GVPT 201 Chapter Notes - Chapter 3: Inverse Relation
15 Oct 2018
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Chapter 3: proposing explanations, framing hypotheses, and making comparisons. First goal is to define and measure a concept. Clearly define the concept to be measured. Determine how to measure the concept accurately. Select variables that measure the concept precisely. Second goal is to propose and test explanations for political phenomena. Each question makes an explicit observation about a characteristic that varies. Implicitly requests a causal explanation for the observed differences. Dependent variable: the variable the represents the effect in a causal explanation. Independent variable: the variable that represents a causal factor in an explanation. Describe a connection between the dependent variable and the causal variable. Hypothesis tells us exactly how different values of the independent variable are related to different values of the dependent variable. Must compare values on a dependent variable for subjects that differ on an independent variable. Intervening variables: a variable that acts as a go-between or mediator between an independent variable and a dependent variable.
