Some intended upcoming posts

As I prepare myself for my return to academia, I will be reading and re-reading course material so that I have a running start. As part of my reading and notetaking, I am thinking of posting my notes on this blog; the idea is that this will push me toward rethinking about and rewriting the course readings in order to explain them as best I can to any potential readers of this blog. A secondary idea is that my paraphrasing and summarizations could be of use to readers who have not taken the courses I am going to take.

I am starting off my re-education with Ottar Hellevik's Research Methodology in Sociology and Political Science. It is thus far an overview of types of research methodologies, broadly separated into quantitative (number-based, "hard" data) methodologies and qualitative (person/narrative-based, "soft" data) methodologies; the book will focus on the former methodologies and include statistical analysis. The information itself is useful outside of school as it enables a student to critically analyze the everyday data we so often accept without further review.

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Beyond these practice summaries, there are other topics I'd like to explore. I'll list some, if only just to be able to refer back to this list should I ever draw a blank on what I should blog about.

• further discussion on Libya, in light of the recent setbacks for the Revolutionaries


• my rational preference for civilian structure in light of now regularly watching Battlestar Galactica


• space opera and the overabundance of space shows focused on military characters and situations rather than civilian space drama


• frustrations as a USAmerican voter over the lack of guts and vision within the party that's closer to my political perspective


• fictional characters, situations, and settings I'd like to explore through fiction

If you have any topics you'd like for me take on and discuss, let me know either on here or via Facebook.