The Essentials of Political Analysis
4th Edition
Published on 7. September 2011
Book
Paperback/Softback
280 pages
978-1-60871-686-9 (ISBN)
Description
Political science students need to get comfortable using the tools of political analysis. For stats-phobic undergrads, the research methods course need not need be nerve wracking, especially with Pollock's bestselling text to help them along the way.
His brief, accessible guide walks students through the basics - measuring concepts, formulating and testing hypotheses, describing variables - while using key terms, chapter-opening objectives, 80 tables and figures, and class-tested exercises to get them using and applying their new skills.
The new Fourth Edition features enhanced treatment of research design and logic-controlled comparison and illustrates complex relationships with more accessible examples. A completely revised rubric further helps students identify these complex relationships in their own research.
His brief, accessible guide walks students through the basics - measuring concepts, formulating and testing hypotheses, describing variables - while using key terms, chapter-opening objectives, 80 tables and figures, and class-tested exercises to get them using and applying their new skills.
The new Fourth Edition features enhanced treatment of research design and logic-controlled comparison and illustrates complex relationships with more accessible examples. A completely revised rubric further helps students identify these complex relationships in their own research.
More details
Edition
4th Revised edition
Language
English
Place of publication
Washington
United States
Publishing group
SAGE Publications Inc
Target group
College/higher education
Edition type
Revised edition
Dimensions
Height: 254 mm
Width: 178 mm
Weight
495 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-60871-686-9 (9781608716869)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
New editions
Philip H. Pollock
The Essentials of Political Analysis
Book
11/2015
5th Edition
CQ Press
€94.28
Article exhausted; check for reprint
Previous edition
Philip H. Pollock
The Essentials of Political Analysis
Book
10/2008
3rd Edition
CQ Press
€63.32
Article exhausted; check for reprint
Person
Philip H. Pollock III is a professor of political science at the University of Central Florida. He has taught courses in research methods at the undergraduate and graduate levels for more than thirty years. His main research interests are American public opinion, voting behavior, techniques of quantitative analysis, and the scholarship of teaching and learning. His recent research has been on the effectiveness of Internet-based instruction. Pollock's research has appeared in the American Journal of Political Science, Social Science Quarterly, and the British Journal of Political Science. Recent scholarly publications include articles in Political Research Quarterly, the Journal of Political Science Education, and PS: Political Science and Politics.
Content
Introduction
The Definition and Measurement of Concepts
Conceptual Definitions
Operational Definitions
Measuring and Describing Variables
Measuring Variables
Describing Variables
Proposing Explanations, Framing Hypotheses, and Making Comparisons
Proposing Explanations
Framing Hypotheses
Making Comparisons
Graphing Relationships and Describing Patterns
The "How Else?" Question: Making Controlled Comparisons
Experimental Studies
Observational Studies
Three Scenarios: X Y, Controlling for Z
Sampling and Inference
Cross-Tabulation Analysis
Graphing Controlled Comparisons
Foundations of Statistical Inference
Population Parameters and Sample Statistics
Random Sampling
The Standard Error of a Sample Mean
Inference Using the Normal Distribution
Inference Using the Students' T-Distribution
What About Sample Proportions?
Tests of Significance and Measures of Association
Statistical Significance
Measures of Association
Correlation and Linear Regression
Correlation
Bivariate Regression
R-Square
Dummy Variable Regression
Logistic Regression
The Logistic Regression Approach
Finding the Best Fit: Maximum Likelihood Estimation
Logistic Regression with Multiple Independent Variables
Working with Probabilities
The Definition and Measurement of Concepts
Conceptual Definitions
Operational Definitions
Measuring and Describing Variables
Measuring Variables
Describing Variables
Proposing Explanations, Framing Hypotheses, and Making Comparisons
Proposing Explanations
Framing Hypotheses
Making Comparisons
Graphing Relationships and Describing Patterns
The "How Else?" Question: Making Controlled Comparisons
Experimental Studies
Observational Studies
Three Scenarios: X Y, Controlling for Z
Sampling and Inference
Cross-Tabulation Analysis
Graphing Controlled Comparisons
Foundations of Statistical Inference
Population Parameters and Sample Statistics
Random Sampling
The Standard Error of a Sample Mean
Inference Using the Normal Distribution
Inference Using the Students' T-Distribution
What About Sample Proportions?
Tests of Significance and Measures of Association
Statistical Significance
Measures of Association
Correlation and Linear Regression
Correlation
Bivariate Regression
R-Square
Dummy Variable Regression
Logistic Regression
The Logistic Regression Approach
Finding the Best Fit: Maximum Likelihood Estimation
Logistic Regression with Multiple Independent Variables
Working with Probabilities