TERMINOLOGY Flashcards
Metaphysics
A branch of philosophy that investigates the ultimate nature of reality. What we can know.
Idealism
An epistemological stance that maintains that the world exists, but that different people construe it in different ways. Each has their own reality.
Reductionism (materialism)
An epistemological stance that only physical things and their interactions exist and that our minds and consciousness are wholly due to active operation of materials.
Epistemology
The theory of knowledge, especially about its validation and the methods used. Often used in connection with one’s epistemological standpoint – how one sees and makes sense of the world. How we can know it.
Empiricism
Knowledge gained by sensory experience (observation) (using inductive reasoning)
Rationalism
Knowledge gained by reasoning (using deductive reasoning)
Inductive Reasoning
Makes broad generalizations from specific observations
Deductive Reasoning
Starts out with a general statement, or hypothesis, and examines the possibilities to reach a specific, logical conclusion
Hypothesis
A testable statement of prediction about the relationship between at least two events, characteristics, or variables.
Reliability
Refers to the consistency of a research study or measuring test.
Validity
Refers to a tests ability to measure what it is supposed to measure.
Parsimony
Principle that the simplest explanation that can explain the data is to be preferred
Positivism
An epistemological stance that maintains that all phenomena, including social, can be analysed using scientific method. Everything can be measured and if only one knew enough, the causes and effect of all phenomena could be uncovered.
Relativism
The stance that implies that judgement is principally dependent on the values of the individual or society and the perspectives from which they make their judgement. No universal criteria ca be ‘rationally’ applied, and an understanding of decisions made by individuals or organisations can only be gained through knowledge of the historical, psychological and social backgrounds of the individuals.
Theory
Idea or set of ideas used to explain observations
Nominal data
Provides labels in order for data to be placed into categories
Ordinal data
Ordering data by rank without reference to specific measurement i.e. more or less than.
Interval data
The use of equal units of measurement but without a significant zero value.
Ratio data
A scale with equal units of measurement and containing a true zero value.
Cronbach’s Alpha
Is a measure of internal consistency, that is, how closely related a set of items are as a group. It is considered to be a measure of scale reliability. A “high” value for alpha does not imply that the measure is unidimensional. If, in addition to measuring internal consistency, you wish to provide evidence that the scale in question is unidimensional, additional analyses can be performed. Exploratory factor analysis is one method of checking dimensionality. Technically speaking, Cronbach’s alpha is not a statistical test – it is a coefficient of reliability (or consistency).
Independent Variable
A variable that, when manipulated causes an effect or change on the dependent variable. The changed variable.
Dependent Variable
A variable that is expected to be affected by a manipulation of the independent variable. The measured variable.
Operationalisation
The process of strictly defining variables into measurable factors
Empirical Criterion
The link between research questions and data, or. between concepts and their empirical indicators
Quantitative
Data which is numerical.
Qualitative
Qualitative data are measures of ‘types’ and may be represented by a name, symbol, or a number code
Correlation
The measure of relationship between two Interval or Ratio variables.
t-test
Is a statistical measurement of the difference between two groups of data. The t-value indicates the amount of difference between the two groups, and which group scores more. Cannot compare more than two groups of data… BUT There are multiple types of t-tests
ANOVA
Analysis of variance is a collection of statistical models and their associated estimation procedures used to analyse the differences among group means in a sample. the variation in a set of observations is divided into distinct components.
Regression
A type of statistical analysis that uses simple and multiple predictions to predict Y from X value.
Grounded theory
A type of research that develops theory on the basis of reciprocal phases of qualitative data collection, analysis and theory of building, each phase informing the next. Sets out to discover or construct theory from data.
Typology
An ordering of cases or data according to types and specific characteristics.
Taxonomy
The branch of science concerned with classification, especially of organisms; systematics. a classification of something.
Hermeneutics
The branch of knowledge that deals with interpretation, especially of the Bible or literary texts.
