The Statistical Method In Economics And Political Science

Originally published in 1929. This balanced combination of fieldwork, statistical measurement, and realistic applications shows a synthesis of economics and political science in a conception of an organic relationship between the two sciences that involves functional analysis, institutional interpretation, and a more workmanlike approach to questions of organization such as division of labour and the control of industry. The treatise applies the test of fact through statistical analysis to economic and political theories for the quantitative and institutional approach in solving social and industrial problems. It constructs a framework of concepts, combining both economic and political theory, to systematically produce an original statement in general terms of the principles and methods for statistical fieldwork. The separation into Parts allows selective reading for the methods of statistical measurement; the principles and fallacies of applying these measures to economic and political fields; and the resultant construction of a statistical economics and politics. Basic statistical concepts are described for application, with each method of statistical measurement illustrated with instances relevant to the economic and political theory discussed and a statistical glossary is included.

Publisher description

In 1958 the Canadian Political Science Association established a committee to look into ways and means of improving statistical research in the social sciences in Canada. One of the ways in which the committee thought this could be done was by establishing an annual forum where papers could be presented and discussed. Eight papers given at the first Conference at Queen's University are contained in this volume. Diverse alike in subject and statistical method---as indeed a collection of papers reflecting the purpose of the founding committee is bound to be---the papers as printed incorporate the discussion that attended their presentation in 1960. The papers are: K.A.H. Buckley, "Historical Estimates of Internal Migration in Canada,"; Richard E. Du Wurs, Robert Batson, Margaret Daffron, "The 'Mass Society' and 'Community' Analyses of the Social Present"; P.J. Giffen, "Canadian Criminal Statistics"; E.J. Hanson, "The Post-war Rise of the Crude Petroleum Industry"; Gideon Rosenbluth, "Salaries of Engineers and Scientists, 1951"; David N. Solomon, Agnes M. Fergusson, "The Distribution and Functions of Canadian Engineers and Scientists"; K.W. Studnicki-Gizbert, "The Structure and Growth of the Canadian Air Transport Industry"; T.R. Vout, "The Canadian Manufacturing Industry, 1900-57."

Explore classic and cutting-edge statistical tools used in conducting diverse research in the behavioral and social sciences Inspired by the multifaceted Encyclopedia of Statistical Sciences, Second Edition, this book provides a concise, self-contained reference for readers wishing to gain quick access to cutting-edge information about the application of statistical methods and techniques in the social and behavioral sciences. Featuring contributions from over 100 leading experts in academia and industry, this work combines key articles from the Encyclopedia with new and thoroughly updated content that addresses the latest research methods for gathering, reporting, and analyzing data across diverse subject areas, including economics, psychology, demography, political science, and communications. The book features new and updated content on quantitative methods and their use in understanding the latest topics in social and behavioral research, including: Childhood Obesity Agriculture Production Current Population Surveys Econometrics Affluence, Poverty, and Quality of Life Each contribution offers authoritative, yet easily accessible, coverage of statistical concepts. With updated references and discussion of relevant research topics, readers are provided with the various statistical methods, techniques, strategies, and applications that are essential in tackling critical issues pertaining to the social and behavioral sciences. Providing a blend of traditional methodology and the latest research, Methods and Applications of Statistics in the Social and Behavioral Sciences is an excellent resource for researchers, professionals, and students in the fields of sociology, psychology, philosophy, education, political science, and related disciplines who would like to learn about the uses of statistics in gathering, reporting, and analyzing data.

Social scientists become experts in their own disciplines but aren't always familiar with what is going on in neighboring fields. To foster a deeper understanding of the interconnection of the social sciences, economists should know where historical data come from, sociologists should know how to think like economists, political scientists would benefit from understanding how models are tested in psychology, historians should learn how political processes are studied, psychologists should understand sociological theories, and so forth. This overview by prominent social scientists gives an accessible, non-technical sense of how quantitative research is done in different areas. Readers will find out about models and ways of thinking in economics, history, sociology, political science, and psychology, which in turn they can bring back to their own work.

The aspects of this text which we believe are novel, at least in degree, include: an effort to motivate different sections with practical examples and an empirical orientation; an effort to intersperse several easily motivated examples throughout the book and to maintain some continuity in these examples; and the extensive use of Monte Carlo simulations to demonstrate particular aspects of the problems and estimators being considered. In terms of material being presented, the unique aspects include the first chapter which attempts to address the use of empirical methods in the social sciences, the seventh chapter which considers models with discrete dependent variables and unobserved variables. Clearly these last two topics in particular are quite advanced--more advanced than material that is currently available on the subject. These last two topics are also currently experiencing rapid development and are not adequately described in most other texts.