2: Conceptualisation and Measurement Flashcards
What is the objective of conceptualisation and measurement?
Turn and abstract concept into a number.
What is a concept? +examples
Concepts are the building blocks of theory and represents points around which social research is conducted.
Freedom, edu, democracy, social class, racism.
What is a background concept?
Broad collection of meanings and understanding associated with a given concept.
What is a systematised concept?
Specific formulation of a concept used by a given scholar or groups of scholars; commonly involves the explicit def.
What is conceptulalisation?
Formulating a systematised concept through reasoning about the backgorund concept, in light of the goals of research.
What is an attribute?
A component or characterisitc of a concept.
What is a variable?
An element of a conceptual component which varies. Also called measures.
What is measurement?
The selection of a measure or variable.
What ensures the quality of measurement?
Validity and reliability.
What is validity?
Extent to which the measure (variable) you choose represents the concept in question.
What is reliability?
Extent to which repeated measurement produces the same result.
Civil war conceptualisation
Attribute - effective resistance
Measure - battle-related deaths
No. of dead - subject to political considerations - unreliable measure.
