Ch. 3: Asking Questions in Political Science Flashcards
Analytical Research Question
A special type of research question that requires explanation, analysis, and interpretation and that often produces answers that lead to additional questions
Antecedent Variable
A variable that is present prior to the variables included in the analysis
Binary Variable
A variable containing only two categories
Correlation
An empirical relationship between variables
Dependent Variable
What is being explained through research
Independent Variable
A variable used to explain variation in a dependent variable
Interval measurement
A type of measurement in which the distance between values on a variable is the same
Intervening variable
A variable that interacts with an independent variable in some way to produce an effect on the dependent variable
Nominal Measurement
A type of measurement in which observations are placed into discrete categories that do not have an inherent order and are not analyzed in terms of less than or more than statements
Ordinal Measurement
A type of measurement in which observations are placed into categories for which the ordering of the values representing the categories has meaning
Quantification
Turning words into numbers so that variables can be systemically analyzed
Ratio Measurement
A type of measurement in which the distance between values can be meaningfully assessed, but unlike variables with interval measurement, variables with ratio measurement have a true zero associated with them
Research Population
A group of observations that has a particular set of attributes or characteristics in common
Unit of Analysis
Specifies what is being studied and the level at which data are collected for each of the variables in an analysis
Variables
Attributes or characteristics that can vary across observation
