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Questions and Answers
What is a primary advantage of qualitative research designs?
What is a primary advantage of qualitative research designs?
Which qualitative research design is primarily focused on cultural behaviors?
Which qualitative research design is primarily focused on cultural behaviors?
What characteristic is NOT typically associated with qualitative research?
What characteristic is NOT typically associated with qualitative research?
In participant observation, what must the researcher strive to maintain?
In participant observation, what must the researcher strive to maintain?
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Which of the following is a disadvantage of qualitative research?
Which of the following is a disadvantage of qualitative research?
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What is one key characteristic of experimental research?
What is one key characteristic of experimental research?
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Which of the following is a disadvantage of experimental research?
Which of the following is a disadvantage of experimental research?
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What does the Hawthorne effect refer to in research contexts?
What does the Hawthorne effect refer to in research contexts?
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Which method is NOT listed as a data collection method for surveys?
Which method is NOT listed as a data collection method for surveys?
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What is a primary advantage of survey research?
What is a primary advantage of survey research?
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What type of data does qualitative research primarily collect?
What type of data does qualitative research primarily collect?
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Which of the following is NOT a quantitative data collection method mentioned?
Which of the following is NOT a quantitative data collection method mentioned?
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Which of the following best describes the main purpose of survey research?
Which of the following best describes the main purpose of survey research?
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What is the primary purpose of research?
What is the primary purpose of research?
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Which of the following best defines a hypothesis in research?
Which of the following best defines a hypothesis in research?
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Which type of variable is manipulated by the researcher?
Which type of variable is manipulated by the researcher?
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What does a dependent variable represent in research?
What does a dependent variable represent in research?
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What does the term 'controlled variable' refer to?
What does the term 'controlled variable' refer to?
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Which of the following is NOT a type of research method?
Which of the following is NOT a type of research method?
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What is a key characteristic of the research process?
What is a key characteristic of the research process?
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Which of the following best describes quantitative research?
Which of the following best describes quantitative research?
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What type of research might combine both qualitative and quantitative techniques?
What type of research might combine both qualitative and quantitative techniques?
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Which research design is used to investigate attitudes and opinions?
Which research design is used to investigate attitudes and opinions?
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Which of the following statements about researchers is true?
Which of the following statements about researchers is true?
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What is a disadvantage of quantitative research?
What is a disadvantage of quantitative research?
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What does correlational design study?
What does correlational design study?
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Which of these statements about quantitative research is true?
Which of these statements about quantitative research is true?
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What are the features of a survey design?
What are the features of a survey design?
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Which of the following best describes 'empirical' research?
Which of the following best describes 'empirical' research?
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What does validity primarily assess in research?
What does validity primarily assess in research?
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Which factor is NOT related to sampling in research?
Which factor is NOT related to sampling in research?
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What should be examined to evaluate accuracy in research?
What should be examined to evaluate accuracy in research?
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Which statement best describes reliability in research?
Which statement best describes reliability in research?
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Bias in research can manifest due to which of the following?
Bias in research can manifest due to which of the following?
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What aspect should NOT be a concern when evaluating the validity of research?
What aspect should NOT be a concern when evaluating the validity of research?
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When testing for bias, what does representation refer to?
When testing for bias, what does representation refer to?
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Which of the following is a key factor in ensuring findings are valid?
Which of the following is a key factor in ensuring findings are valid?
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What is a primary characteristic of a reliable author in a specific field?
What is a primary characteristic of a reliable author in a specific field?
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Which factor is NOT essential for ensuring the reliability of a published work?
Which factor is NOT essential for ensuring the reliability of a published work?
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What type of variable is manipulated during an experiment?
What type of variable is manipulated during an experiment?
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Which research method is more effective for gathering data on teen pregnancy?
Which research method is more effective for gathering data on teen pregnancy?
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Which of the following statements best describes secondary data?
Which of the following statements best describes secondary data?
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Study Notes
Introduction to Research Module 1
- Research originates from the French word "recherche," meaning "to go about seeking."
- The root word is "search," implying looking for information.
- Research is a structured and systematic process for collecting and analyzing information.
- Research involves employing various qualitative and quantitative investigation techniques to obtain specific information on a particular subject or phenomenon. (McDermott, 2008)
Types of Research Methods
- Qualitative research
- Quantitative research
- Mixed methods research (combination of both)
Who are Researchers?
- Students
- Teachers
- Individuals investigating specific issues (e.g., best teaching method for Grade 12 students, the effectiveness of bleach)
Vocabulary Terms
- Hypothesis: A statement a researcher believes is true about variables in a study. It's a testable prediction about the relationship between those variables.
- Variable: Any element (person, place, thing, event, setting) that can impact the outcome of a study due to its capacity to change or take on different values.
Types of Variables
-
Independent Variable: A variable a researcher manipulates to affect the outcome of the study. It's the cause or the variable responsible for the study outcome.
- Examples: Living in a single-parent home, training students on test-taking skills
-
Dependent Variable: A variable that's observed and measured in response to the independent variable. It's influenced by changes in the independent variable.
- Examples: Academic achievement in school, performance on standardized tests
- Controlled Variable: Factors that need to be controlled or held constant to neutralize their effect on research. These variables are kept consistent.
Characteristics of the Research Process
- Structured and systematic
- Statement of expectations
- Adherence to specific rules
- Empirical approach (originating from observation and experience rather than theory)
- Collection and interpretation of data
- Replicability (ability to be repeated)
Research Designs
- Each type of research (qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods) uses specific research designs.
- These designs provide direction for the procedures within research studies.
Activity
- Students should review a video, noting:
- Two types of research and their differences
- Examples of each research type
- Two types of data sources and their differences
Activity (continued)
-
Group the following as primary or secondary sources:
- Survey of sixth-formers at a lacrosse match
- Sports News commentary on television
- Geography textbook
- CXC examination result data
- Class register
Quantitative Research (Designs & Data Collection Methods)
-
Concerned with testing hypotheses and estimating the scope of phenomena of interest.
-
Involves collecting numerical data and analyzing it statistically.
-
Statistics help discover associations and causal relationships between variables.
-
Examples of numerical data:
- Number of high school dropouts.
- Number of persons supporting a political party.
- Number of bleachers (e.g., at a sporting event)
- Number of students achieving a particular grade in a subject
-
Advantages:
- Study trends, test hypotheses, make comparisons, establish causality, easy analysis, objective, representative
-
Disadvantages:
- May not focus on individual experiences, numbers can mask reality
Quantitative Research (continued)
-
Quantitative Research Designs (Examples):
- Survey design
- Experimental design
- Correlational studies
-
Quantitative Data Collection Methods (Examples):
- Questionnaires
- Face-to-face interviews
- Mail surveys
- Telephone interviews
- Computer-assisted telephone interviews
- Online surveys
Qualitative Research (Designs & Data Collection Methods)
-
Focuses on subjective data (feelings, emotions, values) to understand the reasons behind events.
-
Researchers interact directly with participants (face-to-face or by joining activities).
-
Examples of topics for qualitative study:
- Real-world observations and dilemmas
- Causes and reasons behind behaviors (e.g., why people bleach)
-
Advantages:
- Close to reality, more personal, in-depth feelings/meanings, rich description
-
Disadvantages:
- Subjective, unreliable, not measurable, not scientific, lacks credibility, possible misinterpretations
Qualitative Research (continued)
-
Qualitative Research Designs (Examples):
- Narrative
- Phenomenological
- Ethnographic
- Case study
- Grounded theory
- Participatory Action Research
- Discourse Analysis
-
Qualitative Data Collection Methods (Examples):
- Face-to-face interviews
- Telephone interviews
- Focus group discussions
- Observations
- Analysis of documents (e.g., journals, letters, meeting minutes, news cuttings)
- Audio-visual materials (e.g., photos, videotapes, computer messages)
Sampling, Validity, and Reliability in Research
-
Sampling: Selecting a subset of a population for a study.
- Population: All relevant units/persons for the study.
- Sampling Frame: List of members in the total population.
- Sample: Actual subset of members selected
- Reasons for sampling:
- Make the study practical/manageable
- Reduce cost and time
- Ensure valid findings
-
Factors Influencing Sampling:
- Research Topic/Problem statement
- Size of the population/sample
- Data required/generalizations
- Data collection technique
Validity in Research
- Validity: Assessing if a study's measures reflect what they’re intended to measure and if results are truthful.
- Considering Validity:
- Logical sequence/conclusion
- No mix of facts and opinions
- Sufficient and thorough information
- Factual accuracy
- Consistent use of terms
-
Evaluating Validity:
- Look at the accuracy and bias in the research.
Reliability in Research
-
Reliability: Determining how consistent and dependable research is.
-
Questions to consider about reliability:
-
How trustworthy is the information?
-
Is the information dependable?
-
How consistent is the information?
-
Factors Influencing Reliability:
- Author qualification/expertise
- Professional standards
- Publisher's reputation/standards
- Research method appropriateness
- Primary or secondary data used
Data Types in Research
- Primary Data: Observed or collected firsthand directly.
- Secondary Data: Collected by someone other than the researcher.
- Correlational Data: Measures the association or co-variation of two or more variables.
Variable Types in Experiments
- Independent Variable: The variable you change during research. This cause results.
- Dependent Variable: The variable that changes in response to the independent variable
Next Steps
- Review two secondary sources and one text (e.g., McDermott).
- Begin evaluations for speeches.
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Description
Dive into the fundamentals of research in Module 1 of our introductory course. Explore the definitions, various types of research methods, and the roles of researchers. This module lays the groundwork for understanding qualitative and quantitative techniques vital for effective information gathering and analysis.
