Research Methods test 1

Unstructured Interview

Unstructured interviews involve asking the subject a set of open ended questions that allow expression of opinion. Questions can be asked to clarify. • Interviewer must have good interpersonal skills to gather appropriate information, and must have sufficient knowledge of topic.

Experimental Research

Experimental research is carried out in which an independent variable is manipulated to determine the effect on a dependent variable in order to establish a cause and effect Experimental Research: definition and design types • Validity • Control of variables • Experimental Bias and Error

Independent Variable

Exposure and predictor

Related research

Related research consists of all known previous studies that have been published in that area. When computer searching a topic an icon is present with the retrieved article that has a link to all related research.

What is the rationale for research?

Pursuit and dissemination of knowledge • New knowledge is continually being generated.

Qualitative Research

Qualitative research involves non- numerical data with assumption that the environment is changing and conditions are situation specific. -- Qualitative Research: definition and types • Types of qualitative data collection • Hermaneutics

Quantitative Research

Quantitative research involves numerical data with assumptions that the conditions are stable and unchanging.

Purpose of Basic Research

The purpose of basic or fundamental research is to describe or define a mechanism for a specific phenomenon, in essence to determine a cause and effect relationship. It typically incorporates animals in a highly controlled setting.

Causal-comparison Research

research is a type of research that attempts to establish a cause and effect relationship without manipulating the independent variable for ethical of other reasons. An example would be to compare HDL levels of men and women and determine if the difference is due to estrogen levels.

Purpose of Applied Research

research is to develop inferences of a small group to be extended or applied to a larger one. --- • Action Research a subset of applied research has local applications (a swimmer changes the way he pushes his hand through the water to test whether this will increase efficiency)

Deductive Reasoning

starts with a general assumption that leads to a specific application or conclusion --Smokers get emphysema. You smoke. You will get emphysema! -- A syllogism is logical reasoning in which the conclusions are based upon a series of propositions or assumptions.

Types of descriptive research: Action

is conducted to find an answer to a problem in a natural setting with the intent to improve performance in that specific setting. • Ex: phone surveys after speaking with a company's representative • Ex: a soccer coach having his goalie test a new kicking technique

Types of descriptive research: Causal-comparative

is research that is conducted in search of relationships or explanations for things that presently exist by looking at data collected in the past. It is called ex post facto or "after the fact."

Types of descriptive research: Correlational

is to determine a relationship between two variables • How does raising taxes affect election outcomes? • Does increased time studying increase performance?

Imperfect Induction

occurs when it is not feasible to determine a specific characteristic for all the members of a certain population. • Example: To determine all the missionary parents of the United States would not be feasible. Therefore, we would take a smaller subset from various parts of the country and then make our conclusions based on our findings of these subsets.

Inductive Reasoning

occurs when many observations lead to a general statement (proceed from specific to general). This is considered the basic principle of scientific inquiry. • Example: Vitamin A deficiency causes emphysema. Most cases of emphysema are caused by cigarette smoking. Benzopyrene in cigarettes induces vitamin A deficiency. Therefore, cigarette smoking causes vitamin A deficiency that causes emphysema.

Perfect Induction

occurs when the conclusion is based on specific characteristics of all the members of the group or population. • Example: X% of the Wheaton College students have parents that are missionaries.

Dependent variable

outcome and predicted

What are the three important considerations when defining the problem?

interest in the area, significance, and feasibility.

Types of descriptive research: Observational

investigator observes behavior or events and then writes a summary of his findings. • Formal training is required

Three main principles of ethical research

• Beneficence: the study should "do good." • Should benefit the participants or communities from which they come from. • Often paired with nonmaleficence, steps should be taken to minimize potential physical, financial, or social harms. • Autonomy: participation in study should be voluntary. • Participants must be fully informed, fairly recruited, and given full confidentiality of personal information. • Justice: seeks to ensure that the benefits and burdens of research are equitable

Research Questions: Descriptive Questions

• Descriptive questions describe characteristics of a population. This research usually incorporates surveys and is often qualitative in nature. • What is the perception of our current health care system in the United States?

Research questions: Relationship question

• Relationship questions determine how variables are associated with one another, but are not used to establish cause and effect. • Is physical activity as a child related to physical activity as an adult?

Nondirectional hypothesis

• When carrying out exploratory research in which very little is know about a certain area then a nondirectional hypothesis may be used.

Null hypothesis

If the null hypothesis is rejected then we accept our research hypothesis.

Directional hypothesis

If there is already existing information about an area of interest, then the hypothesis is usually directional.

Theory

A belief or assumption about how things relate to or are associated with each other. • "A theory establishes a cause-and-effect relationship between variables with the purpose of explaining and predicting phenomena" Best and Kahn (2005)

The Scientific Method

A systematic approach to solving a problem or answering a question that involves the following steps: • 1. Develop the question • 2. State the hypothesis • 3. Establish a research plan • 4. Collect and analyze the data and report the results • 5. Interpret data and form conclusion

Types of descriptive research:Survey

Administering a questionnaire to obtain opinions, practices or facts.

Conceptual literature

Conceptual literature gives a more general perspective and broader framework of a certain research area. This information is typically by the "experts" in the area and discusses the prevailing theories of a problem area. The sources are often books and review articles.

Correlational Research

Correlational research is to define a relationship between two variables.

Delimitations

Delimitations narrow the scope of the research. These factors would include type and number of subjects, types of measurements, instruments needed for the measurements, time and duration of study, environment, and treatment. These details are typically embedded within the methods section. These are generally under the control of the investigator.

Descriptive research

Descriptive Research: definition and types • Questionaires

Descriptive Research

Descriptive research is to describe specific characteristics of a population. It is exploratory in nature.

Research questions: difference questions

Difference questions compare among, between, or within groups of populations. • This type of question often incorporates experimental research in which the effect of a specific treatment is determined. • Is ibuprofen more effective in treating headaches than acetaminophen? • Is there a difference in knowledge of research before and after one takes a research methods class (administer pre- and post-tests) • Sometimes difference questions can be used in non- experimental research in which the goal is to define already existing characteristics of a population. • Do non-smokers eat more vegetables than smokers?

What is research?

Finding answers to a question in a logical, orderly, and systematic fashion • Gathering and interpreting information to answer questions • Systematic and objective analysis of controlled observations that hopefully will lead to the development of generalizations, principles, and theories • Textbook definition: a systematic attempt to find solutions to a problem or to answer a question.

Limitations

Limitations to the study are the potential weaknesses of the study that are typically beyond the control of the researcher and may have an influence upon the outcome of the study. These could be important parts of a grant proposal. If someone proposes to carry out cell culture experiments, but has never worked with cells in culture, this could be a serious limitation of the study. • The limitations of a paper are often reported in the discussion section. This is analogous to a disclaimer.

Normative ethics

Normative ethics are principles and standards of right and wrong that apply to all situations.

Situational Ethics

Situational ethics is a paradigm in which no general rules can be applied to all situations.

Structured Interview

Structured interviews involve asking the subject a set of specific, closed ended questions. Interview guides are used to determine what can or cannot be asked. • Allows less interviewer bias, and does not require knowledge on the topic. Used in marketing and job interviews.

What is the weakness in deductive reasoning>

The weakness in this type of reasoning is that we have to assume that the premises are completely true under all circumstances in order to know that the conclusion is true.

Types of descriptive research: Developmental

assesses changes in growth and development throughout the lifespan • Longitudinal approach is when the same group is observed for an extended period of time to assess development of the population. • Example: UP documentary series that interviews a group born in 1964 every seven years. • Disadvantages: Very long process, lack of standardization, expensive • Cross-sectional approach is taking several different individuals from the same population at different ages or • Example: Looking at social development of children by interviewing a group of 3 year olds, 6 year olds, and 9 year olds at the same time. • Disadvantage: Assumptions made from the study aren't always accurate.

What is the most important stage of the scientific method?

developing the question

Types of descriptive research: Normative

is used to develop performance standards (Example SAT and ACT) that are applied to other samples from the population. • Norm-referenced standards rank individuals from best to worst using percentile ranks. The higher the percentile the better the performance. • Criterion-referenced is the establishment of a minimum proficiency or pass-fail standard to meet a specific criterion. • Example: pass or fail driver's test (over 70% needed on written to pass)