POLS 2503 Chapter 2: POLS 2503: Chapter 2: Thinking Like a Researcher

• School: Temple University
• Department: Political Science
• Course: POLS 2503
• Professor: Sanjeevini B.Lokhande

Document Summary

Unit of analysis the person, collective, or object that is the target of the investigation; the level of social aggregation under study e. g. individual, group, etc. Concepts generalizable properties or characteristics associated with objects, events, or people. Dependent variable explained by other variables (response) Mediating variable affects the relationship between independent and dependent variables. Control variable can impact the behavior of the dependent variable and can obscure the relationship between independent and dependent variables if not taken into consideration. Omitted variable bias something other than the independent variable resulted in the dependent variable changing. Proposition a tentative and conjectural relationship between constructs that is stated in a declarative form which is derived from theory and tested indirectly. Hypothesis an empirical formulation of propositions; expected outcomes; procedural explanations meant to indicate directionality and causality. Theory a set of systemically interrelated constructs and propositions intended to explain and predict a phenomenon or behavior within certain boundaries of conditions and assumptions.