Revision history for StatePCTGuide
Additions:
The State Core Political Courage Test will undergo a different question selection process-however the objective, to select the most relevant, meaningful questions, remains the same. Unlike the Federal Political Courage Test research process, the State Core PCT research process is broken down into more systematic steps to ensure the highest quality of research collection and analysis.
It would also be helpful to ask for staff input on the State Core PCT. Send out a google form like [[https://docs.google.com/forms/d/18zC7j7zJi1hhCNGV9oLR7J_tERAgy9vP9E77FlgkDI4/edit?usp=drive_web this one]] with each question and ask if it should stay, be removed, or be reworded and ask for any further thoughts. Provide between 2-4 weeks for staff to give feedback, and maybe coincide this with the research the PCT team and the Elections Director are doing.
1. Researchers will start with the most recent State Core Political Courage Test. Each researcher will be assigned a category or a set of categories and will be responsible for investigating each question.
- 2-3 Polls: These polls should be as specific to the question as possible (this may be challenging for highly policy-specific questions).
- 2-3 Party Platforms: Evidence from national and state party platforms should be as specific to the question as possible (this may be challenging for highly policy-specific questions).
- 1-3 News articles: News articles should contextualize and define the specific issues. News articles should be drawn from reputable, national news sources, major metropolitan papers, and regional outlets.
3. Information should be compiled and formatted according to department formatting standards. [[https://docs.google.com/document/d/1CfiSKtnZV00yu0H1AqA2ppQ4_sWi0rBDQrPIXcqxXFQ/edit Here]] is what we used for the 2023 State Core questions.
4. Beyond the other two documents (spreadsheet to capture data, word doc to explain data), a document with your justifications should be kept. This will categorize how many pieces of evidence you collected and what they are, along with a short description of the issue, and why the researcher thinks that it is important to keep the question or get rid of it. This will help during the initial process of weeding out questions because the data capture will give you a quick look at how much attention the question really is getting. In previous cycles, we organized it by questions we cut, re-word, and add to the current test. Below is the format we used:
Edits and Justifications
Current Question:
(New Question if reword):
Justification:
Evidence:
5. Once the previous year's test questions have been evaluated, the researcher may begin researching questions that were not on the previous year's test. The researcher may propose question language (however, the final language of a question will be determined by consensus with the PCT team and the Elections Director) and will compile/evaluate the data in the same way that was done for previous year's tests.
6. When a researcher completes their sets of categories, the Elections Director will take a look at it and ensure that the question language and justifications are up to the standards set (nonpartisan, binary answers, etc.) for PCT questions.
//**State-Specific Modifications**//
The state-level Political Courage Test should be modified to reflect the testing state. Most of the questions on the state-level test should be ubiquitous and applicable regardless of the current status of the issue in that state.
For every state PCT, you should include 2-3 questions that are specific to that state. It could be a controversial bill moving through the legislature. It could be something in the political culture. Could also be about a ballot measure (one example from 2022 was a constitutional amendment in Vermont to remove slavery from the state constitution). Some examples would be: a question on Texas’ 2022 PCT about the grid failure the year before, or gambling in New Jersey for that state’s 2023 PCT.
It is also useful to modify the state to include the name of the state throughout the questions. Many of the questions, such as the questions about sex/gender discrimination laws, or the minimum wage, are applicable to all states, so be sure in the State Core to just put a blank “_____” for the state, but **please** remember to put the state’s name in when you’re finalizing the entire State PCT.
State-Specific questions should be written after the State Core is–it is up to the discretion of the Elections Director, but you should at least have the Core questions written and in the approval process. You cannot do the approval process for state specific questions until the State Core is fully approved by the President and Board.
It would also be helpful to ask for staff input on the State Core PCT. Send out a google form like [[https://docs.google.com/forms/d/18zC7j7zJi1hhCNGV9oLR7J_tERAgy9vP9E77FlgkDI4/edit?usp=drive_web this one]] with each question and ask if it should stay, be removed, or be reworded and ask for any further thoughts. Provide between 2-4 weeks for staff to give feedback, and maybe coincide this with the research the PCT team and the Elections Director are doing.
1. Researchers will start with the most recent State Core Political Courage Test. Each researcher will be assigned a category or a set of categories and will be responsible for investigating each question.
- 2-3 Polls: These polls should be as specific to the question as possible (this may be challenging for highly policy-specific questions).
- 2-3 Party Platforms: Evidence from national and state party platforms should be as specific to the question as possible (this may be challenging for highly policy-specific questions).
- 1-3 News articles: News articles should contextualize and define the specific issues. News articles should be drawn from reputable, national news sources, major metropolitan papers, and regional outlets.
3. Information should be compiled and formatted according to department formatting standards. [[https://docs.google.com/document/d/1CfiSKtnZV00yu0H1AqA2ppQ4_sWi0rBDQrPIXcqxXFQ/edit Here]] is what we used for the 2023 State Core questions.
4. Beyond the other two documents (spreadsheet to capture data, word doc to explain data), a document with your justifications should be kept. This will categorize how many pieces of evidence you collected and what they are, along with a short description of the issue, and why the researcher thinks that it is important to keep the question or get rid of it. This will help during the initial process of weeding out questions because the data capture will give you a quick look at how much attention the question really is getting. In previous cycles, we organized it by questions we cut, re-word, and add to the current test. Below is the format we used:
Edits and Justifications
Current Question:
(New Question if reword):
Justification:
Evidence:
5. Once the previous year's test questions have been evaluated, the researcher may begin researching questions that were not on the previous year's test. The researcher may propose question language (however, the final language of a question will be determined by consensus with the PCT team and the Elections Director) and will compile/evaluate the data in the same way that was done for previous year's tests.
6. When a researcher completes their sets of categories, the Elections Director will take a look at it and ensure that the question language and justifications are up to the standards set (nonpartisan, binary answers, etc.) for PCT questions.
//**State-Specific Modifications**//
The state-level Political Courage Test should be modified to reflect the testing state. Most of the questions on the state-level test should be ubiquitous and applicable regardless of the current status of the issue in that state.
For every state PCT, you should include 2-3 questions that are specific to that state. It could be a controversial bill moving through the legislature. It could be something in the political culture. Could also be about a ballot measure (one example from 2022 was a constitutional amendment in Vermont to remove slavery from the state constitution). Some examples would be: a question on Texas’ 2022 PCT about the grid failure the year before, or gambling in New Jersey for that state’s 2023 PCT.
It is also useful to modify the state to include the name of the state throughout the questions. Many of the questions, such as the questions about sex/gender discrimination laws, or the minimum wage, are applicable to all states, so be sure in the State Core to just put a blank “_____” for the state, but **please** remember to put the state’s name in when you’re finalizing the entire State PCT.
State-Specific questions should be written after the State Core is–it is up to the discretion of the Elections Director, but you should at least have the Core questions written and in the approval process. You cannot do the approval process for state specific questions until the State Core is fully approved by the President and Board.
Deletions:
1. Researchers will start with the most recent State Core Political Courage Test. Each researcher will be assigned a category and will be responsible for investigating each question.
3-5 Polls: These polls should be as specific to the question as possible (this may be challenging for highly policy-specific questions).
5-10 key addresses: Key addresses include State of the State addresses, Responses to State of the State addresses, or other major addresses by governors or leaders in the state legislature.
2-5 Party Platforms: Evidence from national and state party platforms should be as specific to the question as possible (this may be challenging for highly policy-specific questions).
7-10 News articles: News articles should contextualize and define the specific issues. News articles should be drawn from reputable, national news sources, major metropolitan papers, and regional outlets.
3. Information should be compiled and formatted according to department formatting standards (see the end of this document for citation guidelines). The most relevant information should be copied and pasted below the formatted citation. See excerpt from 2010 State Core Defense for examples.
4. The researcher will include the following table below each question, providing reviewers with a synopsis of the available data:
@@DATA REVIEW@@
@@# of Citations|Sufficient/Insufficient| Notes/Suggestions@@
Polls
Speeches
Policy Reports
Party Platforms
Media
Notes/Suggestions: This section should be used to argue for the question's continued inclusion or exclusion on the 2012 test. If the data does not satisfy our requirements for question inclusion, the researcher may argue for why an exception to these standards should be made.
5. Once the previous year's test questions have been evaluated, the researcher may begin researching questions that were not on the previous year's test. The researcher may propose question language (however, the final language of a question will be determined by department consensus) and will compile/evaluate the data in the same way that was done for previous year's tests (including the construction of a data review rubric).
6. When a researcher completes a category (3-7 days), the researcher will submit the report to his/her supervisor. The supervisor will review the content of the report, addressing any major issues with the researcher. The report will then be submitted to the department, which will shortly thereafter convene to discuss the merits and demerits of each question. The director will take the report and any feedback from other researchers into consideration before making the final question selection.
State-Specific Modifications
The state-level Political Courage Test should be modified to reflect the testing state. Most of the questions on the state-level test should be ubiquitous and applicable regardless of the current status of the issue in that state. There are a few exceptions, which should be clearly noted on the State Core.
The primary exception is the Budget, Spending, and Tax Issues section, which asks candidates to note their ideal tax levels. Researchers must investigate the current tax laws in each state to determine whether or not those taxes exist. Many states do not have income tax, sales tax, or property tax and it is important that the test reflect those nuances.
It is also useful to modify the state to include the name of the state throughout the questions. This personalizes the Test, however the researcher (and checkers) must take care to make sure that the state listed is correct.
