WEEK 4- L7.1 data collection: comparative and historical research Flashcards
some types of comparative research
single case study, small n, large n, qualitative comparative analysis
some types of historical research
event structure analysis
process tracing
what’s the core method of empirical social science?
comparative method
typical uses of the comparative method
test theory
develop theory
apply existing theory to new cases
false uniqueness
researcher concluding that the case is so different that it can’t be compared
false universalism
a single case is seen is highly representative
some risks that come with in depth case studies?
false uniqueness, and universalism
two components and purpose of single case study
- thic description: internal validity
- engage wider academic discussion: external validty
purpose of single case studies
- provide descriptive contextualization
- apply existing theory to new contexts
- examine exceptions to the rule
- generate new theory
single case selection types
critical
revalatory
unusual
crucial
revalatory case selection
reveal a r.ship which can’t be studied by other means
critical case selection
to test a theory
unusual case selection
throw light on extreme or deviant cases
crucial case selection
confirm or disconfirm a theory
advantages of case study 3
- rich or thic description
- good march of theory and evidence
- high internal validity
disadvantages of case study
low external validty
lack of context- uncertainty about conslusions
small n case study advantages
Detailed in-depth analysis of cases still possible
Better ability to contextualize
small n case study disadvantages
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)
two types of large n case study
- qualitative comparative analysis
- quanitative analysis (involved case selection, data collection, and statistical analysis)
qualitative comparative analysis
formalized systematic comparison (boolean algebra and fuzzy set logic)
QCA is a theory- … approach
testing
what’s a truth table, who uses it?
list of cases with relevant conditions and outcomes
truth table coding options (2)
- crispy set: absent/ present
- fuzzy set: interval scale from 0.0 to 1.0
purpose of analysis for qca
process of paired comparison to generate or test theories.
paired comparison: (all possible combinations of factors/ conditions)
advantages large n study (2)
Large number of cases lowers risk of selection bias
Can account for and test many explanatory factors simultanously
disadvantages of large n case study 3
- Limited ability to capture causal processes
- The indicators tend to be simplistic, and superficial- because the researcher can’t go into detail
- There’s a danger of concept-stretching, when an initially clear concept has to be stretched to cover different cases.
historical vs. comparative research
historical events research =
single case study (single time point)
historical vs. comparative research
historical process research =
longtidunial single case study
historical vs. comparative research
cross sectional comparative research =
small n comparison
historical vs. comparative research
comparative historical analysis =
longtidunial small n comparison
three types of comparative historical analysis
- parallel demonstration of theory
- contrast of contexts
- macro causal analysis
parallel demonstration of theory
cha
show the applicability of a general theory across a variety of cases
(comparable to most similar systems design)
contrast of contexts
cha
set limits to the scope or claims of an overly general theory
(comparable to most different systems designs)
macro-causal analysis
cha
make causal inferences about macro level historical processes and structures like class, states, and revolution
what’s a critical juncture?
events that change the course of history by leading to consequences that are difficult to reverse
what’s positive feedback and path dependence?
when events that follow a critical juncture strengthen the commitment, and makes alternative options less feasible
typical methods of historical research 3
- narrative case study
- event structure analysis
- process tracing
event structure analysis
aims to unpack an event into intermediary causal steps or constitutent parts- why and how st happened
steps of event structure analysis (3)
- construct narrative account of what happened
- break narrative into series of short stetements- reflecting key decisions, events, and developments
- order statements into a diagram that reflects the causal sequence or relations
process tracing
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
process tracing is useful for theory- ….
generating or testing
the article by ulriksen adn dadalauri is an example of
**using in depth process tracing and single case study for theory testing
**- tax policy reform in georgia (crucial case)
- transnationalization model
