Research Design, Theory and Ethics

Question 1

What are research ethics?

Answer 1

Principles for the morally responsible treatment of human participants.

Question 2

Name one historical example of unethical research.

Answer 2

Nazi medical experiments or the Stanford Prison Experiment.

Question 3

What are the 3 core ethical principles?

Answer 3

Respect for persons, beneficence, justice.

Question 4

What is beneficence?

Answer 4

Do no harm—minimise risks and maximise benefits.

Question 5

What does justice mean in research ethics?

Answer 5

Fair distribution of benefits and burdens.

Question 6

What is informed consent?

Answer 6

Written, voluntary agreement to participate, with the right to withdraw.

Question 7

Difference between anonymity and confidentiality?

Answer 7

Anonymity = identity unknown; Confidentiality = identity known but protected.

Question 8

What is debriefing?

Answer 8

Explaining the true purpose of a study after participation.

Question 9

What is the TCPS 2?

Answer 9

Canada’s Tri-Council Policy Statement guiding ethical research.

Question 10

What do Research Ethics Boards (REBs) do?

Answer 10

Review and approve research based on TCPS 2.

Question 11

What is theory in research?

Answer 11

A set of explanations for observed patterns.

Question 12

Four criteria for causality?

Answer 12

Rationale (does it make sense to others, association (a measureable relationship), time sequence (X must happen before Y), nonspuriousness( not caused by something else).

Question 13

What is a paradigm?

Answer 13

A worldview or lens through which research is conducted.

Question 14

What is a model in theory?

Answer 14

A tool to predict outcomes using measurable variables.

Question 15

What is positivist theory?

Answer 15

Belief in objective truth; uses deductive, quantitative research.

Question 16

What is interpretive theory?

Answer 16

Belief that reality is socially constructed; uses inductive, qualitative research.

Question 17

What is critical theory?

Answer 17

Focus on power and inequality shaping knowledge and society.

Question 18

What is indigenous theory?

Answer 18

Holistic, relational, and land/community-based knowledge.

Question 19

What is deductive reasoning?

Answer 19

Top-down: theory → hypothesis → data.

Question 20

What is inductive reasoning?

Answer 20

Bottom-up: data → patterns → theory.

Question 21

What is a research design?

Answer 21

A plan outlining the who, what, where, when, why, and how of a study.

Question 22

What is the difference between unit of analysis and unit of observation?

Answer 22

Analysis = what is being studied; Observation = what is being measured.

Question 23

Name four longitudinal designs.

Answer 23

Panel- same people being observed repeatedly
Cohort- different people from the same category (birth year)
Time Series- different people at each time point
Case Study- in depth, often single people over time

Question 24

What is conceptualization?

Answer 24

Defining what you mean by a concept.

Question 25

What is operationalization?

Answer 25

Turning a concept into something measurable.

Question 26

what is a Variable?

Answer 26

a characteristic that varies

Question 27

What is an Indicator?

Answer 27

a measure of a construct

Question 28

what is a construct?

Answer 28

an abstract idea needing measurement

Question 29

Examples of education as a variable:

Answer 29

Dichotomous = 4th year student or not Nominal = field of study Ordinal = course load Interval = GPA Ratio = # of A’s

Question 30

What is reliability?

Answer 30

Consistency of measurement (test-retest, inter-item, etc.).

Question 31

What is validity?

Answer 31

Accuracy—are you measuring what you intend to?

Question 32

Types of validity:

Answer 32

Face = appears valid Content = covers full concept Construct = fits theory Criterion = predicts outcomes

Question 33

What’s the difference between index and scale?

Answer 33

Index = multiple indicators; Scale = intensity from a common cause.

Question 34

What are random errors?

Answer 34

Unpredictable mistakes affecting reliability.

Question 35

What are systematic errors?

Answer 35

Consistent bias affecting validity.

Question 36

What are the two main types of measurement?

Answer 36

Categorical (Qualitative) and Continuous (Quantitative).

Question 37

What is dichotomous measurement?

Answer 37

Two categories only (e.g., Yes or No).

Question 38

What is a nominal variable?

Answer 38

Categories with no logical order (e.g., religion, eye colour).

Question 39

What is an ordinal variable?

Answer 39

Ordered categories (e.g., poor, fair, good health).

Question 40

What is an interval variable?

Answer 40

Equal intervals but no true zero (e.g., temperature in Celsius).

Question 41

What is a ratio variable?

Answer 41

Equal intervals and a true zero (e.g., income, number of children).