An SPSS Companion for the Third Edition of The Fundamentals of Political Science Research

An SPSS Companion for the Third Edition of The Fundamentals of Political Science Research offers students a chance to delve into the world of SPSS using real political science data sets and statistical analysis techniques directly from Paul M. Kellstedt and Guy D. Whitten's best-selling textbook. Built in parallel with the main text, this workbook teaches students to apply the techniques they learn in each chapter by reproducing the analyses and results from each lesson using SPSS. Students will also learn to create all of the tables and figures found in the textbook, leading to an even greater mastery of the core material. This accessible, informative, and engaging companion walks through the use of SPSS step-by-step, using command lines and screenshots to demonstrate proper use of the software. With the help of these guides, students will become comfortable creating, editing, and using data sets in SPSS to produce original statistical analyses for evaluating causal claims. End-of-chapter exercises encourage this innovation by asking students to formulate and evaluate their own hypotheses.

1. The scientific study of politics; 2. The art of theory building; 3. Evaluating causal relationships; 4. Research design; 5. Measuring concepts of interest; 6. Getting to know your data; 7. Probability and statistical inference; 8. Bivariate hypothesis testing; 9. Two-variable regression models; 10. Multiple regression: the basics; 11. Multiple regression model specification; 12. Limited dependent variables and time-series data; Bibliography; Index.

Paul M. Kellstedt is Professor of Political Science at Texas A & M University. He is the author of The Mass Media and the Dynamics of American Racial Attitudes (Cambridge, 2003), winner of Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government's 2004 Goldsmith Book Prize. In addition, he has published numerous articles in a variety of leading journals. He is the Editor-in-chief of Political Science Research and Methods, the flagship journal of the European Political Science Association.
Guy D. Whitten is Cullen-McFadden Professor of Political Science, as well as Director of the European Union Center, at Texas A & M University. He has published a variety of articles in leading peer-reviewed journals. He is on the editorial boards of Electoral Studies and Political Science Research and Methods.