Question 1

Which of the following is not a good comparative politics question?

Accepted Answer

A)  Why do some states adopt religious fundamentalism? 
B)  Why should religious fundamentalism not be involved in politics? 
C)  Why do some parties embrace religious rhetoric? 
D)  Why are religious actors politically successful in some societies and not in others? 
A)  Why do some states adopt religious fundamentalism? 
B)  Why should religious fundamentalism not be involved in politics? 
C)  Why do some parties embrace religious rhetoric? 
D)  Why are religious actors politically successful in some societies and not in others?

Question 2

Which of the following might be cases in a study of comparative politics?

Accepted Answer

A)  Social revolutions 
B)  Countries 
C)  Political parties 
D)  All of the above 
A)  Social revolutions 
B)  Countries 
C)  Political parties 
D)  All of the above

Question 3

Think of something that varies between three or more countries (in terms of their institutions, their level of development, or any other major issue). What question could you ask about the observed variation? How might you use the three countries (or others) to begin to gain leverage over your question?

Accepted Answer

One major issue that varies between thre

Question 4

What is necessary for a good argument?

Accepted Answer

A)  Emphatic elocution of the argument 
B)  Evidence to support the argument 
C)  Strong belief in the argument 
D)  Loud voices to state the argument 
A)  Emphatic elocution of the argument 
B)  Evidence to support the argument 
C)  Strong belief in the argument 
D)  Loud voices to state the argument

Question 5

Why are "leading" questions not considered good social-scientific questions?

Accepted Answer

A)  Leading questions can lead to a biased argument. 
B)  Leading questions evoke an emotional response. 
C)  Leading questions steer the researcher in a specific direction. 
D)  Leading questions lack creativity. 
A)  Leading questions can lead to a biased argument. 
B)  Leading questions evoke an emotional response. 
C)  Leading questions steer the researcher in a specific direction. 
D)  Leading questions lack creativity.

Question 6

Which of the following is not a good comparative politics question?

Accepted Answer

A)  When did the Iranian Revolution happen? 
B)  Why did the Iranian Revolution happen? 
C)  Why was the Iranian Revolution unlike the Russian Revolution in some key respects? 
D)  Why did the Iranian Revolution not lead to liberal democracy? 
A)  When did the Iranian Revolution happen? 
B)  Why did the Iranian Revolution happen? 
C)  Why was the Iranian Revolution unlike the Russian Revolution in some key respects? 
D)  Why did the Iranian Revolution not lead to liberal democracy?

Question 7

Under what circumstances or for what reason(s) might a comparative political analyst want to add additional cases to his or her study?

Accepted Answer

A comparative political analyst might wa

Question 8

Conceptualize either the idea of democracy, nationalism, or social revolution. Describe the meaning of the concept and its various dimensions. Explain why you focus on those features of the concept that you do, and how your approach to conceptualization might be useful for a comparative project. Then explain how one might "operationalize" your concept for the sake of measurement. What sorts of advantages does your approach offer? What, if anything, would be difficult to measure?

Accepted Answer

The concept I will focus on is democracy

Question 9

Describe the most important features of good concepts in comparative politics.

Accepted Answer

Good concepts in comparative politics sh

Question 10

Which of the following would be unlikely to be cases in a study of comparative politics?

Accepted Answer

A)  Political parties 
B)  Social movements 
C)  Freedom 
D)  None of the above 
A)  Political parties 
B)  Social movements 
C)  Freedom 
D)  None of the above

Question 11

In an analysis of cause and effect, the _____ is outcome, and the _____is the cause.

Accepted Answer

A)  Dependent variable, Independent variable 
B)  Independent variable, Dependent variable 
C)  Sine, Cosine 
D)  Similarity, Difference 
A)  Dependent variable, Independent variable 
B)  Independent variable, Dependent variable 
C)  Sine, Cosine 
D)  Similarity, Difference

Question 12

What makes something a "case" in comparative politics?

Accepted Answer

In comparative politics, the term "case"

Question 13

What is a concept?

Accepted Answer

A)  An individual's opinion on a subject 
B)  A theory in science that has been tested and vetted 
C)  An abstract idea that we attempt to define and measure 
D)  An indisputable fact 
A)  An individual's opinion on a subject 
B)  A theory in science that has been tested and vetted 
C)  An abstract idea that we attempt to define and measure 
D)  An indisputable fact

Question 14

Which of the following would be an example of a "leading" question?

Accepted Answer

A)  Why did the New World colonies revolt against the British? 
B)  Why did the British unfairly tax the New World colonies? 
C)  Why did the British colonize the New World? 
D)  When did the British colonize the New World? 
A)  Why did the New World colonies revolt against the British? 
B)  Why did the British unfairly tax the New World colonies? 
C)  Why did the British colonize the New World? 
D)  When did the British colonize the New World?

Question 15

How do findings in the social sciences differ from those in the physical sciences?

Accepted Answer

A)  Findings in the social sciences are constant and stable, while findings in the physical sciences are not. 
B)  Findings in the social sciences are intuitive, while findings in the physical sciences are scholastic. 
C)  Findings in the social sciences are variable, while findings in the physical sciences are specific. 
D)  Findings in the social sciences rarely result in "laws," while findings in the physical sciences more often do so. 
A)  Findings in the social sciences are constant and stable, while findings in the physical sciences are not. 
B)  Findings in the social sciences are intuitive, while findings in the physical sciences are scholastic. 
C)  Findings in the social sciences are variable, while findings in the physical sciences are specific. 
D)  Findings in the social sciences rarely result in "laws," while findings in the physical sciences more often do so.

Question 16

Both France and China endured social revolutions, but they are/were very different countries. The type of analysis that should be used is:

Accepted Answer

A)  Most-Similar-Systems 
B)  Most-Different-Systems 
C)  Comparative Checking 
D)  Differential Analysis 
A)  Most-Similar-Systems 
B)  Most-Different-Systems 
C)  Comparative Checking 
D)  Differential Analysis

Question 17

Which type of arguments do scholars of comparative politics usually make?

Accepted Answer

A)  Political arguments 
B)  Ethical arguments 
C)  Normative arguments 
D)  Empirical arguments 
A)  Political arguments 
B)  Ethical arguments 
C)  Normative arguments 
D)  Empirical arguments

Question 18

Under what circumstances might a scholar make use of within-case comparison(s)?

Accepted Answer

A scholar might make use of within-case

Question 19

Why questions may be poor questions if they __________.

Accepted Answer

A)  Do not lead to easily attainable answers 
B)  Do not lead to attempted explanations of cause and effect 
C)  Steer the researcher towards a specific answer 
D)  Are open-ended 
A)  Do not lead to easily attainable answers 
B)  Do not lead to attempted explanations of cause and effect 
C)  Steer the researcher towards a specific answer 
D)  Are open-ended

Question 20

Explain why scholars of comparative politics think it is important to try to answer why questions rather than just offering descriptions (answering "how" questions) or providing facts (answering "who" or "what" questions).

Accepted Answer

Scholars of comparative politics believe

Which of the following is not a good comparative politics question?

Which of the following might be cases in a study of comparative politics?

What is necessary for a good argument?

Why are "leading" questions not considered good social-scientific questions?

Which of the following is not a good comparative politics question?

Under what circumstances or for what reason(s) might a comparative political analyst want to add additional cases to his or her study?

Describe the most important features of good concepts in comparative politics.

Which of the following would be unlikely to be cases in a study of comparative politics?

In an analysis of cause and effect, the _ is outcome, and the _is the cause.

What makes something a "case" in comparative politics?

What is a concept?

Which of the following would be an example of a "leading" question?

How do findings in the social sciences differ from those in the physical sciences?

Both France and China endured social revolutions, but they are/were very different countries. The type of analysis that should be used is:

Which type of arguments do scholars of comparative politics usually make?

Under what circumstances might a scholar make use of within-case comparison(s)?

Why questions may be poor questions if they __________.

Explain why scholars of comparative politics think it is important to try to answer why questions rather than just offering descriptions (answering "how" questions) or providing facts (answering "who" or "what" questions).

Theories, Hypotheses, and Evidence

The Modern State

Political Economy

Development

Democracy and Democratization

Authoritarian Regimes and Democratic Breakdown

Constitutions and Constitutional Design

Legislatures and Legislative Elections

Executives

Political Parties, Party Systems, and Interest Groups

Revolutions and Contention

Nationalism and National Identity

Race, Ethnicity, and Gender

Ideology and Religion in Modern Politics

Comparative Politics and International Relations

Filters

Exam 1: The Comparative Approach: an Introduction

Which of the following is not a good comparative politics question?

Which of the following might be cases in a study of comparative politics?

What is necessary for a good argument?

Why are "leading" questions not considered good social-scientific questions?

Which of the following is not a good comparative politics question?

Under what circumstances or for what reason(s) might a comparative political analyst want to add additional cases to his or her study?

Describe the most important features of good concepts in comparative politics.

Which of the following would be unlikely to be cases in a study of comparative politics?

In an analysis of cause and effect, the _____ is outcome, and the _____is the cause.

What makes something a "case" in comparative politics?

What is a concept?

Which of the following would be an example of a "leading" question?

How do findings in the social sciences differ from those in the physical sciences?

Both France and China endured social revolutions, but they are/were very different countries. The type of analysis that should be used is:

Which type of arguments do scholars of comparative politics usually make?

Under what circumstances might a scholar make use of within-case comparison(s)?

Why questions may be poor questions if they __________.

Explain why scholars of comparative politics think it is important to try to answer why questions rather than just offering descriptions (answering "how" questions) or providing facts (answering "who" or "what" questions).

Theories, Hypotheses, and Evidence

The Modern State

Political Economy

Development

Democracy and Democratization

Authoritarian Regimes and Democratic Breakdown

Constitutions and Constitutional Design

Legislatures and Legislative Elections

Executives

Political Parties, Party Systems, and Interest Groups

Revolutions and Contention

Nationalism and National Identity

Race, Ethnicity, and Gender

Ideology and Religion in Modern Politics

Comparative Politics and International Relations

Filters

In an analysis of cause and effect, the _ is outcome, and the _is the cause.