Research definitions
A statement or group of statements that explains and predicts relationships among phenomena
Theory
A characteristic of the participants or situation for a given study that has different values
Variable
A research question where descriptive statistics are conducted and generalized to the larger popuation
Descriptive research question
Data and data collection procedures that are more "subjective"; has to do with characteristics of people or things
Qualitative data
Research conducted in a controlled, structured setting that is not where the participants usually live, work, or receive therapy
Laboratory research
Research that is performed in which there may or may not ever be an application of the knowledge gained
A variable that is presumed to affect or predict the value(s) of another
Independent variable
A research question where the independent variable has two or more groups to be compared
Difference research question
Data anaylsis that involves various methods of coding, categorizing, and assigning meaning to the data, which are usually words and images
Qualitative data analysis
A plan for the research process made prior to the study
A priori planning
Research undertaken with the intent to apply the results to some particular problem
Applied research
A variable that has an infinite (or very large) number of scores or values within a range
Research question that includes more than one independent variable
Complex research question OR Multivariate research question
A type of data analysis that deals with inferential statistics
Quantitative data analysis
Set of statistics which allow the researcher to make generalizations about the population from the sample studied
Inferential statistics
Research approach which uses both qualitative and quantitative methodologies
Mixed methods approach
Titles or names given to the different values of a variable.
Value label
A statement that questions the relationship between variables
Research question
Related ways of thinking about research where knowledge is constructed based upon experiences
Constructivist theoretical framework
Measured characteristic that has only one value in the study
Constant
Research method which uses the best technique to answer a research problem/question.
Pragmatic approach
An independent variable that cannot be manipulated but which is a major focus of the study
Attribute independent variable
A research question where there are two or more variables which are continuous or dichotomous and the focus is on how they covary or if one variable predicts the other
Associational research question
A way of thinking about and conducting quantitative research where a specific plan is developed prior to the study.
Postpositivist theoretical framework
Evidence that the independent variable caused any observed change in the dependent variable
Causation