Research Methods Flashcards
the degree to which a research tool provides consistency in measurements over time with the same group or type of subjects
reliability
the degree to which a research instrument measures what it is designed to measure
validity
the degree to which you can generalize the findings of a study to other settings, situations, people and measures; can this be applied to a broader context?
External Validity
the degree to which test results may accurately predict outcomes on a criterion measure; GPA used to predict success in higher education
Predictive Validity
measures how well a new test compares to a well established test; used to describe the practice of testing two groups simultaneously
Concurrent Validity
the condition that you change in an experiment; the variable you control
Independent Variable
the condition that you measure in an experiment; assess how this variable reacts to change
Dependent Variable
information that is categorized based on traits and characteristics; cannot be counted, measured or easily expressed using numbers; can be collected through text, audio and images
Qualitative Data
information that can be counted, measured, and expressed using numbers
Quantitative Data
data is gathered from several different individuals at a single point in time; e.g. a nutritionist researching how children ages 3-13 across the US are prone to calcium deficiency
Cross-Sectional Design
subjects are tested over an extended period; e.g. nutritionist researching how a particular diet affects performance over time
Longitudinal Design
two or more groups are made up of people who are different ages and are directly compared over a defined period; e.g. teacher measuring 2 age groups for reading skills, every 6 months for the next 5 years
Cross-Sequential Design
randomly assigns participants into an experimental group or control group; the only expected difference between groups is the outcome variable being studied; teacher measuring different teaching methods for 2 randomized groups
Experimental/Randomized Control Design
participant serves as both the control and the treatment group; e.g. assessing baseline measure of compliance by calling twice a week, after 3 weeks stop calling and measure compliance again
Single Subject Design
establishes a cause-and-effect relationship between independent and dependent variables; e.g. studying symptoms progression of pre-existing therapy groups, with one group trying a new form of therapy
Quasi-Experimental Design
