Summary Key Terms
Methodology &
Descriptive Statistics
Part I & II
By Thomas Kroon
1
,2
,Contents
Module 1 ............................................................................................................................................4
Module 2 ............................................................................................................................................6
Module 3 ............................................................................................................................................8
Module 4 .......................................................................................................................................... 10
Module 5 .......................................................................................................................................... 12
Module 6 .......................................................................................................................................... 14
Module 7 .......................................................................................................................................... 16
Module 8 .......................................................................................................................................... 18
Module 9 .......................................................................................................................................... 21
Module 10 ........................................................................................................................................ 24
Module 11 ........................................................................................................................................ 27
Module 12 ........................................................................................................................................ 28
Module 13 ........................................................................................................................................ 32
Module 14 ........................................................................................................................................ 35
Module 15 ........................................................................................................................................ 37
Module 16 ........................................................................................................................................ 40
Module 17 ........................................................................................................................................ 42
Module 18 ........................................................................................................................................ 43
Module 19 ........................................................................................................................................ 44
Module 20 ........................................................................................................................................ 46
Module 21 ........................................................................................................................................ 48
Module 22 ........................................................................................................................................ 50
Module 23 ........................................................................................................................................ 52
Module 24 ........................................................................................................................................ 53
3
, Module 1
Research question
• A question to gather knowledge / answers → different ways of finding answers
• Practical problems, political
problems, social problems
o Problem & need analysis,
find & design options, ex
ante evaluation or options,
choice, implementation, ex
post choice evaluation →
all practical problems can
be asked
• Theoretical questions, puzzles,
existing research
o Question, theory,
research & design, data
collection, data analysis,
answers/knowledge
Design and (cycle of) decision-making
• Circle when asking practical, political, and social problems.
Problem & need analysis
• First step when asking a question:
o How big is the problem?
o What are its causes and consequences?
Ex ante evaluation
• Third step when asking a question:
o Can we expect an option to work?
Process evaluation
• Fifth step when asking a question:
o Did we do as planned?
Ex post evaluation (effect / impact research)
• Sixth step when asking a question (outcome evaluation)
o Did the selected option have the expected outcome?
Wheel of science / empirical cycle
• The theory and research cycle, which can me compared
to a relay race; although all participants do not
necessarily start or trop at the same point; they all share
a common goal – to examine all levels of social life:
Deduction
• The logical model in which specific expectations of hypotheses are developed on the basis of
general principles. Starting from the general principle that all deans are meanies, you might
4
Methodology &
Descriptive Statistics
Part I & II
By Thomas Kroon
1
,2
,Contents
Module 1 ............................................................................................................................................4
Module 2 ............................................................................................................................................6
Module 3 ............................................................................................................................................8
Module 4 .......................................................................................................................................... 10
Module 5 .......................................................................................................................................... 12
Module 6 .......................................................................................................................................... 14
Module 7 .......................................................................................................................................... 16
Module 8 .......................................................................................................................................... 18
Module 9 .......................................................................................................................................... 21
Module 10 ........................................................................................................................................ 24
Module 11 ........................................................................................................................................ 27
Module 12 ........................................................................................................................................ 28
Module 13 ........................................................................................................................................ 32
Module 14 ........................................................................................................................................ 35
Module 15 ........................................................................................................................................ 37
Module 16 ........................................................................................................................................ 40
Module 17 ........................................................................................................................................ 42
Module 18 ........................................................................................................................................ 43
Module 19 ........................................................................................................................................ 44
Module 20 ........................................................................................................................................ 46
Module 21 ........................................................................................................................................ 48
Module 22 ........................................................................................................................................ 50
Module 23 ........................................................................................................................................ 52
Module 24 ........................................................................................................................................ 53
3
, Module 1
Research question
• A question to gather knowledge / answers → different ways of finding answers
• Practical problems, political
problems, social problems
o Problem & need analysis,
find & design options, ex
ante evaluation or options,
choice, implementation, ex
post choice evaluation →
all practical problems can
be asked
• Theoretical questions, puzzles,
existing research
o Question, theory,
research & design, data
collection, data analysis,
answers/knowledge
Design and (cycle of) decision-making
• Circle when asking practical, political, and social problems.
Problem & need analysis
• First step when asking a question:
o How big is the problem?
o What are its causes and consequences?
Ex ante evaluation
• Third step when asking a question:
o Can we expect an option to work?
Process evaluation
• Fifth step when asking a question:
o Did we do as planned?
Ex post evaluation (effect / impact research)
• Sixth step when asking a question (outcome evaluation)
o Did the selected option have the expected outcome?
Wheel of science / empirical cycle
• The theory and research cycle, which can me compared
to a relay race; although all participants do not
necessarily start or trop at the same point; they all share
a common goal – to examine all levels of social life:
Deduction
• The logical model in which specific expectations of hypotheses are developed on the basis of
general principles. Starting from the general principle that all deans are meanies, you might
4
