Monte Carlo simulations in the teaching of Political Science

Abstract

Teaching how causal mechanisms or statistical models work is often a difficult endeavor, even more so when there are no obvious ways to exemplify what is being taught. In this article, we show how Monte Carlo Simulations (SMC) can be employed in Political Science classes to overcome these problems. After a brief introduction to the method, we discuss practical application of simulations that can be used to shed light on abstract concepts and phenomena that are hard to measure. Additionally, we give examples of how simulations help to explain intuitively what consequences the misuse of statistical models might entail. Finally, we also provide step-by-step instructions to reproduce our examples using R and a web application (Shiny app) that can be easily adapted for teaching purposes.

Keywords:
Monte Carlo methods; Political Science; political methodology