correlational research (pack 2) Flashcards
what is correlational research?
collects data to investigate the extent to which two variables are associated
if two variables are correlated, this means they are associated in a way that shows a trend or pattern
how does correlational research collect info?
in the form of data pairs
how are data pairs analysed?
to see if there is a relationship between the two co-variables
what is a major issue with correlational research?
we cannot infer cause and effect
why can we not infer cause and effect?
there has been no control of the other variables
what is a positive correlation
high values are associated with high values
OR
low values are associated with low values
what is a negative correlation?
high values are associated with low values
what is a scatter diagram
a visual representation of a correlational relationship
how is the strength of a correlation depicted on a graph?
the straightness of the line of dots
how is the direction of a correlation depicted on a graph
the slope of the line of dots
what is a correlational coefficient?
any number between -1 and +1
used to tell strength and direction
what is considered weak for correlational coefficients?
0.0 to 0.3
what is considered moderate for correlational coefficients?
0.3 to 0.7
what is considered strong for correlational coefficients?
0.7+
what is considered perfect for correlational coefficients?
+1 and -1
a researcher MUST measure two co-variables that give what?
a set of quantitative data in pairs
what are 3 strengths of correlational research?
- When difficult due to practical or ethical issues, correlational allows for identification of relationships
- if relationship is indicated…could be a starting point for stimulating future research
- requires quantitative data and correlational coefficient is objective to describe strength and direction of variables
what are two weaknesses of correlational research
media, governments etc. misuse or misinterpret it, often making huge claims that sound convincing. subjective
as there is little control, cause and effect cannot be established…limits how scientific it is