research: quantitative research design

Question 1

quantitative research

Answer 1

Focuses on capturing the relationship between two variables that can be measured numerically. Typically, quantitative research tests a hypothesis looking at a descriptive or causal relationship among variables. Results usually involve numbers that are typically displayed in a statistically significant manner

Question 2

mixed-methods research

Answer 2

Blends or mixes designs from quantitative and qualitative research. The most important characteristic of mixed-method research is that it can strengthen what either of the research designs provides individually. Generally, two types of mixed-method research designs are considered: (a) concurrent design (quantitative and qualitative data are collected at the same time) and (b) sequential design (either quantitative or qualitative data are collected first). When researchers employ qualitative research strategies first, they are using an exploratory design. When researchers introduce a study with quantitative research strategies, they are using an explanatory design.

Question 3

two types of mixed methods research:

Answer 3

concurrent and sequential

Question 4

pilot study

Answer 4

Smaller than a full-scale study, designed to assess the feasibility of expanding a small study to a much larger scale

Question 5

Nonexperimental Research Designs

Answer 5

A type of quantitative research design that is intended to observe and outline the properties of a variable. No intervention is involved, and thus no variables or conditions are manipulated.

Question 6

descriptive design

Answer 6

The most prevalent category of nonexperimental research design; includes thoroughly describing a variable at one time (simple descriptive design) or over time (longitudinal design).

Question 7

trend study

Answer 7

Involves assessing the general population over time, with new individuals sampled each time data are collected.

Question 8

cohort study

Answer 8

Involves assessing the same population over time.

Question 9

panel study

Answer 9

A study that looks at the same individuals over time

Question 10

comparative design

Answer 10

A type of nonexperimental design that allows the researcher to investigate group differences for a particular variable in order to determine if there is a difference between the groups.

Question 11

correlational research design

Answer 11

A type of nonexperimental research design that allows the researcher to describe the relationship between two variables. The variables are not experimentally manipulated; therefore, the researcher cannot determine a causal relationship. Instead, this design computes a correlation coefficient that describes the strength and direction of a relationship.

Question 12

coefficient of determination

Answer 12

The amount of shared variance between the two variables; computed by squaring the correlational coefficient.

Question 13

ex post facto research design

Answer 13

Also referred to as causal-comparative designs. Nonexperimental research designs that involve looking at potential causes of a dependent variable after the fact (after data have been collected). Specifically, this design examines how an independent variable affects a dependent variable by assessing whether one or more pre-existing conditions possibly caused differences in groups. Unfortunately, independent variables or conditions cannot be manipulated as the data have already been collected.

Question 14

within-subject design

Answer 14

A general category of experimental designs that involve assessing changes that occur within the participants in a group as they experience some intervention.

Question 15

between-groups design

Answer 15

A general category of experimental research designs that involves exploring the effects of a treatment or intervention between two groups or among more than two groups.

Question 16

split-plot design

Answer 16

A general category of experimental research designs that involve assessing a general intervention on the whole plot and assessing other treatments to subplots within the whole plot.

Question 17

pre-experimental designs

Answer 17

A type of experimental design that does not use random assignment, thus failing to control for internal validity threats. Three common types of pre-experimental designs include (a) one-group posttest only design (a group receives an intervention and change is measured), (b) one-group pretest-posttest design (a group is evaluated before and after an intervention), and (c) nonequivalent groups posttest-only design (no attempt is made to begin the study with equivalent groups of participants, one group receives an intervention and change is measured, while another group serves as a control and receives no intervention yet is assessed at the same time as the other group).

Question 18

three types of pre-experimental designs

Answer 18

• one-group, posttest only
• one-group, pretest-posttest
• nonequivalent groups posttest-only

Question 19

true experimental designs

Answer 19

Also referred to as randomized experimental designs. These are the gold standard in that they involve at least two groups for comparison and random assignment. Common types of true experimental designs are (a) randomized pretest-posttest control group design (participants are assigned to two groups (one group serves as the control), and both groups are measured before and after an intervention), (b) randomized pretest-posttest comparison group design (participants are assigned to one of at least two groups, each group receives a distinct intervention, and the effectiveness of interventions is compared through the use of pre- and posttests), (c) randomized posttest-only control group design (involves the random assignment of participants to a treatment or control group, administering an intervention to one group, and then measuring the outcome), (d) randomized posttest-only comparison group design (similar to a randomized posttest-only control group design, but with at least two groups for comparison and no control group), and (f) Solomon four-group design (uses four randomly assigned groups so the presence of a pretest and the presence of an intervention can be assessed more rigorously).

Question 20

Single-Subject Research Designs

Answer 20

Used to measure how either receiving treatment or not receiving treatment affects a single subject (client) or group of subjects (clients) who can be treated as a single unit. There are three commonly used types of SSRDs: (a) within-series designs examine the effectiveness of one intervention or program; (b) between-series designs compare the effectiveness of two or more interventions for a single variable; and (c) multiple-baseline designs assess data for a particular target behavior across various situations or individuals