3am Paper Writing Marathon...

[Phanuthier]

Originally Posted by Cerebral

There are millions upon millions of topics to consider. I know Huebert's primary area of interest is Northern sovereignty - he has done a lot of research and work focused around Canada's northern interest. Heck, I'm pretty sure he dragged my girlfriend down to some rally on the topic of Ellesmere Island a few years ago.

Is that investigating current topics (ie. N. Can interest)?

[Cerebral]

Originally Posted by Phanuthier

Is that investigating current topics (ie. N. Can interest)?

Some certainly are - here's a link to the UofC site (check the right-hand column for research areas of individual profs).

http://www.poli.ucalgary.ca/

Huebert is definitely interested in current topics, he focuses (at least he used to focus - I haven't talked with him in a few years) on Canadian Arctic sovereignty.

I know Sayers and Young were looking at campaign financing in Canada - here is a link to their site if you're curious:

http://www.partyfinance.ca/

There are literally millions of topics to study/research in the field of Poli Sci, be they current topics or based on past historical events.

[Phanuthier]

Coming from a science (chem, phys, bio) background, how does research differ from "industry" in Poli Sci?

For instance, in engineering, you have reserach being done in something like spintronics so your computer can store more memory in a smaller volume, and you have industry where you use electronics (CMOS to be more exact) to store more memory in a smaller volume. Spintronics being the new, unknown realm of science, and CMOS design and packing it smaller being a known science, but taking various developments in processing to get something new.

To me, I've always thought research was something new and never been done before, and application of knowledge was "industry" (in engineering terms).

Is there that kind of difference in Poli Sci between reserach and application?

Reading Dr Huebert's profile and his publications, something like New Challenges to Canadian Arctic Security and Sovereignty seems like something "new" (although difficult for someone who's been strictly science to grasp research vs. application) while To Secure a Nation: Canadian Defence and Security in the 21st Century seems more opinionated, and something more "application"

[Cerebral]

Originally Posted by Phanuthier

To me, I've always thought research was something new and never been done before, and application of knowledge was "industry" (in engineering terms).

Is there that kind of difference in Poli Sci between reserach and application?

Well, a lot of research in the Political Science field is pretty theoretical in nature but there is also a lot of research being done for practical purposes. You look at studies done on issues like election financing - these studies are the research that will likely eventually contribute to a change in legislation or policy. Something like Canadian Arctic sovereignty is certainly theoretical right now but the findings can end up having an impact on future policy decisions.

I don't view research as focusing on something completely new and undiscovered, I see it as simply working towards advancing the bulk of knowledge in one particular area.

[peter12]

Originally Posted by Phanuthier

Coming from a science (chem, phys, bio) background, how does research differ from "industry" in Poli Sci?

For instance, in engineering, you have reserach being done in something like spintronics so your computer can store more memory in a smaller volume, and you have industry where you use electronics (CMOS to be more exact) to store more memory in a smaller volume. Spintronics being the new, unknown realm of science, and CMOS design and packing it smaller being a known science, but taking various developments in processing to get something new.

To me, I've always thought research was something new and never been done before, and application of knowledge was "industry" (in engineering terms).

Is there that kind of difference in Poli Sci between reserach and application?

Reading Dr Huebert's profile and his publications, something like New Challenges to Canadian Arctic Security and Sovereignty seems like something "new" (although difficult for someone who's been strictly science to grasp research vs. application) while To Secure a Nation: Canadian Defence and Security in the 21st Century seems more opinionated, and something more "application"

Ultimately, you have two types of research in political science. Philosophical research, strictly for the purpose of academia and philosophical/imperative research, strictly for the purpose of answering policy questions.

A good comparison would be a glimpse of the difference between my Honours Thesis and my friends.

He's writing on the "Good Life", comparing Karl Marx and Aristotle. Purely theoretical, not much practical application beyond studying the power of ideas. Which by itself is quite practical.

Mine is an examination of human political nature in terms of socio-biological research and how that perception of human nature can create effective environmental policy for Canada.

[rockstar]

Man, it's 10:00 and I'm already losing it... 12 hours.

[Cerebral]

Originally Posted by rockstar

Man, it's 10:00 and I'm already losing it... 12 hours.

Good luck!

[RedDeerFan]

My Neighbor's son did political science and graduated last April.

Has applied in both Calgary and Edmonton, but no jobs.

He'll be attending the U of A next year to get an after degree in business.

Don't want to scare you or anything, but definitely keep your options open.

[rockstar]

Originally Posted by Cerebral

Good luck!

Thank ya

[MissTeeks]

What is everyone's opinion on Take Home finals? I'm currently working on one and it is driving me insane. I think I would rather have a two hour in-class exam cause at least you know it will be over in the two hours and will not take 3 damn days!

[ben voyonsdonc]

I always preferred take homes to in class exams. They allowed me to take a few hours to think the topic through without dealing with the stress of a two hour deadline. My take home essays usually were of similar quality to my term papers whereas my in class exams were of significantly lower quality. The stress sometimes would put up a mental block in my head which limited my ability to formulate a reasoned and organized response to a question. On the other hand, I think that take home exam questions are often more difficult and are marked much more harshly than are in class exams (with good reason as people are given more time to come up with a better quality response).

[Cerebral]

Originally Posted by MissTeeks

What is everyone's opinion on Take Home finals? I'm currently working on one and it is driving me insane. I think I would rather have a two hour in-class exam cause at least you know it will be over in the two hours and will not take 3 damn days!

It really depends on the class to be honest. I typically did far better work when it came to take home finals but I would rather just get it over with in a two hour class (especially considering most profs mark far easier for in class essays).

[Cerebral]

Originally Posted by Krieger99

How about updating the textbooks so they are from the 21st century instead of 1982. In other words, the textbooks shouldn't talk about "the growing threat of the Soviet Union".

Man, tell me about it. I had to teach a unit on The Russian Revolution and the textbooks they use are ridiculously outdated. On the plus side, they've dropped the USSR out of the new curriculum and all of the new units will obviously have brand new textbooks accompanying them.

[Cerebral]

Originally Posted by Krieger99

That sucks. The USSR was the only interesting unit back in Grade 9. Please say it's not being replaced with a Canada unit. Those are always boring as hell...

I hate to break it to you but Canada it is.

They're actually essentially just moving a lot of the units down a grade level and then adding things here and there. The grade 8 curriculum now has the Aztecs, Renaissance Europe and Japan (which should be amazing!) while the grade 9's focus on Canada's political system. Given my background in Political Science, I actually like it.

[Phanuthier]

Originally Posted by Cerebral

Well, a lot of research in the Political Science field is pretty theoretical in nature but there is also a lot of research being done for practical purposes. You look at studies done on issues like election financing - these studies are the research that will likely eventually contribute to a change in legislation or policy. Something like Canadian Arctic sovereignty is certainly theoretical right now but the findings can end up having an impact on future policy decisions.

I don't view research as focusing on something completely new and undiscovered, I see it as simply working towards advancing the bulk of knowledge in one particular area.

I'm trying to think of a way to ask this without sounding obnouxious (I only do that when I'm looking for a reaction ) but I'm having trouble seeing a research vs. application for this after giving this some though. Academic is more serious then hockey

To your 2nd paragraph, if you are focusing your work towards developing stuff like that (ie. taking already known concepts or knowledge and applying it in a constructive means) how is that research? I'm not trying to bash it and say its nothing, but it seems as though the "research" being done here is just application. Looking through that research being done at the UofC, it seems primarly criticing, comparing and talking about whats already been done, with some application to it. To me, I don't see criticing, comparing and talking about whats already known as a kind of research that you see in an engineering (I guess the caveat of comparing different fields) but I can vaguely see how application is kind of research.

When a PS researcher goes to work at a university, what do they do for the 50-60 hours they are at work? In sciences, you conference, do theory, do experiment, do writeup. What does a PS or Economist or Accountant do?

The clearer question would be... whats the difference between a PS researcher at a university and a PS working in industry?

I guess the frame of mind I'm seeing "research" vs "development" vs "process" vs "application" to be more distinctly defined in science then the arts.

[rockstar]

4 out of 12 done....8 pages, 8 hours...

[corporatejay]

topic?

I'm just about done mine, not due for another 36 hours.

[Winsor_Pilates]

Working on the last paper of my degree right now. Only 7-10 pages. Done close to half. Should be at it another couple hours.

anyone else writing papers tonight?

[enthused]

I thought I'd get so much studying done in these few days before the playoffs start, since there's no hockey... but no dice. I've still managed to find ways to waste countless hours.

[MissTeeks]

Originally Posted by Winsor_Pilates

Working on the last paper of my degree right now. Only 7-10 pages. Done close to half. Should be at it another couple hours.

anyone else writing papers tonight?

I'm working on a take-home at the moment. I've got two that are due on Thursday and another paper due on Friday. I should be on the verge of tears by Thursday morning.