Poli%cal science: systema)c descrip)on and explana)on of poli)cal phenomena à follow the rules of
science, no exemp)on at all
Evidence-based inference: conclusion based on evidence
l Combine both methods e.g. case studies, surveys, interviews, field observa)ons, datasets, experiments
1. Quan)ta)ve: phenomenon measured in number à more precise and unambiguous
2. Qualita)ve: not all data are coded in numbers à richer and wider net
Research involving human subject: Belmont Report
1. Respect for persons: informed consent & privacy
l Anonymity (2-sided): neither the researchers nor the readers of the findings can iden)fy a given
response with a given respondent
l Confiden)ality (1-sided): researcher can iden)fy the responses of a given person but essen)ally
promises not to do so publicly
l Must debrief if you had use decep)on
2. Beneficence: minimize harm & maximize benefits
3. Jus%ce: burdens or benefits are shared equitably à e.g. random distribu)on of research subjects
Research Ethics: think carefully about the effects of the discovery à responsible for the effects
l HKU: Human Research Ethics CommiSee for Non-Clinical Facul)es (HREC) à all research involving
human subjects
l Do not plagiarize or claim credit for the results of others
l Do not misreport sources, invent data or fake results
l do not submit data whose accuracy you do not trust, unless you say so
l do not conceal objec)ons that you cannot rebut
l do not caricature or distort opposing views
l do not destroy data or conceal sources important for those who follow
Research Ques%on
1. understand the causes of “X” is not interes)ng if no one cares about “X” à relevance to theory, policy
or lives of people
2. important implica)ons for theory or policy: shiZ exis)ng priors or inform policy debates à change
minds of people
Procedure
1. RQ: interes)ng, important, puzzles you à beneficial (shiZing/ affec)ng policy)
2. Hypothesis: A causes B à based on theories or sources of evidence
3. Test the hypotheses with data
Hypotheses
l Science is about discoveries: process of genera)ng, tes)ng and rejec)ng hypotheses
l Supposi)on, proposed explana)on, reasoned guess à star)ng point: set up to be proven wrong à fair
science, no exemp)on at all
Evidence-based inference: conclusion based on evidence
l Combine both methods e.g. case studies, surveys, interviews, field observa)ons, datasets, experiments
1. Quan)ta)ve: phenomenon measured in number à more precise and unambiguous
2. Qualita)ve: not all data are coded in numbers à richer and wider net
Research involving human subject: Belmont Report
1. Respect for persons: informed consent & privacy
l Anonymity (2-sided): neither the researchers nor the readers of the findings can iden)fy a given
response with a given respondent
l Confiden)ality (1-sided): researcher can iden)fy the responses of a given person but essen)ally
promises not to do so publicly
l Must debrief if you had use decep)on
2. Beneficence: minimize harm & maximize benefits
3. Jus%ce: burdens or benefits are shared equitably à e.g. random distribu)on of research subjects
Research Ethics: think carefully about the effects of the discovery à responsible for the effects
l HKU: Human Research Ethics CommiSee for Non-Clinical Facul)es (HREC) à all research involving
human subjects
l Do not plagiarize or claim credit for the results of others
l Do not misreport sources, invent data or fake results
l do not submit data whose accuracy you do not trust, unless you say so
l do not conceal objec)ons that you cannot rebut
l do not caricature or distort opposing views
l do not destroy data or conceal sources important for those who follow
Research Ques%on
1. understand the causes of “X” is not interes)ng if no one cares about “X” à relevance to theory, policy
or lives of people
2. important implica)ons for theory or policy: shiZ exis)ng priors or inform policy debates à change
minds of people
Procedure
1. RQ: interes)ng, important, puzzles you à beneficial (shiZing/ affec)ng policy)
2. Hypothesis: A causes B à based on theories or sources of evidence
3. Test the hypotheses with data
Hypotheses
l Science is about discoveries: process of genera)ng, tes)ng and rejec)ng hypotheses
l Supposi)on, proposed explana)on, reasoned guess à star)ng point: set up to be proven wrong à fair
