POLI 2P80 Lecture Notes - Operationalization, Inductive Reasoning, Deductive Reasoning

• School: Brock University
• Department: Political Science
• Course: POLI 2P80
• Professor: Brad Walchuk

Document Summary

The process of creating measurable concrete variables from abstract concepts. Extends the senses (empirical) tends to be more of a concern for quantitative researchers: qualitative researchers can still measure. Slide 3: meas. steps to follow: 1) identify concept of interes, 2) develop conceptual definition. Decide on units of analysis ie. how will we measure something: 3) operationalize to create a variable links concept to measurement technique. Quantitative research: usually use deductive reasoning, start with an abstract idea, measure variables finish with empirical data. Qualitative researchers: usually use inductive reasoning, start off with empirical data, observations, or qualitative observations and search out the why (via interview) 1) conceptualization the process of developing clear, rigorous, systematic definitions for abstract ideas/concepts. 2) operationalization the process of moving from the conceptual definition of a construct to a set of specific activities or measures that allow a researcher to observe it empirically. Example democracy: 1) define, 2) variables to test.