RESEARCH METHODS (POLITICAL SCIENCE) EXAM #14
Research - correct answer a systematic investigation , including research development,
testing, and evaluation designed to develop or contribute to generalizable knowledge.
It's organized and systematic info gathering intended to build knowledge
Research Methods - correct answer The particular strategies researchers use to collect
evidence necessary for building and testing theories.
You want to be clear what you're doing so you're able to clearly explain to someone
else what you did.
2 types of questions researchers ask - correct answer 1. Positivist questions
2. Normative questions
Positivist questions - correct answer Facts
What is?
Assumes something is and asks if it actually exists
Ex. What's your age
Normative questions - correct answer Values
What ought to be
Deeper asking value
Ex. Why are you here?
Unspoken scientific norm - correct answer Remain open, but remain skeptical
Testable Ideas - correct answer Must have a set of conditions under which the idea
would be rejected.
Scientific inquiry - correct answer The way in which scientists study the natural world
and come up with explanations for why something happens, not just what happens
Abductive Theories - correct answer Theories based on observations where the
premise does not necessarily lead to that conclusion
Ex. People fell asleep because class was after lunch. Really because teacher was
boring
Deductive Theories - correct answer Linking premises and conclusions that must
necessarily be true if premise is consistent.
, Ex. Men are mortal, Socrates is a man, therefore Socrates in mortal
Inductive Theories - correct answer Premises supply strong evedince for the conclusion,
but only within certain probability.
Concept - correct answer An idea that is not tangible (cannot be seen, tasted, touched,
etc.)
Exs.
Partisanship, Democracy, Liberalism, Happiness, Power, Leadership, Motivation
Concepts have to be - correct answer concrete and variable
Political research aims to - correct answer Describe concepts
Analyze relationships between concepts
Conceptual vs. Concrete questions - correct answer Conceptual questions are often
unclear and therefore difficult to answer empirically, but concrete questions can be
answered empirically.
Need to link the two then
How do we turn a conceptual question into a concrete one? - correct answer Make a
conceptual definition
Conceptual definition - correct answer describes a concept's measurable characteristics
and unites of analysis.
Measurable attitudes (liberalism example) - correct answer For liberalism these could
include the degree to which a person supports: gun control, gov't spending, enviro
protection, social welfare, etc.
Units of analysis can be - correct answer Peoples or individuals
Nations
States
And many more--anything you can put into the same sized baskets can be compared
Operational Definitions - correct answer describe the instrument or tool to use in
measuring a concept and pitting it "into operation"
Research - correct answer a systematic investigation , including research development,
testing, and evaluation designed to develop or contribute to generalizable knowledge.
It's organized and systematic info gathering intended to build knowledge
Research Methods - correct answer The particular strategies researchers use to collect
evidence necessary for building and testing theories.
You want to be clear what you're doing so you're able to clearly explain to someone
else what you did.
2 types of questions researchers ask - correct answer 1. Positivist questions
2. Normative questions
Positivist questions - correct answer Facts
What is?
Assumes something is and asks if it actually exists
Ex. What's your age
Normative questions - correct answer Values
What ought to be
Deeper asking value
Ex. Why are you here?
Unspoken scientific norm - correct answer Remain open, but remain skeptical
Testable Ideas - correct answer Must have a set of conditions under which the idea
would be rejected.
Scientific inquiry - correct answer The way in which scientists study the natural world
and come up with explanations for why something happens, not just what happens
Abductive Theories - correct answer Theories based on observations where the
premise does not necessarily lead to that conclusion
Ex. People fell asleep because class was after lunch. Really because teacher was
boring
Deductive Theories - correct answer Linking premises and conclusions that must
necessarily be true if premise is consistent.
, Ex. Men are mortal, Socrates is a man, therefore Socrates in mortal
Inductive Theories - correct answer Premises supply strong evedince for the conclusion,
but only within certain probability.
Concept - correct answer An idea that is not tangible (cannot be seen, tasted, touched,
etc.)
Exs.
Partisanship, Democracy, Liberalism, Happiness, Power, Leadership, Motivation
Concepts have to be - correct answer concrete and variable
Political research aims to - correct answer Describe concepts
Analyze relationships between concepts
Conceptual vs. Concrete questions - correct answer Conceptual questions are often
unclear and therefore difficult to answer empirically, but concrete questions can be
answered empirically.
Need to link the two then
How do we turn a conceptual question into a concrete one? - correct answer Make a
conceptual definition
Conceptual definition - correct answer describes a concept's measurable characteristics
and unites of analysis.
Measurable attitudes (liberalism example) - correct answer For liberalism these could
include the degree to which a person supports: gun control, gov't spending, enviro
protection, social welfare, etc.
Units of analysis can be - correct answer Peoples or individuals
Nations
States
And many more--anything you can put into the same sized baskets can be compared
Operational Definitions - correct answer describe the instrument or tool to use in
measuring a concept and pitting it "into operation"
