Research Flashcards
1
Q
Control Group
A
- In an experiment, this is the group of research participants that does not
receive the new treatment being studied. - Compared to the experimental/intervention group (the group that receives the new treatment), to see if the new
treatment works.
2
Q
Experimental/Intervention Group
A
- In research, a collection of subjects who are matched and compared with a control group in all relevant respects, except that they are also subject to a
specific variable being tested (that is, they receive the new treatment/intervention).
3
Q
Randomized Controlled Trial
A
- Experimental design measuring intervention’s effect by randomly assigning participants to an experimental/intervention group or a control group.
- Difficult to do in social work b/c of ethics withholding tx from those who need it during random assignment of participants to control group.
- Random assignment - use of chance procedures to ensure each participant has the same opportunity to be assigned to any given group.
- E.g. new drug to treat depression is developed. Participants randomly
assigned to control group (receiving a placebo) or tx group (receiving the new drug). Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) is given at beginning and end of tx to see whether tx group saw a greater decrease in depressive symptoms than control group.
4
Q
Quasi-Experimental Design
A
- Design resembling randomized controlled trial, but doesn’t involve random assignment to a control and experimental group
- Allows researcher to control
assignment to tx and control groups using some criteria other than random
assignment - Commonly used in field research where random assignment is difficult or not possible
- You can use the exact same example as the randomized controlled trial with one difference: researcher places participants in tx or control group using some other criteria besides random assignment.
5
Q
Single Subject Design
A
- Research where subject serves as their own control, rather than using another individual/group.
- E.g. social worker administers BDI to clt(s) before beginning a specific tx to establish a baseline, and then administers BDI after receiving tx to see if tx was effective in decreasing BDI score
6
Q
Retrospective Design
A
- Participants are asked to retrospect (l‘look back’) and try to remember what they were like at an earlier time point.
- e.g. Researchers ask older teens how they were disciplined as kids
7
Q
Cross-sectional Design
A
- Researchers collect data at a single point in time from participants of different ages
- e.g. Researchers might hypothesize ppl become more traditional in their
attitudes as they get older, so they get participants in their 20s, 40s, and 60s to complete a measure of traditionalism and test whether there is a positive correlation between age and traditionalism.
8
Q
Longitudinal Design
A
- Same people are measured at different ages
- e.g. researchers follow development of babies who experienced dev delays until they’re 10 yo
9
Q
Cross-sequential Design
A
- Combo of cross-sectional and longitudinal designs.
- At the first point, grps of ppl from several different ages are measured and then followed over time
10
Q
Correlation
A
- Mutual relationship b/w 2 variables that are related - e.g. a change in one
variable is associated with a change in the other variable. - e.g. positive correlation b/w height and weight, e.g. taller ppl tend to be heavier
- Correlation (a pattern b/w 2 variables) does not always mean causation (that one
variable causes the other). - e.g. Someone may find kids who get tutoring receive worse grades than kids who do not receive tutoring. There’s a correlation b/w tutoring and lower grades, but tutoring does not cause lower grades (it’s likely tutoring is sought out b/c of low grades)
11
Q
Inter-rater Reliability
A
- Degree to which diff ppl give similar scores for the same
observations - Refers to a measure’s consistency
11
Q
Dependent Variable
A
- Variable tested and measured in a
scientific experiment - Dependent
on the independent variable - As the experimenter changes the independent variable, the effect on the dependent variable is observed and recorded.
- e.g. Someone is testing effect of new antidepressant, new med is the independent variable, level of depression is dependent variable.
12
Q
Independent Variable
A
- When performing an experiment, we look at the independent variable’s effect on dependent variable
- Variable changed (or controlled/manipulated) in a scientific experiment.
13
Q
Mean
A
- Average value or measure of central tendency
- To find the mean, add up values in data set and then divide by the number of values added
13
Q
Literature Review
A
Process of searching published work to find out what’s already known about a research topic.
14
Q
Median
A
- Middle score
- To find median, list values of data set in numerical order and ID which value appears in the middle of the list
15
Q
Mode
A
- Value that occurs most frequently
- To find mode, identify which value in data set occurs most often
16
Q
Null Hypothesis
A
A statement that no relationship exists between study variables.
17
Q
Pretest
A
Questionnaire or other data-gathering instrument administered to a subject just before a period of inquiry that provides a baseline for comparison with the end results
18
Q
Posttest
A
Questionnaire or other data-gathering instrument administered to a subject at the end of a specific period of inquiry.
19
Q
Pilot Study
A
- Procedure for testing and validating questionnaire or other instrument by administering it to a small group of respondents from intended test population.
- Helps determine whether test items possess the desired qualities of measurement and the ability to discriminate other problems before the instrument is put to widespread use.
20
Q
Validity
A
- Degree to which a tool measures what it claims to measure
- e.g. Beck Depression Inventory measures level of depression.
- It has validity if it measures that
- It would not have validity if it measures level of anxiety and not depression.
21
Q
Construct Validity
A
Degree to which an instrument measures characteristic being
investigated (can be thought of essentially the same as just the term ‘validity’)
22
Q
Internal Validity
A
Confidence that can be placed in the cause-and-effect relationship
in a study.
23
Q
External Validity
A
Extent to which an effect in research can be generalized to other
populations, settings, and tx variables
24
Q
Concurrent Validity
A
- Extent to which results of a particular test, or measurement,
correspond to those of previously established measurement for same construct - Ensures the test accurately measures what it is supposed to measure
- One way to do this is to look for other tests that have already been found to be valid
measures of your construct, administer both tests, and compare the results of the tests to each other.
25
Q
Predictive Validity
A
- Involves testing a group of subjects for a certain construct, and
then comparing them with results obtained at some point in the future - e.g. You want to predict risk factors for High School Dropout. You create a survey for 10th graders and then later look at high school dropout rates of the surveyed students to see if the results predicted dropping out.
26
Q
Reliability
A
- Overall consistency of a measure
- Higher reliability -
measure will produce statistically similar results under consistent experimental conditions - e.g. If two different social workers administer the same interview to a client, do they get the same
results?
27
Q
Objective Data
A
- Data you can measure, e.g. age,
number of times behavior occurred, blood pressure, temperature, etc. - Should be an unbiased obser/measurement.
28
Q
Subjective Data
A
- Data given from viewpoint of clt (or
someone in clt’s life) and not measurable. - e.g. how a person
feels or their pain level
29
Q
Qualitative Research
A
- Systematic investigations that include inductive, in-depth studies of
individuals, groups, organizations, or communities. - Focus on ‘why’ and ‘how’ of decision making to better understand human behavior
- L - quaLities
30
Q
Quantitative Research
A
- Systematic investigations that include descriptive or inferential
statistical analysis - N - numbers
