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Term 1 Week 3

Learning objectives week 3:

  • understand what a concept is
  • understand the terms operationalisation and measurement
  • learn how to critically reflect on the suitability of different ways to operationalise and measure

Lecture (Conceptualisation, Operationalisation and Measurement):

  • Homework week 3:
    • Read the required literature (see below).
    • Review and critically assess how Todaro and Smith operationalise economic development.
    • Identify strengths and weaknesses of their operationalisation.
    • Make a list of how the authors measure the different indicators of economic development.
    • Again, what are the strengths and weaknessed of these?
  • Required reading week 3:
    • Adcock, R.N. and David Collier. 2001. Measurement Validity: A Shared Standard for Qualitative and Quantitative Research. American Political Science Review, vol. 95, no. 3, 529-46
    • Bryman, A. 2008. Social Research Methods, 4th ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press. pp. 163-168
    • Todaro M. and Stephen C. Smith. 2011. Economic Development. Addison Wesley. Sections 1.3., 2.2.-2.4.

Seminar (Field Work on Campus):

  • Homework week 3:
    • Ensure to have a finalised version of your questionnaire ready.
    • Make sufficient hard copies of the questionnaire to conduct individual interviews (unless you want to go digital).

Recommended reading for week 3:

  • Goertz, G. 2005. Social Science Concepts: A User’s Guide. Princeton University Press
  • Inglehart, Ronald. 2003. How Solid is Mass Support for Democracy–And How Can We Measure it? PS: Political Science and Politics 36: 51-57
  • Kellstedt, Paul M. and Guy D. Whitten. 2013. The Fundamentals of Political Science Research, 2nd edition. Cmbridge University Press. Sections 5.2.-5.4.
  • Lowndes, Vivien. 2004. Getting On or Getting By? Women, Social Capital and Political Participation. British Journal of Politics and International Relations 6: 45–64
  • Uberoi, Varun and Iain McLean. 2007. Britishness: a Role for the State?. Political Quarterly 78: 41–53

Additional resources: