Question 1

Which of the following statement best describes the relationship between facts and evidence in comparative politics?

Accepted Answer

Facts are pieces of information or data, while evidence involves using those facts to support or explain a theory or argument in comparative politics.

Question 2

What is necessary for a good argument?

Accepted Answer

A good argument requires evidence to support its claims, ensuring that it is logical and convincing.

Question 3

Which of the following is not a necessary feature of strong evidence?

Accepted Answer

Multiple case studies are not always necessary for strong evidence; other forms of evidence can be equally valid depending on the context.

Question 4

Which of the following would not be an example of a case?

Accepted Answer

A case typically refers to a specific instance or example that can be studied, such as a country, historical episode, or region. A theory, however, is a system of ideas intended to explain something, not a specific instance or example.

Question 5

Which of the following might be cases in a study of comparative politics?

Accepted Answer

All of the listed options (social revolutions, countries, and political parties) are potential cases in a study of comparative politics, which examines and compares political systems and processes across different countries and contexts.

Question 6

Which of the following would be unlikely to be cases in a study of comparative politics?

Accepted Answer

Freedom is an abstract concept and not a tangible entity like political parties or social movements, making it less likely to be a direct case study in comparative politics.

Question 7

An element or factor that is liable to change, or vary, from case to case is:

Accepted Answer

A variable is an element or factor that can change or vary in different situations or cases.

Question 8

In an analysis of cause and effect, the _____ is outcome, and the _____is the cause.

Accepted Answer

The dependent variable is the outcome that is affected by changes in the independent variable, which is the cause.

Question 9

Which of the following is not a variable as presented?

Accepted Answer

The French Revolution is a specific historical event, not a variable. Variables are categories or characteristics that can vary or change, such as "degree of democracy" or "type of regime."

Question 10

Which of the following is not an approach used by comparative politics scholars under ordinary circumstances?

Accepted Answer

Guestimating the answer is not an approach used by comparative politics scholars under ordinary circumstances.

Question 11

Which of the following is true about the cases Most-Different-Systems designs?

Accepted Answer

Most-Different-Systems designs aim to find common outcomes across cases that are different in many other respects, highlighting the factors that lead to similar outcomes despite different contexts.

Question 12

The Most Similar Systems Design is used when which of the following is true?

Accepted Answer

The answer of The Most Similar Systems Design is used...

Question 13

Which of the following factors is a feature unique to within-case comparison?

Accepted Answer

Within-case comparison focuses on analyzing how a single case changes over time, examining variations and developments within that specific case.

Question 14

How do findings in the social sciences differ from those in the physical sciences?

Accepted Answer

Social sciences deal with human behavior, which is complex and variable, making it difficult to establish universal laws. In contrast, physical sciences often identify consistent patterns and laws in the natural world.

Question 15

The process of checking the conclusions of a research study by analyzing additional cases.

Accepted Answer

Comparative Checking involves analyzing additional cases to verify the conclusions of a research study, ensuring the findings are consistent across different scenarios.

Question 16

Both France and China endured social revolutions, but they are/were very different countries. The type of analysis that should be used is:

Accepted Answer

The Most-Different-Systems approach is used to compare cases that are very different from each other to identify common factors that lead to similar outcomes, such as social revolutions in this case.

Question 17

Explain the difference between the most similar systems design and the most different systems design.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Explain the difference between the most similar...

Question 18

Under what circumstances would you use one or the other?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Under what circumstances would you use one...

Question 19

Explain why scholars of comparative politics think it is important to try to answer why questions rather than just offering descriptions (answering "how" questions) or providing facts (answering "who" or "what" questions).

Accepted Answer

The answer of Explain why scholars of comparative politics think...

Question 20

Under what circumstances might a scholar make use of within-case comparison(s)?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Under what circumstances might a scholar make...

Quiz 1: The Comparative Approach: an Introduction