Goals, Tools, and Trade-offs Flashcards
What are the overarching goals shared by positivist researchers?
Descriptive and causal inferences.
What is an important goal for positivist qualitative researchers that can contribute to the overarching goals of descriptive and causal inference?
Refining theory.
What did KKV advise against in their critique of qualitative research?
- “No variance” designs (analysing only one or a few cases)
- Focusing research on concepts that maximise measurement validity and reliability, and avoiding organising data with typologies
- Selecting cases that do not represent the population (non-random selection)
- Using “deterministic” (set-relational) notions of causation
What were some problems identified with KKV’s advice to avoid “no variance” designs?
- It can limit research to questions addressable with statistical data, hindering relevant research.
- It can prioritise research practices that improve inference but not necessarily innovation.
According to the source, how do qualitative practices contribute to innovative questions and areas of research?
By identifying and studying deviant cases.
What are some problems with KKV’s advice to focus on concepts that maximise measurement validity and reliability?
- It can lead to ignoring questions involving important but difficult-to-measure concepts.
- Typologies and research on concept formation can contribute to causal inference by identifying causal heterogeneity.
What are some benefits of purposive (non-random) case selection in qualitative research?
- Rigorous within-case analysis
- Hypothesis formation or theory refinement
- Concept formation through a few cases
- Analysing comparable cases without stretching their comparability
- Comparing cases that are not obviously “cases” (changing the unit of analysis)
What are some potential problems with assuming a representative sample in quantitative research using a dataset of all countries from 1800 to 2020?
- The assumption that countries are perfectly comparable, such as countries in Western Europe and Africa.
- The assumption that different periods are comparable.
What is the issue with KKV’s advice against using set-relational notions of causation?
It does not provide a way to evaluate hypotheses and theories formulated in terms of set relations, which are often used in comparative case studies.
What is the correct terminology to distinguish different approaches to causation?
Correlational versus set-relational causation.
List the different forms of set-relational causal relationships
- Sufficiency
- Necessity
- Necessity AND sufficiency
- Equifinality
- Conjunctural causation
- INUS conditions
- SUIN conditions
What does it mean for X to be a sufficient condition of Y?
If X occurs, then Y will also occur.
What does it mean for X to be a necessary condition of Y?
If Y occurs, then X must have also occurred.
What is equifinality?
When more than one path can lead to the same outcome.
What is conjunctural causation?
When two conditions together are sufficient to produce an outcome, but neither condition alone is sufficient.
What are INUS conditions?
- A combination of equifinality and conjunctural causation where:
– Each path is a conjunctural cause
– Conditions in each conjunctural cause are insufficient but necessary for the conjuncture (IN-)
– The conjunctures are unnecessary but sufficient for the outcome (-US)
In what type of analysis are INUS conditions commonly used?
Comparative-historical analysis.
What are SUIN conditions?
A way of theorising sequences of causes where sufficient conditions lead to subsequent necessary conditions.
How does a case study differ from a historical study?
- Historical studies embrace the richness of reality.
- Case studies focus on aspects of reality relevant to a theoretical or policy discussion.
What are the different objectives of case studies?
- Ideographic: Describe, explain, interpret, and/or understand a single case as an end in itself.
- Hypothesis-generating: Propose or refine a theory.
- Hypothesis-testing: Test hypotheses using process tracing, structured comparisons, or crucial cases.
- Plausibility probe: Explore elements of a case before engaging in broader research.
What are some case selection criteria in qualitative research?
- Extreme: Cases clearly show the values of interest in the IV or DV.
- Variation: Cases illustrate relevant variation in IV or DV.
What is the risk of selection bias in case selection?
It can lead to over- or under-estimation of theoretical claims or causal relationships without a proper sense of scope.
When is selection bias not a problem?
- When the broader conversation is clear, such as when falsifying necessary or sufficient causes.
- Within-case analysis focusing on mechanisms.
What is a crucial case design?
A design that selects the hardest and easiest cases for a hypothesis or theory (most-likely and least-likely cases).
What is a deviant case design?
A design that selects anomalies of a theory to refine it or understand its scope conditions.
What are the two main types of structured comparisons in comparative designs?
- Most Similar Systems design
- Most Different Systems design
What is the logic of Most Similar Systems design?
If alternative conditions (context) are similar across cases but the outcomes differ, then the difference in the hypothesised condition must explain the outcome divergence.
What is the logic of Most Different Systems design?
If alternative conditions (context) are different across cases but the outcomes are similar, then the similarity in the hypothesised condition must explain the outcome convergence.
What are some potential issues with comparative designs?
- Comparability: Cases must be “reasonably” comparable, and the author must demonstrate their theoretical relevance.
- Complex causation: When used for complex phenomena, conjunctural causation and equifinality must be considered.
