Week 8 Lecture Flashcards
A research idea can generate dozens of research hypotheses depending on how…
It is translated into a statement of the problem.
The variables are operationally defined.
What is the initial idea?
The initial idea is the starting point.
Is the initial idea often vague or general?
Yes
What does the initial idea require?
It requires refining before research hypotheses can be generated.
What is refinement of the initial idea is based on?
(1) a search of relevant research literature.
(2) initial observations of the phenomenon.
What is the statement of the problem?
It is written in the form of a question and it clearly indicates an expected relationship.
What does the nature of the question dictate?
It dictates the required level of constraint of a study.
What do casual question require?
Experimental research.
How can questions about relationships be answered?
Questions about relationships can be answered with lower-constraint research.
What does generating research hypotheses do?
Observations and library research.
When do problem statements become research hypotheses?
When constructs are operationalised.
What are operational definitions?
The procedures used to measure and/or manipulate variables.
Can most variables be operationally defined in many different ways?
Yes
What are research hypotheses doing?
They state clearly the expected relationship between the variables.
What is the form of a research hypothesis?
Declarative statement, but it is a tentative statement to be tested in research.
What do theories do?
Theory guides all research planning.
What do theories do?
They often guide the primary source of the research hypothesis.
Do theories guide the selection of variables?
Yes
Do theories guide the operational definitions of variables?
Yes
Is most research is based on multiple, overlapping and interacting theory?
Yes.
When testing research hypotheses, you are actually testing three hypotheses. What are they?
The null hypothesis.
The confounding variable hypothesis.
The causal hypothesis.
Accept the casual hypothesis, only if you:
Reject null hypothesis (statistical analysis)
Rule out each potential confounding variable hypothesis (based on appropriate controls).
