The Vocabulary of Research
What is Credibility? A researcher’s ability to demonstrate that the study is accurate based on the way the study was conducted.
What is the Data? Recorded observations, usually in numeric or textual form.
What is a Focus Group? A research tool where a small group of people are interviewed as a group for data collection.
What is Generalizability? The extent to which research findings and conclusions from a study can be applied to the population at large.
What is a Hypothesis? A tentative explanation (educated guess) to predict an answer to research question.
What is an Interview? A research tool in which a researcher asks questions of participants; interview are often audio- or video- taped for later transcription and analysis.
What is a Likert scale? A scale used to assess attitude or opinion; subjects respond by indicating how strongly they agree or disagree with a statement provided.
What are Limitations? Natural conditions that restrict the scope of a study and may affect its outcome.
What are Mean, Median, and Mode? Mean- is the averaging of values. Median- is the center score in a distribution. Mode- The most frequent score in a distribution. All are basic forms of statistics.
What is Measurement? The operation that turns data into numbers.
What is the Population The target group under investigation.
What is a Problem? The topic being investigated once it has been refined.
What is a Range? The difference between the highest and the lowest scores in a distribution.
What is a Research Question? A sentence or paragraph that explains the purpose of a given investigation. The purpose of this research was to study ………….
What is Random Sampling? Process used in research to draw a sample of the population strictly by change to be participants in a research.
What is Reliability? An index of the consistency of data or test results; results should very nearly be the same, time after time.
What is a Sample? A group selected from a much larger population.
What is a Standard Deviation? A term used in statistical analysis. A measure of variation between the scores of a distribution and the mean.
What is a Survey? A research tool that includes questions. It’s goal is to gain specific information.
What is a Theory? A set of propositions that explain the data.
What is Validity? The degree to which a measurement instrument measures what it is intended to measure (instrument) The degree to which a research study has true and accurate findings (research)
What is Internal Validity? The degree to which the effects of extraneous variables have been controlled in a study.
What is External Validity? The extent to which findings of a particular study can be generalized elsewhere.
What is a Variable?.Observable characteristics that vary among individuals.
Summary of Vocabulary CredibilityProblem DataRange Focus GroupResearch Question GeneralizabilityRandom Sampling HypothesisReliability InterviewSample Likert ScaleStandard Deviation LimitationsSurvey Mean, Median, & ModeTheory MeasurementValidity PopulationVariable