Questions and Answers
What is science as per the content provided?
A formal approach to finding answers, systematic in its design.
Which of the following is a characteristic of the scientific method?
Which term refers to commercially owned data?
What is a significant factor that distinguishes commercial research from academic research?
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A good research topic should solve a ______.
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What does internal validity refer to?
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Which of the following can be considered confounding variables?
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What is the purpose of using operational definitions in research?
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Study Notes
The Scientific Method
- Defined as a systematic approach to finding answers and understanding the world.
- C.S. Peirce recognized it as one of the methods of knowing.
- Wimmer & Dominick describe scientific research as organized, objective, and controlled empirical analysis of variables.
Characteristics of the Scientific Method
- Public: Promotes transparency through open access to information; aligns with the open science movement.
- Objective: Minimizes researcher errors by relying on facts and rules; errors are considered noise.
- Empirical: Engages with measurable phenomena, transitioning from abstract concepts to observable data; operational definitions provide clarity.
- Systematic and Cumulative: Builds upon previous research; theories drive inquiry through theorizing, hypothesis formulation, testing, analysis, and reporting; replication is essential for cumulative knowledge.
- Predictive: Establishes relationships between present data and future predictions, with data supporting the extension of theories.
- Self-correcting: Theories are subject to amendments based on new findings; evolution occurs with changing situations and methodologies.
Commercial vs. Academic Research
- Applied vs. Basic Research: Applied research focuses on specific tasks to address practical problems (often commercial), while basic research seeks to advance theoretical understanding (academic).
- Public vs. Proprietary Data: Commercial research often keeps data proprietary to maintain competitive advantage.
- Time and Financial Pressures: Commercial research typically operates under tighter deadlines and profitability requirements; academic research prioritizes data quality and integrity.
- Rigor: Academic research emphasizes thoroughness, while commercial research may cut corners for quicker results.
Characteristics of a Good Research Topic
- Identifies and solves relevant problems.
- Addresses gaps in understanding, typical of basic research; referred to as lacunae.
- Evaluated through eight essential questions regarding breadth, feasibility, significance, generalizability, cost, time, methodological appropriateness, and participant safety.
The Need for Validity
- Validity is crucial for meaningful research outcomes.
- Internal Validity: Pertains to the study's design and conduct, ensuring that plausible incorrect explanations for results are ruled out.
- Extraneous Variables: Variables that might influence the study’s results without being the primary focus.
- Confounding Variables: Specifically impact the relationship under investigation, often emerging from extraneous variables; referred to as artifacts by Wimmer & Dominick.
- Threats to internal validity include historical context, maturation of subjects, testing effects, and instrumentation degradation.
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Description
Explore the key concepts of the scientific method in Chapter 1 of the Fundamentals of Research course at Nanyang Technological University. This chapter delves into the formal approaches to conducting scientific research, emphasizing its importance in various fields. Enhance your understanding of research methodologies and practices through this quiz.
