Chapter 2

Question 0

Generalizability

Answer 0

The extent to which conclusions drawn from one research study spread or apply to a larger population.

Question 1

Research

Answer 1

A formal process which knowledge is produced and understood.

Question 2

Empirical research

Answer 2

1) Statement of the problem
2) Design of research study
3) Measurement of variables
4) Analysis of data
5) Conclusions from research

Question 3

Statement of problem: theory

Answer 3

A statement that proposes to explain relationships among phenomena of interest.

Question 4

Statement of problem: inductive method

Answer 4

A research process in which conclusions are drawn about a general class of objects or people based on knowledge of a specific member of the class under investigation.

Question 5

Statement of problem: deductive reasoning

Answer 5

A research process in which conclusions are drawn about a specific member of a class of objects based on knowledge of the general class under investigation.

Question 6

Design of the Research study: research design

Answer 6

A plan for conducting scientific research for the purpose of learning about a phenomenon of interest.

Question 7

Design of the Research Study: internal validity

Answer 7

The degree to which the relationships evidenced among variables in a particular research study are accurate or true.

Question 8

Design of the Research Study: external validity

Answer 8

The degree to which the relationships evidenced among variables in a particular research study are generalizable or accurate in other contexts.

Question 9

Degree of the Research Study: naturalness of the research setting

Answer 9

The problem is studied in the environment in which it naturally occurs.

Question 10

Design of the Research Study: degree of control

Answer 10

The amount of control a researcher has over the conduct of a study.

Question 11

Primary research methods

Answer 11

A class of research methods that generates new information on a particular research question.

Question 12

Primary: laboratory experiment

Answer 12

A type of research method in which the investigator manipulates independent variables and assigns subjects to experimental and control condition.

Question 13

Primary: Quasi-experiment

Answer 13

A type of research method for conducting studies in field situations where the researcher may be able to manipulate some independent variables.

Question 14

Primary: questionaire

Answer 14

A type of research method in which subjects respond to written questions posed by the investigator.

Question 15

Primary: observation

Answer 15

A type research method in which the investigator monitors subjects for the purpose of understanding their behavior and culture.

Question 16

Secondary research methods

Answer 16

A class of research methods that examines existing information from research studies that used primary methods.

Question 17

Secondary: meta-analysis

Answer 17

A quantitative secondary research method for summarizing and integrating the findings from the original empirical research studies.

Question 18

Secondary: level of analysis

Answer 18

The unit or level (individuals, teams, organizations, nations, etc.) that is the object of the researchers’ interest and about which conclusions are drawn from the research.

Question 19

Qualitative research

Answer 19

A class of research methods in which the investigator takes an active role in interacting with the subjects he or she wishes to study.

Question 20

Qualitative: ethnography

Answer 20

A research method that utilizes field observations to study a society’s culture.

Question 21

Qualitative: emic

Answer 21

An approach to researching phenomena that emphasizes knowledge derived from the participants’ awareness and understanding of their own culture. Often contrasted with etic.

Question 22

Qualitative: etic

Answer 22

An approach to researching phenomena that emphasizes knowledge derived from the perspective of a detached objective investigator in understanding a culture. Often contrasted with emic.

Question 23

Variables

Answer 23

An object of study whose measurement can take on two or more values.

Question 24

Quantitative variables

Answer 24

Objects of study that inherently have numerical values associated with them i.e. weight.

Question 25

Categorical variables

Answer 25

Objects of study that do not inherently have numerical values associated with them i.e. gender. Often contrasted with quantitative variables.

Question 26

Independent variables

Answer 26

A variable that can be manipulated to influence the values of the dependent variable.

Question 27

Dependent variables

Answer 27

A variable where values are influenced by the independent variable.

Question 28

Predictor variable

Answer 28

A variable used to predict or forecast a criterion variable.

Question 29

Criterion variable

Answer 29

A variable that is a primary object of a research study; it is forecasted by a predictor variable.

Question 30

Analysis of data: descriptive statistics

Answer 30

A class of statistical analyses that describe the variable under investigation.

Question 31

Distribution & their shape

Answer 31

Normal (bell-shaped), skewed positive, skewed negative, etc.

Question 32

Mean

Answer 32

The arithmetic average of a distribution of numbers.

Question 33

Median

Answer 33

The midpoint of all the numbers in a distribution.

Question 34

Mode

Answer 34

The most frequently occurring number in a distribution.

Question 35

Variability

Answer 35

The dispersion of numerical values evidenced in the measurement of an object or concept.

Question 36

Range

Answer 36

A descriptive statistical index that reflects the dispersion in a set of scores; arithmetically, the difference between the highest score and the lowest score.

Question 37

Standard deviation

Answer 37

A statistic that shows the spread or dispersion of scores around the mean in a distribution of scores.

Question 38

Correlation coefficient

Answer 38

A statistical index that reflects the degree of relationship between two variables.

Question 39

Causality

Answer 39

What causes what to occur (correlation coefficient does not reveal even though a causal relationship may exist).

Question 40

Conclusions

Answer 40

A researcher draws conclusions from analyzing the data from an experiment.

Question 41

Ethical issues in research

Answer 41

1) Right to informed consent: participants have the right to know the purpose of the research, the right to decline or withdraw participation at any time without negative consequences, and the right to be informed of any risks associated with their participation in the research.
2) Right to privacy: participants’ right to limit the amount of information they reveal about themselves.
3) Right to confidentiality: decisions about who will have access to the data, how records will be maintained, and whether participants will be anonymous.
4) Right to protection from deception: the researcher will not intentionally mislead a participant about the real purpose of the research.
5) Right to debriefing: after the study, researchers’ must answer any questions participants’ have about the research, to remove any harmful effects brought on by the study, and to leave participants with a sense of dignity.

Question 42

Scientist-practitioner gap

Answer 42

The difference between scientific research findings on organizations and their management versus how organizations are actually managed.