Research Methods

Question 1

Research methods

Answer 1

approaches social scientists use for investigating answers to questions

Question 2

Quantitative methods

Answer 2

methods that seek to obtain information about the social world that’s already in or can be converted to numeric form

Question 3

Qualitative methods

Answer 3

methods that attempt to collect information about the social world that cannot be readily converted to numeric form
- document meanings of action or describe mechanisms of social processes

Question 4

Deductive approach

Answer 4

• positivism
• research approach
• starts with theory, forms hypothesis, makes observations, analyzes data to confirm, reject, or modify hypothesis

Question 5

Inductive approach

Answer 5

• interpretivism
• research method
• starts with empirical observations and then works to form a theory

Question 6

Causality

Answer 6

when one thing causes another

Question 7

Correlation/ association

Answer 7

simultaneous variation in 2 variables

Question 8

3 factors to establish causality

Answer 8

1. time order- establish this to prevent reverse causality
2. ruling out alternatives
3. Correlation

Question 9

Reverse causality

Answer 9

a situation when you think that a results in a change in B, but actually b causes a
- if you have this, you screw up the time order

Question 10

Dependent variable

Answer 10

the outcome that the researcher is trying to explain

- change in dependent variable depends on change in independent variable

Question 11

Independent variable

Answer 11

• measured factor that researcher believes has causal impact on dependent variable
• can’t have more than one of these

Question 12

Hypothesis

Answer 12

a proposed relationship between two variables usually with a stated direction

• positive- when variables move in same direction
• negative- when variables move in opposite direction

Question 13

Operationalization

Answer 13

• the process of assigning a precise method for measuring a term being examined for use in a particular study. Defining product/ concept
• If the question can be approached in several ways, you haven’t refined it enough
• ex- defining poverty

Question 14

Steps to hypothesis testing

Answer 14

1. Operationalization- defining product/ concept
2. Look at all the variables relating to concept
3. Identify hypothesis- there’s also an equal and opposite alternative hypothesis

Question 15

Validity

Answer 15

the extent to which an instrument measures what it is intended to measure

Question 16

Reliability

Answer 16

the likelihood of obtaining consistent results using the same measure

Question 17

Generalizability

Answer 17

the extent to which we can claim our findings inform us about a group larger than the one we studied