1. What is a “paired comparison” design in political research?

A. Comparing one case against the entire population B. Comparing two virtually identical units differing mainly on the variable of interest C. Comparing random cases from different regions without control D. Comparing subunits within a single political party only

2. How do cleavages between Communist Party leaders affect political analysis?

A. They prevent any political change B. They provide insight into factionalism and power struggles within regimes C. They guarantee regime stability D. They are insignificant for political research

3. What is a core problem with many numerical indicators in social science research, according to Schmitter & Blecher?

A. They are often too precise and context-specific B. Their multiple components are theoretically disputable and poorly understood C. They always produce accurate measurements D. They eliminate the need for qualitative data

4. According to the authors, why is telling a chronological story important in political research?

A. It replaces the need for any quantitative analysis B. Because time, timing, and sequence are crucial to understanding associations C. Chronology is more entertaining for readers D. It simplifies complex political phenomena to a single cause

5. According to the book, what is a key element that differentiates authoritarian and democratic regimes?

A. The use of formal laws only. B. The degree to which citizens participate and the nature of elite control. C. The level of economic development. D. The geographical size of the state.

6. In the context of the book, how are “cleavages” understood?

A. As fixed lines dividing societies that never change. B. As dynamic social divisions that affect politics and can change over time. C. As irrelevant to modern political analysis. D. As purely economic distinctions.

7. What is the primary challenge when operationalizing political variables?

A. Choosing arbitrary numerical values B. Ensuring variables are valid, reliable, and measurable within the context C. Using only nominal scales D. Eliminating qualitative categories

8. What does the term "contingency" imply in the context of political science research?

A. That political events have predetermined outcomes. B. That political outcomes depend on unpredictable conditions and contexts. C. That political research is unnecessary. D. That all explanations must follow a fixed causality chain.

9. Why do authors caution against the “tradeoff between number of cases and number of variables”?

A. Because too many cases lead to superficial analysis B. Because when cases are few, too many variables can complicate operationalization C. Because the universe of cases is always unlimited D. Because variables have no impact on research design

10. Why is the exercise of power described as having its own distinct logic in political science?

A. Because it can be fully explained by economic factors. B. Because power’s effects cannot be fully captured by concepts borrowed from other social sciences. C. Because it is identical across all societies. D. Because it is dictated by natural laws.

11. According to the authors, what role does timing play in the association of political variables?

A. It is irrelevant as long as variables correlate. B. Timing and sequence are fundamental to understanding associations in political events. C. Timing should be ignored when interpreting data. D. It confuses the analysis and should be minimized.

12. What is the significance of “cleavages” in political analysis?

A. They describe economic inequality only B. Social or political divisions influencing power relations and behaviors C. Cultural similarities across political groups D. Random demographic variations

13. Why do the authors argue that political science should eschew the search for universal laws?

A. Because politics is too subjective and influenced by human passions and interests. B. Because political science is not a real science. C. Because universal laws exist only in natural sciences. D. Because laws about politics already exist sufficiently.

14. What is meant by “real-existing subjects/agents” in research methodology?

A. Hypothetical constructs used for theory building B. Actual individuals or groups who are directly observed or interviewed C. Government officials only D. Subjects from historical archives only

15. How do the authors characterize the relationship between politics and its study as a discipline?

A. Politics is static and its study is straightforward. B. Politics is continuously changing, making its study challenging and provisional. C. Politics can be fully known through rigid methodologies. D. Politics and its study are unrelated disciplines.

16. Why does the book emphasize telling a chronological narrative when presenting research findings in political science?

A. Because numerical data are generally unreliable. B. Because political events are best understood in relation to their timing and sequence. C. Because storytelling is the only accepted scientific method. D. Because statistical methods are not applicable to politics.

17. Why do the authors caution against relying exclusively on quantitative methods in political science research?

A. Because numbers are always inaccurate. B. Because they may overlook the historical, contingent, and qualitative aspects of political phenomena. C. Because qualitative research is always superior. D. Because quantitative methods are not scientific.

18. What role do “civil societies” play according to the text?

A. They exist only in democratic countries B. They act as intermediate bodies influencing institutions and participation C. They are synonymous with autocracies D. They have no political significance

19. How is “virtù” defined in political analysis?

A. The inevitable power of institutions B. The capacity of political agents to understand and respond appropriately to conflicts C. The external pressures from international actors D. Cultural homogeneity within a society

20. How do “quasi-experiments” differ from true experiments in political science research?

A. They rely solely on numerical data without any observation. B. They occur naturally in real-world settings with limited control over variables. C. They are purely theoretical with no real data. D. They manipulate variables randomly.

21. Why is the assumption of independence problematic in paired comparisons of very similar countries?

A. Similar countries always produce divergent outcomes B. Close proximity and information sharing challenge independence C. Because all countries function the same politically D. Because geographic proximity guarantees political isolation

22. In the design of research, what is the benefit of selecting “more than one and less than all” cases?

A. It eliminates all confounding variables B. Provides comparability while controlling for irrelevant variables C. It is easier than single case studies D. It ensures universal generalization

23. What is meant by "agents" in political science as described in the text?

A. Only politicians holding office. B. Autonomous individuals and groups capable of intentional political action. C. Abstract concepts unrelated to human actors. D. Non-political institutions only.

24. What is a key limitation of gross national product as a social science indicator?

A. It is comprehensive and includes all economic activities B. It ignores unpaid labor and informal markets C. It measures political legitimacy accurately D. It is based solely on normative assumptions

25. What does "necessità" refer to in the context of politics as a science?

A. The randomness of political events B. The compulsion to manage conflicts to avoid societal destruction C. The personal ambitions of political agents D. Economic conditions determining politics

26. What is the significance of "necessità" in Machiavelli’s framework applied in this book?

A. It represents uncontrollable fortune or luck in politics. B. It is the necessity to address conflicts that threaten societal order. C. It refers to the agent’s individual skill. D. It indicates random political events.

27. What’s a major risk when researchers “pile on” too many upper-case variables with small N?

A. Increasing clarity of the study B. Overfitting models and reducing generalizability C. Simplifying measurement D. Avoiding confusion over concepts

28. What is a "thought experiment" according to Max Weber’s understanding as applied in the book?

A. Direct observation of political agents’ behavior. B. Mental simulation of what could have happened if certain political conditions were different. C. A laboratory controlled experiment. D. Numerical data analysis.

29. How do the authors describe the relation between agents and their political environment?

A. Agents are passive recipients of political stimuli B. Agents actively interpret and recall past events influencing preferences C. Agents respond randomly without memory D. Agents act independently of past or present contexts

30. How is “coalition politics” distinct in political research?

A. It refers to any political competition B. It involves cooperation among diverse political actors to form a majority or achieve shared goals C. It is irrelevant in democracies D. It is only relevant in dictatorships

31. According to the authors, why is it important to be open to serendipity during data-gathering?

A. Because it allows researchers to avoid the research questions B. Because unexpected findings can improve previous research choices C. To skip rigorous testing of hypotheses D. To reduce the complexity of data analysis

32. How do Schmitter & Blecher characterize the nature of political concepts?

A. Always precise and universally accepted B. Intrinsically controversial and context-dependent C. Free from any normative assumptions D. Fixed for all times and places

33. Why is the concept of "sovereignty" important within the study of political units?

A. Because it defines the reduced role of states in global politics. B. Because it marks the authority and governance capacity within defined territorial boundaries. C. Because only supra-national institutions wield sovereignty. D. Because sovereignty is declining and unimportant.

34. What do the authors mean by “real-existing societies and polities” in research design?

A. Artificial experimental settings only B. Actual societies as opposed to theoretical models C. Cases picked without any theoretical justification D. Purely ideal types with no empirical basis

35. What does "reflexivity" refer to in political science agents and research?

A. Agents passively responding to stimuli without awareness. B. The capacity of agents to self-monitor and adjust their behavior based on past experiences and knowledge. C. A deterministic model of human behavior. D. The unchanging nature of political identity.

36. Why might a researcher prefer a “most different” case selection design?

A. To identify relationships that are universal across diverse settings B. To reduce the number of variables C. To speed up data collection D. To control for all variables

37. What is the primary role of concepts in the science of politics according to Schmitter & Blecher?

A. To eliminate uncertainty in political processes B. To label and identify occurrences intelligibly and facilitate communication C. To prove conclusive hypotheses D. To make politics predictable and universally applicable

38. What is a major limitation of using gross national product as a measurement in political-economic research?

A. It is too simplistic and straightforward. B. It fully captures all economic contributions equally. C. It ignores unpaid labor and informal market activities, causing informational bias. D. It focuses exclusively on political variables.

39. What does the term "virtù" refer to in the context of political agents?

A. The inevitability of historical events. B. The capacity of agents to understand conflict situations and respond effectively. C. The external forces shaping politics beyond control. D. The structural constraints on political behavior.

40. What is meant by “operative variables” in conceptualization?

A. Only those variables known ex ante to be empirically measurable B. Hypothetical variables that cannot be measured C. Variables from unrelated disciplines D. Unobservable factors that are irrelevant to the topic

41. What is the role of "fortuna" in the schematic politics model inspired by Machiavelli?

A. Institutional constraints that enforce stability B. Unforeseen events and conjunctures affecting political outcomes C. The capacity of agents to respond to conflict D. Immutable laws of political behavior

42. What makes a political science study “pre-scientific” as described by the authors?

A. It consists of conclusive causality tests B. It lacks disprovable hypotheses and original evidence collection C. It relies on experimental design exclusively D. It only uses large-N statistical methods

43. What is the “Covering Law” approach referenced in causal inference?

A. The idea that universal laws explain all political phenomena B. A statistical method to cover all variables simultaneously C. A legal framework for political research ethics D. A narrative style of analysis in political science

44. How do “externalities” factor into political consequences?

A. They are internal government policies only B. They are effects that impact actors outside the immediate political system C. They do not influence legitimacy or order D. They are purely economic phenomena

45. What is “Type One Confirmation Bias” in the context of political research?

A. Ignoring all data that supports the hypothesis B. Selective case selection that confirms pre-existing beliefs C. Recognizing alternative causal explanations D. Choosing random variables without theory

46. What does the text suggest about the predictability of politics as a subject matter?

A. Politics is highly predictable and governed by universal laws. B. Politics is intrinsically uncertain, contingent, and variable, resisting generalizations. C. Politics is deterministic based on economic factors. D. Politics operates according to fixed rules similar to natural sciences.

47. Why do the authors advocate combining numerical tests with narrative storytelling?

A. Because stories add emotional appeal without analytical rigor B. Because chronological stories capture time and complexity better than numbers alone C. Because numbers are irrelevant to politics D. Because narratives replace need for data

48. According to the text, why is conceptualization considered a crucial first step in political science research?

A. It provides a final, definitive explanation of political phenomena. B. It allows researchers to avoid collecting empirical data. C. It helps specify the research goals, landmarks, and boundaries before gathering evidence. D. It eliminates subjectivity in political analysis.

49. What is meant by "conceptualization" in political research?

A. Choosing tools for statistical analysis B. Mapping and specifying goals, landmarks, and boundaries of study C. Randomly selecting cases for study D. Collecting quantitative data exclusively

50. What is the meaning of “conceptualists” as referred to by Schmitter & Blecher?

A. Researchers who focus on detailed qualitative data only B. Scholars focused on defining and refining political concepts C. Practitioners who avoid theoretical concerns D. Statistikians specializing in variable measurement