Podcast
Questions and Answers
What type of sampling involves selecting every nth subject in the population?
What type of sampling involves selecting every nth subject in the population?
Which sampling method selects subjects based on specific characteristics?
Which sampling method selects subjects based on specific characteristics?
What does increasing the sample size generally do to the margin of error?
What does increasing the sample size generally do to the margin of error?
Which design involves a group that receives treatment and a group that does not?
Which design involves a group that receives treatment and a group that does not?
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What is a characteristic of stratified random sampling?
What is a characteristic of stratified random sampling?
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What is the primary goal of experiments in research?
What is the primary goal of experiments in research?
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Which term refers to the process of reaching conclusions about a population based on sample data?
Which term refers to the process of reaching conclusions about a population based on sample data?
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What type of sampling is characterized by initial contact with a small group that then provides referrals?
What type of sampling is characterized by initial contact with a small group that then provides referrals?
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Which of the following describes a population that has a high degree of variation?
Which of the following describes a population that has a high degree of variation?
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What does a confidence interval represent in statistical terms?
What does a confidence interval represent in statistical terms?
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What principle ensures that research participants are not coerced into taking part in a study?
What principle ensures that research participants are not coerced into taking part in a study?
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What type of analysis emphasizes the ways language constitutes social reality?
What type of analysis emphasizes the ways language constitutes social reality?
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Which type of interview allows for flexibility and is driven by participants' responses?
Which type of interview allows for flexibility and is driven by participants' responses?
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What bias occurs when respondents provide answers that they believe are more socially acceptable?
What bias occurs when respondents provide answers that they believe are more socially acceptable?
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Which ethical consideration involves keeping participant information confidential?
Which ethical consideration involves keeping participant information confidential?
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What is the primary purpose of operationalization in research?
What is the primary purpose of operationalization in research?
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Which of the following best describes the primary research method?
Which of the following best describes the primary research method?
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What is a major disadvantage of structured interviews?
What is a major disadvantage of structured interviews?
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Which of the following correctly describes dependent variables?
Which of the following correctly describes dependent variables?
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Which type of variable can be ranked but does not have equal distances between categories?
Which type of variable can be ranked but does not have equal distances between categories?
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What ethical principle relates to ensuring participants understand the nature of the research and potential risks?
What ethical principle relates to ensuring participants understand the nature of the research and potential risks?
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What does critical discourse analysis focus on regarding language use?
What does critical discourse analysis focus on regarding language use?
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What does a measure of central tendency refer to?
What does a measure of central tendency refer to?
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Which type of interviews typically combine elements from both structured and unstructured formats?
Which type of interviews typically combine elements from both structured and unstructured formats?
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What defines a representative sample in research?
What defines a representative sample in research?
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What is the definition of standard deviation in data analysis?
What is the definition of standard deviation in data analysis?
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What does a spurious relationship imply in statistical analysis?
What does a spurious relationship imply in statistical analysis?
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In the context of statistical studies, what does sampling bias indicate?
In the context of statistical studies, what does sampling bias indicate?
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What does the range of a dataset represent?
What does the range of a dataset represent?
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What is a crucial aspect of inferential statistics?
What is a crucial aspect of inferential statistics?
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What is one major advantage of using focus groups in research?
What is one major advantage of using focus groups in research?
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Which of the following is a characteristic of ethnography?
Which of the following is a characteristic of ethnography?
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What does ethnomethodology primarily study?
What does ethnomethodology primarily study?
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What is a limitation of using surveys as a research method?
What is a limitation of using surveys as a research method?
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Which of the following is NOT a type of claim associated with policy and case analysis?
Which of the following is NOT a type of claim associated with policy and case analysis?
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Which criterion is used to assess the authenticity of documents in social research?
Which criterion is used to assess the authenticity of documents in social research?
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What is one drawback of conducting focus groups?
What is one drawback of conducting focus groups?
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What aspect does 'reliability' refer to in research?
What aspect does 'reliability' refer to in research?
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Which type of survey design examines changes over time in the same population?
Which type of survey design examines changes over time in the same population?
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What is one method that ethnographers use to understand cultures?
What is one method that ethnographers use to understand cultures?
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Study Notes
Scholar Research Process
- Epistemology/Topic Selection: Foundation of research, determining the subject.
- Literature Review: Summary of existing research.
- Theorization: Developing theoretical frameworks.
- Hypothesis/Questions: Research aims or questions to investigate.
- Research Design: Outline of the study's structure.
- Ethics: Guidelines for responsible research.
- Data Collection and Analysis: Gathering and interpretation of data.
- Findings and Theorization: Results and their theoretical implications.
Scientific Method
- Logically reasoned process: Research with a clear structure, open to scrutiny.
- Consensus on assumptions & procedures: Agreement within the research community for methodology.
- Popper's hypothetico-deductive framework: Testing hypotheses using deductive reasoning.
Research Types
- Primary Research: Researcher's original study & observations.
- Secondary Research: Analysis of others' work for a specific purpose.
- Conversation Analysis: Study of social interactional rules, rooted in ethnomethodology.
- Discourse Analysis: Examines language's role in shaping social reality (including images).
- Critical Discourse Analysis: Interdisciplinary approach connecting language, power, and social structures.
Ethical Research
- Voluntary Participation: Participants must not be forced.
- Informed Consent: Full disclosure of procedures and potential risks to participants.
- Avoiding Harm: Protecting participants from physical and psychological risks.
- Confidentiality: Protecting participant information.
- Anonymity: Participants remain anonymous even to researchers.
- Privacy: Control over personal information.
Types of Interviews
Structured Interviews
- Definition: Uses a pre-determined schedule (set of questions).
- Advantages: Reduces bias, increases reliability, validity and credibility, cost-effective.
- Disadvantages: Less flexible, limited scope, potential for response bias (social desirability).
Semi-Structured Interviews
- Definition: Guided by a list of questions, but allows for flexibility.
- Advantages: Balancing structure and flexibility, good reliability and validity, depth and detail.
- Disadvantages: Potentially lower validity, prone to researcher bias (leading questions), Hawthorne Effect.
Unstructured Interviews
- Definition: Researcher's flexibility to probe, gather info through open questions.
- Advantages: Flexibility and validity, less bias. more details and nuances.
- Disadvantages: Lower generalizability, low reliability, potential for researcher bias. Time consuming, prone to Sampling bias, social desirability bias, Hawthorne effect.
Focus Groups
- Definition: Small groups of ~7 people discussing specific topic, leading to qualitative data collection.
- Characteristics: Moderator, guided (or unguided) discussion, synergistic effect.
- Advantages: Rich data, capturing personal accounts, flexible, fast results.
- Disadvantages: Less structured than interviews, may rely on verbal responses, complex data analysis.
Other Research Methods
Historical/Policy/Case Study Analysis
- Historical research: Examines past individuals/events.
- Policy/case analysis: Examines present individuals/groups/processes.
- Descriptive claims: Summarizing observed patterns.
- Interpretive claims: Understanding motivations and meanings.
- Explanatory claims: Identifying causal relationships.
- Evaluative and reformist claims: Assessing or promoting change.
Ethnography
- Definition: Researcher immerses themselves in a group for an extended period.
- Methods: Observation, interviews, capturing cultural behaviors.
Ethnomethodology
- Definition: Explore the taken-for-granted rules & codes influencing social interactions & communication (especially in language).
- Application: Analyzing films, television, media, intercultural communication.
Content Analysis
- Definition: Systematic examination of a body of material; identifying patterns, themes, biases, & meanings.
- Types of Material: Written documents, images, photographs, videos, audio.
Access to Information & Privacy in Canada
- Access to Information Act: Canadian citizens can request government records.
- Privacy Act: Protects personal info held by the government.
Assessing Documents
- Authenticity: Verifying the document's legitimacy.
- Credibility: Assessing its unbiased nature and distortion.
- Sincerity (and accuracy): Trustworthiness of writer.
- Meaning: Literal and interpretive understanding.
Problems with Validating Readings
- Representativeness: Reflects the original data.
- Survival of relevant documents: Complete historical record.
- Availability and access: Accessibility of documents.
Surveys
- Definition: Method to collect structured data from a (large) population.
- Types: Cross-sectional (one point in time), longitudinal (pattern over time), cohort studies
- Considerations: Response rate, interviewer effects, respondent bias, questionnaire problems.
Operationalization
- Definition: Transforming abstract concepts into measurable variables.
- Steps: Identify empirical indicators & create research instruments.
Variables
- Definition: Qualities that vary among units of analysis.
- Categories: Independent (manipulated), Dependent (measured), control variables.
- Types of variables: Nominal (categories), Ordinal (ranked categories), Interval/Ratio (equal distance between categories).
Correlation vs Causation
- Correlation:Relationship between variables.
- Causation: One variable influences another.
- Spurious Relationship: Correlation resulting from a third variable.
Descriptive Statistics
- Definition: Summarizing data's basic characteristics.
- Measures of Central Tendency: Mean, median, mode.
- Measures of Dispersion: Range, variance, standard deviation.
Diagrams
- Purpose: Visual representation of data.
- Types: Bar, pie charts (nominal/ordinal data), Histograms (interval/ratio data).
Sampling
- Definition: Selecting a subset of a population to study.
- Types of samples: Probability (simple random), Systematic, Stratified, Multi-stage Cluster samples . Non-probability (convenience, purposive, snowball, quota)
- Representativeness & Generalizability: Sample mirror's the population.
- Sample Bias: Misrepresentation due to inadequate sampling techniques or non-response.
- Sampling Error: Difference between sample and population.
- Sample Size: Crucial for accuracy.
Experiments
- Goal: Demonstrate causal relationships.
- Structure: Experimental and control groups, random assignment, pre-test/post-test.
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Description
Explore the foundations of scholarly research, including epistemology, literature reviews, and hypothesis formation. This quiz covers key processes and methodologies essential for conducting research responsibly and effectively. Test your understanding of the scientific method and different research types.
