Political Stats Midterm

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normative research

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Research that is evaluative, value-laden, and concerned with prescribing what ought to be

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empirical research

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Research based on actual "objective" observation of phenomena

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interpretivist approach

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a

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positive approach

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a

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research question

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the question which the research sets out to answer

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hypothesis

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A tentative or provisional or unconfirmed statement that can be verified

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null hypothesis

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a statement that a population parameter equals a single or specific value. Often that the difference between two populations is zero.

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dependent variable

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The phenomenon thought to be influenced, affected, or caused by some other phenomenon

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independent variable

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The phenomenon thought to influence, affect, or cause some other phenomenon

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control variable

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The inputs and outputs which a control system manipulates and measures to keep proper control.

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variation

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A change or slight difference in condition, amount, or level, typically with certain limits

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concept

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An abstract idea; a general notion

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operational indicator

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a

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congruence

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compatibile

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inductive theory

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a

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deductive theory

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a

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unit of analysis

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the type of actor specified in a researcher's hypothesis

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ecological fallacy

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the fallacy of deducing a false relationship between the attributes or behavior of individuals based on observing that relationship for groups to which the individuals belong

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face validity

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validity asserted by arguing that a measure corresponds closely to the concept in the dependent variable

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construct validity

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validity demonstrated for a measure by showing that is related to the measure of another concept

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multi-item index

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a number of ratings combined into a single value

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internal validity

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the ability to show that manipulation or variation of the independent variable actually causes the dependent variable to change.

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external validity

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the ability to generalize from one set for research findings to other situations

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cross-sectional survey

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a class of research methods that involve observation of all of a population, or a representative subset, at a defined time.

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longitudinal survey

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correlational research study that involves repeated observations of the same items over long periods of time. It is a type of observational study.

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sampling size

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The sample size of a statistical sample is the number of observations that constitute it

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sampling frame

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the population from which a sample is drawn. Ideally it is the same as the total population if interest to a study

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sampling error

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the difference between a sample estimate and a corresponding population parameter that arises because only a portion of a population is observed

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confidence level

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the degree of belief that an estimated range of values-more specifically, a high or low value-includes or covers the population parameter

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margin of error

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a

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confidence level

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the degree of belief that na estimated range of values-more specifically a high or low value-includes or covers the population parameter

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margin of error

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amount of random sampling error in a survey's results

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primary data

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data recorded and used by the researcher who is making observations

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secondary data

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data used by a researcher that was not personally collected by that researcher

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content analysis

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a procedure by which verbal, quantitative records are transformed into quantitative data

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intercoder reliability

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demonstration that multiple analysts, following the same content analysis procedure, agree and obtain the same measurements

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Solomon four-group design

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a way of avoiding some of the difficulties associated with the pretest-posttest design

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pre-test

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measurement of the dependent variable prior to the administration of the experimental treatment or manipulation of the independent variable

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post-test

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measurement of the dependent variable after manipulation of the independent variable

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field experiment

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experimental designs applied in a natural setting