Accountability metrics, politics, and qualitative inquiry: Demystifying bibliometrics

Divisive Politics and Accountability

The paper analyzes a political accountability game with an electorate of ’partisan’ and ’independent’ voters. It is shown that politicians have a strategic incentive to engage in ’divisive politics’, that is, to force some independent voters to take sides, even if the direct electoral benefits are higher for their opponents than for themselves. By polarizing the electorate, the incumbent politi...

Contingency, Politics, and the Nature of Inquiry

Contingent events are probabilistic. Acknowledging that realized contingencies alter observed political outcomes, however, does little to advance the systematic study of politics. This paper suggests that political science should focus on understanding how foreseeable contingencies, rather than truly “exogenous” unforeseeable events, alter political behavior. The most useful tool for understand...

Generalization from Qualitative Inquiry 1 Generalization from Qualitative Inquiry

Qualitative inquiries normally take pains to make clear that they are not generalizable" (Kilbourn, 2006, p. 534). I disagree that this is or should be the norm for qualitative research in education. In this article, I discuss the kinds of generalization that come from qualitative inquiry. I argue that there are several well-established means of in which warranted generalizations can be produce...

Qualitative Methodology and Comparative Politics

Bibliometrics: tracking research impact by selecting the appropriate metrics

Traditionally, the success of a researcher is assessed by the number of publications he or she publishes in peer-reviewed, indexed, high impact journals. This essential yardstick, often referred to as the impact of a specific researcher, is assessed through the use of various metrics. While researchers may be acquainted with such matrices, many do not know how to use them to enhance their caree...