Week 1 Through the lens of science Flashcards
case study
a method of research, consisting of a detailed long tern investigation of a single social unit.
concept
A generalised idea about people, objects or processes that are related to one another
cross-section
A survey of a broad spectrum of a population at a specific point in time.
ethical neutrality
an attitude of the scientific method in the social sciences- scientists are not to pass moral judgement on their findings.
experiment
A method of research in which the researcher controls and manipulates variables in one group to test the effects of an IV and DV
Longitudinal study
A survey that continues over a long period of time, engaging in contrasts and comparisons
mean
The figure obtained by adding all of the figures and dividing them by the number of cases
median
The number in the middle of the distribution of figures
mode
The number that appears the most frequently in a group of numbers
Participant observation
A method of research where researchers try to take part in the lives of the members of the group, without revealing their purposes.
population
a statistical concept referring to the totality of phenomena under investigation
research
an aspect of scientific methodology that bolsters and complements theories
sample survey
A method of research with an attempt to determine the occurrence of a particular act/opinion in a sample of people
Statistics
methods in the form of numbers used to process information obtained by research
variables
factors whose relationships researchers are trying to uncover
