American Government: Using MicroCase ExplorIt

In this workbook designed to supplement core American government textbooks, Norrander (University of Arizona) and Corbett (Ball State University) provide exercises using current data to help students understand citizen political participation, political parties, and Congressional elections. This ninth edition uses the 2002 General Social Survey and the 2004 National Election Study as data sets. Both data sets include a list of questions, allowing students to analyze topics beyond those examined in the exercises. With this new edition, a student version of the MicroCase program and real data sets can be downloaded and installed from a web site. Annotation ©2006 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

BARBARA NORRANDER received her Ph.D. in political science at Ohio State University and is a professor at the University of Arizona, where she teaches courses on the introduction to American government, political parties, and on public opinion and voting behavior. Professor Norrander has written numerous articles for major academic journals. She is a leading expert on presidential nominations and also publishes on the gender gap and on state public opinion. Professor Norrander is the President of the Western Political Science Association for 2004-2005 and has sat on the boards of the Midwest Political Science Association, American Journal of Politics, Journal of Politics, and State Politics and Policy Quarterly.

Michael Corbett received his Ph.D. from the University of Iowa. He was professor of political science at Ball State University, where he taught courses covering an introduction to political science, research methods in political science, and public opinion. He was the author of numerous scholarly articles and of several books: POLITICAL TOLERANCE IN AMERICA: FREEDOM AND EQUALITY IN PUBLIC ATTITUDES (New York: Longman, 1982); AMERICAN PUBLIC OPINION: TRENDS, PROCESS, AND PATTERNS (New York: Longman, 1991); SOCIAL RESEARCH USING MICROCASE? (co-authored with Lynne Roberts ) (Bellevue, WA: MicroCase Corporation, 1998); and POLITICS AND RELIGION IN THE UNITED STATES (co-authored with Julia M. Corbett) (New York: Garland Publishing, 1999). Professor Corbett died in November of 2001 after being diagnosed with terminal cancer. His many years of service to the Research Methods book remain evident on every page and will continue for many editions to come.