ABSTRACT
Many students are unaware that writing assignments for political science classes require different skills from those required for English composition, creative writing, and journalism courses. An event or a phenomenon must be politically relevant for it to be of interest to political science scholars. Professional research in political science is based on the acquisition of scientific knowledge. Professional political scientists, as part of a discourse community, engage in a process of political inquiry that involves using research techniques, critical thinking skills, and theory building. In general, political inquiry involves posing a question, collecting data, analyzing the data, and drawing conclusions about whether the data support the hypothesis. One of the most important components of political inquiry is the creative process that students engage when moving from abstract ideas to concrete assertions about the nature and scope of political problems. Assertions about the nature, scope, and significance of political events are often represented as arguments for a particular interpretation.
