POLS 209 TAMU EXAM 1 ACTUAL
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
normative questions - ANSWER-questions about how things should be
descriptive questions - ANSWER-questions about how the world looks
Causal Question - ANSWER-why the world looks the wait does
counterfactual - ANSWER-what would happen to people if they were exposed
to a causal influence and were simultaneously not exposed to it
difference between making descriptive and causal claims - ANSWER-
counterfactual world is not observable
Social Research - ANSWER-Collection of methodologies that researchers
apply systematically, to produce scientifically based knowledge about the
social world
What does a "good" question have? - ANSWER-feasibility, social importance,
and scientific relevance
empirical research - ANSWER-can't prove normative opinions, only justify
why; tackle difficult problems
Components of the Scientific Method - ANSWER-1. Cumulative enterprise
2. Empirical generalization
3. Empirical Verification
4. Explanatory
5. Falsifiability
6. Normative research
7. Transmissible
8. Parsimony
9. Prediction
10. Probabilistic explanation
, Structure of a research question - ANSWER-1. Why or how a political
phenomena behaves
2. Theory; body of statements that synthesizes knowledge
3. Hypotheses
4. Empirical analysis; confirms or refutes hypotheses and theory, answers
research question
A good theory is/has: - ANSWER-interesting and new
a causal relationship
predicitve
nuanced
Identifying Important Works - ANSWER-citation counts, covering the
hypotheses
Types of causal inferences - ANSWER-when "N" is small or large
small N - ANSWER-making sense of small # of cases
large N - ANSWER-making sense of many cases
Comparative Methodology - ANSWER-utilizes with-in case analysis with cross
case analysis
Small N Pros - ANSWER-identification of causal mechanisms
cases are comparable
conceptual clarity and concept formation
incorporation of context
sources types - ANSWER-primary and secondary
Mill's Methods - ANSWER-Method of agreement and method of difference
Limitations of Mill's Methods - ANSWER-harder w/ larger studies
rules presuppose there is a list
cause could be complicated by combination of factors
Concepts+Models - ANSWER-Measurements+Comparisons
Model of model building - ANSWER-1. observe some facts
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
normative questions - ANSWER-questions about how things should be
descriptive questions - ANSWER-questions about how the world looks
Causal Question - ANSWER-why the world looks the wait does
counterfactual - ANSWER-what would happen to people if they were exposed
to a causal influence and were simultaneously not exposed to it
difference between making descriptive and causal claims - ANSWER-
counterfactual world is not observable
Social Research - ANSWER-Collection of methodologies that researchers
apply systematically, to produce scientifically based knowledge about the
social world
What does a "good" question have? - ANSWER-feasibility, social importance,
and scientific relevance
empirical research - ANSWER-can't prove normative opinions, only justify
why; tackle difficult problems
Components of the Scientific Method - ANSWER-1. Cumulative enterprise
2. Empirical generalization
3. Empirical Verification
4. Explanatory
5. Falsifiability
6. Normative research
7. Transmissible
8. Parsimony
9. Prediction
10. Probabilistic explanation
, Structure of a research question - ANSWER-1. Why or how a political
phenomena behaves
2. Theory; body of statements that synthesizes knowledge
3. Hypotheses
4. Empirical analysis; confirms or refutes hypotheses and theory, answers
research question
A good theory is/has: - ANSWER-interesting and new
a causal relationship
predicitve
nuanced
Identifying Important Works - ANSWER-citation counts, covering the
hypotheses
Types of causal inferences - ANSWER-when "N" is small or large
small N - ANSWER-making sense of small # of cases
large N - ANSWER-making sense of many cases
Comparative Methodology - ANSWER-utilizes with-in case analysis with cross
case analysis
Small N Pros - ANSWER-identification of causal mechanisms
cases are comparable
conceptual clarity and concept formation
incorporation of context
sources types - ANSWER-primary and secondary
Mill's Methods - ANSWER-Method of agreement and method of difference
Limitations of Mill's Methods - ANSWER-harder w/ larger studies
rules presuppose there is a list
cause could be complicated by combination of factors
Concepts+Models - ANSWER-Measurements+Comparisons
Model of model building - ANSWER-1. observe some facts
