Podcast
Questions and Answers
What is a significant problem associated with the Equal Probability of Selection Method (EPSEM)?
What is a significant problem associated with the Equal Probability of Selection Method (EPSEM)?
- It simplifies causal conclusions.
- It enhances internal validity.
- It guarantees accurate generalization.
- It may threaten external validity. (correct)
What is a characteristic of causal studies as defined in the content?
What is a characteristic of causal studies as defined in the content?
- They examine effects of causes on outcomes. (correct)
- They are inherently deductive.
- They begin with general theories.
- They focus solely on qualitative outcomes.
What describes the ecological fallacy?
What describes the ecological fallacy?
- Inferencing about individuals based on individual data.
- Making conclusions about individuals from group data. (correct)
- A misunderstanding about groups that applies universally.
- A conclusion based solely on experimental data.
Which acronym encapsulates components of conclusion and internal validity?
Which acronym encapsulates components of conclusion and internal validity?
Which factor relates to construct validity?
Which factor relates to construct validity?
What is a key concern related to external validity?
What is a key concern related to external validity?
What is the first step in the process described by the bottom-up approach?
What is the first step in the process described by the bottom-up approach?
What does 'internal validity' assess in a study?
What does 'internal validity' assess in a study?
What does the exception fallacy refer to?
What does the exception fallacy refer to?
What are threats to validity related to?
What are threats to validity related to?
What distinguishes the deductive reasoning in a research project?
What distinguishes the deductive reasoning in a research project?
Why might social research often involve both inductive and deductive reasoning?
Why might social research often involve both inductive and deductive reasoning?
In establishing conclusion validity, what question is crucial to consider?
In establishing conclusion validity, what question is crucial to consider?
What is the primary difference between deductive and inductive reasoning?
What is the primary difference between deductive and inductive reasoning?
In the context of research, what does 'operationalized' refer to?
In the context of research, what does 'operationalized' refer to?
What is the outcome of aligning construct and operationalized entities ideally?
What is the outcome of aligning construct and operationalized entities ideally?
What type of approach is sometimes informally referred to as a top-down approach in research?
What type of approach is sometimes informally referred to as a top-down approach in research?
Why is it important to distinguish between constructs and operationalizations in research?
Why is it important to distinguish between constructs and operationalizations in research?
How does social research typically gather data?
How does social research typically gather data?
What does EPSEM stand for in the context of social research?
What does EPSEM stand for in the context of social research?
What is the main focus of inductive reasoning?
What is the main focus of inductive reasoning?
What does a positive association indicate about two variables?
What does a positive association indicate about two variables?
What is a characteristic of participant observation?
What is a characteristic of participant observation?
Which measure of central tendency is used if the data is perfectly symmetrical?
Which measure of central tendency is used if the data is perfectly symmetrical?
When the mean is greater than the median, what does this indicate about the data distribution?
When the mean is greater than the median, what does this indicate about the data distribution?
What is a key feature of meta-analysis?
What is a key feature of meta-analysis?
In bivariate analysis, what type of tests can be used?
In bivariate analysis, what type of tests can be used?
What does it mean when outliers affect the average score?
What does it mean when outliers affect the average score?
What is a formula for calculating percentage?
What is a formula for calculating percentage?
What is a key feature of the scientific method that helps to ensure accurate findings?
What is a key feature of the scientific method that helps to ensure accurate findings?
What is described as the process of understanding and controlling statistical error?
What is described as the process of understanding and controlling statistical error?
What does a confidence interval represent in the context of research?
What does a confidence interval represent in the context of research?
Which of the following describes the process of gathering data to represent an entire population?
Which of the following describes the process of gathering data to represent an entire population?
Skepticism in a research context primarily serves to:
Skepticism in a research context primarily serves to:
What is typically a limitation of focusing solely on empirical data in social research?
What is typically a limitation of focusing solely on empirical data in social research?
What term refers to the proportions derived from fractional data expressed as percentages?
What term refers to the proportions derived from fractional data expressed as percentages?
In research, prior experiences of others primarily help to:
In research, prior experiences of others primarily help to:
What is the mode of a dataset?
What is the mode of a dataset?
Which level of measurement is the mode most frequently used with?
Which level of measurement is the mode most frequently used with?
What is a limitation of using the mode?
What is a limitation of using the mode?
In a positively skewed distribution, how does the mean compare to the median?
In a positively skewed distribution, how does the mean compare to the median?
What is the variance in relation to scores?
What is the variance in relation to scores?
What does the median represent in a dataset?
What does the median represent in a dataset?
What effect do extreme scores have on the mean in a distribution?
What effect do extreme scores have on the mean in a distribution?
Which statement is true about the mean's weaknesses?
Which statement is true about the mean's weaknesses?
Flashcards
Positive Association
Positive Association
Variables change in the same direction.
Negative Association
Negative Association
Variables change in opposite directions.
Internal Validity
Internal Validity
The extent to which a study's results are accurate because of the way it was conducted.
Content Analysis
Content Analysis
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Measures of Central Tendency
Measures of Central Tendency
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Mean
Mean
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Median
Median
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Percentage Calculation
Percentage Calculation
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Deductive Reasoning
Deductive Reasoning
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Inductive Reasoning
Inductive Reasoning
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Construct
Construct
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Operationalization
Operationalization
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Hypothesis
Hypothesis
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Cause & Effect Construct
Cause & Effect Construct
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Social Research Context
Social Research Context
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EPSEM
EPSEM
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Ecological Fallacy
Ecological Fallacy
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Exception Fallacy
Exception Fallacy
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Construct Validity
Construct Validity
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Threats to Validity
Threats to Validity
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Equal Probability of Selection Method (EPSEM)
Equal Probability of Selection Method (EPSEM)
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Inductive Approach
Inductive Approach
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Causal Studies
Causal Studies
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Conclusion Validity
Conclusion Validity
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Skew
Skew
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Positive Skew
Positive Skew
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Negative Skew
Negative Skew
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Variance
Variance
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Standard Deviation
Standard Deviation
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Falsifiability
Falsifiability
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Skepticism
Skepticism
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Empirical
Empirical
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Literature Review
Literature Review
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Statistical Analysis
Statistical Analysis
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Confidence Interval
Confidence Interval
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Proportional Thinking
Proportional Thinking
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Census vs. Survey
Census vs. Survey
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Study Notes
Social Research Methods
- Philosophy: Focuses on distinguishing between research assumptions and the kinds of data collected. Variables (hypotheses) describe the characteristics of the subject of study.
- Correlation Matrix: Shows correlations between themes and/or individuals.
- Settling the Debate: Qualitative data can be coded quantitatively, and all quantitative data is based on (originally) qualitative judgments. Common data analysis methods used with quantitative approaches include content analysis of archival documents, secondary data analysis, media analysis, and meta-analysis.
- Durkheim's Philosophical Questions: Concerned with the concepts used in questionnaires to avoid ambiguity and redundancy.
- Positivist vs. Interpretive Approaches: Contrast between assumptions about the world. Positivism, often linked with quantitative methods, assumes an objective reality independent of observation. Interpretivism, associated with qualitative methods, emphasizes subjective meanings and interpretations.
- Positivist Perspective: Focuses on social facts arising from interactions among people, creating a collective conscience (objective).
- Interpretive Perspective: Views individuals (Monads) as ordering the world through their independent actions. Emphasizes subjective interpretations of phenomena (subjective).
- The Quali-Quanti Debate: Examines the debate between qualitative and quantitative research approaches, often blending approaches within mixed methods research
- Quantitative Data Analysis: Includes univariate analysis (measures of central tendency and variability like mean, median, mode), bivariate analysis (parametric and non-parametric tests), and multivariate analysis (interaction between dependent and independent variables).
- Qualitative Approaches: Comprises four major approaches: ethnography/anthropology, phenomenology, behavior therapy, field research.
- Grounded Theory: An approach focusing on discovering or generating a theory based on observations of a phenomenon rather than testing an existing theory; emphasizes suspending existing assumptions.
- Qualitative Research Validity: Involves credibility, transferability, dependability, and confirmability.
- Quantitative Research Validity: Includes internal validity (assessing causation), external validity (generalizability to other contexts), construct validity (degree to which concepts are accurately measured), conclusion validity (evaluating relationships).
Research Vocabulary
- Hypotheses: Specific statements predicting an outcome, often distinguished as alternative (what is expected) and null (no effect).
- One-Tailed Hypothesis: Indicates a directional prediction (e.g., a drug will increase effect).
- Two-Tailed Hypothesis: States an effect without a specific direction predicted.
- Null Hypothesis: Predicts no effect or difference, a baseline against which other outcomes are measured.
- Variables: Factors of interest; independent variables are presumed causes, while dependent variables are presumed outcomes.
- Types of Studies: Descriptive studies, focused on documenting existing conditions; and causal or experimental studies.
Measurement of Central Tendency
- Measures: Mode, median, and mean, each representing a different understanding of central tendency. The mean represents the average, the median the middle-most score. and the mode the most frequent score.
- Mode: The most frequent score in a distribution.
- Median: The middle score in a sorted dataset.
- Mean: The average of all scores in a dataset. It's sensitive to extreme values.
- Finding the Mean: Sum all scores and divide by the total number of scores.
- Finding the Median: Sort the scores and identify the middle number (or average of the two middle numbers if there are an even number of scores).
- Finding the Mode: Count the frequency of each score and identify the score that appears most often.
Measures of Variation
- Range: The difference between the highest and lowest scores.
- Interquartile Range(IQR): The difference between the 3rd and 1st quartiles (middle 50% of the scores).
- Standard Deviation: Measures average distance of scores from the mean. A higher value indicates greater variability.
Validity and Ethics in Research
- Validity: refers to the soundness of the conclusions or inferences drawn from a study. Different types of validity exist, considering internal validity and external validity (generalizability)
- Ethical Considerations: Research must ensure voluntary participation, informed consent, confidentiality, and anonymity. An Institutional Review Board (IRB) oversees research projects ethics.
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Description
This quiz explores the foundational concepts of social research methods, including various philosophical approaches, the use of correlation matrices, and the coding of qualitative data. It also examines Durkheim's philosophical questions and the differences between positivist and interpretive approaches in research.
