A Student's Guide for Writing in Political Science

Katherine Elliott is associate dean of Students Extension at Wilfrid
Laurier University.

University writing tutors and instructors of first-year political
science students will appreciate this small but useful guide. Influenced
by the epistemological tradition of positivism, a view of the discipline
of political science that must be understood by students, this book is
simply structured to provide students with basic research and writing
skills.

Beginning with an explanation of artistic, descriptive, and analytical
texts, Martel touches on each element of a well-structured research
paper—selection of topic, exploration, research, construction, and
drafts. Included is a list of questions that, when answered by a peer
reviewer, will quickly illuminate problems of clarity, logic, and
organization. Excellent sections on “active” reading and proper use
of footnotes add to the overall usefulness of this guide.

Martel succeeds in emphasizing the importance of organization in
research and writing and of understanding the conventions of writing in
political science. This could be a valuable required text for all
first-year political science students.