Free Practice Quiz Question List

2 Methods of Political Analysis Online Quiz Questions

Use this free practice quiz with 20 questions to review 2 Methods of Political Analysis, test your knowledge, and prepare for your next test or exam.

20 questions

True or false

1 point

True or false: A theory proposes an explanation, while a hypothesis states an expectation that can be checked against observations.

A
True
B
False

Written response

1 point

What methodological property describes a measure that yields consistent observations when the underlying phenomenon has not changed?

Choose one

1 point

A researcher wants to measure political trust. Which feature would make a proposed measure valid for that purpose?

A
The measure produces the same result whenever the same data are entered.
B
The measure captures the concept the study intends to examine.
C
The measure includes observations from as many countries as possible.
D
The measure proves that one variable caused another.

Fill in the blank

1 point

In a study of electoral participation, clarifying what the concept means is , while specifying how to observe or measure it is .

Choose one

1 point

Which question is the most focused and empirically answerable research question?

A
Why does politics matter?
B
Do people like elections?
C
Among registered voters in a city, does receiving an Election Day reminder increase the likelihood of casting a ballot?
D
What are all the reasons people participate in politics?

Written response

1 point

In a study asking whether reminders affect voter turnout, what is the methodological term for the outcome the study seeks to explain?

Choose all

1 point

Select all statements that are testable hypotheses about the effect of voting reminders on turnout among registered voters.

A
Registered voters who receive a reminder will vote at a higher rate than similar voters who do not.
B
Receiving a reminder will have no effect on the turnout rate of registered voters.
C
Voting reminders are an important topic in politics.
D
Voter behavior is too complicated for any expectation to be checked.

Choose one

1 point

Which statement best describes a difference between quantitative and qualitative evidence in political analysis?

A
Quantitative evidence explains meanings and sequences; qualitative evidence summarizes patterns across many observations.
B
Quantitative evidence summarizes patterns across many observations; qualitative evidence can clarify meanings and how processes unfold.
C
Quantitative evidence is always causal; qualitative evidence is always descriptive.
D
Quantitative evidence uses only surveys; qualitative evidence uses only interviews.

Choose all

1 point

Select all appropriate practices for evaluating evidence in a political study.

A
Consider how the evidence was produced.
B
Ask what the evidence leaves out.
C
Assume that any evidence supporting a claim establishes causation.
D
Check whether the evidence bears on the claim being made.

True or false

1 point

True or false: A counterfactual describes what would have happened to the same unit under a different condition, which ordinarily cannot also be observed for that unit at the same time.

A
True
B
False

Choose one

1 point

A researcher compares turnout across two countries. What should the researcher check to make the comparison meaningful?

A
Use whichever turnout measure is easiest to find in each country.
B
Compare countries even if their outcomes are defined differently.
C
Check that the turnout measure means the same thing in each country.
D
Assume that national differences make measurement consistency unnecessary.

Choose one

1 point

A study compares turnout rates across several districts, treating each district as one observation. What is its unit of analysis?

A
The researchers conducting the study
B
The districts being examined
C
The statistical method used to compare turnout
D
The period during which turnout is measured

Open ended

1 point

A researcher wants to determine whether Election Day reminders cause higher voter turnout. Describe a research design that could support a causal conclusion, explain how turnout could be measured, and identify at least one limitation or alternative explanation the researcher should address.

Choose one

1 point

Which question is the most focused and answerable with empirical evidence?

A
Do registered voters who receive an Election Day reminder vote at a higher rate than similar registered voters who do not?
B
Why is voting important?
C
What are all the effects of politics on society?
D
Do people like elections?

Choose one

1 point

A researcher argues that election reminders may reduce practical barriers to voting and predicts that reminded registered voters will vote at a higher rate than similar voters who are not reminded. Which statement correctly identifies the theory and hypothesis?

A
The theory is the expected higher turnout; the hypothesis is the broad idea that reminders reduce barriers.
B
The theory proposes that reminders reduce practical barriers; the hypothesis predicts higher turnout among voters who receive reminders.
C
Both the theory and the hypothesis are measurements of turnout.
D
The theory is the data collected after the election; the hypothesis is the group receiving reminders.

True or false

1 point

True or false: A measure is valid if it produces consistent observations, even when it does not capture the concept the researcher intends to measure.

A
True
B
False

Choose one

1 point

A study tests whether receiving a campaign reminder affects whether a registered voter casts a ballot. Which is the dependent variable?

A
Whether the voter receives a reminder
B
The number of campaign messages sent
C
Whether the voter casts a ballot
D
The district where the voter is registered

Written response

1 point

A researcher defines political trust as confidence in the national government and specifies a survey question to measure that confidence. What is the methodological step of specifying how a concept will be observed or measured called?

Written response

1 point

To assess whether a reminder caused a voter to cast a ballot, a researcher asks what that same voter would have done without receiving the reminder. What is this unobserved alternative outcome called?

Fill in the blank

1 point

A researcher compares turnout in two districts after a campaign. To make the comparison meaningful, the researcher should define turnout in both districts .