Chapter 4: Qualitative Emphasis in Research Study Designs

Cronbach's alpha

AKA: Coefficient alpha 1- Collect data on scale from large sample of participants 2- Compute all possible correlations among the items

Discriminant delivery (def.)

AKA: Divergent validity AKA: Convergent validity An empirical test of the extent to which a self-report measure does not correlate strongly with measures of theoretically dissimilar constructs.

Case study (def.)

AKA: Idiographic research Qualitative research design in which a single individual, program, or event is studied in depth for a defined period of time.

Internal reliability (def.)

AKA: Internal consistency Study a participant gives a consistent pattern of answers, no matter how the researcher has phrased the question.

Primary informants (def.)

AKA: Key informant In an ethnographic study or similar qualitative design, a person who can provide especially useful information and insights and possibly also facilitate contacts with other helpful individuals

Categorical variables (def.)

AKA: Nominal variables Categorial levels of variables.

Correlation coefficient (def.)

AKA: r A common and efficient way to see if a measure if reliable

Convergent validity (def.)

An empirical test of the extent to which a self-report measure correlates with the other measures of a theoretically similar construct. See also: discriminant validity.

What is another name of an observational measure?

Behavioral

A researcher wants to study the phone preferences of college students and has to classify the variables. He assigns each phone type a number in his study (e.g., Samsung = 1, iPhone = 2). How would you best describe the way he's classified his operational variables?

Categorical variables

Validity (def.)

Concerns whether the operationalization in measuring what is supposed to measure.

Interrater reliability (def.)

Consistent scores are obtained no matter who measures the variable. Example: Two or more independent observers will come up with consistent (or similar) findings.

What is the definition of reliability?

Defined as the consistency of the results of a measure. ONLY applies to self-report scales with multiple items. Examples: People that take Diener's five-item subjective well-being scale with multiple questions asking about the same construct in different ways. People that agree with the first item should agree with the second, third, and so on items.

Strength (def.)

Description of an association indicating how closely the data points in a scatterplot cluster along a line of best fit drawn through them.

Restorying (def.)

In a narrative inquiry research, an approach to data anlysis wherein researchers first (a) analyze participants' recollections and other data resources in a search for key themes and then (b) reorder the data to craft rich narratives that provide a better understanding of the setting, context, time period, and/or sequence of events.

Gatekeeper (def.)

In an ethnographic study, a person who can smooth the way for a researcher's entrance into a particular cultural group.

Three-interview series (def.)

In phenomenological research, a method of interviewing that entails conducting three interviews with each participant; the first focuses on the participant's life history, the second focuses on the details of the participants' lived experiences, and the third encourages the participant to reflect on possible meanings of their experiences.

Participant observation (def.)

In some ethnographic studies, an approach in which researchers immerse themselves in the daily lives of the people they are studying.

What kind of reliability would be involved in two or more observers coming up with the same findings as one another?

Interrater reliability

Which of these statements is the BEST way to rephrase that qualitative research is often an iterative process of data collection and analysis?

It involves collecting data and analyzing it before collecting more data and analyzing that.

People who have already been diagnosed with clinical depression should have high scores on a measure that is testing for depression while people who are not depressed should test low on the same scale. This statement relates to what concept?

Known-groups paradigm

Quantitative variables (def.)

Levels are coded with meaningful numbers

Ratio scale (def.)

Measurement applies when the numerals of a quantitative variable meet two criteria: 1- Equal intervals and when the value of 0 truly means "none" 2- When the value of 0 truly means "none" or "nothing" of the variable being measured.

Interval scale (def.)

Measurement scale that applies to the numerals of quantitative variable that meets two conditions: 1- Numerals represent equal intervals (distances between levels) 2- No "true zero" (person can get a score of 0, but the 0 does not really mean "nothing").

Ordinal scale (def.)

Measurement scale that applies when the numerals of a quantitative variable represent a ranked order. Example: Movie store might rank top 5 highest grossing movies. Based on this, we know that movie #1 sold more than #2, #2 sold more than #3 and so on but we do not know the amount of revenue that separates any of the box office results.

How might grounded theory design best be summarized?

Method for developing theories based on systematically gathering and analyzing data.

Known-groups paradigm (def.)

Method for establishing criterion validity, in which a researcher tests two or more groups who are known to differ on the variable of interest, to ensure that they score differently on a measure of that variable.

Convergent designs (def.)

Mixed-methods design in which a researcher collects both quantitative and qualitative data in parallel, usually at the same time and with respect to the same general research problem; similar weight is given to the two types of data, with the hope that they will yield consistent or complementary findings.

Which of these statements is a good summary of discriminant validity? a. measure probably is not reasonable if it does not sound reasonable. b. measures of two unrelated constructs should not correlate strongly c. measures that do not represent all parts of the construct are not good measures.

b. measures of two unrelated constructs should not correlate strongly

Which of these choices would be MOST useful to narrative inquiry research? a. participant questionnaires b. oral histories c. legal documetns

b. oral histories

Which of these researchers is most likely employing a case study research design? a. researcher studies people who are HIV positive in Indonesia b. researcher studies the treatment of a boy living with autism c. researcher studies journals written by women from the Civil War.

b. researcher studies treatment of a boy living with autism

Of the following, which of these choices BEST illustrates an example of a mixed-methods study? a. Tricia looks at percentages related to successful transitions from school district data and compares them to class grades. b. Katee interviews parents and students about their experiences regarding transitioning from middle school. c. Edward observes students who are transitioning from middle school and supplements his findings with class grades.

c. Edward observes students who are transitioning from middle school and supplements his findings with class grades.

Which type of study design would look closely at a group of individuals over a period of time? a. phenomenology b. content analysis c. ethnography

c. ethnography

If a measure seems to be reasonable operationalization of the conceptual variable, it will then have which of the following? a. temporal precedence b. interrater reliability c. face validity

c. face validity

By definition, which of these is true of mixed-method designs? a. includes both inferential and descriptive statistical analysis b. include both manipulated and measured variables c. include both quantitative and qualitative data

c. include both quantitative and qualitative data.

In what type of study design would a body of material such as documents by systematically examined for patterns, themes, or biases?

content analysis studies

Criterion validity (def.)

evaluates whether the measure under consideration is associated with a concrete behavioral outcome that it should be associated with, according to the conceptual definiton.

Abram wanted to investigate how his students feel about reading for pleasure. First, he interviewed them, then he used insights from the interviews to construct a survey to collect quantitative data. Which design has Abram employed?

exploratory sequential

Mixed-methods research (def.)

Research that includes elements of both quantitative and qualitative research

Qualitative research (def.)

Research yielding information that cannot be easily reduced to numbers; typically involves an in-depth examination of a complex phenomenon.

Test-retest reliability (def.)

Researcher gets consistent scores every time they use the measure. Example: Sample of people that score high, mediocre, or low of an IQ test consistently test in the same category when retested, even if the scores improve overall from training or practice.

Operational definition of a variable (def.)

Researcher's specific decision about how to measure or manipulate the conceptual variable.

Imagine taking part in a research study on satisfaction in your current job. You are given a questionnaire to fill out and you're asked to rate how much you agree or disagree with a series of statements. What kind of measure is this study using?

Self-report

What are some examples of categorical variables?

Sex: Male & Female Species: Rhesus macaque, chimpanzee, bonobo

What is the BEST definition for a conceptual variable, also known as construct?

The abstract idea that will need to be defined and measures in the study.

Content validity

The extent to which a measure captures all parts of a defined construct.

Face validity (def.)

The extent to which a measure is subjectively considered a plausible operationalization the conceptual variable in question.

Operationalization (def.)

The process of turning a construct of interest into a measured or manipulated variable.

Informed consent (def.)

The right of research participants to learn about a research project, know its risks and benefits, and decide whether to participate.

Slope direction

The upward, downward, or neutral slope of the cluster of data points in a scatterplot.

How many scales can researchers use to classify quantitative variables? List them.

Three 1- Ordinal 2- Interval 3- Ratio scale

How many ways to measure variables? List them.

Three measurement styles: 1- Self-report 2- Observational 3- Physiological

How many types of reliability are there? List them.

Three: 1. Test-restest reliability 2- Interrater reliability 3- Internal reliability

Exploratory sequential design (def.)

Two-phase mixed-methods design in which qualitative data are collected in an effort to inform the planning and implementation of subsequent quantitative data collection.

Explanatory sequential design (def.)

Two-phase mixed-methods design in which quantitative data collection is followed by the collection of qualitative information that can help clarify the meanings of the quantitative findings.

How many aspects are related to the construct validity of a measure? List them.

Two: 1- Reliability 2- Validity

Autoethnography (def.)

Type of ethnography in which one or more researchers conduct ethnographic research regarding their own perspectives, beliefs, experiences, and practices.

Conceptual definition of a variable (def.)

aka: Construct Researcher's definition of the variable in question at a theoretical level.

Observational measure (def.)

aka: behavioral measure Operationalizes a variable by recording observable behaviors or physical traces of behaviors.

Which study design would be used to look into a person's or people's perspective(s) of or experience(s) of an event or situation?

Phenomenological study

Reliability (def.)

Refers to how consistent the results of a measure are

Construct validity (def.)

Refers to how well a study's variables are measured or manipulated.

Physiological measure (def.)

Operationalizes a variable by recording biological data such as brain activity, hormone levels, or heart rate.

Self-report measure (Def.)

Operationalizes a variable by recording people's answers to questions about themselves in a questionnaire or interview. In studies of children, self-reports might be replaced with parent or teacher reports.

Which quantitative measurement scale has levels that are ranked order but the differences between the levels may be unequal?

Ordinal

Content analysis (def.)

Qualitative research design in which a body of material is systematically examined in order to detect general patterns, themes, or baises; the material typically involves some form of human communication.

Grounded theory study (def.)

Qualitative research design in which a researcher collects data relevant to a research problem and uses them to develop a new theory about a particular phenomenon.

Ethnography (def.)

Qualitative research design in which a researcher looks in depth at a cultural group in its natural setting.

Phenomenological study (def.)

Qualitative research design in which a researcher tries to understand people's perceptions and perspectives relative to a particular situation.

Narrative inquiry

Qualitative research strategy in which a researcher gathers and analyzes stories and narratives from individuals who have experiences and other prior knowledge related to the events or phenomena under investigation.

Which of the following would be convergent mixed-methods design? a. a study collects quantitative and qualitative data during a single research phase. b. a study collects quantitative data before collecting qualitative data. c. a study collects primary qualitative data and very little quantitative data.

a. a study collects quantitative and qualitative data during a single research phase.

Which of these statements best summarizes an explanatory sequential mixed-methods design? a. study that collects quantitative data before collecting qualitative data b. study that uses primarily qualitative data and very little quantitative data c. study that gives equal weight to both quantitative and qualitative data.

a. a study that collects quantitative data before collecting qualitative data

Which statement BEST defines criterion validity? a. It evaluates whether a measure is related to a concrete behavioral outcome. b. It is the extent to which the measure represents all part of the construct. c. It refers to the extent to which a measure is subjectively considered plausible.

a. evaluates whether a measure is related to a concrete behavioral outcome.

Which of the examples below pertain to convergent validity? a. researcher finds a strong correlation between a measure on self-esteem and a measure on personal confidence. b. researcher looks for a measure that will prove to be accurate indication of how well a person will handle stress. c. researcher found a weak correlation between their measure for depression and another researcher's measure for depression.

a. researcher finds a strong correlation between a measure on self-esteem and a measure on personal confidence.

How would you define content validity? a. the extent to which a measure captures all the parts of a construct. b. the consistency in results each time a measure is used. c. the method of recording variables

a. the extent to which a measure captures all the parts of a construct.