1. [title of your research project]
[author]
INST 381
[semester] [year]

2. Research Question [Empirical puzzle or theoretical debate]
[photo, picture, or infographics optional]

3. Causal Theory
Literature Review
[Your contribution]

4. Hypotheses
Hypothesis 1:
[all else being equal, ...]
Hypothesis 2:

5. Dependent Variable
Conceptual definition: []
Operational definition:

6. Independent Variable(s)
Conceptual definition: []
Operational definition:

7. The Data [brief description/citation of the data]
[principal investigators]
[geographic coverage]
[time period/date of collection]
[unit of observation, e.g. individuals, states ...]
[sampling method]
[how the data was collected]

8. Descriptive Statistics
Variables
min
mean
median
max
standard deviation
% missing
[varname]

9. [descriptive charts optional]
[bar, line, histogram, and/or scatterplot ...]

10. Regression Model
[name of dependent variable] = β0 + β1*[name of 1st independent variable] + β2*[name of 2nd independent variable] + β3*[possible interaction between two independent variables if applicable] + β4*[name of another independent or control variable in the regression model] + [...]

11. [sample] Regression Results
variables
Coefficient estimate
Standard error
(Constant)
12.325***
(3.194)
11.785***
(3.187)
11.316***
(3.199)
[variable]
0.389***
(0.074)
0.354***
(0.073)
(0.072)
-2.010*
(1.023)
-1.910
(1.021)
(1.029)
4.887*
(2.454)
4.239
(2.544)
-0.020
(0.020)
-0.019
...
R-square
0.133
0.156
0.177 N
200
*: p<0.1; **: p<0.05; ***: p<0.01

12. Estimated Regression Equation(s)
[name of dependent variable] = [value of coefficient estimate] + [value of coefficient estimate]*[name of 1st independent variable] + [value of coefficient estimate]*[name of 2nd independent variable] + [value of coefficient estimate]*[name of another independent or control variable in the regression model] + [...]
[if interaction write two separate equations]

13. Interpret the Regression Results
The regression coefficient for [1st independent variable] is [/not] statistically significant at the 5 per cent level.
Controlling for the other variables, a one-unit increase in the [1st independent variable] is associated with a [value of the coefficient estimate] [increase/decrease] in the [name of the dependent variable].

14. Interpret the Regression Results
The regression coefficient for [2nd independent variable] is [/not] statistically significant at the 5 per cent level.
Controlling for the other variables, a one-unit increase in the [2nd independent variable] is associated with a [value of the coefficient estimate] [increase/decrease] in the [name of the dependent variable].

15. Interpret the Regression Results
[other interesting findings from the regression, such as changes in the value of adjusted R-square, coefficient estimates for interaction terms and/or for other control variables].

16. Bibliography
[four references (academic journal articles, book chapters, etc.]