Comparative Research Designs and Methods
- Offered byCoursera
- Public/Government Institute
Comparative Research Designs and Methods at Coursera Overview
Duration | 10 hours |
Total fee | Free |
Mode of learning | Online |
Official Website | Explore Free Course  |
Credential | Certificate |
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Comparative Research Designs and Methods at Coursera Highlights
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- Beginner Level
- Approx. 10 hours to complete
- English Subtitles: English
Comparative Research Designs and Methods at Coursera Course details
- Emile Durkheim, one of the founders of modern empirical social science, once stated that the comparative method is the only one that suits the social sciences. But Descartes already had reminded us that comparaison nest pas raisonwhich means that comparison is not reason (or theory) by itself.
- This course provides an introduction and overview of systematic comparative analyses in the social sciences and shows how to employ this method for constructive explanation and theory building. It begins with comparisons of very few cases and specific most similar and most different designs. A major part is then devoted to the often occurring situation of dealing with a small number of highly complex cases, for example when comparing EU member states. Latin American political systems, or particular policy areas. In response to this complexity, new approaches and software have been developed in recent years Qualitative Comparative Analysis QCA, and related methods). These procedures are able to reduce complexity and to arrive at configurational solutions based on set theory and Boolean algebra, which are more meaningful in this context than the usual broad-based statistical methods.
- In the last section, these methods are contrasted with more common statistical comparative methods at the macro-level of states or societies and the respective strengths and weaknesses are discussed. Some basic quantitative or qualitative methodological training is probably useful to get more out of the course, but participants with little methodological training should find no major obstacles to follow.
Comparative Research Designs and Methods at Coursera Curriculum
An introduction to Comparative Research
Multi-dimensional substance matter
The plastic matter of social sciences
Linking levels of analysis
Mill's canons
Mill‘s methods: Pop's Seafood Platter
Mill's methods: limitations
Three Fundamental notions
Multi-dimensional substance matter
The plastic matter of social sciences
Qualitative Comparative Analysis
Linking levels of analysis
Coleman's "bathtub"
Mill's canons
Pop's Seafood Platter
Mill's limitations
Mill's methods and recent advances
Challenge yourself: Epistemological foundations of the social sciences
Challenge yourself: Mill's canon
Comparative Research Designs
Further advances
Overview
Major steps of research process
MSDO/MDSO application
Operationalizing similarities and dissimilarities
Analysis and interpretation
Further advances
Overview of comparative research designs
Major steps of research process
Selection of variables and cases
Operationalizing similarities and dissimilarities
Analysis and interpretation
Challenge yourself: Further Advances, Comparative Research Designs
Challenge yourself: Most similar and most different designs
QCA Analysis
QCA Basics
QCA Analysis
Simple paper and pencil example
Troubleshooting Contradictions
Threshold setting, necessary and sufficient conditions
Multi-Value QCA (mv-QCA)
QCA Basics
QCA Analysis pt.1
QCA Analysis pt.2
Simple paper and pencil example
Troubleshooting Contradictions (C)
Threshold setting, necessary and sufficient conditions
Multi-Value QCA (mv-QCA)
Challenge yourself: Introduction to Boolean Algebra, main steps of QCA
Challenge yourself: QCA applications, troubleshooting, Multi-Value QCA (mv-QCA)
Fuzzy set analyses
Fuzzy sets
Calculation of necessary and sufficient conditions
Fuzzy sets. Relationship between condition and outcome as in a triangular scatterplot
Principles
Lipset's conditions
Conclusions
Fuzzy sets
Calculation of necessary and sufficient conditions
Fuzzy sets. Relationship between condition and outcome as in a triangular scatterplot
Principles
Cases
Examples
Conclusions
Challenge yourself: Fuzzy set analyses, basic features
Challenge yourself: Fuzzy set applications (fs/qca)
Macro-quantitative (statistical): Methods and perspectives
Data
Examples
Regression analysis
Summary
Contrasting macro qualitative and quantitative methods
Continuing debates: prospects
Data
Examples
Regression analysis
Summary
Contrasting macro qualitative and quantitative methods
Continuing debates, prospects
Challenge yourself: Macro-quantitative (statistical) Methods
Challenge yourself: Conclusions and Perspectives
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