A
What is the dependent variable in social science research?
the effects; what is being explained
What is the independent variable in social science research?
the cause; what is being used to explain something
The best place to start for ANY kind of research project is...
with the literature
What does emic mean?
What does etic mean?
tries to explain things from an “outsider’s perspective”
What is the major difference between experimental methods and the others?
the IV is manipulated in experiments
ways to measure/observe your variables
What are counterfactuals?
thought experiment; would Y have happened without X
Which method tends to have the most restrictions on generalizability?
interpretive/ethnographic
Why is it important to conduct research ethically?
What are mental models?
train of thought that helps us explain WHY we think the relationship exists between X and Y
What is the basic goal of quantitative research?
identify patterns and correlation
Which method focuses on social context when trying to explain social phenomenon?
interpretive/ethnographic
testing: experiments and quantitative
building: qualitative and interpretive
Which method has the most flexible research questions?
interpretive
How does qualitative evidence look different than quantitative?
qualitative evidence includes things like stories and interviews, while quantitative uses data/number/statistics
Which methods generally rely on a large number of cases/data?
experimental and quantitative
Which methods have an interest in the specific cases being studied?
interpretive and qualitative
In which methods do you develop your IV and DV as you go?
mostly interpretive; sometimes qualitative
Which research methods are more focused on objectivity?
experiments and quantitative
Which methods are better for studying groups?
experimental and quantitative
Which methods are best when only a few cases are available?
interpretive and qualitative
What is the difference between qualitative and interpretive?
qualitative uses process tracing to identify the mechanisms of causation and interpretive seeks to explain how the observed understand their behavior
Why is it often important to use more than one method?
each method can only answer certain questions, but combining methods can allow us to fill in some of the gaps that would be left
For which method is it the most important to start with a strong theory?
experimental