Good Description

What distinguishes 'good' description from 'mere' description? We propose a framework for evaluating descriptive empirical social science, premised on the idea that descriptive research -- like all empirical social science -- should be grounded in theory. First, we articulate the social scientific purpose of description, which provides criteria for assessing descriptive questions. Good descriptive questions uncover facts in need of explanation, build and refine theory, or help to assess and revise theory. Second, we articulate three ideal characteristics of descriptive analyses: clarity, comparability, and completeness. Good description is thus tightly and transparently linked to specific research questions (and thus to theory), well contextualized, and as comprehensive in measurement and specification as possible.