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:
- YouTube video: Bills of Mortality