Thank you for the review. Was there anything that could have been improved?
By: marawankhalil1 • 2 year ago
By: giacomoef • 2 year ago
Thanks for the review! Good luck with studying :)
By: LanavScheijen • 2 year ago
By: giacomoef • 2 year ago
Thanks for the review! Good luck with studying :)
Seller
Follow
giacomoef
Reviews received
Content preview
Notes on the lectures from the course (2022) Research Methods in Political Science. INCLUDES video
lectures 1-13 (Total: 38 pages).
1
Research Methods in Political Science Lecture Notes (Video Lectures
1-13)
Table of Contents
Video Lecture 1: Introduction to Research Methods 2
Video Lecture 2: Philosophy of Social Science 3
Video Lecture 3: Research Design Questions & Theories 7
Video Lecture 4: Research Design Causality & Overview 9
Video Lecture 5: Research Ethics & Threats to Validity 11
Video Lecture 6: Data & Measurement 14
Video Lecture 7: Data Collection - Comparative & Historical Research & Case Selection 17
Video Lecture 8: Data Collection - Surveys & Sampling 21
Video Lecture 9: Data Collection - Interviews & Focus Groups 25
Video Lecture 10: Data Collection - Experiments 26
Video Lecture 11: Data Collection - Ethnography & Participant Observation 29
Video Lecture 12: Data Collection - Textual/Content Analysis & Big Data 31
Video Lecture 13: (Mostly Quantitative) Data Analysis - Data Management &
Visualisation 34
, 2
Video Lecture 1: Introduction to Research Methods
Scientific Research
Goal = develop a better understanding of events, decisions, actions via groups or individuals.
➔ Achieve this through the:
◆ Use of existing theories (explanation/predictions)
◆ Application to new cases/evidence.
➔ Method = test the theory + collect evidence/data (qualitative/quantitative).
➔ Analysis = any collected evidence must be analysed (description & theory/hypothesis
testing).
Research Methods (Naive Science vs. Scientific Method)
Naive Science (Common Sense Method): Ad hoc explanations that tend to fail due to biased inquiry
(selected explanations/illogical reasoning, inaccurate trust) through:
● Personal experience
● Intuition
● Sources of authority
● Appeals to tradition, custom, faith
● Magic, superstition, mysticism
Scientific Method: Rationale comprehension of the world to establish a logic picture, following:
● A systematic process (step-by-step).
● Falsifiable theories.
○ Theory: Simplifiable model of reality.
● Replication (research can/should be repeated → ensures that findings are reliable).
● Reflective/self-critical approach.
● Cumulative/self-correcting process.
● Cyclical process (research answers questions, but brings forward new ones).
Research Design as a Process
Research design = wheel of science.
, 3
Why are research methods useful?
1. Transitions from intuition/anecdotes → systematic evidence.
2. Questions = problem-driven.
3. Provides tools for transparency/replicability similar across all social sciences.
4. Encourages methodological pluralism/diversity.
5. Works as constraints (follow rules/procedures) vs. opportunities (BUT following these rules
offer the opportunity to draw meaningful conclusions).
HOWEVER, scientific methods are NOT always easy (e.g., Global Warming).
Theory & Practice: Need for Healthy Scepticism
Replication Crisis: Doubts about the outcome of scientific studies have increased, leading to
increased replication issues with finding similar outcomes.
➔ Scientists are too eager to publish results without efficiently scrutinising their research.
Video Lecture 2: Philosophy of Social Science
Key Questions
Unlike the natural sciences, explaining natural phenomena + choosing the right methodology in the
social sciences is less clear.
➔ Ontology = basic assumptions about the nature of the social world (objective/subjective
reality?).
➔ Epistemology = refers to what can be known about social phenomena.
➔ Methodology = how knowledge can be obtained.
Positivism
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card or Stuvia-credit for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller giacomoef. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for $10.72. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.
