W1- Intro to Research Methods Flashcards
What is research?
systematic process of collecting and analyzing information
- process of discovering new knowledge (components in a total process)
- based on certain assumptions
What is good research?
based on works of others, activity that can be replicated, generalizable to other settings, based on logical rationale and tied to theory, doable, able to generate new questions, incremental
Why do we research?
- improve understanding
-allow for interpretation - determines strength of relationship b/w 2 variables (quantitative)
- allows for in depth analysis (qualitative)
What are the goals of research?
- description
-explanation
-prediction
-control
What is methodology?
set of rules & procedures that indicated how research is to be conducted
define methods?
specific data collection and analysis procedures and techniques (for gathering evidence)
What are the different types of methodological approaches?
-positivist approach
- interpretive approach
- critical approach
what is the positivist approach?
emphasis on controlling physical and social environments
(aka instrumental approach)
- uses deduction
- quantitative and experimental knowledge
What is the interpretive approach?
examines how people make sense of their lives
(aka naturalistic)
- qualitative
-concerned with issues of dependability and transferability
what is the critical approach?
examines societal structures and power relations;
- goal is to achieve/promote social justice
-values are absolute
- includes materialistic, feminist, and queer theory
-based on reflective knowledge
what assumptions are made when using the positivist approach?
- all behavior is naturally determined
-humans are part of the natural world - nature is orderly and regular
- all objective phenomena are eventually knowable
- nothing is self evident
truth is relative
-knowledge comes from experience
What assumption(s) are made when using the critical approach?
assumes all behavior is influenced by power issues
what does “based on the work of others” entail when it comes to good research?
- identify current state of knowledge
- identify knowledge gaps
- research agenda
what does “activity that can be replicated” entail when it comes to good research?
methods/procedures should be replicable
replicability= mark of credible/scientific research
- can form basis for further work in same area
what does “generalizable to other settings” entail when it comes to good research?
- results should be able to stand up in a different but related setting
- some research has limited generalizability (esp. when replicating exact conditions for studies)
what does “based on some logical rationale and ties to theory” entail when it comes to good research?
research findings should fit into larger (theoretical) picture
- place findings into current state of knowledge
what does “doable” entail when it comes to good research?
- feasible (lengthy, complex, expensive projects likely face lots of criticism)
- clear questions (not vague)
- consider timeframe/budget/resources
what does “able to generate new questions” entail when it comes to good research?
-provide foundation for further study
- identify limitations/restrictions in one study and offer suggestions for future research
- part of large research agenda
what does “incremental” entail when it comes to good research?
- one research project may make only a small contribution to knowledge
- many small studies in a particular area produces body of knowledge (systematic review)
