Research Methods 7050

Determines another variable

Caused by another variable

look at every element

generalize by looking at a few

Bottom - up method that starts with data and moves to a theory. Identifies patterns.

top down - start with a theory and get data

a model or frame of reference through which to observe and understand

something that explains observations, variables

testable expectation about empirical reality that follows from a more general proposition

abstract terms representing common characteristics i.e. user satisfaction

Syphilis study that framed ethical principles such as respect for perseons, beneficence and justice

Institutional Review Board ensures that ethical guildelines are followed - three levels - exempt, expediated and full-review

data is not attached to a real person

Data and person are attached but promise not to release data

Don't know much about subject, preliminary research

data (census)

look at causes, relationship among variables

the what or whom being studied - groups, individuals, dept, organization, social artifact

Erroneously drawing conclusions about individuals solely from the observations of groups

a given characteristic of some population is monitored over time

A study in which some pecific subpopulation or cohort is studied over time, data may be collected from different members in each set of observations

A type of lingitudinal study in which data are collected from the same set of people at several points in time.

One thing directly influences another. A causes B.

Don't know which one is first but they are related

coincidental relationship - ex. shoe size determines math ability

take an abstract idea and get a precise definition ( romantic love)

How to measure concept (i.e. surveys)

aspects of the concepts

an observation that we choose to consider as a reflection of a variable we wish to study

named measurement - i.e. gender

ranked scale no definite measure between intervals

interval is same between (i.e. temperature)

absolute zero (i.e. age)

Same result over and over - consistent (empirical)

Theoretical measure true meaning

noise (variability) human error related inversely to reliability

systemic error

Judging whether it appears to be measuring concept

degree to which a measure covers the range of meanings included within a conept

measure verifiable by future criteria

two different measures have comparable data

Related to each other but is a different concept (like, love)

same test to same group same results

Same test at the same time to two different groups

two observers at the same time

test of whether different indicators of same concept give same result

Each itme treated equally

type of composite measure that summarizes and rank orders several specific observations and represents some more general dimension

composite measure composed of several items that have a logical or empirical structure - likert