Research Design Overview

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Questions and Answers

What is the primary characteristic of quantitative research?

It uses numbers and statistics. (correct)

It examines unique case scenarios.

It focuses on narratives and descriptions.

It tests hypotheses through qualitative analysis.

Which study design is used to determine cause-and-effect relationships?

Descriptive Research

Case Study

Correlational Study

Experimental Design (correct)

What is a defining feature of a quasi-experimental design?

It focuses on qualitative assessments.

It includes random assignment of subjects.

It lacks random grouping of participants. (correct)

It explores relationships through surveys.

In the context of research design, what is the purpose of specifying the locale of a study?

To describe where the research is conducted and its relevance. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best describes a descriptive study design?

It aims to detail and explore a topic without predicting outcomes. Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary purpose of a sample in research?

To provide a group of subjects for study. Signup and view all the answers

Why might a researcher choose to study at a specific locale, such as a school?

Due to the diversity of its student body and relevant culture. Signup and view all the answers

Which research approach combines quantitative and qualitative methods?

Mixed Methods Research Signup and view all the answers

What sampling technique was used to select participants in the study?

Stratified random sampling Signup and view all the answers

What is the main purpose of descriptive statistics in this research?

To describe and summarize data Signup and view all the answers

Which measure indicates the middle score in a distribution?

Median Signup and view all the answers

What aspect does the 'skewness' measure in data distribution?

Symmetry of the data Signup and view all the answers

In the context of inferential statistics, what does a p-value less than 0.05 indicate?

Reject the null hypothesis Signup and view all the answers

Which statement about the instruments used in data gathering is true?

They must be validated, regardless of the source. Signup and view all the answers

What does variance represent in a dataset?

The spread of scores around the mean Signup and view all the answers

What ethical consideration must be ensured during the study?

Only collect data from willing participants Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Research Design

A research design is a plan for collecting, analyzing, and interpreting data to answer a research question.
It guides the research study.
Research Approach: The general way to study a topic.
- Quantitative Research: Uses numbers and statistics to find patterns and relationships, often testing hypotheses.
- Qualitative Research: Uses words and observations to understand experiences and perspectives.
Study Design: The specific plan for conducting the research.
- Experimental: Tests cause-and-effect by manipulating one factor to see its impact.
- Quasi-Experimental: Similar to experimental, but lacks random assignment.
- Correlational: Investigates connections between two or more variables; does not show cause-and-effect.
- Descriptive: Explores and describes a topic without predictions.
- Case Study: Focuses on a detailed study of one example or situation.

Locale of the Study

Locale: The location where research takes place.
Includes: geographic location, demographics (population size, diversity, socioeconomic status), relevant history/culture, facilities, and a justification for choosing that location.

Sample

Sample: The group of people studied.
Includes: sample size, sampling technique (e.g., random, stratified), participant details (age, gender, grade level), inclusion/exclusion criteria.

Instruments

Instruments: Tools used to gather data (e.g., surveys, interviews).
Includes: type of instrument, source (created or adapted), reliability, and validity.

Data Gathering Procedure

Step-by-step explanation of how data is collected.

Data Analysis Procedure

Description of how the collected data will be processed and understood (e.g., statistical tests, themes).

Ethical Considerations

Explanation of how ethical considerations are addressed (e.g., participant privacy, consent, avoiding harm).

Descriptive Statistics

Purpose: Summarize and describe data.
Tools:
- Frequency Distribution: Number of cases in each category.
- Proportion: Frequency divided by total cases.
- Percentage: Proportion expressed as a percentage.
- Measures of Central Tendency: Typical score.
  - Mode: Most frequent score.
  - Median: Middle score.
  - Mean: Average score.
- Variability/Dispersion: How scores differ.
  - Range: Difference between highest and lowest values.
  - Average Deviation: Average of deviations from the mean.
  - Variance: Square of the standard deviation.
  - Standard Deviation: Square root of the variance.

Inferential Statistics

Purpose: Use sample data to make predictions about a larger population.
Parametric Tests: Require normally distributed data.
- Testing Normal Distribution:
 - Skewness: Measures symmetry. ±1 suggests non-normality.
 - Kurtosis: Measures peakiness. ±1 suggests non-normality.
- T-Tests: Used to compare means.
 - T-Test for Dependent Samples: Compares means of two related datasets (e.g., before/after).
 - Decision Rule: Reject null hypothesis if p-value < 0.05.

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Description

This quiz covers the fundamental aspects of research design, including different research approaches like quantitative and qualitative methods. You'll explore various study designs such as experimental, quasi-experimental, correlational, descriptive, and case studies. Test your knowledge and understanding of how research questions are answered through structured designs.