Empowering Students by Teaching Research-Paper Writing as a Foundational Methods Course

Teaching research-paper writing in a step-wise and interactive fashion exposes students to methodology and empowers them. Contemporary undergraduates have generally not learned how to write research papers, and teaching methodology has long been a challenge. Seeking to accomplish both simultaneously gives students an applied way to better understand their political science courses and, more importantly, provides them with experiences that transform them as learners. The process includes high-impact educational practices which compel students to (a) integrate across the curriculum; (b) engage in “real” research; (c) experience learning as a social process; and (d) make revising and rethinking habitual. Undergraduates thus become more capable and confident learners with a greater ability to succeed in future endeavors.