POL 51 Lecture Notes - Lecture 5: Three-Strikes Law, Confounding
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Basic steps: identify the variable (sometimes called the concept, define the variable, measure the variable, defend the measure (as needed) Sometimes it"s so straightforward that you don"t need to measure it, but it is important to know. Definition: negativity is any criticism leveled by one candidate against another during a campaign. Measurement: each appeal within each ad is coded for whether it is negative. 795 ads produced 9,590 appeals, with 32% being attacks on the opposition . Defense of the measure: p. 32-34 in the book. Definition: degree to which there are significant differences between d and r political actors who shape their party"s reputation. Measurement: the difference in pro-choice roll call voting between d and r members of congress. Defense: by voting hundreds of times each year, participating in debates, making public speeches, and offering interviews with the pres, members of congress are arguably the most consistently important and recognizable source of partisan cues .
