Methods in the Madness: Integrative Approaches to Methodology in Introductory Comparative Politics

This paper outlines an integrative approach to teaching (qualitative) comparative methods at the introductory undergraduate level. The integrative approach does not view methodological instruction as a topic to be treated cursorily at the outset of a course, but rather one to be intertwined throughout an academic term as students simultaneously learn to work with theories and evidence. Syllabi and writing assignments can be structured to emphasize methodological understandings of social science principles. As preliminary evidence, I offer a comparison of two courses in consecutive years. In the first year, the course did not integrate methodology with theory and evidence, and learning outcomes with respect to social science were poor. The following year, the integrative approach dramatically altered student self-reports of their learning about how social science is practiced. Moreover, integrative approaches lend themselves to continued efforts to teach analytical skills for those faced with accreditation challenges.