Today’s guest post comes from Dr. Jeffrey Broxmeyer from the University of Toledo!
In the Fall of 2024, I introduced a field experiment project into my Campaigns and Elections course. Students set up a basic experiment that followed campaign communications across two congressional races during the 2024 elections in the United States. During the semester, they collected original data, analyzed findings, and presented them to the class.
Goals
The purpose of this experiment was to have students analyze patterns in campaign communication to better understand electoral dynamics. My teaching objective, however, was to demonstrate how social science thinking differs from punditry, journalism, or personal viewpoints.
Specifically, I wanted students to approach the 2024 election cycle as political scientists with research questions rather than as partisans armed with ready-made talking points. Conducting a field experiment demonstrates that scholars do not begin with answers. Instead, we use transparent and systematic methods to examine evidence that can support verifiable claims.
My other hope was that the hands-on process of designing and implementing a field experiment would encourage maximum buy-in and classroom participation.
Continue reading “A Field Experiment in Campaigns and Elections”