Module 8: Writing up

Overview

Module 8 brings us full circle: We return to the overall structure of a research report and examine each component in detail. Specifically, we examine the purpose of each component as well as some best-practices for writing each one. In doing so, we examine how these best-practices actually play out in the article on “Judicial Empathy” by Glynn and Sen. The R exercise then invites you to explore and generate some visual tools that we have not yet covered, including interactive plots in HTML.

Objectives

  • Lay out the different components of a social science research report.
    • Explain the purpose of each component as well as some best-practices for writing each one.
  • Explain how Glynn and Sen effectively tackle the different report components in their article on “Judicial Empathy.”
  • Generate a range of visuals for data description, including waffle plots, tree maps, an interactive plots.

Due

  • Thu/Fri @ 8pm. Module 8 Q & A.
  • Fri @ 8pm. Written feedback on report drafts presented during the week. (See my announcement at Canvas, which contains a Workshop Schedule.) Your feedback should be constructive and address substantive and empirical concerns. No length is established, but in general, each draft will merit around 2 pages of single-spaced feedback. Post your feedback to your team page at Ed Discussion.

The Module

Overview and Review of Module 7

As I mention above, this week’s Module brings us full circle in that it re-examines the overall structure of a social science research report, which we first examined in Module 1. This week’s Module builds on Module 1 by examining each component of the research report in detail, laying out the specific purpose of each component as well as some best-practices to keep in mind as you write each one.

Start by watching the video on “Video series overview and Module 7 review.”

Writing up, step by step

Before we dig into the different components of the research report in the video series, you should read the chapter on “The challenge of writing up” by O’Leary and the article on “Judicial empathy” by Glynn and Sen. As you do so, focus on the different components of the research report: What work does each one do?

For the Glynn and Sen article specifically: Try to identify the different components of the research report. Then, try to answer these two fundamental questions:

  • What actually goes into a particular component?
  • What work is a particular component doing?

Here are some of the key components to examine and think about as you read Glynn and Sen. We we examine these as well as a few others in the videos:

  • Introduction
  • Argument and literature review
  • Data and Methods
  • Findings and Discussion
  • Conclusion

Once you have completed the readings and answered the questions above, watch the video series on “Writing up, step by step.” I have divided the series into several smaller components as a means of grouping ideas as well as keeping each video relatively brief.

Title, abstract, and introduction

Literature review and argument

Data description and method (analysis plan)

Findings and discussion

Conclusion and references and Wrap up

Module 8 R exercise on “More plots”

This week’s R exercise invites you to explore and generate some plots that we have not yet covered, including waffle plots, tree maps, and basic interactive plots. Note that for this Module, you should knit your completed RMD to HTML rather than PDF. Download and completed the Module 8 Exercise RMD from Canvas. Complete it and then knit your completed file. You do not need to submit your work.