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Research Design for Political Science > Up to Exam 1 > Flashcards

Up to Exam 1 Flashcards

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1
Q

Empirical Issues

A

observable and factual investigations

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2
Q

Normative Issues

A

Issues involving judgement and ethics

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3
Q

Postbehavioralism**

A

Alternative to traditionalism and behavioralism

David Easton
Solely looking at behavior is irresponsible

Postbehavioralists warned, political science would produce data that were scientifically reliable (empirically observed) but irrelevant.

It is not value free because understanding comes from observation, not ethical assessments

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4
Q

David Easton

A

Politics is always in a world of flux, tension and transitions. Politics is the decision making over the worlds resources.
Postbehavioralist

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5
Q

Behavioralists

A

Became popular after WWII
Charles Merriam

Examining the actual BEHAVIOR of political officials, not the rules they go by.

The Behavioralists approach to congress would be studying the actual congress men and women, such as how much time they devote to writing law, interacting with lobbyists, raising money for reelection, giving speeches ect.

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6
Q

Case Studies

A

investigation of a specific phenomenon or entity
allows for an in depth examination of phenomenon
minimizes idols because of isolated data

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7
Q

Survey Research

A

most popular
questionares or interviews
limitations: types of questions asked, demographics, biases

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8
Q

Experiments **

A

Test and control groups

participants are randomly assigned to either the treatment or the control group

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9
Q

Quasi-Experiments**

A

Observation in an uncontrolled environment
participants are not assigned randomly to a treatment or control group in a quasi-experiment.
field experiment

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10
Q

Indirect Quantitive Analysis

A

data is already compiled by others

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11
Q

Operational Definitions

A

a definition so precise that it allows for Empirical testing.

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12
Q

Hypothesis

A

a statement proposing a specific relationship between phenomena

Proposes a relationship that will be tested with empirical observations of the variables
Educated guess on how an independent variable is thought to affect, influence or alter a dependent variable

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13
Q

Independent and Dependent Variables

A

Independent variable are those that act on or affect something
Dependent variables are what the hypothesis presents as being acted on by the

Age example: age is independent because it effects the level of voting, level of voting is dependent.

Second Amendment: party affiliation is the independent variable because it effects being in favor or out of favor of the second amendment, favorability is dependent variable

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14
Q

Correlation

A

Relationship in which changes in one variable appear when there are changes in another variable
higher approval rates of the second amendment appears in members of the Republican Party in the US

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15
Q

Causation

A

Indisputable
we cannot say that being a part of the Republican Party in the US absolutely proves that someone approves of the second amendment

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16
Q

Six Steps of the Scientific Method in Political Science

A

Formulating Hypothesis-

Operational Definitions- a definition so precise that it allows for Empirical testing.

Identifying independent and dependent variables

Clarifying measurement criteria

Distinguishing the difference between correlation and causation

developing scientific theories - can free us from “idols”

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17
Q

Hawthorne Effect

A

behavior changes based on environment

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18
Q

Rosenthal Effect

A

confirmation bias

our actions confirm our own beliefs

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19
Q

Empirical Research Methods

A

a set of procedures that employ scientific principles and techniques
the dominant approach to research although it is controversial in and out of political science

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20
Q

Questions to a systematic, empirical inquiry

A

1) How did they arrive at their conclusions?
2) was their method sound?
3) what sorts of evidence support their thesis?
4) should we take their word simply because the authors are well known scholars?
5) Is someone else examined the problem, would they come to the same conclusion?

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21
Q

Interpretation

A

the effort to see how people understand, use, and react to language, symbols and social institutions and rules

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22
Q

Interpretationists

A

want to get inside people’s heads, as it were to see how they, not the researcher, comprehend the world.

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23
Q

The Research Process

A

Curiosity and Necessity Are the primary motives underlying human inquiry

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24
Q

Empirical Analysis

A

deals with how and what we know

Concerned with developing and using common objective language to describe and explain political reality

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25
Q

Normative Analysis

A

deals with how we should use our knowledge

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26
Q

Quantitative

A

statistical comparisons of the characteristics of various objects

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27
Q

Qualitative

A

researcher’s informed understanding of the same objects or cases

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28
Q

The Operationalization of Theory

A

operationalization- the conversion or redefinition of our relatively abstract theoretical notions not concrete terms that will allow us actually to measure whatever it is we are after
Moving from the conceptual level of thinking to the operational level of deciding how to solve it.

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29
Q

Research Methods Theories

A

1) Pick an appropriate research question
2) is a question worthy or research because it fulfills a scientific need or basic need
3) will the answer help us deal with one or another of the problems faced by our society. can it be applied?

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30
Q

Feasibility

A

stage of the research process at which we prepare to actually go into the real world. We must assure ourselves that whatever method or technique we select can be properly employed under any condition we may face

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31
Q

Generalizability

A

the ability to generalize or extend our conclusions with some confidence from the observed behavior of a few cases to the behavior of an entire population

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32
Q

sampling procedure

A

we can decide which few of many cases we can study to come to conclusions that might apply to the entire population of cases

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33
Q

reactivity

A

Reactivity occurs when the subject of the study (e.g. survey respondent) is affected either by the instruments of the study or the individuals conducting the study in a way that changes whatever is being measured.

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34
Q

Questions concerning the analysis of data

A

are the two variables statistically related?
how are the variables related?
how likely is it that the relationship of the variables in a small pool of cases also be found in a large population of cases?

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35
Q

Interpretation of the Results

A

What have we discovered?
What is the substantive importance of our findings?
How do these results square with our expectations?

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36
Q

Empirical Generalization

A

summarizes relations between individual facts

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37
Q

coincidence v correlation v causality

A

I walk under a ladder and notice and get all fizzled then I stub my toe

I walk under a ladder, get all fizzled, stub my toe, then ask was I looking at the ladder instead of the ground? I was obsessed about having bad luck?
Did I choose to act differently than I otherwise would have?

I walk under a ladder, get all fizzled, and then I stub my toe. The ladder is the proximate cause but my actions are the direct cause.

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38
Q

Explanatory Knowledge

A

it can be predictive by offering a systematic, reasoned anticipation of future events.
Explanations give scientific reasons or justifications for why certain outcomes is to be expected

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39
Q

Parsimony

A

simplicity. the simpler, the better.
the simplest of two explanations
Ockham’s razor

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40
Q

-Exploratory research-

A

an inadequate knowledge of the facts could fundamentally misdirect theory-building efforts

pre-research research.
designed to establish the facts in a. given case. Helps determine the best research design.

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41
Q

-patterns-**

A

characteristics and motives
knowing pattens will help with insight but to develop explanation of why someone could do something in order to frame our explanation

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42
Q

-induction-

A

Evidence to generalization
generalizing from what we have observed to what we have not or cannot observe
induction forms the basis of the scientific theory
theories built through inductions are said to be empirically grounded

All republicans in Iowa are conservative therefore all republicans are conservative

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43
Q

-deduction-

A

Generalizations to evidence and concrete statements
abstract to the concrete and specific
The Republican Party attracts only conservatives therefore all Republicans in Iowa will be conservative

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44
Q

Assumptions

A

the conditions under which we expect the tentative explanation we have reached to be supported by evidence
assumptions allow us to explain specific behavior by showing that it follows logically from a set of theoretical assumptions
the reverse of inductive reasoning

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45
Q

survey v case study

A

survey is when a researcher gathers data through interviews or questionnaires of an entire population or large sample
case study is a study of an individual, group, or specific phenomenon

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46
Q

explanatory and pattern

A

knowledge as to WHY something happens

patterns are characteristics and motives which could help explain why one would do something

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47
Q

induction v deduction

A

evidence to generalization v

abstract to specific and concrete

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48
Q

The dominant methodological perspective in political science is

A

Empiricism

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49
Q

Scientists believe that their findings are based on __________, systematic observation.

A

Objective

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50
Q

A __________ statement is one that can, in principle, be rejected in the face of contravening empirical evidence.

A

falsifiable

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51
Q

Normative knowledge that is evaluative, value laden, and concerned with prescribing what ought to be.

A

True

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52
Q

Cumulative knowledge, with respect to the scientific method, is

A

Based upon the result of prior studies

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53
Q

The term parsimony refers to

A

the simplest explanation

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54
Q

A theory is defined as

A

A body of statements that systemize knowledge and explain phenomena

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55
Q

Political scientists who believe that a proper goal of social science is to critique and improve society (by making it more just and humane) rather than merely understand or explain what is going on embrace

A

critical theory

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56
Q

Global or broad range theories might include theories of each of the following topics except
A. International relations
B. The rise and fall of civilizations
C. The spread of democracy
D. Role of revolution in political development

A

role of revolution in political development

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57
Q

Each of the following is a basic standard for judging scientific theories, except

A. Claims are normative
B. Assumptions and axioms are clearly separated from propositions and hypotheses
C. Claims can be verified
D. Claims provide general explanation and add to existing knowledge

A

claims are normative

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58
Q

Deduction refers to the process of drawing and inference from a set of premises and observations.

A

False

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59
Q

Inductive reasoning differs from deductive reasoning because the premises do not guarantee the conclusion but instead lend support to it.

A

True

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60
Q

Each of the following are obstacles to empirical research in political science, except

A. The data needed to test explanations and theories may be extremely hard to obtain
B. Human behavior is complex; perhaps, even more complex than the subject matter of other sciences
C. The concepts of interest to many political scientists are abstract and value laden
D. All of the above

A

All of the above

61
Q

Constructionism relies on the understanding that

A

Instead of knowing reality directly our perceptions about the many “facts” stem largely, if not entirely, from human cultural and historical experiences practices

62
Q

Which of the following characteristics are most closely associated with a proper research question for an empirical political science research project?

A. The questions address a political phenomenon
B. The question is concerned with discrete facts
C. The question is focused on reaching normative conclusions
D. The question addresses human behaviour

A

The question addresses a political phenomenon

63
Q

One of the first tasks when developing a research question is limiting the scope of the investigation into something manageable.

A

True

64
Q

Association, dependence, and covariance are all examples of a _________?

A

Relationship

65
Q

The purpose of a literature review includes all of the following, except

A. To analyze data to test hypotheses
B. To see what has and has not been investigated
C. To develop general explanations for observed variations in a behavior or phenomenon
D. To identify potential relationships between concepts and to identify researchable hypotheses

A

To analyze data to test a hypothesis

66
Q

A research question should be limited to discrete or narrow factual issues.

A

False

67
Q

Which of the following is a scholarly source for use in a literature review?

A. The New York Times
B. The Weekly Standard
C. The American Political Science Review
D. The United Nations Webpage

A

The American Political Science Review

68
Q

Which of the following characteristics is most closely associated with scholarly sources?

A

Peer-review system

69
Q

How many sources must be cited in an effective literature review?

A

The number is contingent on the purpose and scope of the project

70
Q

The text classifies sources as each of the following, except

A. Colloquial
B. Personal
C. Scholarly
D. Nonscholarly

A

Colloquial

71
Q

Which of the following sources are most likely to be found using an Internet search engine like Google?

A

Non scholarly

72
Q

Which of the following sources are most likely to be found using a database like Web of Science?

A

Scholarly

73
Q

The text suggests that once you have identified references for inclusion in a literature review you can then begin to explain the base of knowledge. The base of knowledge can be defined as what we know about a topic from previous work.

A

True

74
Q

Political Science

A

he application of well defined principals for collecting analyzing and evaluating data to the study of phenomena that are political in nature

75
Q

Political Scientists are interested in:

A

mass behavior, elite behavior, at different levels of government, within and between political institutions

76
Q

Political Phenomenon

A

individual actions relationships between institutions and individuals, between two or more institutions and so on

77
Q

Why should you understand how to conduct empirical research?

A
  • citizens are confronted with empirical research daily through political news and deb ate
  • empirical research methods concepts are related to students other coursework
  • Use empirical research techniques to improve your own work
78
Q

Empirical research can be used to

A
  • Improve the understanding of and find solutions to difficult problems (applied research)
  • Satisfy your intellectual curiosity about the nature of political phenomena (theoretical research)
79
Q

The Empirical research process involves…

A
  • developing an idea to investigate and a problem to solve
  • hypothesis formation
  • data collection
  • interpretation and decisions’
  • modifications and extension

Each decision will affect the conclusions.

80
Q

Examples of Empirical Research in political science

A
  • Winners and losers in politics
  • Who votes and who does not
  • Repression of human rights
  • Public support for U.S. foreign involvement
81
Q

primary v secondary data

A
  • primary data is the layer closest to the truth
  • Secondary data are derived, not from the truth, but from primary data
    example: Primary: in depth interview
    Secondary: an article about the in depth interview
82
Q

Quantitative v Qualitative research

A

quantitative: large scale numbers
qualitative: small scale focused idea

83
Q

How sampling works***

A
84
Q

Internal and External Validity ***

A
85
Q

Ethical Issues***

A
86
Q

Research Design

A

A general strategy for solving a research problem
Provides the overall structure for the procedures the researcher follows, the data the researcher collects, and the data - research planning

87
Q

The Nature and Role of Data

A

Data are not absolute reality but manifestations of reality.

Data are transient and ever changing

Data is primary or secondary

- primary data is the layer closest to the truth
- Secondary data are derived, not from the truth, but from primary data

Data must meet certain criteria to be admitted to study; any data not meeting the criteria are excluded from the study.

88
Q

Planning for data collection

A 
Answers to the following questions will bring the process into focus.
What data are needed?
Where are the data located?
How will the data be obtained?
How will the data be interpreted?
89
Q

Identify appropriate measurement instruments

A

We pin down data by measuring it in some way

Measurements instruments provide a basis on which the entire research effort rests

A research effort employing faulty measurement tools is of little value in solving the problem under investigation

In planning the research project the nature of the measurement instruments should be clearly identified

Instrumentation should be described in explicit, concrete terms

Instruments should have a reasonable degree of validity and reliability

90
Q

Measurement as a tool of research

A

Measurement limiting the data of any phenomenon - substantial or insubstantial - so that those data may be interpreted and, ultimately, compared to a particular qualitative or quantitative standard

91
Q

Substantial v Insubstantial Measurments

A

Substantial measurements = those things being measured that have physical substance

Insubstantial measurements = exist only as concepts, ideas, opinions, feeling or other intangible entities

92
Q

Four scales of measurements

A

Nominal scale : one object is different from another

Ordinal scale : one object is bigger or better or more of anything than another

Interval scale : one object is so many units (degrees ect) more than another

Ratio scale : Interval scale with an absolute zero

93
Q

Validity and Reliability of Measures

A

Validity = the extent to which a measurement instrument measures what it is intended to measure

Reliability = the consistency with which a measurement instrument yields a certain result when the entity being measured hasn’t changed

94
Q

Electronic databases

A

A collection of information (of any type) stored on an electromagnetic medium that can be accessed and examined by certain computer programs

95
Q

Literature review

A

A systematic examination and interpretation of the literature for the purpose of informing further work on a topic

96
Q

Relationship

A

The association, dependence, or covariance of the values of one variable with the values of another variable

97
Q 
Hypothesis 
Independent 
Dependent
Antecedent 
Intervening
A

As one’s income increases, one is more likely to vote and vote conservatively.

Independent: health Dependent: voter turnout
Anteceding: age
Intervening: being able bodied

98
Q

What is the most logical next step after you develop your research question?

A

Propose and explanation for the phenomenon that we think will help us account for the object of our research and then specifying how and why these two (or more) phenomenon are related

99
Q

The phenomena investigated by political scientists are diverse and are limited to only by whether they are

A

significant, observable and political

100
Q

Political scientists attempt to answer questions about

A

the political behavior of individuals, groups, institutions and political jurisdictions

101
Q

Independent variable:

A

measurements of the phenomena that are through to influence, affect, or cause some other phenomena

102
Q

Dependent variable:

A

cause, to depend upon, or be a function of the independent variable

103
Q

Modern political science

A

relies heavily on objective observation, experimentation and logical reasoning

104
Q

Empirical Research process

A
  • development of an idea you want to investigate
  • hypothesis formation
  • data collection
  • interpretation and decision
  • modification and extension
105
Q

Normative knowledge

A

Normative analysis is concerned with developing and examining subjective goals, values and morals to guide us in applying what we have learned of that reality

106
Q

What is the object of a political inquiry?

A

The object in undertaking in a political inquiry is to draw upon both types of analysis - Empirical and Normative- so as to maximize not only our knowledge but also our understanding of political reality.

107
Q

Elements of Empiricism

A

transmissible, verifiable, falsifiable, cumulative, explanatory (type x occurs, type y follows), parsimonious

108
Q

Two aspects of Empirical Theory

A

1- that is leads to specific testable predictions

2- that the more observations there are to support these predictions, the ore the theory is confirmed

109
Q

Karl Popper

A

argued that scientists should think solely in terns of invalidating or falsifying theories, not proving them
it is possible to imagine some kind of argument which should invalidate it

110
Q

Normative and non-normative

A

normative— evaluative, value laden and concerned with prescribing what ought to be
Non normative SAME AS EMPIRICAL— knowledge that is concerned NOT with evaluation or prescription but with Factual or Objective Determination

111
Q

Three major reasons why we should know why political scientists conduct empirical research

A
  • evaluate arguments and research political phenomena
  • assimilation and evaluation of coursework
  • to conduct research on your own
112
Q

applied research

A

has a fairly direct, immediate application to a real world situation

113
Q

two reasons why researchers conduct empirical studies

A
  • accumulate knowledge that will apply to a particular problem in need of a solution or to a condition in need of improvement
  • satisfy intellectual curiosity about a subject
114
Q

pure, theoretical or recreational research

A

not concerned primarily with practical applications

115
Q

Harold Lasswell

A

Politics is about DECIDING who does and does not get access to what the world has to offer. Peace, war, medicine, water, food, housing and jobs are not phenomena over which women and men have no control.

116
Q

materialism

A

only concrete and observable entities have casual efficacy

117
Q

realism

A

there is a real world that exists independently of observers

118
Q

Denial of supernatural causes

A

Explanations of phenomena based on mysterious, unknowable, unobservable, “hidden” forces are unacceptable

119
Q

Regularity

A

natural phenomena exhibit regularities and patterns that can be revealed by reasons dn observation

120
Q

Verification and falsification

A

statements about the world must be verified or falsified by experience or data (don’t take anything on faith alone)

121
Q

irrelevance of preferences

A

to the maximum extent, one’s values and biases should not affect the decision to reject or accept an empirical claim

122
Q

theory and causal explanation

A

the goal of science is to create general, verified explanatory theories

123
Q

selective class demobilization

A

people of the lower working classes, low income, low levels of education, and work manual, routine unskilled jobs are less likely to vote. For every upper class voter there are two to three lower class non voters

124
Q

who votes, and who doesn’t?

A

research is contradictory, because turnout is measured differently.
paradox of voting
changes in public policy could encourage voting

125
Q

Politics and the gender gap

A

“dramatic gender gap in political ambition”
research goes all the way back to childhood
women are undermined from the start
data shows women are important

126
Q

judges

A

political scientists seek to learn how judges reach the decisions they do in the course of discharging their judicial roles
especially in the Supreme Court

127
Q

research on negative political ads

A

trait based attack ad sponsored by an unknown independent group was found more effective than the one sponsored by a candidate because candidates were punished for running attack ads

128
Q

research on public support for us foreign involvement

A

the rhetorical argument are counter-productive unless one is targeting sympathetic argument

129
Q

Hot topics studied in political science

A

foreign involvement, judges and supreme courts, negative political ads, who votes who doesn’t, gender gaps

130
Q

I call em as they are

A

empiricism
there is fact in things like balls and strikes, and he can always tell the difference merely by looking at the pitches as they’re thrown
a political science umpire demands that data and measurements support whatever point is being made.

131
Q

interpretation

A

decoding verbal and physical actions

132
Q

Reaction to Empirical approach: Practical objections

A

self reflection and individuality
- subjectivity of politics
Is political science trivial or irrelevant?
- philosophy issues

133
Q

non-empiricism

A

human actions cannot be explained scientifically but must be interpreted from the point of view of the actors
Social scientists have to realize that the world, far from having an independent existence that they observe directly, but is constructed by observers themselves

134
Q

Literature review

A

Focus on the concepts and ideas across the literature rather than around individual books, articles and authors
Group articles according to their research questions. It is likely that ten articles address a similar broad topic but do not share the exact same research questions
Three common research questions between the 10 articles
4 for question one, three articles for two, three articles for three


135
Q

Francis Bacon

A

Developed the 4 idols or misconceptions
Idols of the Marketplace (the use of words to mislead)
Idols of the tribe (human nature distorts the true nature of things)
Idols of the den (nationalism)
Idols of the theatre (dogmatic teachings: whatever I believe, that’s the only way)

136
Q

constant

A

A concept that does not change the value is called a constant

CONSTANTS cannot to investigate a relationship

A student working on a survey to be distributed to her classmates wanted to see if students having served in the military had different attitudes toward the war in Iraq than did students without military service connections. She discovered that none of the students had any military service connections

Service connection was the constant, and now she had to find another one

137
Q

Six characteristics of a good hypothesis

A 
is it an empirical statement
Is it stated as a generality
Is it plausible
Is it specific
Is it stated in a manner that corresponds to the way in which the researcher intends to test it
It is testable
138
Q

what cannot be tested?***

A

a hypotheses stated in tautological form are also untestable. A tautology is a statement linking two concepts that mean essentially the same thing

An acceptable hypothesis can not be tested if there are practical barriers like time in the way.

139
Q

If your research question starts with ___ it is a good one

A

why

140
Q

generality in a hypothesis

A

knowledge about the causes of particular occurrences of a phenomenon could be helpful in formulating more general guesses about the relationships between concepts, but with a general hypothesis, we attempt to expand the scope of our knowledge beyond individual cases

141
Q

generality examples

A

A) Senator X voted for a bill because it is the president’s bill and they are both democrats

B) senators are more likely to vote for bills sponsored by the president if they belong to the same political party as the president

B is correct

The United States has more murders than other countries because so many people own guns there

Countries with more guns per capita will experience more murders per capita than countries with fewer guns

142
Q

Proximity theory

A

assertion that people support parties and candidates that are closest in proximity in policy issues

143
Q

Characteristics of a good hypothesis

A 
empirical statement
generality
plausibility
specificity
correspondence to the way in which the researcher intends to test the hypothesis
testability
144
Q

who came up with the four types of political culture

A

David Easton

145
Q

Antecedent

A

has to affect the independent and comes before the independent

146
Q

Theories consists of

A

set of primitive terms
assumptions about the subject
explicit definition of key concepts
commitment to a particular set of empirical tools
document analysis
general and verifiable statements that explain the subject matter

147
Q

All the E

A

Elements of Empiricism: transmissible, verifiable, falsifiable, cumulative, explanatory (type x occurs, type y follows), parsimonious, non-normative, general

Empiricism: call em as they are. a verifiable assertion of “what is”

Empirical research process: development of an idea to investigate or a problem to solve, hypothesis formation, data collection, interpretation and decision, modification and extension

Assumptions of Empirical Research: realism, materialism, denial of supernatural causes, regularity, verification and falsification

Empirical Issues: observable and factual

148
Q

Table 2.1 empirical

A

goals: value free knowledge, information of practical use, general theory and laws, explanations and predictions of individual and institutional behaviors

Assumptions: realism. the real world has to be verified. attitudes cannot effect observation and analysis

Quantitative

Methods: everything. case studies and comparisons, experiments and field experiments, mathematical models, surveys statistics analysis of data, simulations

Objections: takes politics out of political science, formalism,

Biases: inherently favors status quo

149
Q

Table 2.1 non-empirical

A

goals: understand behavior to interpret actions

Assumptions: social facts are “construction”
institutions are social comparisons
totally value free research is impossible

Qualitative

Methods: Qualitative, case studies and comparisons

objections: knowledge is non transmissible, findings are tainted by the investigator’s values and biases
biases: conclusions affected by political and social ideologies.

Research Design for Political Science (3 decks)

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