Comparability and Equivalence in Social Research

Bibliographic Data

ID4016804
AuthorsJuan Ignacio Piovani (0000-0002-8774-3258, National University of Misiones), Denis Baranger (0000-0002-2501-4949, National University of Misiones)
Year2023
Volume13
Issue2
Publication date2023-01-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueSociologia & Antropologia (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 2236-7527 • E-ISSN: 2238-3875
PublisherFapUNIFESP (SciELO) (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1590/2238-38752023v1329
OpenAlexW4379229221
SCIELO_PIDS2238-38752023000200308
LanguageEN
References cited30

This study discusses some problematic issues around comparability and equivalence in empirical research, particularly focusing on the case of indicators and taking a cross-national study on linguistic skills and use of foreign languages in the scientific production of researchers from Argentina, Brazil, and Chile as reference. The discussion is framed within broader epistemological and methodological debates concerning the status of comparisons in the social sciences and, mainly, the case of cross-national comparative studies. Within these debates, and resorting to concrete examples arising from research into scientists' linguistics skills, we address the comparability issue of target populations and samples, as well as that of indicator equivalence, with emphasis in the problems of questionnaire design, reliability, and validity

Comparability · Equivalence (formal languages · Linguistics · Political science · Reliability (semiconductor · Social science · Sociology · Evaluation and Performance Assessment · Mathematics · Qualitative Comparative Analysis Research · Social and Cultural Dynamics

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Open DOIOpen Access