Research Approaches and Methodologies

Procedures that guide research, including assumptions, data collection, analysis, and interpretation.

The overall framework or philosophy that guides your research. It's like your 'research lens'.

A structured plan for conducting your research, including specific methods and procedures.

Focusing on quantifiable data and statistics to test hypotheses and draw conclusions.

Exploring experiences, perspectives, and meanings through in-depth analysis of qualitative data.

Combining both quantitative and qualitative approaches to gain a more comprehensive understanding.

A systematic review of existing literature to understand the current state of knowledge on a topic.

Using a theoretical framework to guide your research, providing a structured way to interpret findings.

The fundamental beliefs and values that guide a researcher's approach to a study. These assumptions stem from a researcher's training, experiences, and cultural background.

Specific techniques used to gather data, analyze it, and interpret its meaning within a particular research design. These methods are the tools employed in a study.

The overarching approach or methodology employed in a research study, which determines the types of questions asked, data collected, and methods used.

The specific methods and procedures used to collect and analyze data, including surveys, interviews, experiments, observations, and document analysis.

Assumption that reality exists independently of our knowledge and can be objectively studied.

A more nuanced view than positivism, acknowledging limitations of objectivity and acknowledging the role of interpretation.

Focuses on power dynamics and how knowledge is used to maintain social inequalities.

Emphasizes that reality is socially constructed and influenced by individual perspectives.

Research done in collaboration with participants, valuing their perspectives and experiences.

A broad approach that aims to empower marginalized groups and bring about social change.

The study of how we know what we know, including the methods and processes involved.

The nature of reality, considering whether it is objective or subjective.

A research design involving measuring attitudes or behaviors before and after an intervention or treatment.

A technique where researchers immerse themselves in a specific setting or group to understand their culture and perspectives.

A research design that focuses on a single case or individual, providing in-depth insights about a specific situation.

A research design where researchers aim to identify and understand the essential meaning of a particular phenomenon.

An iterative process of data collection and analysis where theory emerges from the data itself.

A research design that compares two or more groups, where the cause (or independent variable) has already happened. For example: A researcher studies the effects of a new teaching method on student achievement. They find two existing groups: one that experienced the method and another that did not, and compare their performance.

A research design that uses statistical calculations to describe and measure the relationship between two or more variables. For example, a researcher might investigate the association between hours of studying and test scores.

A quantitative design where researchers apply a treatment over time to one person or a small group. Like testing an intervention for anxiety on one individual, monitoring their responses over time.

A research design that aims to determine if a treatment impacts an outcome. It involves comparing a group receiving the treatment with a control group that does not. Like testing a new medication, where one group receives the medicine and another group receives a placebo.

A type of experiment that uses random assignment to allocate participants to different treatment groups. This minimizes bias by ensuring participants have an equal chance of being in any group. Like randomly assigning students to different learning conditions, ensuring a fair comparison.

A type of experiment where participants are not randomly assigned to groups. Instead, pre-existing groups are used. This limits the ability to prove causal relationships. Like investigating the impact of a school's curriculum on students' performance, where classrooms already exist and can't be randomly assigned.

A quantitative research approach that uses surveys and structured interviews to gather data from a sample of individuals to describe trends, attitudes, and opinions of a larger population. Like conducting a phone survey to understand public opinion on a political issue.

A type of survey research where data is collected at a single point in time. Like taking a snapshot of public opinion on a given day.