Across
- 7. In political science, the _______________ is used to study the effects of social media on political mobilization by following a structured approach that includes observation, hypothesis formulation, hypothesis testing, and hypothesis evaluation
- 8. The act of deliberately altering variables to determine a cause-and-effect relationship. In an experiment to determine if negative political advertising affects voter turnout, the ____________ would involve exposing some participants to negative ads while others see neutral ads.
- 9. The ______________ variable influences how or causes another variable’s values change. In a political science study examining the impact of social media exposure on public opinion, the ___________ variable could be the amount of time spent on social media platforms.
- 12. Any characteristic, number, or quantity that can be measured or quantified. For example, in a study on voter behavior, education level is a ¬___________ that might influence voting patterns.
- 13. Correlation A relationship between two variables in which both variables move in the same direction. For example, a ______________ might be observed between economic development and the stability of democratic institutions in political science research.
- 14. A relationship between two variables that appears to be causal but is actually caused by a third variable. For example, this type of relationship might be identified in political science when increased employment appears to be associated with a drop in crime, but the real cause for both is an increase in social welfare programs.
- 15. _____________ units refer to geographical spaces that are analyzed in a study. For instance, in political science research, _______________ units could refer to electoral districts or states when analyzing voting patterns across different areas.
- 17. A study where the researcher observes and collect data in a natural setting without experimental intervention or manipulation; a study in which a researcher is not attempting to recreate the counterfactual. For instance, a _____________ study in political science might involve analyzing the voting behavior of individuals in different regions during an election.
- 19. Correlation A relationship between two variables in which one variable increases as the other decreases. For example, in political science, there might be a ________________ between the level of corruption in a country and the public's trust in government.
- 20. An assertion or hypothesis about a possible event or situation that did not actually occur. For instance, a political scientists might use this to speculate how the absence of a significant political event, like the fall of the Berlin Wall, would have affected international relations.
- 22. A research design that looks at data from a population or group of populations at one specific point in time. This type of study in political science might propose a relationship between demographic factors and political opinions at the time of a national election.
Down
- 1. The type of relationship between variables where the effect of one variable on another is not certain to manifest but rather has a likelihood of happening or not happening. In political science, the relationship between economic inequality and civil unrest is _____________, as other factors like government response and social cohesion also play a role.
- 2. A mutual relationship or connection between two or more variables where one predicts the other. In political science, researchers may find a(n) ___________ between social media usage and political awareness among youth.
- 3. A research design where the researcher manipulates one variable in only one of at least two groups. This design is used to recreate the counterfactual in order to prove causality. A(n) ____________ could involve studying the effects of different campaign messages on voter preferences by presenting individuals with varied advertisements.
- 4. A tentative statement about the relationship between two or more variables; a testable statement or prediction.
- 5. The process of strictly defining concepts with measurable factors. The process defines fuzzy concepts and allows them to be measured, empirically and quantitatively. For example, the _____________ of the concept of political engagement might involve measuring the frequency of political discussions and participation in elections.
- 6. A variable that accounts for alternative explanations for why a dependent variable might change. This variable is different from your primary independent variable, which is found in your hypothesis. For instance, in studying the effect of education on political ideology, income level may be used as a _____________ variable to isolate the effect of education. This is because income level will also be expected to influence political ideology in its own right.
- 10. A coherent group of propositions formulated to explain a group of facts or phenomena in the natural world and repeatedly confirmed through experiment or observation. In political science, modernization ___________ suggests that as societies develop economically, they will become more democratic.
- 11. The relationship between cause and effect. Establishing this in political science might involve demonstrating how a specific policy change directly leads to an increase in public support for a political party.
- 16. The ______________ variable changes values in response to changes in another variable. For example, in a study on the impact of education on political participation, the ___________ variable could be the rate of turnout in elections.
- 18. A research design that holds the population or units of analysis constant and measures values of the dependent variable at more than one point in time. In this type of study, a researcher could examine voter turnout rates over the last several decades to identify trends and patterns.
- 21. An abstract idea or a mental symbol