Contemporary Political Science

The scientific approach finally began to dominate the field after the mid-20th century. Political scientists polished their skills in applying the methods of social science, including public opinion surveys, content analysis, statistical techniques, and other means of collecting and systematically analyzing political data. Some political scientists developed sophisticated models of human activity to guide their research, frequently drawing on computer technology for concepts as well as hardware.

Others created a burgeoning subfield of policy analysis, which they promoted as an independent discipline. It calls for the mastery of scientific methods to enable policy analysts to judge what alternatives would and would not work in coping with public problems.