Final - Research Methods and Design Flashcards
Correlation
-quantifies the strength of a relationship btwn two variables
-does not establish a cause-and-effect relationship
Reliability
-consistency of a measure
-will produce similar results across multiple trials or observers
-not necessarily the “true” value
Validity
-accuracy of measurement
-whether a study is truly measuring what they claim
Test-retest reliability
-assess consistency of scores over time
Inter-rater reliability
-measures the degree of agreement between different raters/observers
Intra-rater reliability
-assesses the consistency of ratings (by the same rater) across multiple trials or occasions
Construct (concept) validity
-assess whether a measure accurately represents the underlying construct/concept it is intended to measure
Internal validity
-extent to which a study can establish cause-effect relationships
-ability to minimize the influence of confounding variables
External validity
-extent to which findings can be generalized to other populations or settings
Observational studies
-researchers observe and collect data
-no data manipulation (of any variables)
Which studies are considered observational?
-cross sectional
-longitudinal
-stratified longitudinal
Experimental studies
-researchers manipulate an independent variable to observe its effect on a dependent variable
Which studies are considered experimental?
-randomized controlled trials (RCT’s)
-quasi experimental
-pre experimental
Cross-sectional studies
OBSERVATIONAL:
-data is collected at a single point in time
Longitudinal studies
OBSERVATIONAL:
-data is collected over an extended period of time
Stratified longitudinal studies
OBSERVATIONAL:
-participants are divided into subgroups (strata) based on shared characteristics
-data is collected over time
Randomized controlled trails (RCTs)
EXPERIMENTAL:
-participants are randomly assigned to either an experimental group (receives the intervention) or control group
Quasi-experimental
EXPERIMENTAL:
-similar to RCTs
-without random assignment of participants
Pre-experimental
EXPERIMENTAL:
-lack a control group
-may have other limitations that weaken the strength of evidence
Qualitative research approach
-aim to understand experiences, perspectives, and meanings
-less emphasis on numerical data
Types of qualitative research
-case studies
-ethnographies
-phenomenological studies
Case studies
QUALITATIVE:
-in depth examination of a particular individual, group, or situation
Ethnographies
QUALITATIVE:
-focus on understanding cultures or cultural groups
Phenomenological studies
QUALITATIVE:
-explore the lived experiences of individuals related to a particular phenomenon
Why is it important to analyze sampling methods?
Essential for evaluating the generalizability of research findings
Target population
-entire group of individuals to which the study wants to generalize the results
Accessible population
-portion of the target population that is accessible to the researcher
Sampling bias
-when the sample chosen for the study is not representative of the target population
-can lead to inaccurate conclusions
What is hypothesis testing?
-the process of evaluating evidence to determine whether to reject or (fail to) reject a null hypothesis
Null hypothesis
H0: there is no significant difference or relationship between variables
Alternate hypothesis
Ha: there is a significant difference or relationship between variables
Type 1 error
Rejecting a true null hypothesis (false positive)
Type 2 error
Failing to reject a false null hypothesis (false negative)
P-value
-probability of obtaining the observed results (or more extreme results) if the null hypothesis is true
What happens if a p-value is below the predetermined threshold (0.5)?
Typically leads to the rejection of the null hypothesis
How is quantitative data analyzed?
-using statistical methods to analyze numerical data
-goal: to present findings clearly and concisely using tables, graphs, and figures
How is quantitative data analyzed?
-interpreting non-numerical data (text, images, audio recordings)
-coding: researchers assign labels to categorize and group data
