Evidence-Based Research Methods

Question 1

Non-experimental research

Answer 1

Two broad categories of research: descriptive and ex post facto/correlational research

Question 2

Descriptive research

Answer 2

Aims to describe situations, experiences, and phenomena as they exist

Question 3

Ex post facto or correlational research

Answer 3

Examines relationships among variables

Question 4

Cross sectional study

Answer 4

Study that examines a population with a very similar attribute but differs in one specific variable (such as age). Is designed to find relationships between variables at a specific point in time or “surveys”

Question 5

Cohort study

Answer 5

Research study that compares a particular outcome (such as lung cancer) in groups of individuals who are alike in many ways but differ by a certain characteristic (e.g. female nurses who smoke compared with those who do not smoke)

Question 6

Longitudinal study

Answer 6

A study that involves taking multiple measure of a group/population over an extended period of time to find relationships between variables

Question 7

Experimental study

Answer 7

Includes experimental manipulation of variables utilizing randomization and a control group to test the effects of an intervention or experiment

Question 8

Quasi-experimental research

Answer 8

Involves the manipulation of variables but lacks a comparison group or randomization

Question 9

Qualitative study

Answer 9

Includes case studies, open-ended questions, field studies, participant observation, and ethnographic studies, where observations and interview techniques are used to explore phenomena through detailed descriptions of people, events, situations, or observed behavior. Produces very rich data through no other means of research.

Question 10

What is a potential problem in qualitative studies?

Answer 10

Researcher bias. Calls into question the generalizability of the findings.

Question 11

Confidence interval

Answer 11

An interval, with limits at either end, with a specified probability of including the parameter being estimated. A small confidence interval implies a very precise range of values.

Question 12

Standard deviation

Answer 12

The average amount of deviation of values from the mean

Question 13

Level of significance

Answer 13

The probability level of which the results of statistical analyses are judged to indicate a statistically significant difference between groups

Question 14

Perfect correlation

Answer 14

A measure of the interdependence of two random variables that ranges in value from -1 to 1. -1 indicates a perfect negative correlation, 0 indicates an absence of correlation, +1 indicates a perfect positive correlation

Question 15

T-test

Answer 15

Statistical test to evaluate the differences in means between two groups

Question 16

Reliability

Answer 16

The consistency of a measurement, or the degree to which an instrument measures the same way over time with the sam subject. Reflects repeatability of a measurement.

Question 17

How is reliability measured?

Answer 17

Test/retest and internal consistency

Question 18

Test/retest

Answer 18

One should get the same score on exam 1 as one does on exam 2

Question 19

Internal consistency

Answer 19

Estimates reliability by grouping questions in a questionnaire that measure the same concept. Could run a correlation on these questions to determine if the instrument is reliably measuring the concept.

Question 20

Cronbach’s alpha

Answer 20

Common way of computing correlation values among the questions on instruments. The closer it is to one (optimal is more than .70), the higher the reliability estimate of the instrument.

Question 21

What is the major difference between test/retest and internal consistency estimates of reliability?

Answer 21

Test/retest involves two administrations of the measurement instrument, whereas the internal consistency method involves only one.