Scholars who study comparative politics define their approach to their discipline via scientific inquiry, in a systematic and verifiable manner. Otherwise, they run the risk of compiling information that is spurious and useless to other researchers. The scientific method provides the bedrock for all scientific inquiry and consists of four characteristics: replicability, precision, falsifiability, and parsimony. This rigorous approach allows social scientists to learn and obtain inferential knowledge.
To review, see Scientific Method on page five of Social Science Research. The page number is in the upper corner of each page.
How do scientists who rely on scientific laws and scientific theories differ in their understanding of the world? Researchers consider scientific laws to be observed behaviors, whereas scientific theories require explanations and make predictions based on evidence.
To review, see Scientific Knowledge and Scientific Research, beginning on page two of Social Science Research.
Engaging in the two thought processes, inductive and deductive reasoning, requires making different types of assumptions that lead to different types of conclusions. We typically engage in deductive, top-down thinking to perform theory testing. We engage in inductive thinking to draw inferences, make conclusions, and generate new knowledge. Inductive reasoning forms the basis of the scientific method.
To review, see Scientific Research, beginning on page three of Social Science Research.
Scholars engage in exploratory research to discover new areas they would like to explore or research further. Once a researcher has identified this new area of inquiry, they are better able to describe and catalog their area of interest through descriptive research. Researchers apply scientific rigor by using explanatory research to explain new phenomena. Going through this systematic, research-based, process of discovery is important to political science, since each type of research applies increasing amounts of scrutiny to the object of study, moving from basic observation to more substantial findings based on sound scholarly research.
To review, see Scientific Research, beginning on page three of Social Science Research.
The positivist research method requires researchers to use observation to verify their conclusions. This approach typically incorporates research methods that collect quantitative data, such as research surveys and experiments. The anti-positivist research method typically uses a qualitative approach, such as unstructured interviews and participant observation. Finally, as a bedrock of falsifiability, the postpositivist approach determines researchers can only disprove knowledge with any degree of certainty: they cannot prove it.
To review, see History of Scientific Thought, beginning on page seven of Social Science Research.
Social scientists apply John Stuart Mill’s two comparative methodologies to research single, isolated observations, or topics of inquiry, and to compare and contrast multiple instances. Mill called these research methodologies: method of agreement and direct method of difference. By using as much relevant data that is available, researchers can establish a level of certainty for their claims and examples: it is better to have more information available than too little.
To review, see Mill's Methods: How We Determine the Causes of Events and Causal Reasoning.
When comparing different countries or political systems, social science researchers aim to examine the patterns, similarities, or differences they discover or observe with what other researchers have documented as part of the greater framework, i.e. what is established in the field.
In this course, we encourage you to compare and contrast the political culture, political socialization, and political participation of different countries.
Similarities: For example, when comparing different political systems, can you identify similarities in the political culture, political socialization, and political participation among the countries or regions? What are those similarities? Where did they originate? How do these similarities manifest themselves in the political culture and practices of the countries or regions? Why did these similarities come about?
Differences: What are the differences in the political culture, political socialization, and political participation among the countries? Where do you think the differences you have pinpointed originated? How do these differences manifest themselves in the political culture and practices of these countries or regions? Why did these differences come about?
Depending on the type of work being conducted, two or more comparisons may be appropriate. Researchers can apply their comparisons to the local, regional, national, or international level.
To review, see Comparative Analysis within Political Science.
Researchers who compare political systems, such as when they review large datasets, must be thorough and cognizant of any bias to avoid making false generalizations and inappropriate assumptions.
To review, see Section 1 of Evaluating Research Methods of Comparative Politics.