Research and Assessment Flashcards
Comparative analysis
Analysis where data from different settings or groups at the same point in time or from the same settings or groups over a period of time are analyzed to identify similarities and differenences.
Discourse Analysis
A study of the way versions or the world, society, events and psyche are produced in the use of language and discourse. It is often concerned with the construction of subjects within various forms of konwledge/power.
Ethnography
A multi-method qualitative approach that studies people in their “naturally occurring settings or ‘fields’ by means of methods which capture their social meanings and ordinary activities, involving the research participating directly in the setting.”
Grounded theory
Inductive form of qualitative research where data collection and analysis are conducted together. Theories remain grounded in the observations rather than generated in the abstract. Develops the theory from the data collected, rather than applying a theory to the data.
Narrative analysis
Form of discourse analysis that seeks to study the textual devices at work in the constructions of process or sequence within a text.
Respondent gives a detailed account of themselves and is encouraged to tell their story rather than answer a predetermined list of questions. Most successful when people are discussing a life changing event.
Nominal data
Classified into mutually exclusive groups or categories and lack intrinsic order.
EX: zoning classification, social security number, sex
Ordinal data
Ordered categories implying a rank of the observations. Values are meaningless, only the rank counts
Interval data
Data that has an ordered relationship where the difference between the scales has a meaningful interpretation
EX: temperature
Ratio data
Gold standard of measurement where both absolute and relative difference have a meaning.
EX: measurement
Inferential Statistics
Use probability to determine characteristics of a problem based on observations made on a sample from that population.
We infer things about the population based on what is observed in the same.
EX: We could take a sample of 25 test takers and use their average age to say something about the mean age of all test takers.
Central tendency
Typical or representative value for the distribution of observed values. There are several ways to measure including mean, median, and mode
Variance
squared difference from the mean
Standard deviation
square root of the variance
Linear method (population estimation)
Uses the change in population (increase or decline) over time and extrapolates this change into the future, in a linear fashion.
EX: if Plannersville has grown by 1,000 on average, it would be assumed to grow by 1,000 people annually
Exponential and Modified Exponential Method (population estimation)
Uses the rate of growth to estimate the current or future population
EX: if Plannersville has been increasing 2%, that is extrapolated over the future, making a curved line
Symptomatic Method (population estimate)
Uses any available data indirectly related to population size, such as housing stats, or drivers licenses. It then estimates the population using a ratio, such as the average household size.
EX: The average household size is 2.5, data on 100 new single-family building permits that are issued this year, would yield an estimate of 250 new people will be added to the community
Step-down Ratio Method (population estimation)
Relatively simple method, uses the ratio of a population in a city or county at a known point in time and uses this ration to project the current or future population
EX: if Plannersville is 20% of the county population, and we know the county population, we can estimate the pop. of Plannersville
Distributed Housing Unit Method (population estimation)
Uses the Census Bureau data for the number of housing units, which is then multiplied by the occupancy rate and persons per household.
Reliable for slow growth or stable communities
