the stage for the course. The Essentials preface and Companion introductions do not include exercises because this is typically an orientation week when students can drop/add classes.

download pdf of Introduction

Review terms for 5 minutes📊 Take Practice Quiz for A Scientific Approach to Politics
Watch streaming lectures to learn about the scientific approach to politics!
Practice with software, see tutorials for Stata | R | Excel | SPSS

UPCOMING: The Definition and Measurement of Concepts

Overview: Students will learn how to define political concepts and operationalize them into measurable variables. Skills include formulating clear definitions and understanding the link between theoretical and empirical research using software to create operational definitions.

Review terms for 5 minutes📊 Take Practice Quiz for The Definition and Measurement of Concepts
Watch streaming lectures for introduction to main ideas
Practice with software, see tutorials for Stata | R | Excel | SPSS
Textbooks feature learning objectives, glossaries & chapter exercises.
Instructor resources: presentations, demo. code, quiz questions, solutions manuals (available via Sage Publications)

Past Special Editions of Political Science Data

Online Survey Quality

Politics of Gun Violence

Perspectives on Russia-Ukraine War

Promise and Peril of Mexican Politics

Political Phenomena of Donald Trump

NOW AVAILABLE: The Essentials of Political Analysis, 7th EditionDownload pdf of Introduction pdf

Teach Political Analysis

Theory & Concepts:
The Essentials of Political Analysis, 7th Edition. Classic introductory text, clear writing, helps students learn, great ancillaries. More info.

Companions for SPSS, Stata, Excel & R. Practice with software of your choice.

MORE FOR TEACHERS: Sample Course Syllabi featuring our textbooks, varied software, with/without paper assignments

Review Terms for 5 Minutes - Pick chapters or just press play for quick study

Run Live R Demos in Browser - Excellent for online teaching

Links to More Resources for Teaching Political Analysis

Watch & Learn


Election Polling: Why Is It So Difficult?
From The Economist (11:51)


How to Design a Questionnaire for Survey Research
From Hayley Stainton (14:55)

MORE VIDEOS: See Video Channels for more political science videos!

LEARN HOW: Watch Lecture Videos for Essentials of Political Analysis, Video Tutorials for R, Stata, SPSS, and Excel

ORIGINAL PROJECT: Studying Presidents

Pres. Buchanan's Positions on Roll Call Votes:
35th: House Senate 36th: House Senate

This data is part of a larger project to identify the policy preferences of all U.S. Presidents. See index.

More Q. Than A.

Career Planning Advice for Students (in Simple Diagram)
As a college professor, I have had many opportunities to talk with students about their...

MORE QUESTIONS: Cases that Illustrate Felony-Murder Rule

Blogs, Podcasts & Journals

Journal of Conflict Resolution: .Focuses on conflict between and within states, but also explores a variety of inter-group and interpersonal conflicts that may help in understanding problems of war and peace

JEPP Online: .Official blog of the Journal of European Public Policy.

Ballpark, The: .LSE US Centre's regular online audio show on US politics, policy, and research.

Politics and the Life Sciences: .Official journal of the Association for Politics and the Life Sciences, an American Political Science Association (APSA) Related Group.

International Studies Quarterly: .Publishes leading scholarship that engages with significant theoretical, empirical, and normative subjects in international studies.

See All Political Science Journals

Data Sites

State of First Amendment Surveys: .Examines public attitudes toward freedom of speech, press, religion and the rights of assembly and petition.

MIT Election Lab: .Supports advances in election science by collecting, analyzing, and sharing core data and findings.

Exploratory Data Analysis: When to Stop: .By Roger Peng (6:38)

Fondazione Rodolfo Debenedetti Foundation: .Applied and policy-oriented research on labor markets, immigration and welfare systems in Europe

Earl Babbie Research Center: .Supports research that addresses global concerns including human rights, social justice, peaceful solutions to social conflicts and environmental sustainability.

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Authors with Datasets

Bansak, Kirk .

Dennis, Chris .California State University, Long Beach, see datasets on research page.

Brancati, Dawn .Columbia University, Saltzman Institute of War and Peace Studies

Toshkov, Dimiter .Leiden University, see data and replication materials.

Feierherd, German .

Kogan, Vladimir .

Grossman, Guy .

Moral, Mert .Sabanc? University, Istanbul-Turkey, see dataverse.

Horowitz, Jeremy .

Johnson, Joel .Colorado State University - Pueblo

See All Authors with Datasets