Political Science Research Methods

by Johnson, Janet Buttolph; Joslyn, Richard A.

• ISBN13: 9780871878076
• ISBN10: 0871878070
• Edition: 3rd
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 1994-08-01
• Publisher: Congressional Quarterly Inc

Summary

This concise introduction to political science tools covers the research process and scholars use of research methods.

Table of Contents

Tables and Figures	xi	(4)
Preface	xv
1 Introduction	1	(18)
Research on Regime Stability	4	(3)
The Western Media and Non-Western Nations: An Issue in International Relations	7	(1)
Study of How Congressional Elections Are Financed	8	(3)
Investigating Popular Influence on Public Policy	11	(1)
A Look into Judicial Decision Making	12	(3)
Influencing Bureaucracies	15	(1)
Explaining Variability in Checkoff Rates among the States	16	(1)
Conclusion	16	(1)
Notes	17	(1)
Terms Introduced	18	(1)
Exercises	18	(1)
2 Studying Politics Scientifically	19	(22)
Characteristics of Scientific Knowledge	19	(8)
Acquiring Scientific Knowledge: Induction and Deduction	27	(3)
Can Politics Be Studied Scientifically?	30	(2)
Political Science as a Discipline	32	(4)
Conclusion	36	(1)
Notes	36	(2)
Terms Introduced	38	(1)
Exercises	38	(1)
Suggested Readings	39	(2)
3 The Building Blocks of Social Scientific Research: Hypotheses, Concepts, and Variables	41	(32)
Specifying the Research Question	41	(3)
Proposing Explanations	44	(5)
Defining Concepts	49	(4)
Formulating Hypotheses	53	(13)
Conclusion	66	(1)
Notes	66	(1)
Terms Introduced	66	(1)
Exercises	67	(3)
Suggested Readings	70	(3)
4 The Building Blocks of Social Scientific Research: Measurement	73	(38)
Devising Measurement Strategies	74	(2)
Examples of Political Measurement	76	(5)
The Accuracy of Measurements	81	(10)
The Precision of Measurements	91	(4)
Multi-item Measures	95	(10)
Conclusion	105	(1)
Notes	106	(1)
Terms Introduced	107	(1)
Exercises	108	(1)
Suggested Readings	109	(2)
5 Research Design	111	(42)
Experimentation	112	(6)
Experimental Designs	118	(15)
Nonexperimental Designs	133	(14)
Conclusion	147	(1)
Notes	148	(2)
Terms Introduced	150	(1)
Exercises	151	(1)
Suggested Readings	152	(1)
6 Conducting a Literature Review	153	(18)
Where Do Research Topics Come From?	153	(1)
Reasons for a Literature Review	154	(5)
Conducting a Literature Review	159	(9)
Conclusion	168	(1)
Notes	168	(1)
Exercises	168	(1)
Suggested Reading	169	(2)
7 Sampling	171	(26)
Population or Sample?	173	(1)
The Basics of Sampling	174	(2)
Types of Samples	176	(10)
Sample Information	186	(3)
Sampling Error	189	(1)
Conclusion	190	(1)
Notes	191	(1)
Terms Introduced	192	(2)
Exercises	194	(1)
Suggested Readings	195	(2)
8 Making Empirical Observations: Direct and Indirect Observation	197	(30)
Types of Data and Collection Techniques	197	(3)
Observation	200	(1)
Direct Observation	201	(14)
Indirect Observation	215	(3)
Ethical Issues in Observation	218	(4)
Conclusion	222	(1)
Notes	223	(2)
Terms Introduced	225	(1)
Suggested Readings	226	(1)
9 Document Analysis: Using the Written Record	227	(34)
Types of Written Records	228	(16)
Content Analysis	244	(7)
Advantages and Disadvantages of the Written Record	251	(4)
Conclusion	255	(1)
Notes	256	(2)
Terms Introduced	258	(1)
Exercises	258	(1)
Suggested Readings	259	(2)
10 Elite Interviewing and Survey Research	261	(34)
Elite Interviewing	262	(4)
Survey Research	266	(20)
Conclusion	286	(1)
Notes	287	(4)
Terms Introduced	291	(1)
Exercises	292	(1)
Suggested Readings	293	(2)
11 Univariate Data Analysis and Descriptive Statistics	295	(30)
Frequency Distributions	298	(8)
Descriptive Statistics	306	(10)
The Normal Distribution	316	(5)
Conclusion	321	(1)
Notes	321	(1)
Terms Introduced	322	(1)
Exercises	323	(1)
Suggested Readings	324	(1)
12 Measuring Relationships and Testing Hypotheses: Bivariate Data Analysis	325	(50)
Crosstabulation	327	(20)
Difference of Means Test and Analysis of Variance	347	(6)
Regression and Correlation Analysis	353	(15)
Conclusion	368	(1)
Notes	368	(1)
Terms Introduced	369	(1)
Exercises	370	(3)
Suggested Readings	373	(2)
13 Searching for Complete Explanations and Causal Knowledge: Multivariate Data Analysis	375	(28)
Introduction	375	(3)
Multivariate Crosstabulation	378	(8)
Two-Way Analysis of Variance	386	(3)
Multiple Regression and Partial Correlation	389	(7)
Conclusion	396	(1)
Notes	397	(1)
Terms Introduced	397	(1)
Exercises	398	(3)
Suggested Readings	401	(2)
14 The Research Report: An Annotated Example	403	(30)
Polarity, the Offense-Defense Balance, and War	404	(27)
Conclusion	431	(1)
Exercises	431	(2)
Appendix	433	(8)
Index	441