Key Vocab
This is the word for a question a researcher tries to answer through their study.
Research Question
What is the difference between qualitative and quantitative research? Give one example of each.
Quantitative = numerical data (e.g. survey percentages). Qualitative = words, themes, experiences (e.g. interview quotes).
What does SIFT stand for — and what is it used for?
Stop, Investigate the source, Find better coverage, Trace claims. Used to evaluate whether a source is credible and worth using.
What is the difference between a pattern and an anomaly in your data?
Pattern = something that shows up in more than one source or response consistently. Anomaly = something unexpected, contradictory, or that doesn't fit the pattern.
CER stands for Claim, Evidence, Reasoning. What does the CLAIM do?
The claim is your main argument — a direct answer to your research question. It is your thesis statement.
Primary data is data you collect yourself. What do we call data collected by someone else — like a government report or academic study?
Secondary Data
Your research question asks WHY people feel a certain way. Which method is most appropriate — survey or interview? Why?
Interview — because interviews produce qualitative data (stories, explanations) that answer WHY questions. Surveys measure HOW MANY.
A scholar cites their own survey results in their analysis. Is this primary or secondary data?
Primary data — they collected it themselves.
A scholar writes in their WHY column: 'People don't trust banks.' Their teacher marks it as weak. Why?
It restates the pattern instead of explaining the systemic reason. A strong WHY names history, policy, culture, or structural barriers — not just the finding itself.
What is the difference between evidence and reasoning in a CER response?
Evidence = the specific data that proves your claim (numbers, quotes, sources). Reasoning = the explanation of WHY that evidence proves the claim — the logical connection.
This word describes the specific condition or variable your research question is investigating — like 'distrust' or 'social pressure.'
Factor
A scholar conducts a survey AND interviews. What is this approach called?
Mixed Methods
Name three tools scholars used to find secondary sources in this unit.
Any three of: Google Scholar, JSTOR, library databases, FDIC website, government reports, university library.
Give one example of a STRONG WHY explanation for a banking distrust pattern in Little Village.
Example: This pattern exists because of historical exclusion through redlining, banking deserts, and documented discrimination in financial institutions that created generational distrust passed down within Latino families.
A scholar ends their research paper without a counterargument. What is missing — and why does it matter?
Counterargument — acknowledging what might challenge your claim. It matters because it shows analytical depth and intellectual honesty. The IB rewards scholars who engage with complexity.
A research method that asks the same set of questions to many people and produces numbers and percentages.
Survey
Name two things a strong survey question must do.
Any two of: connect to the factor, be measurable, not be answered with just yes/no (for open-ended), avoid leading or biased language, be specific.
What is an annotated bibliography — and what information goes in each entry?
A list of sources with a summary of each source's main argument and its relevance to the research question. Each entry includes citation + summary + connection to the RQ.
A scholar notices that most respondents distrust banks — but one respondent has a positive experience with a Spanish-speaking credit union. What should the scholar do with this information?
Name it as an anomaly. Don't ignore it. Explain what it complicates — that trust may be institution-specific, not universal. This adds depth to the analysis.
What goes in the Limitations section of Step 3?
What the researcher couldn't measure, what would they do differently, what the data doesn't fully answer. Shows the scholar understands the boundaries of their own research.
This IB criterion asks: how well does the scholar think critically and analyze their findings? Name it.
Criterion C -- Critical Thinking
A scholar wants to study saving behaviors in their community but can't collect primary data. What should they do — and what is this called?
Use secondary data analysis — find and analyze existing research, reports, and data sources from their literature review.
A scholar finds a blog post that supports their claim perfectly. Why might they NOT use it as evidence?
A blog is not peer-reviewed or credibly sourced. It may be opinion, not evidence. SIFT: investigate the source — who wrote it, what organization, is it credible?
Step 1 of the Criterion C tracker has four columns. Name all four.
Pattern/Trend You See — Primary Data That Shows This — Secondary Source That Connects — Why Does This Pattern Exist?
A scholar's conclusion says: 'My research showed that people don't trust banks.' Their teacher says it's too weak. What should they add?
They should directly answer the research question with evidence, explain WHY the pattern exists, acknowledge what surprised them, name limitations, and identify what questions remain.