Research for All: Creating Opportunities for Undergraduate Research Experiences Across the Curriculum

Abstract

To develop our students’ analytical capabilities and prepare them for the demands of the job market of the 21st century, it is imperative that Political Science faculty incorporate research and data literacy skills into a broader array of courses. Previous work on developing these skills has focused on introductory methods courses and capstone experiences, but this article suggests a scaffolded approach to incorporating accessible research experiences across the curriculum. The project provides a blue-print for the creating applied research courses and infusing existing courses with content and assignments that facilitate students’ understanding of the research process and the use of analytic tools.