Lecture Notes Flashcards

Flashcards generated from lecture notes for exam preparation.

Empirical Research

Evidence-based research focused on answering questions, filling gaps, and verifying facts.

Synthesis

(Literature Review) Combining elements from multiple sources to make a point, identifying patterns, contrasts, and gaps.

Research styles/methods

Exploratory, Descriptive, and Explanatory.

Unit of Analysis vs unit of observation

1. what is this study about (and macro, meso micro, states, organisations, individuals)

2. what are you observing

examples terrorism study with children

uniA: the 5 jihadi magazines

UniO: The pictures with kids

Qualitative Research

Examines phenomena through specific cases using a flexible design and inductive formulation of hypotheses, relying on words and small samples.

Theory building

studying phenomena

Quantitative Research

Examines relationships, trends, and variables using a rigid design and deductive hypothesis testing, relying on numbers and large samples.

Theory testing

testing relationships

Typical, extreme and deviant

typical is what you would expect, extreme= really weird on X Or y axis. deviant does not fit pattern in any way shape or form

Most Similar System Design (MSSD)

A few similar cases with similar presets, where the outcome is different in one case; seeks to find the differences that create the different outcome.

Most Different System Design (MSDS)

Cases with different presets and conditions, but similar/same outcomes; seeks to find the commonalities despite the differences.

Operationalism

How to measure what you want to know; for instance, measuring democracy by looking at free speech, elections, corruption, etc.

Independent Variable

A variable in the analysis that possibly influences another variable, often manipulated (x-axis).

Dependent Variable

A variable that is possibly influenced by the independent variable, observed but not manipulated (y-axis).

Null Hypothesis (H0)

The hypothesis that there is no relationship between the variables.

Alternative Hypothesis (H1)

The hypothesis that there is a relationship between the variables.

Cross-Sectional Research vs longitudinal

Research conducted at a specific moment in time. VS studying something over a period of time

Quantitative Data Collection Methods

Surveys, survey experiments, and documents/records (archived data).

Qualitative Data Collection Methods

Interviews (structured, semi, or non), focus groups, participant observation & ethnography, and documents/records (archives, large n).

Probability Sampling

Random sampling, systematic sampling, stratified sampling, and clustered sampling.

Always Quant

Non-Probability Sampling

Convenience, volunteers, quota, purposive, and snowball sampling.

Qual

Non-Sampling Errors

Population specification, sample frame error, self-selection, and non-response.

Interquartile Range (IQR)

Measure of variation representing the range between the 25th and 75th percentiles.

Standard deviation (SD)

Correlation Coefficient

A measure of the strength and direction of a relationship, ranging from 1 to -1, where 0 indicates no correlation. 1 is a really strong positive relationship, and minus one a negative

Univariate analysis

looks at each variable independently

All types of methods, mean, median, mode= most common one

Bivariate analysis

how are they related

• what is the strength and direction of the relationship?

• is it statistically significant?

Main method is correlation coeficient & p value

Statistical Significance (P-value)

P-value less than 0.05 indicates statistical significance (less than 5% chance of failure/chance).

Confounding Variables

A variable that influences both the independent and dependent variables.

types of qualitative analysis

• Content analysis

  • data crunchen (tag certain things and then make tables)

  • inductive or deductive

  • descriptive in nature

• thematic Analysis

  • inductive (have data and find pattern, no starting theories): find patterns and themes

• Critical discourse analysis

  • language is never neutral

  • framing

• narrative Analysis

  • order of events in a talk

Reliability

The consistency of results across time and people.

Validity

The adequacy or relevance of data collection; measuring what you want to measure.

Internal Validity

The extent to which a study establishes a trustworthy cause-and-effect relationship between a treatment and an outcome

in short, absolutely no other variables could have had any influence

External Validity

The extent to which the results of a study can be generalized to other situations and to other people.

• population validity

  • generalising for the population

  • representative for a group or not

• ecological validity

  • generalise across context/settings/ situations

  • applying results between countries

  • or results about students for a bigger populace

Credibility

The trustworthiness and believability of the findings in qualitative research.