Ch. 1 Pollocks Essentials Of Political Analysis

Front 1

Concept

Back 1

An Idea that represents a real world phenomenon

Front 2

Conceptual Question

Back 2

* Expressed using ideas
* Difficult to answer empirically
* Frequently unclear

Front 3

Concrete Question

Back 3

* Expressed in tangible properties, and
* can be answered empirically

Front 4

Conceptual Definition

Back 4

* Clearly describes the concept's measurable properties, and
* specifies the unit of analysis
* "[x] is the extent to which (inds/grps) [y]"

Front 5

Operational definition

Back 5

* Describes the instrument to be used in measuring a concept
* Puts a conceptual definition "into operation".

Front 6

Conceptual Dimension

Back 6

concrete traits of a similar type

Front 7

Multidimensional Concept

Back 7

Concept with two or more distinct groups of empirical characteristics

Front 8

Unit of Analysis

Back 8

The entity to be measured or described

Front 9

Aggregate-level unit of analysis

Back 9

Measure of a group of individuals

Front 10

Individual-level Unit of analysis

Back 10

Measure of a single person

Front 11

Ecological Fallacy

Back 11

* Fallacy where aggregate level phenomenon is used to make inferences at individual levels
* i.e., Soldiers are fit and soldiers have high rates of vehicle accidents, but vehicle accidents and physical fitness do not correlate at the individual soldier level.

Front 12

Systemic Measurement Error

Back 12

* Consistent, chronic distortion of measurement
* Problems with test's focus

Front 13

Random Measurement Error

Back 13

* haphazard, chaotic distortion of measurement
* problems with test's application

Front 14

Hawthorne Effect

Back 14

Inadvertant distortion of response by a subject that knows he or she is being measured or tested

Front 15

Reliability

Back 15

Consistency of measure for a concept

Front 16

Validity

Back 16

* Accuracy of measure for a concept
* Records true value of the intended characteristic, and
* does not measure unintended characteristics

Front 17

Test-Retest Method

Back 17

Researcher applies the same measure two separate times to the same units of analysis (individuals, usually)

Front 18

Alternative-form method

Back 18

Administers two different by equivalent forms of a measure to the same units of analysis

Front 19

Panel Study

Back 19

* Information about the same units of analysis from two or more separate times
* ≈Test-Retest method
* ≈Alternative-form method
* More expensive

Front 20

Cross-Sectional Study

Back 20

* Information about a unit of analysis measured once
* Less expensive (but still expensive)

Front 21

Split-Half Method

Back 21

Internal consistency Approach

* Half of a scale's items measured against the other half
* Should be equal for each unit of analysis

Front 22

Cronbach's Alpha (α)

Back 22

Internal Consistency Approach

* coefficient of reliability
* Measures consistency between pairs of individual items on a test
* Most reliable on unidimensional tests of concepts
* higher number (up to 1) means greater reliability

Front 23

Face Validity Approach

Back 23

Researcher uses informed judgment to determine if a operational procedure is measuring what it is supposed to measure

Front 24

Construct Validity Approach

Back 24

Researcher examines the relationship between a measurement and other concepts to which it should be related