The Process of Research Flashcards
What is the first phase of the research process?
Thinking
What occurs during the thinking phase of the research process?
Identifying problem and purpose
Reviewing literature
What is the second phase of the research process?
Planning
What occurs during the planning phase of the research process?
Choosing study design and planning approach to sample, data collection, etc.
What is the third phase of the research process?
Implementing
What occurs during the implementing phase of the research process?
Recruiting participants and collecting data.
What is the fourth phase of the research process?
Analyzing
What occurs during the analyzing phase of the research process?
Analyze data and interpret findings.
What is the fifth phase of the research process?
Informing
What occurs during the informing phase of the research process?
Disseminating results (journal articles, presentations, etc.)
What are two of the most common paradigms for research?
Positivist
Constructivist
How can we categorize research into levels? (What are the levels?)
Descriptive
Correlational
Quasi-experimental
Experimental
What are the three methods of categorizing research (three different research “methods”)
Quantitative
Qualitative
Mixed methods
What are three different categories we can categorize research by?
Paradigm
Levels
Methods
What are some things that distinguish quantitative research? (apart from qualitative research)
Test theory (compared to develops theory)
Control (compared to shared interpretation)
Instruments (compared to communication and observation)
Numbers (compared to words)
Statistical analysis (compared to interpretation)
Generalization (compared to uniqueness)
What are some things that distinguish qualitative research? (apart from quantitative research)
Develops theory (compared to test theory)
Shared interpretation (compared to control)
Communication and observation (compared to instruments)
Words (compared to numbers)
Interpretation (compared to statistical analysis)
Uniqueness (compared to generalization)
What are some quantitative research designs?
Randomized clinical trial (RCT) Evaluation research Survey research Secondary Analysis MetaAnalysis
What are some qualitative research designs?
Phenomenology Ethnography Grounded theory Historical theory MetaSynthesis
How can one tell a qualitative study from a quantitative study?
Qualitative studies, have no numbers other than sometimes a single table describing participant characteristics (ie age, gender). Qualitative studies may have “word tables” or diagrams illustrating processes inferred from the narrative information
Quantitative studies have several tables with numbers and statistics.
What is the difference between the role of the researcher in an experimental study vs a non-experimental study?
Experimental: Researcher manipulates or controls variable(s) and observes effect in other variable(s). Evaluates cause and effect relationship.
Nonexperimental: Describes or looks at relationship(s) or correlation between variable(s). Variables are not manipulated by the researcher.
What is the person contributing information called in a quantitative study?
Subject, study participant, respondent
What is the person contributing information called in a qualitative study?
Study participant, informant, key informant
What is the person undertaking the study called in a quantitative study?
Researcher, investigator, scientist
What is the person undertaking the study called in a qualitative study?
Researcher, investigator
What is that which is being studied called in a quantitative study?
Concepts, constructs, variables
What is that which is being studied called in a qualitative study?
Phenomena, concepts, topics
What is the system of organizing concepts called in a quantitative study?
Theory, theoretical/conceptual framework, conceptual model
What is the system of organizing concepts called in a qualitative study?
Theory, theoretical/conceptual framework
What is the information gathered called din a quantitative study?
Data (numeric)
What is the information gathered called in a qualitative study?
Data (narrative description)
What are the links between concepts called in a quantitative study?
Relationships (casual, correlational)
What are the links between concepts called in a qualitative study?
Patterns of association
What are the logical reasoning processes in a quantitative study?
Deductive reasoning
What are the logical reasoning processes in a qualitative study?
Inductive reasoning
What is the quality of evidence called in a quantitative study?
Reliability, validity, generalizability
What is the quality of evidence called in a qualitative study?
Trustworthiness
What are variables called (what types of variables) in a quantitative study?
Independent, dependent, extraneous
What is an independent variable?
Presumed cause, or influence on dependent variable.
What is a dependent variable?
Outcome, consequence
What is an extraneous variable?
Confounding variable - other factors/causes that impact the dependent variable
What are variables called in qualitative studies?
Phenomena
concept
What is the conceptual definition of a quantitative study?
Independent and dependent variables need to be operationalized - specify the procedures and tools required to measure the variable.
What is the conceptual definition of a qualitative study?
Phenomenon being studied need to be conceptually defined - clarify the abstract or theoretical meaning of the concept being studied.
What are the tools/instruments in quantitative studies?
How variables are measured - device that researchers use to collect data - questionnaires, surveys, scales, etc.
What are the tools/instruments in qualitative studies?
Interview guide, observation
What is the preliminary stage of reading research? (What occurs during this stage)
Read to gain familiarity - focus on title and abstract; skim rest
What is the comprehensive stage of reading research? (What occurs during this stage)
Read to gain understanding - understand researcher’s intent, methods, and the findings.
What are the steps of critical reading of research?
Critical read to analyze and critique
Analysis and Synthesis
What is analysis (when reading research critically to analyze and critique)
Analysis - break the content into parts to understand each aspect of the study.
What is synthesis (when reading research critically to analyze and critique)
Synthesis - pulling together or combining parts into a whole - to make sense of it and explain relationships.
What is contained in the abstract of a research report?
Overview of the study
What is contained in the introduction of a research report?
Background to the problem
Literature review
Theoretical/conceptual framework
Identify research questions and purpose of study
What is contained in the methods section of a research report?
Describe research design and sample
Describe data collection
Instruments used
What is contained in the results section of a research report?
Describe data analysis procedures
Present findings
What is contained in the discussion section of a research report?
Major findings
Limitations
Conclusions, implications, recommendations
What is at the end of every research report?
References
