POLS 2361 EXAM 1 – TTU TEXAS TECH UNIVERSITY STUDY GUIDE, PRACTICE
QUESTIONS & REVIEW 2026/2027
The normative theory - ✔✔A theory that aims to establish the proper goals of political action. EX.
"What goals should we pursue"
Level of analysis - ✔✔A way to categorize by who the main actor is
Three main levels of analysis - ✔✔-System
-Individual
-State
Ch. 1 Review question
1. "A theory that aims to establish the proper goals of political action is"
A. A level of analysis
B. an explanatory theory
C. Power
D. A normative theory - ✔✔D. A normative theory
Ch. 1 Review question
2. "The goals that actors pursue, including the notion of 'National Interest' is
A. a purpose
B. power
C. methodology
D. an explanatory theory - ✔✔A. a purpose
Ch. 1 Review question
3. "Thinking scientifically about international politics requires assuming"
A. politics follow the same rigid laws as physics
B. International events can be compared scientifically even if they are not identical
C. testing hypotheses about international politics can reliably determine if they are true or false
D. None of the above - ✔✔B. International events can be compared scientifically even if they are not
identical
Ch. 1 Review question
4. "Which of the following is an example of a theory"
A. Nationalism causes war.
B. Economic distress caused the French Revolution
C. Power is the ability of an actor to achieve its goals.
D. All of the above - ✔✔A. Nationalism causes war
Ch. 1 Review question
5. "Which of the following represents the proper order of steps a political scientist would need to test a
hypothesis"
D. Ask a question, identify potential answers, determine patterns, decide how to define and measure key
factors, choose a research method, and evaluate the findings - ✔✔D. Ask a question, identify potential
, answers, determine patterns, decide how to define and measure key factors, choose a research method,
and evaluate the findings
Ch. 1 Review Questions
6. Which of the following is a level of analysis of inter-national relations theory?"
A. Indiviual
B. State
C. System
D. All of the above - ✔✔D. All of the above
Ch. 1 Review Questions
7. "What purposes do theories and normative theories serve?" - ✔✔Explanation: Used to explain the
common causes shared by a group of related events
Prediction: Used to apply such explanations to future events
Prescription: Used to policy makers and citizens choose the most effective policies for a given goal
Normative Theory: Aims to establish proper goals of political action
Ch. 1 Review Questions
8. "What are the limitations of the 'Science' of international politics?" - ✔✔We have only the data that
we can collect and observe from the real-world, and we struggle to find valid comparisons and to control
for the factors that may skew our results.
Ch. 1 Review Questions
9. "How do theories of international politics relate to the policies that various actors adopt?" - ✔✔They
are generalized???
Ch. 1 Review Questions
10. "How does the level of analysis we choose influence the kinds of answers we get?" - ✔✔Individual-
sees the cause of war in individuals as either general;Human Nature or specifically in the characteristics
of specific leaders
State- Locate the cause of war in the nature of the states
System- sees the causes of war in the characteristics of the international system
Ch. 1 Review Questions
11. "In what ways can the study of international politics take a scientific approach?" - ✔✔To discover
general tendencies in the patterns of international affairs. EX. "what causes wars"
Ch. 1 Review Questions
12. How do theories of international politics relate to the policies that various actors adapt? - ✔✔
Ch. 1 Review Questions
13. What is a Theory? - ✔✔general explanations of how international politics works
Ch. 1 Review Questions
14. How does normative theory differ from Explanatory theory? - ✔✔Normative: "what goals should
we pursue"
Explanatory: "How does the world work"
QUESTIONS & REVIEW 2026/2027
The normative theory - ✔✔A theory that aims to establish the proper goals of political action. EX.
"What goals should we pursue"
Level of analysis - ✔✔A way to categorize by who the main actor is
Three main levels of analysis - ✔✔-System
-Individual
-State
Ch. 1 Review question
1. "A theory that aims to establish the proper goals of political action is"
A. A level of analysis
B. an explanatory theory
C. Power
D. A normative theory - ✔✔D. A normative theory
Ch. 1 Review question
2. "The goals that actors pursue, including the notion of 'National Interest' is
A. a purpose
B. power
C. methodology
D. an explanatory theory - ✔✔A. a purpose
Ch. 1 Review question
3. "Thinking scientifically about international politics requires assuming"
A. politics follow the same rigid laws as physics
B. International events can be compared scientifically even if they are not identical
C. testing hypotheses about international politics can reliably determine if they are true or false
D. None of the above - ✔✔B. International events can be compared scientifically even if they are not
identical
Ch. 1 Review question
4. "Which of the following is an example of a theory"
A. Nationalism causes war.
B. Economic distress caused the French Revolution
C. Power is the ability of an actor to achieve its goals.
D. All of the above - ✔✔A. Nationalism causes war
Ch. 1 Review question
5. "Which of the following represents the proper order of steps a political scientist would need to test a
hypothesis"
D. Ask a question, identify potential answers, determine patterns, decide how to define and measure key
factors, choose a research method, and evaluate the findings - ✔✔D. Ask a question, identify potential
, answers, determine patterns, decide how to define and measure key factors, choose a research method,
and evaluate the findings
Ch. 1 Review Questions
6. Which of the following is a level of analysis of inter-national relations theory?"
A. Indiviual
B. State
C. System
D. All of the above - ✔✔D. All of the above
Ch. 1 Review Questions
7. "What purposes do theories and normative theories serve?" - ✔✔Explanation: Used to explain the
common causes shared by a group of related events
Prediction: Used to apply such explanations to future events
Prescription: Used to policy makers and citizens choose the most effective policies for a given goal
Normative Theory: Aims to establish proper goals of political action
Ch. 1 Review Questions
8. "What are the limitations of the 'Science' of international politics?" - ✔✔We have only the data that
we can collect and observe from the real-world, and we struggle to find valid comparisons and to control
for the factors that may skew our results.
Ch. 1 Review Questions
9. "How do theories of international politics relate to the policies that various actors adopt?" - ✔✔They
are generalized???
Ch. 1 Review Questions
10. "How does the level of analysis we choose influence the kinds of answers we get?" - ✔✔Individual-
sees the cause of war in individuals as either general;Human Nature or specifically in the characteristics
of specific leaders
State- Locate the cause of war in the nature of the states
System- sees the causes of war in the characteristics of the international system
Ch. 1 Review Questions
11. "In what ways can the study of international politics take a scientific approach?" - ✔✔To discover
general tendencies in the patterns of international affairs. EX. "what causes wars"
Ch. 1 Review Questions
12. How do theories of international politics relate to the policies that various actors adapt? - ✔✔
Ch. 1 Review Questions
13. What is a Theory? - ✔✔general explanations of how international politics works
Ch. 1 Review Questions
14. How does normative theory differ from Explanatory theory? - ✔✔Normative: "what goals should
we pursue"
Explanatory: "How does the world work"
