Zinnes attended the
University of Michigan Her thesis was entitled
Expression and perception of hostility in inter-state relations. She then became a professor at the University of Illinois. There, she founded and directed the Merriam Laboratory for Analytic Political Research. In 1976, Zinnes published the book
Contemporary Research in International Relations: A Perspective and a Critical Appraisal. In
Contemporary Research in International Relations, Zinnes advocated for a new emphasis on theory development and refinement in international relations research, in contrast to the ad-hoc style of hypothesis testing that she argued characterized the field at the time. Zinnes has also edited or co-edited several of books, many of which relate to the use of mathematical modeling and quantitative analysis in international relations research. These include co-editing the 1976 book
Quantitative International Politics: An Appraisal with Francis W. Hoole and co-editing
Mathematical Systems in International Relations Research with John V. Gillespie in 1977. Other books that she co-edited on international relations topics include
Cumulation in International Relations Research (1981) and
Conflict Processes and the Breakdown of International Systems (1983). Zinnes was president of the
International Studies Association in the 1980–1981 term. She was the first woman to hold this position, She was also the president of the
Midwest Political Science Association in 1982, and of the Peace Science Society in 1989. Zinnes has been the editor of a number of journals, including the
American Political Science Review from 1981 to 1985. ==Selected works==