Political Science Methods
Final Exam Questions
Course Introduction
Political Science Methods introduces students to the fundamental tools and techniques used in contemporary political science research. The course covers both qualitative and quantitative methods, including research design, hypothesis formulation, data collection, statistical analysis, case study approaches, and comparative methods. Emphasis is placed on critically evaluating scholarly work, understanding the ethical implications of research, and developing the skills necessary to conduct independent, systematic investigations into political phenomena. By the end of the course, students will be equipped to interpret empirical studies, conduct basic data analysis, and apply methodological principles to a range of political science questions.
Recommended Textbook
Cases in Comparative Politics Sixth Edition by Patrick H. ONeil
Available Study Resources on Quizplus
14 Chapters
420 Verified Questions
420 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/study-set/2488 Page 2
Chapter 1: Introduction
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
30 Verified Questions
30 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/49464
Sample Questions
Q1) States that divide power between the central state and regional or local authorities are called
A) unitary.
B) federal.
C) devolved.
D) democratic.
Answer: B
Q2) When an executive head of government is elected from within the legislature,we usually refer to the legislative-executive system as A) presidential.
B) parliamentary.
C) semi-presidential.
D) authoritarian.
Answer: B
Q3) Amnesty International and the International Red Cross are examples of A) intergovernmental organizations.
B) nongovernmental organizations.
C) institutions of global governance.
D) world trade organizations.
Answer: B
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above. Page 3
Chapter 2: United Kingdom
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
30 Verified Questions
30 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/49465
Sample
Questions
Q1) Describe the similarities that exist between Tony Blair and Margaret Thatcher,despite Thatcher being a Conservative and Blair a Labourite.
Answer: A good answer will discuss how Blair and Thatcher both defied the conventions of their respective parities-Thatcher weakened the aristocracy's influence over the Conservative Party and Blair made the Labour Party less dependent on trade unions-and both pushed for a more free market-oriented political economy.
Q2) The Magna Carta set an important precedent by establishing A) authoritarian rule.
B) liberal democracy.
C) lower-class power.
D) limits to the power of the monarchy.
Answer: D
Q3) In 1998,violence in Northern Ireland was largely ended by A) a military intervention by the Irish Republic.
B) the Catholic victory in the civil war.
C) the Good Friday Agreement.
D) the Protestant victory in the civil war.
Answer: C
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above.
4
Chapter 3: United States
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
30 Verified Questions
30 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/49466
Sample Questions
Q1) In which of the following ways did U.S.foreign policy in the latter half of the twentieth century differ from foreign policy in the first half of the twentieth century?
A) The United States was less concerned with acting militarily to prevent the growth of communism.
B) The United States established supremacy over affairs in the Western Hemisphere.
C) The United States accepted a greater role in peacekeeping and settling ethnic conflicts.
D) The United States shifted its concern away from communism and took a more isolationist stance on global issues.
Answer: C
Q2) Which of the following events represents the most significant turning point in U.S.foreign policy?
A) participation in World War I
B) participation in World War II
C) participation in the Vietnam War
D) fall of the Soviet Union
Answer: B
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above. Page 5
Chapter 4: France
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
30 Verified Questions
30 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/49467
Sample Questions
Q1) Which of the following has resulted from the residual strength of populist ideas in France?
A) domination of the political scene by a few coherent political parties
B) preference for a weak central state
C) high levels of mistrust of political institutions and parties
D) very low nationalist sentiment
Q2) What event immediately preceded and,in part,led to Hollande not seeking reelection in 2017?
A) the collapse of the Fifth Republic
B) his failure to pass referendums on constitutional reform
C) a scandal involving anti-Semitism
D) an unpopular reform of French labor laws
Q3) The National Front in France is
A) the largest left-wing party in the legislature.
B) the party created to support Sarkozy's campaign for president.
C) the main body that directs policies that affect labor and industry.
D) an increasingly influential far-right,anti-EU party with xenophobic roots.
Q4) How has France's relationship with the European Union evolved? What are the current challenges it faces with regard to the European Union?
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above. Page 6
Chapter 5: Germany
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
30 Verified Questions
30 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/49468
Sample Questions
Q1) Why did the Weimar Republic fail? Were internal or external factors more significant in its eventual demise?
Q2) Which of the following descriptions best applies to the German state of Bavaria?
A) wealthy,strongly Catholic
B) strongly Protestant,independent
C) weak in any religious affiliation,wealthy
D) working class,multiethnic
Q3) Which of the following statements about Germany's relationship with the EU is accurate?
A) Chancellor Merkel opposed EU economic sanctions on Russia in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
B) The CDU emerged as the primary German opponent of European integration in the party system.
C) Chancellor Merkel has consistently opposed Eurozone bailouts but has been overruled twice in recent years by the Bundestag.
D) Chancellor Merkel was able to get approval for increased bailout funds in exchange for tighter controls on Eurozone member deficits.
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above. Page 7
Chapter 6: Japan
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
30 Verified Questions
30 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/49469
Sample Questions
Q1) Japan's nineteenth-century modernizing slogan "rich country,strong military" best reflects which one of the following political economic systems?
A) mercantilist
B) social-democratic
C) communist
D) liberal
Q2) Which of the following statements about the position of the Japanese prime minister is accurate?
A) The prime minister is appointed by the emperor and then sent for approval by the Diet.
B) The prime minister is chosen by the House of Representatives and is subject to approval by the House of Councillors.
C) The prime minister draws the cabinet from the House of Councillors.
D) The prime minister is elected by the political party holding a majority of seats in the House of Representatives.
Q3) Would you judge the reforms imposed on Japan during the American occupation successful and beneficial? Why or why not?
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above. Page 8
Chapter 7: Russia
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
30 Verified Questions
30 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/49470
Sample Questions
Q1) Gorbachev's reforms in the 1980s relied on the policies of glasnost and perestroika,or
A) political openness and economic restructuring.
B) demilitarization and federalism.
C) multiparty elections and constitutional reform.
D) economic reform and increased competition with the West.
Q2) Which of the following statements about Russia's judiciary and rule of law is accurate?
A) The public trusts law enforcement agencies but has little faith in government institutions like the presidency or the Duma.
B) The Russian Supreme Court occupies the top of the Russian legal structure.
C) The courts in Russia often play an activist role.
D) Russia is mired in the problem of "legal nihilism," wherein legal codes are not respected.
Q3) Historically,Russia's international identity can be described as
A) uncertain as to whether it was part of Asia or the Mediterranean.
B) uncertain as to whether it was truly a part of Europe.
C) strongly influenced by Confucianism's spread from China.
D) strongly influenced by Sufi Islam and Turkish culture.
Q4) What were the central factors that allowed for the 1917 revolution?
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above. Page 9
Chapter 8: China
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
30 Verified Questions
30 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/49471
Sample Questions
Q1) Which of the following descriptions best characterizes the purpose of the "Three Represents" policy?
A) co-optation of wealthy entrepreneurs into the Chinese Communist Party
B) harmonizing the diplomatic relations of Hong Kong,Taiwan,and China
C) broadening the scope of the special economic zones to include major industrial centers like Beijing
D) extending rudimentary civil rights and voting opportunities to ethnic minorities like Tibetans,Mongolians,and Uighurs
Q2) The Chinese political organization that vied with the Chinese Communist Party for control of China during the first half of the twentieth century was the A) Chinese Liberation Party.
B) Beijing Alliance.
C) Nationalist Party.
D) Democratic League.
Q3) Briefly discuss China's separatist challenges in both Tibet and Xinjiang.How might China's experiences with Hong Kong and Taiwan have influenced its policies toward these two regions?
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above. Page 10
Chapter 9: India
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
30 Verified Questions
30 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/49472
Sample Questions
Q1) Partition in India
A) granted Muslims the right of abode.
B) established federalism upon independence.
C) established a bicameral legislature.
D) created the states of East Pakistan,West Pakistan,and India.
Q2) Hindutva is championed primarily by the
A) Bharatiya Janata Party.
B) Communist Party of India.
C) Samajwadi Party.
D) Indian National Congress.
Q3) How did Rajiv Gandhi's policies differ from those of his mother,Indira Gandhi?
A) He proved more committed to economic liberalization.
B) He proved more willing to declare martial law in the face of public protest.
C) He demonstrated a greater affinity-and success-for tackling India's ethnic and social tensions.
D) He associated himself more with the poorer classes through populist campaigns.
Q4) Explain how the one-party dominance of the INC came to be and what gave way to rule by coalition government since the early 1990s.
Q5) Identify and discuss three primary obstacles to economic development in India.
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above. Page 11
Chapter 10: Iran
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
30 Verified Questions
30 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/49473
Sample Questions
Q1) Mohammad Khatami's presidency is best known for his
A) attempts at political reform.
B) attempts to roll back earlier political reform.
C) leadership during the Iran-Iraq war.
D) role in restarting Iran's nuclear weapons program.
Q2) The term ayatollah refers to
A) a member of a powerful higher clergy within Shiism's religious leadership.
B) the belief in the role of the Koran as the final word of God.
C) the Safavid and Qajar-era monarchs.
D) Jews and Christians who are respected in Islam as "people of the Book."
Q3) The perpetrators of the 1979 Iranian Revolution sought to create what kind of regime?
A) monarchy
B) theocracy
C) illiberal democracy
D) secular republic
Q4) Describe the three events in 1979 that turned public protest against the shah into a revolution.What was the United States' role in these events?
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above.
Page 12
Chapter 11: Mexico
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
30 Verified Questions
30 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/49474
Sample Questions
Q1) Which of the following is true of the power of presidents in Mexico?
A) Their control over the economy has increased during the last decade.
B) Mexican presidents currently have extensive power to appoint and remove judges.
C) Constitutional checks on presidential power have become more effective in recent years.
D) Current presidential candidates are most often selected through a handpicking process by their predecessor.
Q2) How has the Mexican state sought to prosecute the drug war over the last few decades? What is the primary drawback of this method of combating drug trafficking?
Q3) Mexican presidents are elected for
A) up to 2 four-year terms.
B) up to 2 six-year terms.
C) up to 3 six-year terms.
D) a single six-year term.
Q4) How has the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) affected the Mexican economy? Who have been its detractors and supporters,and why?
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above. Page 13
Chapter 12: Brazil
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
30 Verified Questions
30 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/49475
Sample Questions
Q1) The Estado Nôvo was
A) Brazil's first democratic republic.
B) a dictatorial regime led by Getúlio Vargas.
C) a breakaway coastal state.
D) a Communist dictatorship.
Q2) Brazil's electoral system uses
A) single-member districts with plurality.
B) closed-list proportional representation.
C) a mixed electoral system.
D) open-list proportional representation.
Q3) The two Cardoso administrations sought to assert state control over the military by A) slashing the military budget.
B) creating a single civilian Ministry of Defense.
C) placing the selection of military commanders under the control of the legislature.
D) establishing a Truth Commission.
Q4) How has the issue of race evolved in Brazilian political discourse? What has been the effect of affirmative action programs introduced in the 1990s?
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above.
Page 14
Chapter 13: South Africa
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
30 Verified Questions
30 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/49476
Sample Questions
Q1) Compare the pre-apartheid economic platform of the ANC with the ANC's economic policy making after apartheid.Why did the ANC moderate its economic policies after gaining political power in 1994?
Q2) How did South African electoral processes change in the transition from apartheid to the current system? Why was the British model abandoned,and what effect has it had on fair representation?
Q3) Under apartheid,Bantustans were
A) internationally recognized black states.
B) squatter settlements of blacks within major South African cities.
C) "independent" black states created by South Africa but not recognized by any other country.
D) banning orders,which prevented some South Africans from voting.
Q4) The most important antiapartheid organization was the A) Pan Africanist Congress.
B) African National Congress.
C) National Party.
D) South African Communist Party.
Q5) Describe the system of apartheid in South Africa.How did its supporters justify white rule? How was it able to survive for so long?
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above. Page 15
Chapter 14: Nigeria
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
30 Verified Questions
30 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/49477
Sample Questions
Q1) Since the elections of 1999,the dominant political party in Nigerian politics has been the
A) All People's Party.
B) People's Democratic Party.
C) Nigerian Socialist Party.
D) Alliance for Democracy.
Q2) In which of the following ways do the national elections of 2011 and 2015 compare with the national election of 2007?
A) They were more transparent but also equally violent.
B) They were more focused on issues of foreign policy than domestic issues.
C) They were more like de facto coronations than actual political contests.
D) They were more narrowly focused on the sharing of oil revenues.
Q3) Personal rule by an authoritarian leader bestowing privileges upon loyal followers is called
A) personalism.
B) patrimonialism.
C) atriarchy.
D) clientelism.
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above. Page 16