Research Methods Study Notes

Research Methods Study Notes

• Research Purpose: Primarily focused on solving problems.

• Qualitative Research Characteristics: Characterized by open-ended questions, often involving interviews and focus groups.

• Experimental Group: The group in a research study that receives the treatment or intervention.

• Essential Research Steps: Include identifying a problem, literature review, ethical considerations, and data analysis. Skipping ethical considerations is NOT a step in the research process.

• Stratified Sampling: Selecting participants based on specific characteristics.

• Hypothesis Definition: An educated guess about the relationship between variables.

• Primary Source Example: A journal article reporting original research.

• IRB: Stands for Institutional Review Board.

• Qualitative Data Collection Methods: Common methods include interviews and focus groups.

• Literature Review Purpose: Summarizes existing knowledge on a topic.

• Cause-and-Effect Research: Experimental research designs allow for cause-and-effect conclusions.

• Operational Definition: Defines how variables will be measured in a study.

• Hypothesis Formulation: Occurs during the problem identification phase of research.

• Validity: The accuracy of measurement in a study.

• Correlation Coefficient: Measures the strength and direction of a relationship between two variables.

• Ethical Principle (Human Subjects): Confidentiality is a crucial ethical principle.

• Qualitative Data Analysis: Content analysis identifies themes within data.

• Research Paper Section (Results): The results section presents the findings of the study.

• Independent Variable: The variable manipulated by the researcher in an experiment.

• Triangulation (Qualitative): Using multiple methods or sources to enhance credibility.

• Survey Question Types: Closed-ended questions offer fixed-choice options for respondents.

• Reliability: Refers to the consistency of measurement across various instances.

• Data Saturation (Qualitative): Reaching a point where no new information emerges from data collection.

• Quantitative Data Collection: Surveys with numerical scales are a common means of collecting quantitative data.

• Informed Consent: Ensures participants understand the nature and risks of a study before agreeing to participate.

• Comparing Group Means: A t-test is a statistical test used to compare means between two groups.

• Member Checking (Qualitative): Verifying study findings with participants for accuracy.

• Building Rapport (Interviews): Active listening and open body language help establish rapport during interviews.

• Action Research Focus: Solving specific problems within a community or organization.

• Statistical Analysis Software: SPSS is frequently used for statistical analysis.

• Qualitative Sample Sizes: Qualitative researchers typically use smaller samples.

• Secondary Sources: Secondary sources are not firsthand accounts or direct evidence.

• Ethical Considerations (Timing): Ethical considerations are paramount throughout the entire research process, not just during data collection.

• Random Sampling: Random sampling ensures each individual has an equal chance of selection.

• Descriptive Statistics: Descriptive statistics summarize and describe data characteristics.

• Informed Consent Waiver: Informed consent can be waived if a study involves minimal risk, as judged by the IRB.

• Focus Groups (Quantitative): Focus groups are primarily used for collecting qualitative data, not quantitative data

• Literature Reviews (Timing): Literature reviews are not just necessary at the start, but throughout the research process.

• Case Study Nature: Case studies provide an in-depth examination of a single case or phenomenon.

• Disclosure of Funding: Researchers must usually disclose funding sources in publications.

Research Problem Definition

• A research problem is a concern or issue needing investigation and resolution, defining the study's focus.

Random Sampling Significance

• Random sampling minimizes bias and allows for more generalizable results.

Qualitative Data Collection Types

• Interviews and focus groups are common methods for qualitative data collection.

Research Abstract Components

• An abstract summarizes a study's objectives, methods, results, and conclusions in an overview format.

Hypothesis Importance

• A clear hypothesis guides the study, defining variables and focusing data collection/analysis.

Ethical Considerations (Examples)

• Informed consent and confidentiality are fundamental ethical concerns in research involving human subjects.

Peer Review Role

• Peer review assesses research quality, validity, and relevance.

Survey Method Advantages/Disadvantages

• Advantage: Surveys reach many people quickly.
• Disadvantage: Low response rates or biased responses can hinder their value.

Data Triangulation Definition

• Data triangulation uses multiple sources or methods to enhance study validity and credibility.

Ensuring Reliability

• Using consistent procedures across all participants is a key method to ensure reliability.