WEEK 4- L7.1 data collection: comparative and historical research

Question 1

some types of comparative research

Answer 1

single case study, small n, large n, qualitative comparative analysis

Question 2

some types of historical research

Answer 2

event structure analysis
process tracing

Question 3

what’s the core method of empirical social science?

Answer 3

comparative method

Question 3

typical uses of the comparative method

Answer 3

test theory
develop theory
apply existing theory to new cases

Question 4

false uniqueness

Answer 4

researcher concluding that the case is so different that it can’t be compared

Question 5

false universalism

Answer 5

a single case is seen is highly representative

Question 6

some risks that come with in depth case studies?

Answer 6

false uniqueness, and universalism

Question 7

two components and purpose of single case study

Answer 7

1. thic description: internal validity
2. engage wider academic discussion: external validty

Question 8

purpose of single case studies

Answer 8

1. provide descriptive contextualization
2. apply existing theory to new contexts
3. examine exceptions to the rule
4. generate new theory

Question 9

single case selection types

Answer 9

critical
revalatory
unusual
crucial

Question 10

revalatory case selection

Answer 10

reveal a r.ship which can’t be studied by other means

Question 11

critical case selection

Answer 11

to test a theory

Question 12

unusual case selection

Answer 12

throw light on extreme or deviant cases

Question 13

crucial case selection

Answer 13

confirm or disconfirm a theory

Question 14

advantages of case study 3

Answer 14

1. rich or thic description
2. good march of theory and evidence
3. high internal validity

Question 15

disadvantages of case study

Answer 15

low external validty
lack of context- uncertainty about conslusions

Question 16

small n case study advantages

Answer 16

Detailed in-depth analysis of cases still possible
Better ability to contextualize

Question 17

small n case study disadvantages

Answer 17

High risk of selection bias that might lead to misleading inferences
Causality tends to be deterministic, not probabilistic (more cases needed to see if it holds across cases)

Question 18

two types of large n case study

Answer 18

1. qualitative comparative analysis
2. quanitative analysis (involved case selection, data collection, and statistical analysis)

Question 19

qualitative comparative analysis

Answer 19

formalized systematic comparison (boolean algebra and fuzzy set logic)

Question 20

QCA is a theory- … approach

Answer 20

testing

Question 21

what’s a truth table, who uses it?

Answer 21

list of cases with relevant conditions and outcomes

Question 22

truth table coding options (2)

Answer 22

1. crispy set: absent/ present
2. fuzzy set: interval scale from 0.0 to 1.0

Question 23

purpose of analysis for qca

Answer 23

process of paired comparison to generate or test theories.

paired comparison: (all possible combinations of factors/ conditions)

Question 24

advantages large n study (2)

Answer 24

Large number of cases lowers risk of selection bias
Can account for and test many explanatory factors simultanously

Question 25

disadvantages of large n case study 3

Answer 25

1. Limited ability to capture causal processes
2. The indicators tend to be simplistic, and superficial- because the researcher can’t go into detail
3. There’s a danger of concept-stretching, when an initially clear concept has to be stretched to cover different cases.

Question 26

historical vs. comparative research
historical events research =

Answer 26

single case study (single time point)

Question 27

historical vs. comparative research
historical process research =

Answer 27

longtidunial single case study

Question 28

historical vs. comparative research
cross sectional comparative research =

Answer 28

small n comparison

Question 29

historical vs. comparative research
comparative historical analysis =

Answer 29

longtidunial small n comparison

Question 30

three types of comparative historical analysis

Answer 30

1. parallel demonstration of theory
2. contrast of contexts
3. macro causal analysis

Question 31

parallel demonstration of theory

cha

Answer 31

show the applicability of a general theory across a variety of cases
(comparable to most similar systems design)

Question 32

contrast of contexts

cha

Answer 32

set limits to the scope or claims of an overly general theory
(comparable to most different systems designs)

Question 33

macro-causal analysis

cha

Answer 33

make causal inferences about macro level historical processes and structures like class, states, and revolution

Question 34

what’s a critical juncture?

Answer 34

events that change the course of history by leading to consequences that are difficult to reverse

Question 35

what’s positive feedback and path dependence?

Answer 35

when events that follow a critical juncture strengthen the commitment, and makes alternative options less feasible

Question 36

typical methods of historical research 3

Answer 36

1. narrative case study
2. event structure analysis
3. process tracing

Question 37

event structure analysis

Answer 37

aims to unpack an event into intermediary causal steps or constitutent parts- why and how st happened

Question 38

steps of event structure analysis (3)

Answer 38

1. construct narrative account of what happened
2. break narrative into series of short stetements- reflecting key decisions, events, and developments
3. order statements into a diagram that reflects the causal sequence or relations

Question 39

process tracing

Answer 39

identification of causal chain- events and mechanisms
- identify a macro cause and effect, and the process that links them
- then look at the micro steps. theory must predict all intervening steps

Question 40

process tracing is useful for theory- ….

Answer 40

generating or testing

Question 41

the article by ulriksen adn dadalauri is an example of

Answer 41

**using in depth process tracing and single case study for theory testing
**- tax policy reform in georgia (crucial case)
- transnationalization model