numeric n categorial Flashcards
Observations can take any value between a certain set of real numbers
continuous variable
Observations can take a value that can be logically ordered or ranked.
ordinal variable
These are variables that have many categories.
polychotomous variable
values that describe a measurable quantity as a number, like ‘how many’ or ‘how much.
numeric variable
Observations can take a value based on a count from a set of distinct whole values
discrete variable
values that describe a ‘quality’ or ‘characteristic of a data unit, like ‘what type or ‘which category.
categorial variable
These variables represent only two categories
dichotomous variable
Observations can take a value that is not able to be organized in a logical sequence.
nominal variable
What do you want to discover or answer?
Decide on a focus of study based primarily on your interests
“Does the gender of a student have an impact on the number of times a college professor calls on his/her students?” From this, you might form two hypotheses: “Instructors call on female students less often than male students.” and “Instructors call on students of their own sex.
Develop hypothesis
using statistical programs like SPSS that allow quantitative researchers to detect patterns in communication phenomena.
Analyze the data
observe various college classrooms in order to count
which students’ professors call on more frequently.
collect data
determine if patterns are significant enough to make broad claims about how humans communicate. Simply because professors call on certain students a few more times than other students may or may not indicate communicative patterns of significance.
guide the ways we communicate.
interpret data
Through the sharing of research, we continue to learn more about the patterns and rules.
share the results with others
what’s the 2nd step in doing quantitative research
Develop a research question(s) to keep your research focused.
