Flo Linke

Module Directorships

In the academic year 25/26 I am directing the following modules:

• PO11Q: Introduction to Quantitative Political Analysis I
• PO12Q: Introduction to Quantitative Political Analysis II
• PO33Q: Determinants of Democracy
• PO91Q: Fundamentals of Quantitative Research

Seminar Companions

I am teaching all of my modules that contain a quantitative component with an online seminar companion. This way, all materials are presented in order and in context. This approach is also environmentally friendlier than weekly paper handouts and allows students to utilise the code I provide more easily.

Please note that these are password-protected and only available to students registered on the respective module.

• PO11Q: Introduction to Quantitative Political Analysis I
• PO12Q: Introduction to Quantitative Political Analysis II
• PO33Q: Determinants of Democracy
• PO91Q: Fundamentals of Quantitative Research

Flashcards

Learning R is a lot like picking up a new language — you have to build up your vocabulary and keep practicing it. To this end, I have created Flashcards which contain the functions covered on each of my modules, divided into weekly content.

• Module Flashcards

Shiny Apps

Both for my day-to-day teaching and for my textbook, I have written a few R Shiny applications with the following topics:

• Calculate descriptive statistics for up to five observations
• How mean and standard deviation affect the shape of a distribution
• How mean, median, and mode affect the shape of a distribution
• How sample size affects the shape of the t-distribution and critical t-values
• How sample size and sample standard deviation affect the width of a confidence interval
• How effect size, sample size, and power shape inference
• Calculations with a 2 x 2 crosstabulation
• Explore correlation and see how Pearson’s r responds to different shapes, amounts of noise, and sample sizes.
• Calculating OLS estimates with up to 5 observations
• Calculating with Matrices
• Explore the effect of functional misspecification, heteroscedasticity, and collinearity
• How do the values of β₀ and β₁ influence the shape of the cumulative distribution function (CDF) in Logistic Regression

Please note that these are web-based applications and might therefore take a moment to load.

Online Tutorials

Together with a former student and research assistant, Piotr Bogdański, I have written two online tutorials. The first, “Academic Writing with LaTeX”, provides students who are interested in presenting their writing in a professional manner with an introduction to LaTeX. The second, “Analysing Quantitative Data with R”, is an attempt to help students who do not wish to take a formal module or wish to brush up their skills with an opportunity to learn working with R.

• Academic Writing with LaTeX
• Analysing Quantitative Data with R

Teaching Philosophy

I love teaching methods, research design, and comparative politics. Whilst methods often come with the reputation of being dry or intimidating, I see them as the foundation of political science. They not only allow us to evaluate and critique existing work, but also give us the tools to carry out excellent research ourselves. Without methods, a large part of the comparative politics literature – and indeed much of the discipline – would remain inaccessible. I like to think of methods as opening the door to knowledge. Once that door is open, students are free to explore, evaluate, and ultimately contribute to the debates that matter. This is not only true in the context of university degrees, but also in the world beyond. Methods, and especially the quantitative variety, represent transferable skills which make those who possess them a rare and much sought-after commodity on the labour market.

As a guide for my teaching, I am a big fan of this quote from Albert Einstein: “Everything should be made as simple as possible. But not simpler.” In practice, this means I do not want my students to simply learn how to apply a technique in R or any other software. Instead, I want them to look “under the hood” and understand how the method works. This deeper understanding is what allows them to judge whether the results produced by a statistical program are sensible, and what empowers them to become independent researchers. My ultimate goal is for students to be producers of knowledge, not just consumers. At the same time, I remind them that mastery requires patience. Becoming comfortable with methods takes time and effort, and the learning curve can sometimes feel steep.

I know that many students approach methods with a sense of trepidation, often because of the maths these inevitably involve. To help reduce that anxiety, I aim to provide as many supportive resources as possible. These include videos that students can watch at their own pace, flashcards for key terms and concepts, and detailed glossaries that they can return to throughout the module. But I also believe strongly that teaching is more than just providing materials: it is about building dialogue. In lectures, I involve students by asking questions and encouraging participation. In seminars, I see myself more as a facilitator than a lecturer, creating the space for students to come prepared, drive discussions, and take ownership of their learning. The dialogue continues in office hours where I take the time to work through difficult topics and ensure that each student feels supported and heard.

I also view teaching as a process of constant reflection and adaptation. Many of the features I now use in my teaching – such as flashcards, full glossaries, or interactive activities – have come directly from student feedback. I take seriously what students tell me about what helps them learn and try to adapt accordingly. Teaching, for me, is not static but dynamic. Just as I expect students to develop their skills over time, I also strive to keep improving my teaching practice.

Ultimately, I want my students to leave my classes not only with stronger technical skills, but also with confidence. I want them to see methods not as an obstacle, but as a set of tools that enable them to ask better questions, evaluate evidence critically, and contribute their own ideas to the field. If they leave my courses feeling more curious, more capable, and more empowered to engage with research, then I have done my job.

What are Quantitative Methods?

To answer this question, I have put together a little video with Prof Ulf Liebe from Sociology:

Textbooks

I am currently writing two (yes, two) textbooks for Oxford University Press titled:

• "Introduction to Quantitative Methods in the Social Sciences - with R", and
• "Introduction to Quantitative Methods in the Social Sciences - with SPSS".

With the research process at its heart, the book explores how quantitative methods can be used to answer research questions in the social sciences. In a personable and engaging style, the author introduces students to quantitative methods and how to implement them in the software R. With practical, cutting-edge pedagogical features, it turns the often-dreaded word “statistics” into a fun and rewarding experience. Anticipated publication: 2026.

Feedback from reviewers to date:

• "One of the best books in quants and RStudio I have read (so far)."
• "A splendid book by an author whose writing makes you like him and want to stick with it."
• "I am really very impressed by the quality and clarity of expression and communication in these chapters. I would be very happy to have this author teach my students!"
• "It is much more conversational and accessible than the style in Imai, with more examples for each concept."

Conference Papers

• Spurious Conclusions: The Implications of Missing Data on Global Studies of Modernisation
• Modernisation Revisited: The Case of sub-Saharan Africa

UG, MA, and PhD Dissertation Supervision

I welcome requests pertaining to the areas of:

• Comparative Politics
• Quantitative Methods
• Democratisation
• Autocratic Survival

Office Hours, Term 1, 2025/26

• Tuesdays, 10:45 - 11:45 AM
• Tuesdays, 14:30 - 15:30 AM

Personal Tutor Meetings

Personal Tutor appointments are now available to book.

Please note that these meetings will take place online. Please join the meeting at the time of your appointment. To do this, open MS Teams, and select "Calendar" from the navigation bar on the left. Click on the meeting, and then "Join". I will join as soon as I can, but might be running a little late.

Reference Request Policy

At the University of Warwick, we believe that there is a positive obligation to respond to a request for a reference where reasonably requested from a student for employment and / or academic purposes. To optimise this, and to ensure the completion of references on time, and that best reflect the duty of care we have to our students, this process needs to be carefully managed.

So, what’s the setup?

I do not provide references unless you have informed me well in advance that you require a reference. Out of courtesy and in your own interest, this should be no less than 15 working days (Saturday and Sunday, as well as Bank Holidays do not count as working days) from when I would be expected to receive contact from the reference addressee.

The notification should take the form of an email with

• an attached CV
• an attached copy of your HEAR statement (available through "myWarwick")
• an attached copy of your cover letter for each position sought. In the absence of a cover letter, an outline of
  • your motivation for the position
  • why you think you are suitable for this position
  • what you are bringing to the position
  • how this position is going to benefit / influence your future development / career

It is best practice to follow this up with a meeting in my advice and feedback hours. You can book an appointment here. The notification period and the attached documents will allow me to write the most helpful reference possible.

Failure to notify me in good time and with the correct documentation risks seriously undermining the quality of the reference and could result in a missed deadline for the reference submission. Whilst I have a duty of care as an academic to you as a student, a legal duty of care also exists towards the addressee who has sought the reference.

Note for Personal Tutees

I am always happy to support my personal tutees by providing academic references, provided you observe the above guidance. However, please bear in mind that if I have not taught you, my knowledge of your academic work will be limited to the short meetings we have each year.

In many cases, a colleague who has taught you directly—especially in seminars—will be able to write a much richer and more detailed reference than I can. This is important, because the recipient of a reference would usually expect that a student approaches the most suitable person to provide one. If I leave details out because I do not know them, this may lead them to wonder why such information has been omitted.

For this reason, I encourage you to reflect carefully on whether I am the best person to write your reference. Choosing the most appropriate referee will help ensure your strengths are presented in the best possible light.

Please note that under no circumstances do I provide references for personal tutees who have not attended their personal tutee meeting of the current academic term.