1|Page
POLT 550 Exam #2 (homework answers weeks
6 to 9; Dickovick and Eastwood chapters 9, 10,
11, 13, 14; Linz, Horowitz, Renan, Varshney
articles; class notes weeks 6 to 9)
Argument - .....ANSWER ...✔✔ The placement of
evidence in logical form in support of position or claim
Case - .....ANSWER ...✔✔ in comparative analysis, a
unit or example of a phenomenon to be studied
comparative checking - .....ANSWER ...✔✔ the
process of testing the conclusions from a set of
comparisons against additional cases or evidence
comparative politics - .....ANSWER ...✔✔ the subfield
of political science that aims to analyze multiple cases
using the comparative method
concepts - .....ANSWER ...✔✔ ideas comparatives use
to think about the processes we study
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conceptualization - .....ANSWER ...✔✔ the deliberate
process through which we create and select social-
scientific concepts
dependent variable - .....ANSWER ...✔✔ in
hypothesis testing, the dependent variable is the effect
or outcome that we expect to be acted on
empirical - .....ANSWER ...✔✔ drawn from
observations of the world
evidence - .....ANSWER ...✔✔ a set of facts or
observations used to support a proposition or examine a
hypothesis
Generalizability - .....ANSWER ...✔✔ the quality that
a given theory, hypothesis, or finding has of being
applicable to a wide number of cases
independent variable - .....ANSWER ...✔✔ in
hypothesis testing, an independent variable is one that
we expect to "act on" or change the value of the
dependent variable
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level of analysis - .....ANSWER ...✔✔ The level (e.g.,
individual, organizational, societal) at which
observations are made, or at which causal processes
operate.
most different systems design - .....ANSWER ...✔✔ A
research design in which we compare cases that differ
with respect to multiple factors but in which the outcome
is the same
most similar systems design - .....ANSWER ...✔✔ a
research design in which we compare cases that are
similar with respect to a number of factors but with
distinct outcomes
normative - .....ANSWER ...✔✔ concerned with
specifying which sort of practice or institution is morally
or ethically justified
open-ended questions - .....ANSWER ...✔✔ a question
that, in principle, is open to numerous possible answers
Operationalization - .....ANSWER ...✔✔ the process
through which we make a concept measurable
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outcome - .....ANSWER ...✔✔ typically used as a
synonym for "effect," something that is produced or
changed in any social or political process
Sartori's ladder of abstraction - .....ANSWER ...✔✔
the idea that we can organize concepts on the basis of
their specificity or generality
variables - .....ANSWER ...✔✔ elements or factors
that are likely to change, or vary, from case to case
variations - .....ANSWER ...✔✔ differences within a
population, group or set
within-case comparison - .....ANSWER ...✔✔ the
comparative analysis of variation that takes place over
time or in distinct parts of a single case
bias - .....ANSWER ...✔✔ prejudice in favor of or
against one thing, person, or group compared with
another, usually in a way considered to be unfair.
POLT 550 Exam #2 (homework answers weeks
6 to 9; Dickovick and Eastwood chapters 9, 10,
11, 13, 14; Linz, Horowitz, Renan, Varshney
articles; class notes weeks 6 to 9)
Argument - .....ANSWER ...✔✔ The placement of
evidence in logical form in support of position or claim
Case - .....ANSWER ...✔✔ in comparative analysis, a
unit or example of a phenomenon to be studied
comparative checking - .....ANSWER ...✔✔ the
process of testing the conclusions from a set of
comparisons against additional cases or evidence
comparative politics - .....ANSWER ...✔✔ the subfield
of political science that aims to analyze multiple cases
using the comparative method
concepts - .....ANSWER ...✔✔ ideas comparatives use
to think about the processes we study
,2|Page
conceptualization - .....ANSWER ...✔✔ the deliberate
process through which we create and select social-
scientific concepts
dependent variable - .....ANSWER ...✔✔ in
hypothesis testing, the dependent variable is the effect
or outcome that we expect to be acted on
empirical - .....ANSWER ...✔✔ drawn from
observations of the world
evidence - .....ANSWER ...✔✔ a set of facts or
observations used to support a proposition or examine a
hypothesis
Generalizability - .....ANSWER ...✔✔ the quality that
a given theory, hypothesis, or finding has of being
applicable to a wide number of cases
independent variable - .....ANSWER ...✔✔ in
hypothesis testing, an independent variable is one that
we expect to "act on" or change the value of the
dependent variable
,3|Page
level of analysis - .....ANSWER ...✔✔ The level (e.g.,
individual, organizational, societal) at which
observations are made, or at which causal processes
operate.
most different systems design - .....ANSWER ...✔✔ A
research design in which we compare cases that differ
with respect to multiple factors but in which the outcome
is the same
most similar systems design - .....ANSWER ...✔✔ a
research design in which we compare cases that are
similar with respect to a number of factors but with
distinct outcomes
normative - .....ANSWER ...✔✔ concerned with
specifying which sort of practice or institution is morally
or ethically justified
open-ended questions - .....ANSWER ...✔✔ a question
that, in principle, is open to numerous possible answers
Operationalization - .....ANSWER ...✔✔ the process
through which we make a concept measurable
, 4|Page
outcome - .....ANSWER ...✔✔ typically used as a
synonym for "effect," something that is produced or
changed in any social or political process
Sartori's ladder of abstraction - .....ANSWER ...✔✔
the idea that we can organize concepts on the basis of
their specificity or generality
variables - .....ANSWER ...✔✔ elements or factors
that are likely to change, or vary, from case to case
variations - .....ANSWER ...✔✔ differences within a
population, group or set
within-case comparison - .....ANSWER ...✔✔ the
comparative analysis of variation that takes place over
time or in distinct parts of a single case
bias - .....ANSWER ...✔✔ prejudice in favor of or
against one thing, person, or group compared with
another, usually in a way considered to be unfair.
