笔记

Chapter1 The Science in Social Science

Quantitative research uses numbers and statistical methods. It tends to be based on numerical measurements of specific aspects of phenomena; it abstracts from particular instances to seek general description or to test causal hypotheses; it seeks measurements and analyses that are easily replicable by other researchers.

Qunantitive: data, game theory

Qualitative: quality examples

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Chapter2 Descriptive Inference

A strong research design requires both qualitative and quantitative research, a research question that poses an important and real question that will contribute to the base of knowledge about this particular subject, and a literature review that develops this question through at least twenty years of literature, from which hypotheses (theory-driven) are then drawn. Data that is collected should be operationalized so that the next researcher can come along and develop the same study and achieve similar results. While gathering data the researcher should consider the observable implications of the theory in an effort to explain as much of the data as possible.

2.1GENERAL KNOWLEDGE AND PARTICULAR FACTS

2.1.1“Interpretation” and Inference

2.1.2 “Uniqueness,” Complexity, and Simplification

2.1.3 Comparative Case Studies

2.2 INFERENCE: THE SCIENTIFIC PURPOSE OF DATA COLLECTION

Inference is the process of using the facts we know to learn about facts we do not know. The facts we do not know are the subjects of our research questions, theories, and hypotheses. The facts we do know form our (quantitative or qualitative) data or observations.

2.3 FORMAL MODELS OF QUALITATIVE RESEARCH

2.4 A FORMAL MODEL OF DATA COLLECTION

We model data with variables, units, and observations.

Chapter3 Causality and Causal Inference

First, guess a casuality. Then, find connection to prove.

Method：add treatment variable to group A, compare with control group B.

Independent variable A —— lead to —— dependent variable B But，Conditional dependence C could have effect on both A and B

Rule 1: Construct Falsifiable Theories even an incorrect theory is better than a statement that is neither wrong nor right.

Chapter4 Determining What to Observe

4.1 INDETERMINATE RESEARCH DESIGNS

Issue 1: Having more inferences than implications observed is a common problem in qualitative case studies.

First solution： increase cases.

maximazing theoritical

One solution to the problem of indeterminacy would be to refocus the study on the effects of particular explanatory variables across a range of state action rather than on the causes of a particular set of effects, such as success in joint projects. An alternative solution that doesn’t change the focus of the study so drastically might be to add a new set of observations measured at a different level of analysis.

Issue 2: Multicollinearity

4.2 THE LIMITS OF RANDOM SELECTION

Selection bias （caused by research: only choosing cases favor the hypothesis; caused by other factors such as access to data, history archive missing and so on）

Random selection (Good, but less efficiency and harder to get causal relation)

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这是我们research design的教材之一，书是个好书，详细耐心——如果你能耐心读下去这长篇的英文的话，讨厌的地方在那些不知所云不知哪里冒出来的数学公式，跳过就好。

这也是我人生里第一本收到图书馆recall的书。得还回去了。