When we look at how people behave in politics, it’s really interesting to see the main differences between two methods: normative and empirical. Let’s break it down simply:

Normative Methodologies

• Focus: These methods are all about "what should be." They look at ideas and values in politics. It’s like thinking about what is right or wrong.
• Goals: The goal here is to suggest how society should work. They want to get people talking about fairness, rights, and what is moral.

Empirical Methodologies

• Focus: This method focuses on "what is." It’s based on facts and data, studying how political behavior truly happens in real life.
• Goals: Empirical methodologies aim to explain why people act a certain way. They test ideas and draw conclusions using research, like surveys, experiments, and statistics.

So, in short, while normative methodologies answer the big questions about what politics should be, empirical methodologies look at the facts to understand what really happens. Both methods are important for understanding political theory!