Podcast
Questions and Answers
Which of the following characteristics define scientific research? (Select all that apply)
Which of the following characteristics define scientific research? (Select all that apply)
What distinguishes Descriptive research from Correlational research?
What distinguishes Descriptive research from Correlational research?
Descriptive research describes something in the world using 1 variable, while Correlational research investigates the relationship between two or more variables without implying causation.
In Explanatory research, the focus is on causation.
In Explanatory research, the focus is on causation.
True
Primary data is collected by __________, while secondary data refers to data collected by others.
Primary data is collected by __________, while secondary data refers to data collected by others.
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Match the following types of sciences with their categories:
Match the following types of sciences with their categories:
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What is the primary focus of Quantitative research?
What is the primary focus of Quantitative research?
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What is the main goal of Empirical research?
What is the main goal of Empirical research?
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Conceptual design focuses more on specific actionable plans than the overall framework.
Conceptual design focuses more on specific actionable plans than the overall framework.
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Reliability refers to the quality of the __________ instrument or operationalization.
Reliability refers to the quality of the __________ instrument or operationalization.
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What is the purpose of a Hypothesis in research?
What is the purpose of a Hypothesis in research?
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Study Notes
Scientific Research
- Must be systemic, objective, and theory-dependent
- Systemic: uses procedures and measurement instruments that are reliable (consistent) and valid (measures what it is supposed to measure)
- Objective: unbiased, non-normative, and transparent
- Theory-dependent: undertaken within a framework of a set of philosophies (e.g., positivism, interpretivism, critical theory, pragmatism, postmodernism) and adds to existing knowledge/theory
Types of Research
- Descriptive: describes something in the world (1 variable), e.g., how large is the population of storks in the Netherlands?
- Correlational: investigates the relationship between two or more variables, e.g., is the number of storks related to the number of babies?
- Explanatory: explains why things are as they are, e.g., is the number of babies caused by the number of storks?
Primary and Secondary Data
- Primary: collected by yourself through field work or laboratory research, e.g., surveys, questionnaires, interviews, observations, experiments
- Secondary: primary data collected by others, e.g., academic journals, government/industry reports, databases, books/newspapers
- Note: secondary data can provide background/context to primary data
Fundamental Approaches
- Empirical Research: based on observed and measured phenomena, e.g., experiments, surveys, observations, case study
- Non-Empirical Research: based on theoretic analysis, logical reasoning, and existing research, e.g., literature reviews, theoretic modeling, conceptual analysis
Sciences
- Beta: natural and technical sciences
- Gamma: social sciences
- Alpha: arts and humanities (language, law, philosophy)
- The relationship between beta-gamma is important to prevent technocratic failure
Research Approach
- Quantitative: measures through variables/numbers, e.g., testing hypotheses, cause-effect, predict
- Qualitative: describes the world in terms of words, e.g., meaning, concepts, definitions, characteristics
- Reductionist approach: identifying regularities that apply to many cases (general patterns)
Research Orientation
- Applied/Practice-Oriented: gain knowledge for solving a practical problem
- Fundamental/Theory-Oriented: gain knowledge to expand existing knowledge about a specific topic (without application in mind)
Research Cycles
- Empirical Cycle: observation, induction, deduction, testing, and evaluation
- Regulative Cycle: problem identification, diagnosis, design, implementation, and evaluation (only used for practical problems)
Research Objective
- External Objective: states the problem to be solved or improved
- Internal Objective: states the knowledge to be produced
Formulating Research Questions
- General Research Question (GRQ): needs to be answered to reach the research objective
- Specific Research Questions (SRQs): cover segments of the GRQ, e.g., tree diagram, path diagram
Operationalization
- From concepts to variables: how to measure your concepts
- Steps to operationalization: conceptualization, definition, measurement, and data collection
Reliability and Measurement Validity
- Reliability: the quality of the measurement instrument or operationalization
- Measurement Validity: does the instrument measure what it is supposed to measure without error?
Study Design
- Quantitative Study Designs: experimental, cross-sectional, longitudinal, case study
- Measurement Scale: nominal, ordinal, interval, ratio
Hypothesis
- Non-Relational Hypothesis: expectations about the level or distribution of one or more variables
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Description
Learn about the principles of scientific research, including systematic, objective, and unbiased approaches. Understand the importance of reliability, validity, and transparency in research methodology.
