When political figures go at it in intense debate, do you ever find yourself somewhat lost? Have you ever wondered where exactly you lie on the political spectrum? Are you “politically homeless?”

If your idea of the political spectrum comes from your average viewing of “Hannity and Colmes” or “Crossfire,” you might think that there exists only left and right, Republicans and Democrats, with some oddball third parties thrown in for flavor.

In theory, conservatives (Republicans) favor economic liberty while restricting personal freedoms for the good of the community while liberals (Democrats) favor the opposite: great personal freedom while restricting economic freedom for the sake of social equity.

Yet on first glance, one is inclined to wonder why other coherent philosophies cannot exist in the same spectrum – for instance, people that value both personal and economic freedom (libertarians) or those who feel that centrally-planned government is a more efficient system (socialists).

In fact, the political spectrum is not a one-dimensional line of liberal and conservative, but rather a two-dimensional grid with axes of economic freedom (“left” to “right”) and personal freedom, the power of the state over individuals (authoritarianism versus libertarianism).

So where do you stand? Two simple tests on the Internet can help you find the answer – The Political Compass (www.politicalcompass.org) and “The World’s Smallest Political Quiz” ( www.self-gov.org), hosted by the Advocates for Self-Government.

One would expect to find the Republican Party in the top-right, the Democratic Party in the bottom-left, the Libertarian Party in the bottom-right, and the socialist parties in the top-left. Daily columnists who tend to write about politics and social issues took the test, and their results are on the graph.

The first step to getting involved in the relevant political affairs in our nation is to know where you stand – how will you stack up?

Steve Skutnik is senior in physics from Palm Harbor, Fla.