PSCI 1024 EXAM 1 STUDY GUIDE
argument - Answers -placement of evidence in logical form in support of a position or
claim
comparative politics - Answers -the subfield of political science that aims to analyze
multiple cases using the comparative method
open-ended question - Answers -a question that, in principle, is open to numerous
possible answers
empirical - Answers -drawn from observations of the world
normative - Answers -concerned with specifying which sort of practice or institution is
morally or ethically justified
concept - Answers -an idea comparativists use to think about the processes we study
conceptualization - Answers -the deliberate process through which we create and
select social-scientific concepts
Sartori's ladder of abstraction - Answers -the idea that we can organize concepts on the
basis of their specificity or generality
operationalization - Answers -the process through which we make a concept
measureable
evidence - Answers -a set of factors or observations used to support a proposition or
hypothesis
level of analysis - Answers -the level (e.g. individual, organizational, societal) at which
observations are made, or at which casual processes operate
case - Answers -in comparative analysis, a unit or example of a phenomenon to be
studied
variable - Answers -an element or factor that is likely to change, or vary, from case to
case
outcome - Answers -typically used as a synonym for "effect", something that is
produced or changed in any social or political process
dependent variable - Answers -in hypothesis testing, the effect or outcome that we
expect to be acted on (or have its value altered) by the IV
, independent variable - Answers -in hypothesis testing, what we expect to "act on" or
change the value of the DV
variation - Answers -difference between cases in any given study of comparative
politics
most-similar-systems (MSS) - Answers -a research design in which we compare cases
that are similar with respect to a number of factors but with distinct outcomes
most-different-systems (MDS) - Answers -a research design in which we compare
cases that differ with respect to multiple factors but in which the outcome is the same
theory - Answers -general set of explanatory claims about some specifiable empirical
range
hypothesis - Answers -a specific prediction, derived from a theory, that can be tested
against empirical evidence
deductive reasoning - Answers -the process of moving from general claims or theories
to specific observations or predictions about a phenomenon or set of cases
deviant case (outlier) - Answers -a case that does not fit the pattern predicted by a
given theory
inductive reasoning - Answers -the process of moving from specific observations to
general claims
thesis - Answers -a statement for which one argues on the basis of evidence
qualitative - Answers -a form of analysis that aims to discern relationships between
events or phenomena as described in narrative form, such as an account of a historical
process
quantitative - Answers -type of analysis that aims for the mathematical discernment of
relationships between variables, typically involving a large number of cases or
observations
inference - Answers -the process through which we aim to test observable implications
(often about cause and effect) of any given theory; also refers to conclusions reached
through this process
correlation - Answers -a relationship between two variables in which they tend to move
in either the same direction (positive correlation) or in opposite directions (negative
correlation)
argument - Answers -placement of evidence in logical form in support of a position or
claim
comparative politics - Answers -the subfield of political science that aims to analyze
multiple cases using the comparative method
open-ended question - Answers -a question that, in principle, is open to numerous
possible answers
empirical - Answers -drawn from observations of the world
normative - Answers -concerned with specifying which sort of practice or institution is
morally or ethically justified
concept - Answers -an idea comparativists use to think about the processes we study
conceptualization - Answers -the deliberate process through which we create and
select social-scientific concepts
Sartori's ladder of abstraction - Answers -the idea that we can organize concepts on the
basis of their specificity or generality
operationalization - Answers -the process through which we make a concept
measureable
evidence - Answers -a set of factors or observations used to support a proposition or
hypothesis
level of analysis - Answers -the level (e.g. individual, organizational, societal) at which
observations are made, or at which casual processes operate
case - Answers -in comparative analysis, a unit or example of a phenomenon to be
studied
variable - Answers -an element or factor that is likely to change, or vary, from case to
case
outcome - Answers -typically used as a synonym for "effect", something that is
produced or changed in any social or political process
dependent variable - Answers -in hypothesis testing, the effect or outcome that we
expect to be acted on (or have its value altered) by the IV
, independent variable - Answers -in hypothesis testing, what we expect to "act on" or
change the value of the DV
variation - Answers -difference between cases in any given study of comparative
politics
most-similar-systems (MSS) - Answers -a research design in which we compare cases
that are similar with respect to a number of factors but with distinct outcomes
most-different-systems (MDS) - Answers -a research design in which we compare
cases that differ with respect to multiple factors but in which the outcome is the same
theory - Answers -general set of explanatory claims about some specifiable empirical
range
hypothesis - Answers -a specific prediction, derived from a theory, that can be tested
against empirical evidence
deductive reasoning - Answers -the process of moving from general claims or theories
to specific observations or predictions about a phenomenon or set of cases
deviant case (outlier) - Answers -a case that does not fit the pattern predicted by a
given theory
inductive reasoning - Answers -the process of moving from specific observations to
general claims
thesis - Answers -a statement for which one argues on the basis of evidence
qualitative - Answers -a form of analysis that aims to discern relationships between
events or phenomena as described in narrative form, such as an account of a historical
process
quantitative - Answers -type of analysis that aims for the mathematical discernment of
relationships between variables, typically involving a large number of cases or
observations
inference - Answers -the process through which we aim to test observable implications
(often about cause and effect) of any given theory; also refers to conclusions reached
through this process
correlation - Answers -a relationship between two variables in which they tend to move
in either the same direction (positive correlation) or in opposite directions (negative
correlation)
