Research Design

Question 1

What is qualitative research?

Answer 1

research that gains insight and depth on a topic

Question 2

What are the differences between qualitative research and quantitative research?

Answer 2

Qualitative // Quantitative
- evaluates // counts and measures
- uses concepts to explicate // processes collected data
- focuses on aesthetics in texts // focuses on incidences of X in tests
- theoretical // statistical
- leads to an evaluation // leads to a hypothesis
- interpretation can be attacked // methodology can be attacked

Question 3

What is are the purposes of research?

Answer 3

exploratory, descriptive, and explanatory

Question 4

What is exploratory research?

Answer 4

research that investigates, explores, or attempts to figure out a new innovative thread of knowledge

Question 5

True or False: exploratory studies can be quantitative or qualitative

Answer 5

True: depends on what the research decides is better for the specific study

Question 6

What is descriptive research?

Answer 6

allows researchers to focus on describing a phenomenon or understanding the details about people’s experiences of a particular event

Question 7

T or F: descriptive studies are generally qualitative

Answer 7

T: gathers in-depth data from people and allows participants the flexibility of expressing their feelings and situations in detail

Question 8

what is explanatory research?

Answer 8

focuses on explaining the reasons behind a phenomenon, relationship, or event

Question 9

what does explanatory research explain?

Answer 9

the reasons behind an already known and/or established relationship

Question 10

T or F: exploratory studies can be quantitative or qualitative

Answer 10

True: depends on what the researcher decides is better for the study

Question 11

What is the next step after determining the purpose of a research project?

Answer 11

Consider the frequency of contact between the researcher and the people she/he is studying

Question 12

What is cross-sectional data?

Answer 12

data that is collected only once

Question 13

What is longitudinal data?

Answer 13

data that is collected multiple times

Question 14

What is cross-sectional research?

Answer 14

a simple snapshot of data collected at one point in time

Question 15

What are the advantages of cross-sectional research?

Answer 15

convenient, inexpensive, quick

Question 16

What are the disadvantages of cross-sectional research?

Answer 16

prone to various types of error
“no going back” - Pajo, Chp. 4

Question 17

How does longitudinal research work?

Answer 17

data is collected at different points in time, which helps accuracy and avoids errors like inaccurate responses

Question 18

What are the different types of longitudinal designs?

Answer 18

panel designs and trend studies

Question 19

what are panel designs?

Answer 19

data is collected from the same people at multiple collection points

Question 20

what are trend studies?

Answer 20

data is collected from different people (all drawn from the same population) at multiple collection points

Question 21

what are the advantages of longitudinal research?

Answer 21

• helps address some types of error found/inherent in cross-sectional research
• flexible
• can help researchers identify time-based trends/changes

Question 22

what are the disadvantages of longitudinal research?

Answer 22

• expensive
• time consuming
• data can be difficult to interpret

Question 23

True or False: qualitative research is either exploratory or descriptive while quantitative research is either exploratory or explanatory

Answer 23

True

Question 24

True or False: Qualitative research can be either cross-sectional or longitudinal

Answer 24

True

Question 25

Quantitative research can be either cross-sectional or longitudinal

Answer 25

True