Week 3 POLI 110

Why use arguments?

To understand complex realities.

3 types of arguments

Descriptive, Causal, Prescriptive.

Descriptive arguments answer?

“What is…?”

Causal arguments answer?

“Why” or “How?”

Prescriptive arguments answer?

“What should be…?”

Types of descriptive arguments

Indicators, Syntheses, Typologies, Associations.

Example of indicator

Voter turnout.

Causal claim structure

X ➡️ Y with mechanism, order, correlation, no Z.

Causal mechanism

How X affects Y.

Temporal order

X happens before Y.

3 good argument criteria

Truth, Precision, Generality.

Parsimony

Explains much with few assumptions.

Boundedness

Applies to a specific group.

Assessing arguments

Theory + evidence.

What is a concept?

Abstract idea of a real-world thing.

Why clear concepts matter?

Weak concepts = weak arguments.

3 steps to use a concept

Specification, Operationalization, Measurement.

Operationalization

Turning a concept into a variable.

Variable requirements

Varies, disjunct, exhaustive.

Manifest vs. latent

Manifest = visible; Latent = needs indicator.

3 measurement criteria

Objectivity, Reliability, Validity.

Validity

Measures what it's supposed to.

Reliability

Gives consistent results.

Example of concept issue

Metis ID rise = maybe just definitions.