Introductory Readings

Williamson:

Positivist:  The positivist tradition of research is defined as when researchers use methods that would typically be applied to natural science research to areas in the social sciences.

Interpretivist:  The interpretivist research tradition is where researchers pay closer attention and give more emphasis to the meanings that people make as they interpret the world around them.

Connaway and Powell:

Deductive or systematic logic: Deductive logic involves the use of a syllogism, which begins with a basic idea. Once the researcher has their basic idea, they then apply that to a case.

Inductive reasoning: Inductive reasoning is sort of the opposite of deductive reasoning. Inductive reasoning starts with something that is fact and works towards something that is a theory.

Eldredge:

Analysis: An analysis is when the researcher examines something in detail in an attempt to grasp the ideas and nature of what is being examined.

Case Study: The case study is a very popular way to research. A case study depends on the researcher experiencing something. It could be a variety of things, a process, a technology, a project, etc.  Typically a case study examines something in real life.

Patten:

Topic 1:

Empirical Approach to Knowledge: Based on observations. The empirical approach is used in day-to-day life. While useful, these observations can be misleading.

Hypothesis: A hypothesis is a question that the researcher thinks they already know the answer to.

Topic 2:

Experiments: An experiment is where a researcher uses treatments to see if behavioral changes result.

Nonexperimental studies: Nonexperimental studies rely more on the observations of the researcher on those who are being researched. Typically these describe the studied how they are naturally without any treatments.

Topic 3:

Cause-and-effect: When observing cause and effect, a researcher typically wants to conduct an experimental research by giving a treatment and seeing it’s effect. Sometimes this isn’t possible because of ethical or legal considerations.

Causal-comparative study:  In these studies we typically look at a problem or condition and try to identify what might have caused it. In example, if obesity is the condition we would want to identify the cause of this, which in most cases would be overeating, but could be thyroid issues or other health problems as well.

Topic 4:

Census: A census is when you observe and perhaps count all members of one population. This can be animal or human.

Longitudinal research: Longitudinal research is when a trait is repeatedly observed and measured to observe any trends that may develop.

Topic 5:

Variable: A variable is something like a characteristic that must apply to at least two categories.

Mutually exclusive categories: When a subject can only belong to one category.

Topic 6:

Independent variable: In experimental studies, an independent variable is physically manipulated by researchers. This means that the researcher is physically doing something to a subject. In a nonexperimental study independent variables are observed as they occur.

Dependent variables: Dependent variables are variables that are changed by independent variables. The changes are dependent on the independent variables.

Topic 7:

Research hypothesis: Often called an educated guess, this is a theory that a researcher makes on the outcome of what their research question is.

Directional hypothesis: A directional hypothesis is where we try to guess which group we are studying will have more of something.

Nondirectional hypothesis:  A non directional hypothesis is where on states a research purpose.

Topic 8:

Conceptual definitions: Conceptual definitions are what we typically get from dictionary definitions- a concept of something, not necessarily a practical demonstration of something.

Operational definition: An operation definition is what happens when we add physical  action to a conceptual definition.

Topic 9:

Deductive approach: This is the approach that a quantitative researcher would use. Typically it involves researching literature  to plan the approach or hypotheses to be used in the research.

Inductive approach: This is the approach that a qualitative researcher would use. This researcher would begin to gather data on their subject right away and then use early research to plan other research.

Topic 10:

When should quantitative research be used:

·      Anytime you want to measure by numbers

·      When subjects are not available for observation

·      When money is low

·      When “hard numbers” are required by the audience

When should qualitative research be used:

·      When little is known about a topic

·      When closed or secretive cultures are examined

·      When emotions and subjective variables are involved predominantly.

Pyrczak Appendix A:

Steps to conducting Quantitative Research:

·      Begin with an explicit hypothesis

·      Choose a random sample to study

·      Make sure the participant sample is fairly large

·      Use instruments that are scored objectively

·      Describe results statistically

·      Try to have limited contact with subjects

.

Steps to conducting Qualitative Research:

·      Begin with a  more general research question

·      Do not select a random sample-select a purposive sample.

·      Use a small sample

·      Use unstructured instruments for observation

·      Spend a lot of time with sample

·      Present results in word form-not statistically

Standards for Reporting Humanities-Oriented Research

Humanities Oriented Research: An all encompassing term that involves many genres of the humanities for which social science research standards would not be appropriate.

Reflexive Education Research: This is research that takes education as the object of research

Standards for Reporting on Empirical Social Science Research

Problem Formulation: The problem formulation is designed to give a clear purpose to a study by describing the problem or question the study addresses.

Review of the relevant scholarship: This is a general overview of the scholarly works that relate to the topic being researched and should also include the criteria used to identify the scholarship.