SFL 290 MIDTERM VERIFIED STUDY GUIDE
Steps of Research Process - Answers - Come up with an idea; Develop testable
research question, propose hypothesis; Decide on what to observe/assess; choose your
participants; choose your research design; conduct the study; clean, enter, analyze, and
interpret the data; report the results in a paper
General Research Sources - Answers - Provides an overview of a certain topic. Acts as
a lead to where more information can be found. Not peer reviewed. Daily newspapers,
news weeklies, trade books, popular magazines. Uses terms like linked, associated
with, etc.
Secondary Research Sources - Answers - Provides a level of information "once
removed" from the original work. Some type of peer review process. Books on specific
subjects, review articles in journals, textbooks
Primary Research Sources - Answers - The original report of the original study.
Contains all of the details necessary to duplicate the study. Peer reviewed.Professional
conference proceedings. Scholarly books, edited volumes with chapters that report on
different original research studies, Books that are reports of studies.
Types of Research - Answers - Basic Research & Applied Research
Basic Research - Answers - Uncovers evidence about fundamental behavioral
processes to extend the knowledge base. No immediate application at the time it is
completed. Examine the relationship between parenting and children's social
development. The vast majority of expenditures goes to this research.
Applied Research - Answers - Addresses practical problems; suggests specific
solutions. Program Evaluation Research, evaluates programs in agencies, institutions,
government programs. Evaluate the marriage marriage moments intervention program
with parents. Coming up with a solution to the problem
Differences between Basic & Applied Research - Answers - Basic leads you to applied
research, applied research actually test the problems, while basic research just
uncovers the problem and what can solve the problem. Greece has a problem, it's debt
is increasing (basic), cut it's expenditures (applied)
Types of inquiry - Answers - Quantitative, Qualitative, Critical
Quantitative Research - Answers - Starts with a specific up-front theory and research
hypothesis. Uses larger samples, often randomly selected that reflect the population,
data is usually collected using questionnaires answered in forced-response categories
and observations of preset behaviors. Phenomena are described numerically. Analyzed
with inferential and descriptive statistics
, Qualitative/Interpretive Research - Answers - Starts with broad research questions, but
usually a no-priori hypothesis. Some type of text is analyzed to identify major themes
that emerge from the data. Phenomena are described in a narrative fashion and is often
based on open-ended responses. Uses smaller purposive samples that are usually not
generalizable to the population.
Critical Research - Answers - Often questions the assumptions of a body of work.
Critiques conditions and implies a plan of change. Research often times is action
oriented. Feminism is an example. The goal is not just to criticize but it also tries to
address problems.
Conceptual Definition - Answers - Abstract, a general description of the concept. Similar
to a dictionary definition. Usually found in the introduction section of a research article.
Operational Definition - Answers - How you measure the variable. Links the abstract
concept it represents. Never a perfect measure of the concept. The same variables may
be operationally defined in many ways.
Variables - Answers - A concept or its empirical measure that can take on more than
one value.
Independent Variables - Answers - Variable that influences dependent variable. The
"cause". Manipulated variable, Treatment
Dependent Variables - Answers - Variable which is influenced. The "effect". Criterion or
outcome variable.
Scales of Measurement - Answers - Nominal, Ordinal, Interval, Ratio
Nominal Scale - Answers - Least precise scale of measurement. Based on categories.
Must include two or more categories that are mutually exclusive & exhaustive. Offers
names & labels for these categories. No numerical proportions (can't rank categories).
Gender, race, religion, marital status, type of family.
Ordinal Scale - Answers - Ranks people or objects. Continuum of responses. Can make
more or less comparisons. No particular value assigned to intervals in the scale. Likert-
type scales, rankings.
Interval Scale - Answers - Intervals in the scale are meaningful. No zero or true zero. If
zero exists, it is arbitrary (temperature).
Ration Scale - Answers - Absolute zero indicates absence of factor. Intervals in the
scale are meaningful. Age, # of years of education.
Categorical Variables - Answers - Discrete. Measured with a nominal scale.
Steps of Research Process - Answers - Come up with an idea; Develop testable
research question, propose hypothesis; Decide on what to observe/assess; choose your
participants; choose your research design; conduct the study; clean, enter, analyze, and
interpret the data; report the results in a paper
General Research Sources - Answers - Provides an overview of a certain topic. Acts as
a lead to where more information can be found. Not peer reviewed. Daily newspapers,
news weeklies, trade books, popular magazines. Uses terms like linked, associated
with, etc.
Secondary Research Sources - Answers - Provides a level of information "once
removed" from the original work. Some type of peer review process. Books on specific
subjects, review articles in journals, textbooks
Primary Research Sources - Answers - The original report of the original study.
Contains all of the details necessary to duplicate the study. Peer reviewed.Professional
conference proceedings. Scholarly books, edited volumes with chapters that report on
different original research studies, Books that are reports of studies.
Types of Research - Answers - Basic Research & Applied Research
Basic Research - Answers - Uncovers evidence about fundamental behavioral
processes to extend the knowledge base. No immediate application at the time it is
completed. Examine the relationship between parenting and children's social
development. The vast majority of expenditures goes to this research.
Applied Research - Answers - Addresses practical problems; suggests specific
solutions. Program Evaluation Research, evaluates programs in agencies, institutions,
government programs. Evaluate the marriage marriage moments intervention program
with parents. Coming up with a solution to the problem
Differences between Basic & Applied Research - Answers - Basic leads you to applied
research, applied research actually test the problems, while basic research just
uncovers the problem and what can solve the problem. Greece has a problem, it's debt
is increasing (basic), cut it's expenditures (applied)
Types of inquiry - Answers - Quantitative, Qualitative, Critical
Quantitative Research - Answers - Starts with a specific up-front theory and research
hypothesis. Uses larger samples, often randomly selected that reflect the population,
data is usually collected using questionnaires answered in forced-response categories
and observations of preset behaviors. Phenomena are described numerically. Analyzed
with inferential and descriptive statistics
, Qualitative/Interpretive Research - Answers - Starts with broad research questions, but
usually a no-priori hypothesis. Some type of text is analyzed to identify major themes
that emerge from the data. Phenomena are described in a narrative fashion and is often
based on open-ended responses. Uses smaller purposive samples that are usually not
generalizable to the population.
Critical Research - Answers - Often questions the assumptions of a body of work.
Critiques conditions and implies a plan of change. Research often times is action
oriented. Feminism is an example. The goal is not just to criticize but it also tries to
address problems.
Conceptual Definition - Answers - Abstract, a general description of the concept. Similar
to a dictionary definition. Usually found in the introduction section of a research article.
Operational Definition - Answers - How you measure the variable. Links the abstract
concept it represents. Never a perfect measure of the concept. The same variables may
be operationally defined in many ways.
Variables - Answers - A concept or its empirical measure that can take on more than
one value.
Independent Variables - Answers - Variable that influences dependent variable. The
"cause". Manipulated variable, Treatment
Dependent Variables - Answers - Variable which is influenced. The "effect". Criterion or
outcome variable.
Scales of Measurement - Answers - Nominal, Ordinal, Interval, Ratio
Nominal Scale - Answers - Least precise scale of measurement. Based on categories.
Must include two or more categories that are mutually exclusive & exhaustive. Offers
names & labels for these categories. No numerical proportions (can't rank categories).
Gender, race, religion, marital status, type of family.
Ordinal Scale - Answers - Ranks people or objects. Continuum of responses. Can make
more or less comparisons. No particular value assigned to intervals in the scale. Likert-
type scales, rankings.
Interval Scale - Answers - Intervals in the scale are meaningful. No zero or true zero. If
zero exists, it is arbitrary (temperature).
Ration Scale - Answers - Absolute zero indicates absence of factor. Intervals in the
scale are meaningful. Age, # of years of education.
Categorical Variables - Answers - Discrete. Measured with a nominal scale.
