Political Science Discussion Assignment
Required Resources
Read/review the following resources for this activity:
- Lesson
- Minimum of 1 scholarly source (in addition to the textbook)
- PEW Quiz
Initial Post Instructions
You have already taken the quiz as part of the lesson this week; now, tell the class about your results and what they mean. What is your ideological placement? Then, analyze why you believe the results or do not believe the results. Do these results reflect your voting record? Use evidence (cite sources) to support your response from assigned readings or online lessons,andat least one outside scholarly source.
Follow-Up Post Instructions
Respond to at least two peers or one peer and the instructor. Further the dialogue by providing more information and clarification. Minimum of 1 scholarly source, which can include your textbook or assigned readings or may be from your additional scholarly research.
Writing Requirements
- Minimum of 3 posts (1 initial & 2 follow-up)
- Minimum of 2 sources cited (assigned readings/online lessons and an outside scholarly source)
- APA format for in-text citations and list of references
Lesson:
Understanding Your Beliefs
Throughout this course, we have discussed the importance of informed participation. When looking at the media, we saw how public opinion is sometimes swayed. In order to participate, you must be informed. We have looked at political socialization and the agents of socialization, but how can we understand our beliefs and how they influence our own political decisions. The first question to ask is what are my beliefs and opinions? Let’s go beyond the stereotype of liberal or conservative… or Republican or Democrat.
- Our beliefs are more complicated than one word.
- In order to help you understand your ideology, let’s take a trip through the internet. Please visit the Pew Research Center and take the quiz. Click on this link and then click on next:
- https://www.people-press.org/quiz/political-typology/
- Please copy your results into a Word document for further discussion. Your results will be used later in the lesson.
About the Political Typology Quiz
No political ideology quiz is perfect. We chose this quiz because it is conduced by a highly regarded research center active in political science work. PEW does not take a political stand on any issues, but presents the data as it recorded with relevant analysis.
PEW
The PEW Research Center is a non partisan think tank that does research in major areas of political science. The PEW Political Typology quiz is a long term project that sorts participants into eight groupings of the political ideology spectrum. Participants are grouped by their attitudes and values, not partisan labels. No personally identifiable information is collected. Visit the PEW website to learn more: https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2017/10/24/understanding-pew-research-centers-political-typology/. Pew collects data and writes a report on its findings frequently to gage the nation’s opinions. Go to the PEW website and compare your results to the latest report. What did you find interesting?
Summary
We ended this course taking the PEW Research Center test that explained where you fall on the political spectrum. Although this course was not all-inclusive, it gives you a good understanding of political science. Throughout this course, we discussed the importance of studying political science in our lives, political ideology and theory, what is means to be a representative democracy, how other countries have developed their democracies, how governments are operated, and domestic/foreign affairs. Now that you have a better understanding of your positions, you can research issues that are important to you and participate in the political process!
Reference
- Pew Research Center. (2017). Pew Research political typology quiz. Retrieved from (https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2017/10/24/understanding-pew-research-centers-political-typology/on November 24, 2019.