Question 1

The research process can be described by the following order of steps: ______.
A) asking questions; defining tests; forming hypotheses, examining the evidence, making conclusions
B) forming hypotheses, defining tests, asking questions, examining the evidence, making conclusions
C) asking questions; forming hypotheses; defining tests; examining the evidence; making conclusions
D) defining tests, asking questions, examining the evidence, forming hypotheses, making conclusions

Accepted Answer

The correct order for the research process is: asking questions (to identify what you want to investigate), forming hypotheses (making an educated guess about the outcome), defining tests (planning how to test the hypotheses), examining the evidence (conducting the tests and gathering data), and making conclusions (interpreting the results).

Question 2

What is the purpose of composing concrete research questions?
A) to investigate or address the phenomenon you're trying to study
B) to identify the variables or concepts that are analyzed to determine if a relationship exists
C) to determine if the question being asked has been researched already
D) to determine what kind of tests should be employed to determine if a relationship exists

Accepted Answer

To investigate or address the phenomenon you're trying to study

Question 3

What is one of the purposes of hypotheses?
A) to investigate or address the phenomenon you're trying to study
B) to identify the variables or concepts that are analyzed to determine if a relationship exists
C) to determine if the question being asked has been researched already
D) to determine what kind of tests should be employed to determine if a relationship exists

Accepted Answer

B

Question 4

What is the purpose of the literature review?
A) to investigate or address the phenomenon you're trying to study
B) to identify the variables or concepts that are analyzed to determine if a relationship exists
C) to determine if the question being asked has been researched already
D) to determine what kind of tests should be employed to determine if a relationship

Accepted Answer

The purpose of a literature review is to determine if the question being asked has been researched already, providing context and background for the study.

Question 5

"As party polarization increases, the rate at which Parliament passes acts and laws goes down." This is an example of which stage of the research process?
A) asking questions
B) forming hypotheses
C) defining tests
D) making conclusions

Accepted Answer

This statement is an example of forming hypotheses, as it presents a specific, testable prediction about the relationship between two variables: party polarization and the rate of passing acts and laws in Parliament.

Question 6

Ideas or concepts that can vary over time are known as ______.
A) hypotheses
B) terms
C) variables
D) dynamics

Accepted Answer

Variables are ideas or concepts that can change or vary over time, making them a key component in research and scientific studies.

Question 7

Variables used to represent effects or outcomes are often referred to as ______.
A) independent variables
B) latent variables
C) explanatory variables
D) dependent variables

Accepted Answer

Dependent variables are the variables used to represent effects or outcomes in an experiment or study, as they depend on or are affected by other variables (typically independent variables).

Question 8

The process of precisely defining what we mean by something is called ______.
A) conceptualization
B) operationalization
C) generalization
D) categorization

Accepted Answer

Conceptualization is the process of defining what we mean by a particular term or concept, making abstract ideas specific and measurable.

Question 9

Correlations are best described by which of the following?
A) the approach that focuses on deep in-depth case or event analyses
B) the approach used to describe of patterns or relationships between concepts or variables
C) a first glance at a relationship that may exist between two concepts or variables that occur simultaneously
D) a method used to narrow down the relationship between two or more variables

Accepted Answer

The answer of Correlations are best described by which of...

Question 10

The stage of the research process that is often most helpful to designing variables is ______.
A) asking the research question(s)
B) developing hypotheses
C) conducting a literature review
D) determining tests

Accepted Answer

Conducting a literature review is crucial for designing variables because it helps researchers understand what has already been studied, identify gaps in the current knowledge, and determine how various variables have been defined and measured in past research. This background information is essential for developing relevant and precise variables for a new study.

Question 11

Regression analysis are best described by which of the following?
A) the approach that focuses on deep in-depth case or event analyses
B) the approach used to describe of patterns or relationships between concepts or variables
C) a first glance at a relationship that may exist between two concepts or variables that occur simultaneously
D) a method used to narrow down the relationship between two or more variables

Accepted Answer

Regression analysis is a statistical method used to determine the strength and character of the relationship between one dependent variable and one or more independent variables.

Question 12

Quantitative methods have pros and cons-which of the following expressions best encapsulates the importance of the quality of data that you collect and analyze?
A) "garbage in, garbage out"
B) "There are three types of lies: lies, damn lies, and statistics."
C) "The data will tell you anything if you torture them long enough."
D) "Facts are stubborn things, but statistics are pliable."

Accepted Answer

"Garbage in, garbage out" directly refers to the concept that the quality of output is determined by the quality of the input, which in the context of data analysis means that the quality of the data collected and analyzed is crucial for obtaining valid and reliable results.

Question 13

______ generally focus on deep description, case studies, or event analyses.
A) Qualitative methods
B) Quantitative methods
C) Comprehensive methods
D) Triangulated methods

Accepted Answer

Qualitative methods are known for focusing on deep descriptions, case studies, or event analyses, as they aim to provide insights into how and why certain phenomena occur, rather than quantifying them.

Question 14

Case studies are most useful in that they can ______.
A) often be generalized beyond the situation or event we are studying
B) be selected to optimise how well we can support or refute a hypothesis
C) still allow us draw some conclusions and learn from the exercise even if they don't support a hypothesis
D) be effective at providing enough complete evidence to support a hypothesis

Accepted Answer

Case studies provide in-depth insights into specific situations, allowing for learning and conclusions even if they don't support a hypothesis, but they are not always generalizable or comprehensive enough to fully support a hypothesis.

Question 15

Which of the following approach analyzes the causes and consequences of events step-by-step?
A) content analysis
B) case studies
C) process tracing
D) comparative methods

Accepted Answer

Process tracing is a method used in qualitative research to examine the causes and consequences of events by analyzing them step-by-step, often within case studies, to identify the causal mechanisms between independent and dependent variables.

Question 16

Which of the following best captures the difference between process tracing and historiography?
A) Political science searches for larger explanations of phenomena across time; history sees events as contextually and historically bound.
B) Political science sees events as contextually and historically bound; history sees events as contextually and historically bound.
C) Political science attempts to trace the links between possible causes and observed outcomes; history does not.
D) History attempts to trace the links between possible causes and observed outcomes; political science does not.

Accepted Answer

Process tracing in political science seeks to identify causal mechanisms and explanations across different contexts, while historiography in history focuses on understanding events within their specific historical and contextual settings.

Question 17

Political scientist Charles Ragin is known for his work developing which of the following?
A) content analysis
B) case study
C) process tracing
D) comparative method

Accepted Answer

Charles Ragin is best known for his development and refinement of the comparative method, particularly in the context of social science research. He has contributed significantly to the methodology of comparing cases to understand complex social phenomena.

Question 18

Leaving out cases that do not fit your hypothesis is specifically known as ______.
A) design bias
B) measurement bias
C) selection bias
D) reporting bias

Accepted Answer

Selection bias occurs when certain cases are systematically excluded from the analysis, leading to a non-representative sample that can skew the results.

Question 19

One benefit of using qualitative over quantitative methods is that you can ______.
A) say that there is a relationship among variables or concepts that you are researching
B) understand the causal mechanisms that contribute to the concepts you are researching
C) provide larger explanations of phenomena over time
D) effectively single out specific relationships in which you are most interested

Accepted Answer

Qualitative methods are particularly effective for exploring the underlying reasons, opinions, and motivations behind certain phenomena, thus helping to understand the causal mechanisms that contribute to the concepts being researched. They allow for in-depth insights into the problem, which is not typically the focus of quantitative methods.

Question 20

Which of the following do Mahoney and Goertz call the idea of examining a few key cases to work backwards, in order to try to understand what causes events to occur in the first place?
A) comparative method
B) causes of effects
C) process tracing
D) causal inference

Accepted Answer

Mahoney and Goertz refer to the approach of examining a few key cases to understand the causes of specific outcomes as "causes of effects." This method focuses on identifying the reasons behind particular events or phenomena.

Quiz 2: Research Methods

The research process can be described by the following order of steps: ______.

What is the purpose of composing concrete research questions?

What is one of the purposes of hypotheses?

What is the purpose of the literature review?

"As party polarization increases, the rate at which Parliament passes acts and laws goes down." This is an example of which stage of the research process?

Ideas or concepts that can vary over time are known as ______.

Variables used to represent effects or outcomes are often referred to as ______.

The process of precisely defining what we mean by something is called ______.

Correlations are best described by which of the following?

The stage of the research process that is often most helpful to designing variables is ______.

Regression analysis are best described by which of the following?

Quantitative methods have pros and cons-which of the following expressions best encapsulates the importance of the quality of data that you collect and analyze?

______ generally focus on deep description, case studies, or event analyses.

Case studies are most useful in that they can ______.

Which of the following approach analyzes the causes and consequences of events step-by-step?

Which of the following best captures the difference between process tracing and historiography?

Political scientist Charles Ragin is known for his work developing which of the following?

Leaving out cases that do not fit your hypothesis is specifically known as ______.

One benefit of using qualitative over quantitative methods is that you can ______.

Which of the following do Mahoney and Goertz call the idea of examining a few key cases to work backwards, in order to try to understand what causes events to occur in the first place?