Why do Australians vote the way they do? Why are young people more likely to support minor parties? What would happen if voting were not compulsory? How important is the environment to most people? Do Australians want the government to play a larger or smaller role in our lives? The answers to these questions have very important implications for Australian democracy. This course will examine how the dimensions of political behaviour and public opinion have been changing over time and the implications of this for the future of Australian politics.

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:

1. critically analyse academic surveys and public opinion polls;
2. evaluate the contribution surveys and opinion polls makes to our understanding of Australian politics;
3. critically assess and present arguments based on empirical evidence and theoretical models based on the voter behaviour literature;
4. assess the most important post-1945 elections and the events and issues driving electoral outcomes;
5. develop analytical and writing skills through the research essay and exam; and
6. discuss and reasses central ideas in collegical class environment.

Recommended Resources

The course will draw on a wide range of sources and reading. However, the following three books will cover a lot of the material that appear throughout the course. Elections and Voters covers the main theories of voting behaviour, and employs a wide range of cross-national examples. The Australian Voter primarily deals with Australian evidence, while the Oxford Handbook of Political Behaviour is particularly valuable for international sources of literature.

Cees van der Eijk and Mark Franklin. 2009. Elections and Voters. London: Palgrave Macmillan.

Ian McAllister, 2011. The Australian Voter: Fifty Years of Change, Sydney: University of New South Wales Press.

Russell J. Dalton and Hans-Dieter Klingemann, editors, 2007. The Oxford Handbook of Political Behaviour. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Oxford Research Encycopedia, Politics, Political Behavior. http://politics.oxfordre.com/

Recommended readings: 

Birch, Sarah, 2009. Full Participation: A Comparative Study of Compulsory Voting. New York: United Nations University Press.

Blais, Andre, 2007. ‘Turnout in Elections’, in Russell J. Dalton & Hans-Dieter Klingemann, editors. The Oxford Handbook of Political Behavior. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Dalton, Russell J., David M. Farrell & Ian McAllister. 2011. Political Parties and Democratic Linkage. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Dalton, Russell J. and Hans-Dieter Klingemann, editors, 2007. The Oxford Handbook of Political Behaviour. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Ruth Dassonneville and Ian McAllister. 2019. ‘Gender, Political Knowledge and Descriptive Representation: The Impact of Long-Term Socialization.’ American Journal of Political Science 62(2): 249-265.

Evans, Geoffrey, and James Tilley. 2012. ‘The Depoliticization of Inequality and Redistribution: Explaining the Decline of Class Voting.’ Journal of Politics 74(4): 963-976

Farrell, David & Ian McAllister. 2003. The Australian Electoral System: Origins, Variations and Consequences. Sydney: University of New South Wales Press.

Franklin, Mark N. 2004. Voter Turnout and the Dynamics of Electoral Competition, in Established Democracies Since 1945. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Gibson, Rachel & Ian McAllister. 2011. ‘Do Online Election Campaigns Win Votes? The 2007 Australian YouTube Election.’ Political Communications 28: 227–244.

Green, Jane. 2007. ‘When Voters and Parties Agree: Valence Issues and Party Competition.’ Political Studies 55: 629-655.

Timothy Hellwig and Ian McAllister. 2018. ‘The Impact of Economic Assets on Party Choice in Australia.’ Journal of Elections, Public Opinion and Parties. https://doi.org/10.1080/17457289.2017.1408632

Inglehart, Ronald. 2007. ‘Postmaterialist Values and the Shift from Survival to Self-Expression Values’, in Russell J. Dalton & Hans-Dieter Klingemann, editors. The Oxford Handbook of Political Behaviour. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Klingemann, Hans-Dieter, editor, 2009. The Comparative Study of Electoral Systems. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Lewis-Beck, Michael S., Richard Nadeau and Martial Foucault. 2013. ‘The Compleat Economic Voter: New Theory and British Evidence.’ British Journal of Political Science 43: 241-261

Lewis-Beck, Michael S. & Mary Stegmaier, 2007. ‘Economic Models of Voting, in Russell J. Dalton & Hans-Dieter Klingemann, editors. The Oxford Handbook of Political Behavior. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

McAllister, Ian. 2007. ‘The Personalization of Politics’, in Russell J. Dalton & Hans-Dieter Klingemann, editors. The Oxford Handbook of Political Behavior. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

McAllister, Ian. 2011. The Australian Voter: Fifty Years of Change, Sydney: University of New South Wales Press.

McAllister, Ian and Toni Makkai. 2018. ‘The Decline and Rise of Class Voting? From Occupation to Culture in Australia.’ Journal of Sociology. https://doi.org/10.1177/1440783318805155

Schmitt-Beck, Rudiger. 2007. ‘New Modes of Campaigning’, in Russell J. Dalton & Hans-Dieter Klingemann, editors. The Oxford Handbook of Political Behaviour. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Semetko, Holli A. 2007. ‘Political Communication’, in Russell J. Dalton & Hans-Dieter Klingemann, editors. The Oxford Handbook of Political Behaviour. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Singh, Shane and Judd Thornton. 2013. ‘Compulsory Voting and the Dynamics of Partisan Identification.’ European Journal of Political Research 52: 188-211

Staff Feedback

Students will be given feedback in the following forms in this course:

• written comments
• verbal comments
• feedback to whole class, groups, individuals, focus group etc

Student Feedback

ANU is committed to the demonstration of educational excellence and regularly seeks feedback from students. Students are encouraged to offer feedback directly to their Course Convener or through their College and Course representatives (if applicable). Feedback can also be provided to Course Conveners and teachers via the Student Experience of Learning & Teaching (SELT) feedback program. SELT surveys are confidential and also provide the Colleges and ANU Executive with opportunities to recognise excellent teaching, and opportunities for improvement.

Other Information

Guideline for word limits

Students are expected to adhere to the word limits for each assignment. Students are able to go either side of the word limit by 10%. If you exceed the 10% quota you will be penalised by 10%. You will be marked on how well you express your argument within the given word limit, so it is in your interest to strictly adhere to the word limit for each assignment.

Class Schedule

Week/Session	Summary of Activities	Assessment
1	Monday 3 July 20239.30-10.00 Topic 1Course introduction, overview, assessment, key issues [Beauregard and McAllister] 10.00-10.30 Group work: Assigning groups and tasks [Beauregard and McAllister] 11.00-12.00 Topic 2 Lecture: The electoral rules of the game [McAllister] 12.00-12.30 Group discussion: electoral institutions and their consequences [Beauregard and McAllister]  Lunch 1.30-2.30 Topic 3 Lecture: Parties and party loyalties [Beauregard] 2.30-3.00 Group discussion: do parties matter? [Beauregard and McAllister] 3.30-4.30 Topic 4 Lecture: What voters know about politics [McAllister] 4.30-5.00 Group discussion: do voters’ views matter? [Beauregard and McAllister]
2	Wednesday 5 July 20239.30-10.30Topic 5 Lecture: How to measure behaviour and opinions [Beauregard] 11.00-12.00 Topic 6 Lecture: Where to find data and how to use it [McAllister] 12.00-12.30 Group discussion: methodology Q & A [Beauregard and McAllister] Lunch 1.30-5.00 Laboratory work: data analysis [Beauregard and McAllister]
3	Friday 7 July 2023Topic 7 Lecture: Elections: A Politician’s Perspective   [Beauregard] 11.00-12.00 Topic 8 Lecture: Influences on the vote 1: social background and class [McAllister] 12.00-12.30 Group discussion: Influencing the vote [Beauregard and McAllister] Lunch 1.30-2.30 Topic 9 Lecture: Influences on the vote 2: political leaders [McAllister] 3.00-3.30 Group discussion: do voters’ views matter? [Beauregard and McAllister]
4	Monday 10 July 20239.30-10.30 Topic 10 Lecture: Influences on the vote 3: media and election campaigns [Beauregard] 11.00-12.00 Topic 11 Lecture: Influences on the vote 4: opinion polls and elections [McAllister] 12.00-12.30 Group discussion: leadership and campaigns [Beauregard and McAllister] Lunch 1.30-5.00Laboratory work: data analysis [Beauregard and McAllister]
5	Wednesday 12 July 20239.30-10.30 Topic 12 Lecture: Elections and the democratic process in advanced democracies [McAllister] 11.00-12.00 Topic 13 Lecture: Forecasting elections [Beauregard] 12.00-12.30 Group discussion: Forecasting [Beauregard and McAllister] Lunch 1.30-5.00 Presentation of seminar papers [Beauregard and McAllister]
6	Friday 14 July 20239.30-10.30 Topic 14 Lecture: Young people and elections [Beauregard] 11.00-12.00 Topic 15 Lecture: Participation: other forms [Beauregard] 12.00-12.30 Group discussion: Participation [Beauregard and McAllister] 12.30-1.00 Group discussion: Course assessment and feedback [Beauregard and McAllister]

Tutorial Registration

ANU utilises MyTimetable to enable students to view the timetable for their enrolled courses, browse, then self-allocate to small teaching activities / tutorials so they can better plan their time. Find out more on the Timetable webpage.

Assessment Summary

Assessment task	Value	Due Date
Essay	40 %	13/08/2023
Seminar presentation	10 %	12/07/2023
Class participation	10 %	14/07/2023
Final exam	40 %	23/07/2023

* If the Due Date and Return of Assessment date are blank, see the Assessment Tab for specific Assessment Task details

Policies

ANU has educational policies, procedures and guidelines , which are designed to ensure that staff and students are aware of the University’s academic standards, and implement them. Students are expected to have read the Academic Integrity Rule before the commencement of their course. Other key policies and guidelines include:

• Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure
• Student Assessment (Coursework) Policy and Procedure
• Special Assessment Consideration Guideline and General Information 
• Student Surveys and Evaluations
• Deferred Examinations
• Student Complaint Resolution Policy and Procedure
• Code of practice for teaching and learning

Assessment Requirements

The ANU is using Turnitin to enhance student citation and referencing techniques, and to assess assignment submissions as a component of the University's approach to managing Academic Integrity. For additional information regarding Turnitin please visit the Academic Skills website. In rare cases where online submission using Turnitin software is not technically possible; or where not using Turnitin software has been justified by the Course Convener and approved by the Associate Dean (Education) on the basis of the teaching model being employed; students shall submit assessment online via ‘Wattle’ outside of Turnitin, or failing that in hard copy, or through a combination of submission methods as approved by the Associate Dean (Education). The submission method is detailed below.

Moderation of Assessment

Marks that are allocated during Semester are to be considered provisional until formalised by the College examiners meeting at the end of each Semester. If appropriate, some moderation of marks might be applied prior to final results being released.

Assessment Task 1

Essay

Learning objectives assessed: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

Due date: Sunday 13 August 2023 4pm

Weighting: 40%

Length: 2,000 words (including footnotes and tables)

The essay will on a topic agreed with the lecturer in the first week of the course. The topic will relate to one of the areas covered in the lectures, and will be based on an analysis of survey or other data, using one of the databases used in the laboratory sessions on Wednesday 5 July and Monday 10 July. The essay will be expected to cover:

• Research question(s): What is the research question(s) ‘or problem?
• Theoretical framework: What is the theoretical framework (i.e. literature review which includes theories and/or past research used to introduce and justify the relevance of the study)? Discuss the most important elements of the theoretical framework and how it is appropriate for the research question addressed in this study.
• Hypotheses: What are being hypotheses tested? Justify the hypotheses in terms of the theoretical framework and prior research.
• Methodology: Describe the research design and any particular sampling method. Discuss how well the methodology is suited to the research question posed and the specific hypotheses tested.
• Results: Discuss the main findings in relation to the research question(s).
• Discussion and conclusion: Discuss the findings in relation to the theoretical framework used.

Use the Harvard style referencing system for your work. A detailed description of this style can be found at the following webpages:

• https://academicskills.anu.edu.au/node/80

You should submit your assignment using the online submission tool on Wattle by 4pm on 13 August 2023.

Assessment Task 2

Seminar presentation

Weighting: 10%

Due: 12 July 2023

·     This is a group project. Each team will select one question. A maximum of two groups can select each question. For each question, one team will be presenting the pro side and another one the con side. A first come, first serve rule will be used to distribute topics on the first day of class, 3 July 2023.

 

·     As this is a group project, all team members will receive the same grade.

 

·     Teams are in charge of the distributing tasks for the presentation. Not all students need to talk during the presentation.

 

·     For each question, the pro and con sides will get 10 minutes each to present their argumentation. Following the presentation of both sides, an additional 10 minutes will be devoted to questions from the audience.

 

·     The presentation should provide a clear answer to the selected topic.

 

·     The presentation should clearly state the arguments in favour of the selected side of the debate as well as indicate why their side is stronger than the arguments in favour of the other side.

 

·     During the discussion part of the seminar presentation, students should be ready to answer questions from the audience and should be prepared with questions for the audience to discuss.

 

·     Seminar presentations will be evaluated base on the strength of the arguments presented to support one’s position and the quality of the discussion that follows the presentation.

Assessment Task 3

Class participation

Weighting: 10%

During group work activities, students will be presented with a task to accomplish. These tasks will be based on the lectures and readings. For instance, based on the lecture, students will have to find a news event or issue that is relevant for class discussion and present on their finding. As this is a group project, all team members will receive the same grade.

 

Teams are in charge of the distributing tasks to accomplish the requirements.

Assessment Task 4

Final exam

Learning Objectives Assessed: 1, 3, 4, 5

Due Date: 23 July 2023 4pm

Weighting: 40%

The final exam will cover material presented during the course. Lectures and readings will be part of the exam as well as guest lectures. The questions will be available by the end of the course and will be a take-home exam

There is no extension for final exam.

Academic Integrity

Academic integrity is a core part of the ANU culture as a community of scholars. The University’s students are an integral part of that community. The academic integrity principle commits all students to engage in academic work in ways that are consistent with, and actively support, academic integrity, and to uphold this commitment by behaving honestly, responsibly and ethically, and with respect and fairness, in scholarly practice.

The University expects all staff and students to be familiar with the academic integrity principle, the Academic Integrity Rule 2021, the Policy: Student Academic Integrity and Procedure: Student Academic Integrity, and to uphold high standards of academic integrity to ensure the quality and value of our qualifications.

The Academic Integrity Rule 2021 is a legal document that the University uses to promote academic integrity, and manage breaches of the academic integrity principle. The Policy and Procedure support the Rule by outlining overarching principles, responsibilities and processes. The Academic Integrity Rule 2021 commences on 1 December 2021 and applies to courses commencing on or after that date, as well as to research conduct occurring on or after that date. Prior to this, the Academic Misconduct Rule 2015 applies.

 

The University commits to assisting all students to understand how to engage in academic work in ways that are consistent with, and actively support academic integrity. All coursework students must complete the online Academic Integrity Module (Epigeum), and Higher Degree Research (HDR) students are required to complete research integrity training. The Academic Integrity website provides information about services available to assist students with their assignments, examinations and other learning activities, as well as understanding and upholding academic integrity.

Online Submission

You will be required to electronically sign a declaration as part of the submission of your assignment. Please keep a copy of the assignment for your records. Unless an exemption has been approved by the Associate Dean (Education) submission must be through Turnitin.

Hardcopy Submission

For some forms of assessment (hand written assignments, art works, laboratory notes, etc.) hard copy submission is appropriate when approved by the Associate Dean (Education). Hard copy submissions must utilise the Assignment Cover Sheet. Please keep a copy of tasks completed for your records.

Late Submission

Individual assessment tasks may or may not allow for late submission. Policy regarding late submission is detailed below:

• Late submission permitted. Late submission of assessment tasks without an extension are penalised at the rate of 5% of the possible marks available per working day or part thereof. Late submission of assessment tasks is not accepted after 10 working days after the due date, or on or after the date specified in the course outline for the return of the assessment item. Late submission is not accepted for take-home examinations.

Referencing Requirements

The Academic Skills website has information to assist you with your writing and assessments. The website includes information about Academic Integrity including referencing requirements for different disciplines. There is also information on Plagiarism and different ways to use source material.

Extensions and Penalties

Extensions and late submission of assessment pieces are covered by the Student Assessment (Coursework) Policy and Procedure. Extensions may be granted for assessment pieces that are not examinations or take-home examinations. If you need an extension, you must request an extension in writing on or before the due date. If you have documented and appropriate medical evidence that demonstrates you were not able to request an extension on or before the due date, you may be able to request it after the due date.

Privacy Notice

The ANU has made a number of third party, online, databases available for students to use. Use of each online database is conditional on student end users first agreeing to the database licensor’s terms of service and/or privacy policy. Students should read these carefully. In some cases student end users will be required to register an account with the database licensor and submit personal information, including their: first name; last name; ANU email address; and other information.
In cases where student end users are asked to submit ‘content’ to a database, such as an assignment or short answers, the database licensor may only use the student’s ‘content’ in accordance with the terms of service – including any (copyright) licence the student grants to the database licensor. Any personal information or content a student submits may be stored by the licensor, potentially offshore, and will be used to process the database service in accordance with the licensors terms of service and/or privacy policy.
If any student chooses not to agree to the database licensor’s terms of service or privacy policy, the student will not be able to access and use the database. In these circumstances students should contact their lecturer to enquire about alternative arrangements that are available.

Distribution of grades policy

Academic Quality Assurance Committee monitors the performance of students, including attrition, further study and employment rates and grade distribution, and College reports on quality assurance processes for assessment activities, including alignment with national and international disciplinary and interdisciplinary standards, as well as qualification type learning outcomes.

Since first semester 1994, ANU uses a grading scale for all courses. This grading scale is used by all academic areas of the University.

Support for students

The University offers students support through several different services. You may contact the services listed below directly or seek advice from your Course Convener, Student Administrators, or your College and Course representatives (if applicable).

• ANU Health, safety & wellbeing for medical services, counselling, mental health and spiritual support
• ANU Access and inclusion for students with a disability or ongoing or chronic illness
• ANU Dean of Students for confidential, impartial advice and help to resolve problems between students and the academic or administrative areas of the University
• ANU Academic Skills and Learning Centre supports you make your own decisions about how you learn and manage your workload.
• ANU Counselling Centre promotes, supports and enhances mental health and wellbeing within the University student community.
• ANUSA supports and represents undergraduate and ANU College students
• PARSA supports and represents postgraduate and research students