SFL 290 VERIFIED STUDY GUIDE
General Sources - Answers - Provides an overview of a certain topic. Acts as a lead to
where more information can be found.
Ex:
Daily Newspapers, Trade books, Popular magazines, news weeklies
Secondary Sources - Answers - Provides a level of information "once removed" from
the original work (i.e. authors summarize information about the original study)
Ex:
Books on specific subjects, textbooks, review articles in journals, Meta-analyses
Primary Sources - Answers - -The original report of the original work.
-Contains all the details necessary to duplicate the study
Ex:
Journal articles that report on original research, prof. conf. procedings, and scholarly
books-a) edited volumes with chapters that report on original research, and b) Books
that are reports of studies.
Basic Research - Answers - -Uncovers evidence about fundamental behavioral
processes.
-No immediate application at the time it is completed.
(just want to understand it better)
Applied Research - Answers - Addresses Practical problems; suggests specific
solutions
Applied research: Program Evaluation - Answers - Evaluates programs in agencies,
institutions, gov't programs (i.e head start, parenting educ. programs, types of therapy
Applied Research: Meta-analysis-need? - Answers - -gathering all types/kinds of
research
-which type of program, etc works best
-comparison studies
Quantitative Research - Answers - 1.starts with a specific up-front research hypothesis
2.phenomena is described numerically
3.Uses larger samples, often randomly selected that reflect the population.
4. Data is usually collected using a) questionnaires answered in forced response
categories and b) observations
5. Analyzed with inferential and descriptive statistics.
(measurements-numerical value)
Qualitative/interpretive research - Answers - 1.Starts with broad research questions, but
usually no a-priori hypotheses.
, 2. Some type of text (spoken word, visual representations, written text, artifacts of a
culture or cultural group) is analyzed to identify major themes that emerge from the
data.
3.Phenomena is described in a narrative fashion and is often based on open-ended
responses.
4.Uses smaller, purposive samples that are usually not generalizable to the population.
(interviews;open-ended questions.
Quantitative vs Qualitative - Answers - numerical value vs. other...?
Critical Research - Answers - 1. Critiques conditions and implies a plan of change.
2. Often questions the assumptions of a body of work.
3. Believes that social reality is constantly changing and subject to socially created
meanings.
4. Research oftentimes is action-oriented.
where do researchers get ideas for their research? - Answers - 1.Personal
experience/first-hand knowledge
2.Ideas from a mentor/instructor or from classes.
3. Identify questions that reflect the next step in the research question (from the
discussion section of an article).
Why is a review of literature an important part of the research process? - Answers - 1.
Determines if research question has been definitively answered.
2. Get an overview of the entire research area.
3. Benefit from work, mistakes of others.
4. Make sure yours is a meaningful contribution to the body of knowledge that already
exists.
Conceptual Definition - Answers - 1. A general description of the concept
2. Similar to a dictionary definition
3. Usually found in the introduction section of a research article.
Operational Definition - Answers - 1. Links the abstract concept to specific behavior
2. Different from the abstract concept it represents
3. The way you will measure the variable
4. Never a perfect measure of the concept
5. The same variables may be operationally defined in different ways
Variables - Answers - a concept or its empirical measure that can take on more than
one value.
Ex:
IQ, height, conflict resolution score, gender
independent variable (predictor variable) - Answers - -influences dependent variable
-creates change(cause)
General Sources - Answers - Provides an overview of a certain topic. Acts as a lead to
where more information can be found.
Ex:
Daily Newspapers, Trade books, Popular magazines, news weeklies
Secondary Sources - Answers - Provides a level of information "once removed" from
the original work (i.e. authors summarize information about the original study)
Ex:
Books on specific subjects, textbooks, review articles in journals, Meta-analyses
Primary Sources - Answers - -The original report of the original work.
-Contains all the details necessary to duplicate the study
Ex:
Journal articles that report on original research, prof. conf. procedings, and scholarly
books-a) edited volumes with chapters that report on original research, and b) Books
that are reports of studies.
Basic Research - Answers - -Uncovers evidence about fundamental behavioral
processes.
-No immediate application at the time it is completed.
(just want to understand it better)
Applied Research - Answers - Addresses Practical problems; suggests specific
solutions
Applied research: Program Evaluation - Answers - Evaluates programs in agencies,
institutions, gov't programs (i.e head start, parenting educ. programs, types of therapy
Applied Research: Meta-analysis-need? - Answers - -gathering all types/kinds of
research
-which type of program, etc works best
-comparison studies
Quantitative Research - Answers - 1.starts with a specific up-front research hypothesis
2.phenomena is described numerically
3.Uses larger samples, often randomly selected that reflect the population.
4. Data is usually collected using a) questionnaires answered in forced response
categories and b) observations
5. Analyzed with inferential and descriptive statistics.
(measurements-numerical value)
Qualitative/interpretive research - Answers - 1.Starts with broad research questions, but
usually no a-priori hypotheses.
, 2. Some type of text (spoken word, visual representations, written text, artifacts of a
culture or cultural group) is analyzed to identify major themes that emerge from the
data.
3.Phenomena is described in a narrative fashion and is often based on open-ended
responses.
4.Uses smaller, purposive samples that are usually not generalizable to the population.
(interviews;open-ended questions.
Quantitative vs Qualitative - Answers - numerical value vs. other...?
Critical Research - Answers - 1. Critiques conditions and implies a plan of change.
2. Often questions the assumptions of a body of work.
3. Believes that social reality is constantly changing and subject to socially created
meanings.
4. Research oftentimes is action-oriented.
where do researchers get ideas for their research? - Answers - 1.Personal
experience/first-hand knowledge
2.Ideas from a mentor/instructor or from classes.
3. Identify questions that reflect the next step in the research question (from the
discussion section of an article).
Why is a review of literature an important part of the research process? - Answers - 1.
Determines if research question has been definitively answered.
2. Get an overview of the entire research area.
3. Benefit from work, mistakes of others.
4. Make sure yours is a meaningful contribution to the body of knowledge that already
exists.
Conceptual Definition - Answers - 1. A general description of the concept
2. Similar to a dictionary definition
3. Usually found in the introduction section of a research article.
Operational Definition - Answers - 1. Links the abstract concept to specific behavior
2. Different from the abstract concept it represents
3. The way you will measure the variable
4. Never a perfect measure of the concept
5. The same variables may be operationally defined in different ways
Variables - Answers - a concept or its empirical measure that can take on more than
one value.
Ex:
IQ, height, conflict resolution score, gender
independent variable (predictor variable) - Answers - -influences dependent variable
-creates change(cause)
