Publication Type
Journal Article
Version
acceptedVersion
Publication Date
12-2008
Abstract
In “A Robust Transformation Procedure,” Martin and Vanberg (2007, hereafter MV) propose a new method for rescaling the raw virgin text scores produced by the “Wordscores” procedure of Laver, Benoit, and Garry (2003, hereafter LBG). Their alternative method addresses two deficiencies they argue exist with the transformation of virgin text scores proposed by LBG: First, that the LBG transformation is sensitive to the selection of virgin texts, and second, that it distorts the reference metric by failing to recover the original reference scores when reference texts are scored and transformed as if they were virgin texts. Their proposed alternative is “robust” in the sense that it avoids both shortcomings. Not only is MV's transformation a welcome contribution to the Wordscores project but also the critical analysis on which it is based brings to light a number of assumptions and choices that face the analyst seeking to estimate actors' policy positions using statistical analyses of the texts they generate.
Discipline
Political Science
Research Areas
Political Science
Publication
Political Analysis
Volume
16
Issue
1
First Page
101
Last Page
111
ISSN
1047-1987
Identifier
10.1093/pan/mpm020
Publisher
Political Methodology Section
Citation
BENOIT, Kenneth, & LAVER, Michael.(2008). Compared to what? A comment on "A robust transformation procedure for interpreting political text" by Martin and Vanberg. Political Analysis, 16(1), 101-111.
Available at: https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/soss_research/4042
Copyright Owner and License
Authors
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.
Additional URL
https://doi.org/10.1093/pan/mpm020