Process of Data Analysis

Question 1

Name the two general frameworks used in data analysis:

Answer 1

• Positivist
• Interpretivist

Question 2

What form of research is the positivist framework associated?

Answer 2

• Quantitative research

Question 3

What is the positivist framework?

Answer 3

• Refers to the view that an objective reality exists which researchers can study through direct observation.

Question 4

What methods does quantitative research focus on?

Answer 4

• Numbers and the quantification of concepts or relationships between two concepts.
• Statistical methods: used to evaluate probability between variables that are not due to chance.

e.g.: experiments, evaluations and secondary data analysis

Question 5

What is the interpretivist framework?

Answer 5

Puts forward that there is no singular objective truth as each person interprets the world in their own way.

Question 6

What form of research is the interpretivist framework associated with?

Answer 6

• Qualitative research

Question 7

What methods does qualitative research use?

Answer 7

• Text or image-based sources
  This is to achieve a deep and specific analysis of particular process or setting rather than more generalisable results.

e.g.: interviews, ethnographies etc.

Question 8

What is a hypothesis testing?

Answer 8

• Belief or argument about the social world based on experience, intuition or the findings of previous research.
• Requires researcher to formulate a hypothesis

Question 9

Differentiate between an alternative hypothesis and a null hypothesis:

Answer 9

Alternative - states that there is a relationship or a difference that the researcher is interested in (H1)

Null - states that there is no relationship or difference of interest (H0)

Question 10

Define ‘grounded theory’:

Answer 10

• Emphasises formulating theories out of data instead of relying on data to test hypotheses.

Question 11

What is ‘action research’?

Answer 11

• Utilises research to generate action or more specifically to generate forward thinking social change.

Question 12

Define ‘critical research’:

Answer 12

• Identifies and critiques power imbalances throughout society and seeks to understand how those power imbalances were created and how such inequalities have been maintained.

Question 13

What are the four types of research validity?

Answer 13

1. Internal - looks at whether one’s research goes in line with the intended objective of the study
2. Construct - looks at whether the correct variables in one’s study were used.
3. External - focuses on the level of generalisation of your study
4. Descriptive - whether the correct procedures and methods were implemented correctly.

Question 14

What is Triangulation?

Answer 14

• A method which can increase the validity of research by increasing several types of validity to increase the overall trustworthiness of data analysis findings

Question 15

How can triangulation be achieved?

Answer 15

• By utilising the mixed-method approach