CPCE: Research and Program
Evaluation Test
Research vs. Evidence Based Inquiry - ANS-Research: the systematic process of
collecting and analyzing data for some purpose such as investigating a problem or
answering a question.
Evidence-based inquiry: the search for knowledge using empirical data which has been
gathered systematically.
Quantitative Research - ANS-Assumes social facts have a single objective reality.
Tends to study samples or populations.
Researchers try not to influence collection of data (instruments).
Statistical methods comparing and contrasting groups occurs.
Researchers examine for causes and relationships.
Qualitative Research - ANS-Assumes multiple realities socially constructed by
individuals and groups.
Tends to study individual units - person, family, community — in naturalistic setting.
Researchers may be primary instrument for collecting data (through observation).
Researchers' impressions, judgments and feelings may be used.
Goal is to describe the nature of things.
Inductive vs. Deductive Research - ANS-Inductive: this research begins at the real
world, practical level. It tends to be descriptive, correlational, or historical and leads to
the building of theory.
Deductive: this research springs from theory which is already established.
This research tries to determine what the relationships are between elements of the
theory and may be experimental in nature.
Quantitative (Non-Experimental Designs): Survey - ANS-This may occur through
questionnaires, interviews, etc. and is used to measure attitudes, perceptions, etc. (For
, example: Public Opinion Poll). Often the response rate of survey research is low, below
50 percent. Unless you know that the characteristics of the non-
respondents are similar to the characteristics of the respondents, you must be cautious
in generalizing.
Quantitative (Non-Experimental Designs): Descriptive - ANS-Descriptive: this research
simply describes an existing state of events.
Numbers may be used to characterize groups or individuals.
Quantitative (Non-Experimental Designs): Comparative - ANS-This research method
investigates whether there are differences between two or more groups. There is no
manipulation of conditions experienced by each group.
Quantitative (Non-Experimental Designs): Correlational - ANS-This research method
uses the correlation coefficient to determine the degree of relationship between two or
more variables or phenomena.
Quantitative (Non-Experimental Designs): Ex Post Facto - ANS-Also called causal-
comparative, this research design studies possible causal relationships among
variables ex post facto (after the fact). You do not manipulate any variables; the focus is
on what has already happened (after the fact). You may generate 'several' reasons
(causes) for the relationships you discover.
For example: Two employment agencies conduct job dubs. In one agency, the job clubs
are member-initiated and run whereas in the other, employment counselors provide
instruction and guidance. In examining the job placement rates of members for the past
year, you find that the members of the professionally led groups had a higher placement
rate.
Typical statistics used in ex post facto research are the t -test and analysis of variance,
Quantitative (Experimental Designs): True Experiment - ANS-This research is
characterized by the use of experimental and control groups with random assignment to
each. Experimental designs are used to determine cause-and-effect relationships.
For experiments, there are design variations such as:
a. Treatment and control group with posttest only.
b. Treatment and control group with pretest and posttest.
c. Two different treatment groups with control group and posttest, and many other
combinations.
For example: Sixty college freshmen are enrolled in an English class. Thirty are
randomly assigned to a one-hour per week writing lab, the others comprise a control
group. End-of-semester essay examination results are analyzed to see if the lab was
associated with better writing skills.
Evaluation Test
Research vs. Evidence Based Inquiry - ANS-Research: the systematic process of
collecting and analyzing data for some purpose such as investigating a problem or
answering a question.
Evidence-based inquiry: the search for knowledge using empirical data which has been
gathered systematically.
Quantitative Research - ANS-Assumes social facts have a single objective reality.
Tends to study samples or populations.
Researchers try not to influence collection of data (instruments).
Statistical methods comparing and contrasting groups occurs.
Researchers examine for causes and relationships.
Qualitative Research - ANS-Assumes multiple realities socially constructed by
individuals and groups.
Tends to study individual units - person, family, community — in naturalistic setting.
Researchers may be primary instrument for collecting data (through observation).
Researchers' impressions, judgments and feelings may be used.
Goal is to describe the nature of things.
Inductive vs. Deductive Research - ANS-Inductive: this research begins at the real
world, practical level. It tends to be descriptive, correlational, or historical and leads to
the building of theory.
Deductive: this research springs from theory which is already established.
This research tries to determine what the relationships are between elements of the
theory and may be experimental in nature.
Quantitative (Non-Experimental Designs): Survey - ANS-This may occur through
questionnaires, interviews, etc. and is used to measure attitudes, perceptions, etc. (For
, example: Public Opinion Poll). Often the response rate of survey research is low, below
50 percent. Unless you know that the characteristics of the non-
respondents are similar to the characteristics of the respondents, you must be cautious
in generalizing.
Quantitative (Non-Experimental Designs): Descriptive - ANS-Descriptive: this research
simply describes an existing state of events.
Numbers may be used to characterize groups or individuals.
Quantitative (Non-Experimental Designs): Comparative - ANS-This research method
investigates whether there are differences between two or more groups. There is no
manipulation of conditions experienced by each group.
Quantitative (Non-Experimental Designs): Correlational - ANS-This research method
uses the correlation coefficient to determine the degree of relationship between two or
more variables or phenomena.
Quantitative (Non-Experimental Designs): Ex Post Facto - ANS-Also called causal-
comparative, this research design studies possible causal relationships among
variables ex post facto (after the fact). You do not manipulate any variables; the focus is
on what has already happened (after the fact). You may generate 'several' reasons
(causes) for the relationships you discover.
For example: Two employment agencies conduct job dubs. In one agency, the job clubs
are member-initiated and run whereas in the other, employment counselors provide
instruction and guidance. In examining the job placement rates of members for the past
year, you find that the members of the professionally led groups had a higher placement
rate.
Typical statistics used in ex post facto research are the t -test and analysis of variance,
Quantitative (Experimental Designs): True Experiment - ANS-This research is
characterized by the use of experimental and control groups with random assignment to
each. Experimental designs are used to determine cause-and-effect relationships.
For experiments, there are design variations such as:
a. Treatment and control group with posttest only.
b. Treatment and control group with pretest and posttest.
c. Two different treatment groups with control group and posttest, and many other
combinations.
For example: Sixty college freshmen are enrolled in an English class. Thirty are
randomly assigned to a one-hour per week writing lab, the others comprise a control
group. End-of-semester essay examination results are analyzed to see if the lab was
associated with better writing skills.
