Morris: We all have our own personal views on politics. But when I tell someone I'm a political scientist, they only think of the political. They don't think of the scientific aspect of it, and that's what we're trying to instill in our students as much as possible.

You're taking a scientific, objective approach in your study and in your writing. So we try to say strip away the personal opinion. Strip away the speculation, and you're trying to address a question-- a research question in the prompt.

Baumgartner: And the real challenge in political science is, after you say that, then you say, "Now, you can have your own original cut or take on this empirical question."

Morris: Mm-hmm.

Baumgartner: That's a really fine line to walk.