Lectures 1 -3 Flashcards
What are the two types of time dimension in research Studies?
Cross-Sectional and Longitudinal
In Longitudinal Studies, what are the three categories for sampling?
Trend: examine a population and samples are drawn at random from the general public each time
Cohort: Examine specific subpopulations or cohorts (typically an age group) as they change over time; samples drawn from more specific subpopulations.
Panel: Examine the same sample of people each time
What is the difference between Basic and Applied Research?
Basic: Focus on fundamental principles and testing theories (useful to other scientists, contribute to basic knowledge)
Applied: Aims to address and answer real-world problems (get quick and usable results, findings of interest to sponsors)
Inductive vs. Deductive Reasoning
Inductive: Starts with data and studies the data to see if any patterns reveal themselves and create a theory based on the patterns
Deductive: looks for a theory or hypothesis that can be proven correct or incorrect and finds data to test this theory
Idiographic vs. Nomothetic Explanation
Idiographic: explains a specific case thoroughly and may not be transferrable
Nomothetic: attempts to provide a broad scope which has transferrable findings
What are the three steps for calculating Global Moran’s I?
- Create a weight file of your map (eg. Queens based contiguity)
- Find Moran’s I based on the info of the weights file
- Report also the p-value of the Moran’s I (how significant is the result)
Three basic purposes of research
Exploration: Develop an initial rough understanding of some phenomenon
Descriptive: Precise report and/or measure characteristics of some phenomenon
Explanation: Report relationships among different aspects of the phenomenon (answers the question “why?”)
How does a Literature Review contribute to the research process?
- Know the background to the problem
- Learn from other’s mistakes and methods
- Help with the interpretation of your findings
- Help to establish the significance of your research
hypothesis is the ________ of the research question
formal statement
Hypothesis is a ______ about the population that can be __________ by __________.
Hypothesis a statement about a population that can be put to a test by drawing a random sample
Hypothesis: difference vs. association
Difference Example: There is no difference between delinquency rates of poor youths and rich youths
Association: Low density housing leads to social isolation
Three required curriculum components of planning
- Knowledge
- Values
- Skill*
Why is Skill important to a Planner?
- Able to communicate data and information effectively*
- Ability to work in groups
- Able to apply concepts to the real world
- Able to Analyze data*
- Able to formulate problems and conduct research*
From the reading Becoming an Urban Planner: what are some of the Skills outlined?
- Strong research skills - ability to find information, analyze it, make accurate conclusions based on the information.
- Communicate well, both orally and in writing.
- Analyze numbers - population numbers, numbers of housing units, …
- Use of spreadsheet programs, e.g., Excel
- Mapping and analysis of spatial information (because planning problems typically have a geography component)
- Know how to use Census data
- Statistics in social science
Three Roles of Planners in Research
- Conduct Research
- Design Research Requirements/ Specifications
- Evaluate Research produced by others
