LCSW Research Terms

Systematic investigations that include inductive, in-depth, studies of individuals, groups organizations, or communities; focuses on the why and how of decision making to better understand human behavior

This is a factor that can be varied or manipulated in an experiment.

The degree to which an instrument measures the characteristic being investigated

Systematic investigations that include descriptive or inferential statistical analysis

Systematic Research inquires made without complete controls (No randomization, control or intervention group)

In social research, the concept concerned with the extent to which a procedure is able to measure the quality it is intended to measure.

The phenomenon or reaction to be tested or measured when a new stimulus, condition or treatment is introduced.

The extent to which study findings can be generalized beyond the sample used in the study.

A questionnaire or other data-gathering instrument administered to a subject just before a period of inquiry that provides a baseline for comparison and the end results

Research conducted under carefully controlled conditions selected and systematically compared with control group, with treatment variables being introduced to the experimental group but not the control group, and the use of statistical analysis to determine if significant differences occur between the groups observed.

A research procedure often used in clinical situations to evaluate the effectiveness of an intervention; the behavior of an individual client is used as a comparison and a control

The degree to which different people give similar scores for the same observations; refers to the consistency of a measure.

The middle score

Repeated testing of the same phenomenon or group of subjects over an extended period

The extent to which the effects detected in a study are truly caused by the treatment or exposure in the study sample, rather than being due to other biasing effects of extraneous variables.

A type of study designed used to explore or gain insights into a phenomenon

The value that occurs most frequently

The use of chance procedures in psychology experiments to ensure that participant has the same opportunity to be assigned to any given group.

The process of searching published work to find out what is known about ta research topic

The average value or measure of central tendency

A mutual relation; a pattern of variation between two phenomena in which change in one is associated with change in the other

In research, a collection of subjects who are matched and compared with a control group in all relevant respects, except that they are also subject to a specific variable being tested

A Statement that no relationship exists between study variables.

A procedure for testing and validating a questionnaire or other instrument by administering it to a small group of respondents from the intended test population; The procedure helps determine whether the test times possess the desired qualities of measurement and the ability to discriminant other problems before the instrument is put to widespread use.

A questionnaire or other data-gathering instrument administered to a subject at the end of a specific period of inquiry.