Lecture 4 Flashcards
Quantitative studies _____ theories.
test
Qualitative studies ______ theories.
generate
Theory:
explanation of observed patterns or supposition about a relationship among phenomena
While a _____ provides a way of looking at something, a _____ seeks to explain what we see.
- paradigm
- theory
Theory is generally derived from…
- observations
- experimentations
- reflective thinking
Theory is composed of…
- verifiable
- testable statements or propositions
Theory often includes _____ statements that …
- relational
- connect 2 or more variables such that knowing something about one variable can help to understand the other
Theories can be used to provide a ____ or _____ to guide _____ or _____.
- blueprint or framework
- research questions or hypotheses
Theory is the basic aim of ______.
science
Theory allows scientists to…
- understand and predict outcomes of interest
- describe and explain a process or sequence of events
Theory prevents scholars from…
being dazzled by the complexity of the empirical world by providing a linguistic tool for organizing it
Theory in quantitative research is generally used to…
guide the entire research process
Give examples of use of theory in quantitative research.
- scientific prediction of the expected relationships between variables
- how and why they are related
- used to develop hypothesis
- goal to understand, explain, predict phenomena in the real world
In qualitative research, theory can provide broad explanations for _____ and _____.
behaviours and attitudes
In qualitative research, theory can provide a _____ ____ or _____ for the study of gender, class, and ethnicity (various marginalized groups).
- theoretical lens
- perspective
How can studies be the end point in qualitative research?
inductive process building from the data to themes to a generalized model or theory
Why can’t theories be explicitly used in qualitative research?
some qualitative studies build from detailed descriptions of phenomenon
Theory in mixed methods research can include…
- theory deductively (theory testing)
- theory inductively (emerging theory or pattern)
- theoretical lens or perspective to provide a framework for the study
Describe the quote “a theory which cannot be mortally endangered cannot be alive”.
- define theory
- people need to constantly try and prove it wrong/test it
- if it’s set in stone, it’s a law
- need to be able to test it (feasible)
- risk involved (has to be the possibility of it proven wrong)
Research question:
a broad inquiry statement regarding the central phenomenon
Research questions do not include ____ ____.
directional words
Research questions often begin with ____, _____, or _____.
- how
- what
- why
Research questions address the ____ of the research to be done.
purpose
Research questions identify:
- participants of the study
- where the research is being done
Why would qualitative methods research not include hypothesis?
- subjective
- inductive
- asking questions
What are the 2 types of research questions in qualitative research?
- central question
- subquestions
Central question:
- broad question that asks for exploration of the central phenomenon
- 1-2
- explore relevant general factors
Subquestions:
- questions that narrow the focus of the study
- no more than 5-7
- leave open the questioning
In qualitative research, what are the 6 ways that the central question relate back to the strategy of inquiry?
- ethnography
- critical ethnography
- phenomenology
- grounded theory
- narrative research
- case study
Ethnography:
questions verify accuracy of the data
Critical ethnography:
questions build on an existing body of literature
Phenomenology:
questions broadly stated without specific reference to existing literature
Grounded theory:
questions generate a theory
Narrative research:
report (or reflect) the stories
Case study:
explore a process
General script:
?
Quantitative research questions are _____ statements that raise questions about…
- interrogative
- relationships among variables that the investigator seeks to answer
Quantitative research questions are used particularly in ______ and in ______.
- social science research
- survey studies
Give examples of quantitative research questions.
- what is the estimated value of problem gamblers to the government of Alberta?
- what is the impact that a new stadium would have on tax in Edmonton?
Give a general script for quantitative research question describing outcomes.
what is the frequency and variation of scores on [name the variable] for [participants] in the study?
Give a general script for quantitative research question focused on examining the relationship among variables.
does [name the theory] explain the relationship between [independent variable] and [dependent variable], controlling for the effects of [control variable]?
Why are quantitative research questions important?
leads to the remaining parts of the research study design (sample, variable selection, statistical methodology)
Mixed methods research questions need to clearly identify…
what qualitative and quantitative approaches are
Mixed methods research questions address _____ and _____ questions in the order that they occur in the research design.
- qualitative and quantitative
- and subquestions or hypothesis
A research question in a mixed methods research design conveys:
- the methods and procedures
- the content of the study
A research question in a mixed methods research design combines:
the methods and content
What are the 3 ways we could write mixed methods research questions?
- write separate qualitative and quantitative questions or hypothesis
- write separate questions or hypotheses followed by a mixed methods question
- write only a mixed methods question
In mixed methods research questions, why would we write separate qualitative and quantitative questions or hypothesis?
places emphasis on the 2 approaches
In mixed methods research questions, why would we write separate questions or hypotheses followed by a mixed methods question?
highlights the 2 approaches as well as their combined strength
In mixed methods research questions, why would we write only a mixed methods question?
emphasizes the integration and not the individual parts
Hypothesis describes specifically…
what you expect is going to happen in the study
A good hypothesis:
- must be adequate for its purpose
- must be testable
- must be better than its rivals
A hypothesis is an integration of:
- exploratory research
- common sense and logical reasoning
What is the notation for research hypothesis?
HA or H1
What is the notation for research hypothesis?
HO or H0
One tailed hypothesis:
- specifies a direction
- program x will increase outcome y
Two tailed hypothesis:
- does not specify a direction
- program x will effect outcome y
You formulate your ______ and then formulate a ____ _____ that is _____ _____ of the first and incorporates all possible alternatives.
- prediction (directional or not)
- second hypothesis
- mutually exclusive
