POS 301 Study Guide - Content Analysis, Scientific Method, Focus Group
Document Summary
Asking a group of individuals questions to get a feel for what the general population thinks; getting a snapshot of how general public feels (not a perfect sample, however) Use as a springboard for further research. # of people per focus group 6-10 people; easier to control. What is poli-sci: studying politics in a scientific way, process of using empirical research based on actual/objective observation of some phenomena, examples of phenomena. When & why wars have occurred in history. Science vs. common sense: way knowledge is acquired. Must adhere to well-defined principles for collecting, analyzing, and evaluating: can be used for academic purposes, sense of civic duty citizens need to evaluate empirical research. Don"t ask questions you should already know (do your homework) Ask for about 20 min. of his/her time. Engage in casual conversation before the interview to loosen interviewee up. Be a keen observer of surroundings, body language, etc. Theory development: provisional temporary; can be updated.
