Week 1

Question 1

In breaking down the name of the course: “Ways of Knowing: Research”, what does ways mean?
Knowing?

Answer 1

Ways - methods

Knowing - curiosity, question, discover, partial truths vs. truths

Question 2

Research has two parts, what are they?

Answer 2

Methods, and the theories part

Question 3

the way of speech, the way to construct knowledge - the way knowledge is constructed

Answer 3

Discourse

Question 4

What was the focus of Florence Nightingale’s research?

Answer 4

Sanitation in rural India + British army and on public health conditions and also childhood mortality

Question 5

Describe the chain from research question to theory.

Answer 5

Research question –> data (relevant information) –> analysis (stats) –> findings –> policy and knowledge –> becomes theory over time

Question 6

Why is there no such thing as proving?

Answer 6

Because this implies there are no alternative explanations

(only Siths deal in absolutes); in science, we believe there are alternative explanations

Question 7

The systematic investigation into and study of material and sources in order to establish facts and reach new conclusions.

Answer 7

research

Question 8

when something measures what it purports to measure, it is said to be?

Answer 8

valid

Question 9

The consistency of measures.

Answer 9

reliability

Question 10

Research is subject to ______ - often dictated by financial and political interests –> i.e. research is not ____ free

Answer 10

values

bias

Question 11

the extent to which a study’s design, implementation, and analysis minimizes bias

Answer 11

quality

Question 12

Can we completely eliminate bias?

Answer 12

NO! But we can minimize it

Question 13

Quantifiable measurement, sample size, as well as strength of the findings from data analyses

Answer 13

Quantity

Question 14

The degree to which similar findings are reported from studies that have similar and different designs

Answer 14

Consistency

Question 15

What is the research wheel?

Answer 15

Clockwise from the top - Theory –> Hypotheses –> observations –> empirical generalizations

Question 16

A theory is very ______, but a hypothesis is _______.

Answer 16

abstract

concrete

Question 17

In the research wheel, observations refer to what?

Answer 17

data collection

Question 18

_______ _______ support or modify existing theories

Answer 18

empirical generalizations

Question 19

ways of naming, ways of conceptually ordering our senses of the world. They are tools with which we decide what it is that we experience, why something is the way it is, and how it is that we might act or react to it

Answer 19

theories

Question 20

Properties of a theory:

• a systematic set of interrelated statements intended to _______ some aspect of social life
• Explain _______ patterns
• Explain ________, not individuals
• State a ________ (three possible words that are synonyms), but NOT a _______ ________

Answer 20

explain
recurring
aggregates
probability/chance/tendency, not a causal relationship

Question 21

Generated by the expectations of a theory; a tentative statement about the relation between 2 or more variables

Answer 21

hypothesis

Question 22

the causal variable that produces the effect

Answer 22

IV

Question 23

the effect/outcome variable that results from the causal variable

Answer 23

DV

Question 24

Describe the DV/IV of the following hypotheses:

“arrest for spouse abuse reduces the risk of repeat offences”

“Older adults who are more isolated (e.g. less family visits) will have a higher frequency of doctor’s appointments”

Answer 24

o IV – arrest (for spouse abuse)
o DV – (risk of) repeat offences of spousal abuse

o IV – Isolation
o DV – frequency of doctor’s appointments

Question 25

_________ of concepts into variables –> finding the appropriate indicators

Answer 25

operationalization

Question 26

Analysis of data leads to generalized statements about findings

Answer 26

empirical generalizations

Question 27

Sometimes, a researcher will replicate findings in a different set of populations/geographic locations. Why?

Answer 27

higher external validity - can extrapolate to different populations and still be valid

Question 28

Deduction:

• Theory _________
• Works from the ______ to the more ________
• ____-_____ approach

Answer 28

testing
general, specific
top-down

Question 29

Induction:

• Theory _________
• moving from _______ observations to ________
• _____-__ approach

Answer 29

construction
specific –> general(izations)
bottom-up

Question 30

Where is deduction located in the research wheel?

Induction?

Answer 30

Deduction is between theory and hypotheses

Induction is between observations and empirical generalizations

Question 31

What are the parts of a research article based on the description?

A - Key points, quick review
B - describes current knowledge, identifies gaps and mentions how you will contribute to filling that gap
C - who, what, where, when and how
D - interprets and puts in context of other findings

Answer 31

A - abstract
B - introduction
C - methods
D - discussion

Question 32

Assessment of a study’s methodological quality.

Answer 32

Critical appraisal

Question 33

Critical appraisal takes what into consideration?

Answer 33

Its validity and reliability
Its results
Its practical relevancy

Question 34

We are ______ information contributors

Answer 34

active