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POLS 284 > Week 2 > Flashcards

Week 2 Flashcards

1
Q

what are the 2 key features of research?

A

research is SYSTEMATIC and ORIGINAL

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2
Q

method vs methodologies

A

method: TOOLS for collecting data/ materials for research ex. doing case study, interviews

methodologies: APPROACHES/ strategies for THINKING ABOUT HOW/ why to use a certain method (background assumptions) ex. should we study politics scientifically or humanistically

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3
Q

empirical vs normative

A

empirical: focused on how politics ACTUALLY works ex. how does a democracy work

normative: focused on how politics SHOULD work (based on logic) ex. how should democracies work

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4
Q

quantitative vs qualitative

A

quantitative: based on DATA and statistical methods

qualitative: not using stats-using WORDS

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5
Q

positivist vs interpretivist

A

positivist: scientific study of pols (scientific method applied to pols)-not what people SAY but what they DO

interpretivist (NON-positivist): rejects scientific method, focuses on SUBJECTIVENESS and CONTEXTUAL claims

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6
Q

~WHO (groups) critique positivism?

A

INTERPRETIVE SOCIAL theory, FEMINISM, CRITICAL theory

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7
Q

what are the 5 key features (or background assumptions) of positivism?

A
  1. EMPIRICISM: OBSERVATION of the WORLD in practice (no studying how politics works without observation)
  2. DETERMINISM: everything that HAPPENS has a CAUSE
  3. OBJECTIVITY: study politics by REMOVING PERSONAL feelings etc., study the world AS IT IS
  4. REPLICATION: should be able to run the SAME STUDY (+results) as someone else, CLEAR METHOD, etc.
  5. GENERALIZATION: goal of research is to GENERALIZE, not just study one thing (ex. study Rwandan genocide as a KIND of genocide, not in its own right)
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8
Q

~WHAT ARE the critiques of positivism?

A

SCIENTIFIC method ISN’T APPROPRIATE for the social world, “OBJECTIVITY” ISN’T REAL, RESEARCHERS identities/ experiences IMPACT/ matter, UNDERSTANDING is MORE important than CAUSALITY

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9
Q

what is intersubjectivity?

A

(vs objectivity) idea that we can AGREE on SHARED UNDERSTANDINGS of concept and realities, even if we perceive things different due to our own experiences.

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10
Q

what are the 4 goals of empirical research?

A
  1. DESCRIPTION-describe it
  2. EXPLAINATION-explain it
  3. PREDICTION-predict what will happen
  4. PRESCRIPTION (advice)-reccomended actio for future (ex.study about inequality: put affirmative action plans into palce)
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11
Q

what is causality?

A

making CLAIMS about WHY things HAPPEN (what causes what)-we make causal claims all the time ex. “this person got me sick”

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12
Q

what is a counterfactual?

A

what WOULD HAVE happened if SOMETHING ELSE DIDN’T happen (a ‘what if’, complex because it doesn’t actually happen)

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13
Q

how do quantitative researchers approach causality?

A

ESTIMATE how much a SINGLE CAUSE AFFECTS an OUTCOME across cases ex. how does masculinity affect support for Trump (survey)

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14
Q

how do qualitative researchers approach causality?

A

EXPLAIN the VARIOUS CAUSES that lead to an OUTCOME ex. what explains Trump winning (case study)

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15
Q

what are the 3 types of variables?

A

DEPENDENT: the OUTCOME variable-what you are interested in EXPLAINING
INDEPENDENT: “I change”, the CAUSE-what EXPLAINS what you’re interested in
CONTROL: variables other that the ind. that MAY AFFECT the dep., may mess up tour ability to tell how one variable causes another

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16
Q

theory vs hypothesis?

A

theory: EXPLANATION of how X causes Y
hypothesis: TESTABLE CLAIM based on past KNOWLEDGE or preliminary EVIDENCE about the RELATIONSHIP between variables

17
Q

what is a concept? how does this relate to conceptualization vs measurement?

A

concepts: ABSTRACT/ THEORETICAL ideas ex. democracy. to test them we need to see them in practice

  • requires CONCEPTUALIZATION (GUIDANCE on WHAT the concept is ex. democracy-free society, etc.) and
  • MEASUREMENT (GUIDANCE on HOW to CAPTURE the concept ex. look at corruption, etc.)
18
Q

~what is measurement validity (and the 3 types)?

A

ASSESSMENT of how well a measurement works at CAPTURING a THEORETICAL CONCEPT ex. not valid if you are looking at fair elections and then measure the judicial system

FACE validity: does it LOOK LIKE it captures the concept?
CONTENT validity: are the measurements capturing ALL PARTS of it?
CONSTRUCT validity: checking if the measurement MAKES SENSE

19
Q

~what is measurement reliability?

A

if you take a measurement OVER and OVER, HOW OFTEN will it give you the SAME RESULT? if reliable, it will generally give the same

20
Q

how can you imagine validity vs reliability?

A

think DARTS:
- scattered around the outside=not v or r
- scattered close to the bullseye=v not r
- all on bullseye=v and r
- all outside same spot=not v yes r

21
Q

what is study validity?

A

ASSESSMENT of the overall QUALITY and USEFULNESS of a study for a certain purpose

POLS 284 (10 decks)

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