research terminology a presentation for participants in student support services troy university...

Research Terminology

A presentation for participants in

Student Support ServicesTroy University (Main Campus)

Troy AL 36082

Objective To help students gain understanding of

terms related to academic research

To help enhance studentsrsquo ability to readunderstand research compiled by other writers

To help prepare students to engage in the academic research research writing process

First what is Research ldquothe orderly investigation of a subject

matter for the purpose of adding to knowledgerdquo(Unesco)

ldquoinvestigating a new problem or phenomenonrdquo (Unesco)

Studying a subject or question that has already been studied in order to add knowledge or increase available data or information (Unesco)

Purpose of Most Research Observe and Describe (adjectives)

Predict (outcomes results) = applied statistics concepts

Determine Causes (Causality)

Explain results findings effects or issues (Analysis)

Source httpwwwexperiment-resourcescomresearch-methodologyhtml

Some Classes amp Types of Academic Research

Historical (Study of historical documents primary source material for the purpose of analysis for comparability and inconsistencies)

Review of Literature (summary and synthesis of research information

available on a topic)

Descriptive (requires observation of a situation without interference can be similar to a case study of a psychology or social science nature requires collection of information from various source types can lead to new discoveries)

Correlational (purpose is to show relationship between two or more situationsconditions or to see how one situationcondition impacts or provokes another condition ndash Topic Example Impact of hypertension on kidney health)

Causal comparative (seeks to establish causeeffect relationship or discourse)

Source Kravitz L (n d) IAFC conference report reading and interpreting research Understanding and Enjoying Research httpwwwunmedu~lkravitzArticle20folderunderstandreshtml

Classes amp Types (contrsquod)

Experimental (based on hypothesis or hypotheses that anticipate a relationship between at least two variables)

Case Study (study an actual situation to determine the application of a proposed idea or design)

Research and Development Research (marketingproduct design to create interests in something new or a foundation for an innovative product)


The Fundamental of Any type of ResearchThe Hypothesis

After the problem is determined the hypothesis follows

Provides response(s) to the research questions before performing specific research to answer the particular question

Should be ldquotestablerdquondashprovable or not provable

Offers a simple explanation for an occurrence or natural phenomena

Should be realistic and reflective of critical thought about resources available to produce the anticipated result or situation

Often based on earlier research (a synthesis-based assertion)

Becomes the foundation on which to establish a proof


Hypothesis (Examples)May be posed as a question

statement or IfThen assertion

Question Is over-fishing causing a decline in the stocks of Cod in the North Atlantic

Statement Over-fishing affects the stocks of cod

IfThen Assertion If over-fishing is causing a decline in the numbers of Cod reducing the amount of trawlers will increase cod stocks

Key Concepts in Most ResearchTOPIC 1048774 QUESTION 1048774 DESIGN 1048774 OBJECT 1048774

SITE 1048774 METHOD

Source httpwwwmcguire-spickardcomFieldingSix20Key20Concepts20in20Social20Researchpdf

What is a Research Topic The research topic is the general subject

of your research -- what it is about


What is a Research Question A research question is the key element in

any serious research What is the specific question or problem that needs a response


What is the Research Design

There are different research designs (refer back to slides 5 amp 6) that generally fall under two types of design categories

Two Design types

Qualitative (requires subjective interpretation of various types of data including literature and visual rhetoric and it is not ldquopreemptiverdquo

Preemptivendashpre-planned

Researcher engaged in fieldwork and processes information gained through field experience)

NOTE The hypothesis or hypotheses come at the end of the process

Quantitative (requires gaining a large sample size and is carefully designed and reflects a more objective analysis of the sample)

Goal Numberial data and statistical information that yields OBJECTIVE Evidence

Source Neill J (28 Feb 2007) httpwilderdomcomresearchQualitativeVersus QuantitativeResearchhtml


What is the Research Object

Research objectives require responses to these questionsWhat is the purpose of the research What are the hypotheses

Research objectives can be general or specific

How should you state your objectives

Cover the different aspects of the problem and its contributing factors in a coherent way and in a logical sequence

Are clearly phrased in operational terms specifying exactly what you are going to do where and for what purpose

Are realistic considering local conditions and

Use action verbs that are specific enough to be evaluated Examples of action verbs are to determine to compare to verify to calculate to describe and to establishAvoid the use of vague non-action verbs such as to appreciate to understand or to study

Source httpwwwidrccaenev-56599-201-1-DO_TOPIChtml

What is a Research SiteThe research site is the place where one conducts investigations A researcher usually chooses a site based on the research question


What is the Research Method

Research method comes last

Research method depends on all of the other elements especially on research objects

Various fields have research

methodologies (methods) typically used to conduct research


What is the Population The group of subjects

selected for a study

The group is selected based on the likelihood that the study might impact that group or a group possessing characteristics comparable to the population

Source httpwwwajronlineorgcgicontentfull1775993

Population sample ndash Target vs Study population

TARGET POPULATION ndash the larger group to which we want IDEALLY to apply the study though at the time of the study that is most likely a group too large to study It consists of all of the people animals or other subjects in the world or a nation that researchers ant to apply results

STUDY POPULATION ndash the group to which we can actually or realistically apply the study results

Sample ndash The subset of the study population (specific group of individual subjects) that the researcher studies tests or analyzes for the purpose of data collection Based on the census information collected the sample may be selected

Researchers may take a Census (collect numerical or informational data on each member) of the population study population or sample


What is reliability repeatability or consistencyldquo of a measure Measures are

categorized as reliable if the measures give the same result(s) each time they are tested

There are various types of reliability Two often referenced types of reliability are

Test-retest reliability (measures consistency of test results over a period of time)-- Subjects are retested to see if they consistently respond the same way or at the same level

Internal Consistency Reliability

Used to assess the consistency of results that items in a test yield (Do the items of the tests tend to garner or motivate the same responses or reactions from different subjects)

Is control group too controlled to yield a useful resultSource httpwwwsocialresearchmethodsnetkbreliabltphp

What is validity Two kinds Internal validity ndash impact that changing cause

or criterion variables (independent variables) has on the result (dependent variable)

External validityApplicability of the results of the study are to groups outside the controlled experimentalresearch site or population (Is the study to limited to be truly useful and has wide-ranging usability)

What is correlation In quantitative research the correlation

coefficient is between 0 and 1 and helps measure trends

A 10 correlation coefficient is the ideal and reflects a strong relationship between the predicted and the actual situation

The closer to 1 the coefficient the greater the ability to forecast outcomes

What is a variableA characteristic or factor of a particular

subject is a variable

What is a variable -- Two categories1 Dependent variable (y)

The dependent variable is often referred to as the outcome (effect) or criterion variable

It is the change or difference in thisvariable that the researcher studies

Sample Topic How teenrsquos attitudes change as a result of peer-peer mentoring

What is a variable -- Two categories

2 Independent variable (x)The independent variable is also referred to as the cause or experimental variable

An independent variable ldquo stands alone and isnt changed by the other variables you are trying to measure For example someones age might be an independent variablerdquo (ncesedu)

It can cause dependent variables to change

Source httpncesedgovnceskidshelpuser_guidegraphvariablesasp

THE END Please complete the

academic seminar evaluation form and submit to the SSS staff

Feel free to suggest workshop titles to the SSS staff

Have a great learning experience here at Troy University

Objective To help students gain understanding of

terms related to academic research

To help enhance studentsrsquo ability to readunderstand research compiled by other writers

To help prepare students to engage in the academic research research writing process






































SITE 1048774 METHOD










Two Design types






































































































SITE 1048774 METHOD










Two Design types









































































Two Design types

































































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