The Process of Research

Question 1

What is the first phase of the research process?

Answer 1

Thinking

Question 2

What occurs during the thinking phase of the research process?

Answer 2

Identifying problem and purpose

Reviewing literature

Question 3

What is the second phase of the research process?

Answer 3

Planning

Question 4

What occurs during the planning phase of the research process?

Answer 4

Choosing study design and planning approach to sample, data collection, etc.

Question 5

What is the third phase of the research process?

Answer 5

Implementing

Question 6

What occurs during the implementing phase of the research process?

Answer 6

Recruiting participants and collecting data.

Question 7

What is the fourth phase of the research process?

Answer 7

Analyzing

Question 8

What occurs during the analyzing phase of the research process?

Answer 8

Analyze data and interpret findings.

Question 9

What is the fifth phase of the research process?

Answer 9

Informing

Question 10

What occurs during the informing phase of the research process?

Answer 10

Disseminating results (journal articles, presentations, etc.)

Question 11

What are two of the most common paradigms for research?

Answer 11

Positivist

Constructivist

Question 12

How can we categorize research into levels? (What are the levels?)

Answer 12

Descriptive
Correlational
Quasi-experimental
Experimental

Question 13

What are the three methods of categorizing research (three different research “methods”)

Answer 13

Quantitative
Qualitative
Mixed methods

Question 14

What are three different categories we can categorize research by?

Answer 14

Paradigm
Levels
Methods

Question 15

What are some things that distinguish quantitative research? (apart from qualitative research)

Answer 15

Test theory (compared to develops theory)
Control (compared to shared interpretation)
Instruments (compared to communication and observation)
Numbers (compared to words)
Statistical analysis (compared to interpretation)
Generalization (compared to uniqueness)

Question 16

What are some things that distinguish qualitative research? (apart from quantitative research)

Answer 16

Develops theory (compared to test theory)
Shared interpretation (compared to control)
Communication and observation (compared to instruments)
Words (compared to numbers)
Interpretation (compared to statistical analysis)
Uniqueness (compared to generalization)

Question 17

What are some quantitative research designs?

Answer 17

Randomized clinical trial (RCT)
Evaluation research
Survey research
Secondary Analysis
MetaAnalysis

Question 18

What are some qualitative research designs?

Answer 18

Phenomenology
Ethnography
Grounded theory
Historical theory
MetaSynthesis

Question 19

How can one tell a qualitative study from a quantitative study?

Answer 19

Qualitative studies, have no numbers other than sometimes a single table describing participant characteristics (ie age, gender). Qualitative studies may have “word tables” or diagrams illustrating processes inferred from the narrative information

Quantitative studies have several tables with numbers and statistics.

Question 20

What is the difference between the role of the researcher in an experimental study vs a non-experimental study?

Answer 20

Experimental: Researcher manipulates or controls variable(s) and observes effect in other variable(s). Evaluates cause and effect relationship.

Nonexperimental: Describes or looks at relationship(s) or correlation between variable(s). Variables are not manipulated by the researcher.

Question 21

What is the person contributing information called in a quantitative study?

Answer 21

Subject, study participant, respondent

Question 22

What is the person contributing information called in a qualitative study?

Answer 22

Study participant, informant, key informant

Question 23

What is the person undertaking the study called in a quantitative study?

Answer 23

Researcher, investigator, scientist

Question 24

What is the person undertaking the study called in a qualitative study?

Answer 24

Researcher, investigator

Question 25

What is that which is being studied called in a quantitative study?

Answer 25

Concepts, constructs, variables

Question 26

What is that which is being studied called in a qualitative study?

Answer 26

Phenomena, concepts, topics

Question 27

What is the system of organizing concepts called in a quantitative study?

Answer 27

Theory, theoretical/conceptual framework, conceptual model

Question 28

What is the system of organizing concepts called in a qualitative study?

Answer 28

Theory, theoretical/conceptual framework

Question 29

What is the information gathered called din a quantitative study?

Answer 29

Data (numeric)

Question 30

What is the information gathered called in a qualitative study?

Answer 30

Data (narrative description)

Question 31

What are the links between concepts called in a quantitative study?

Answer 31

Relationships (casual, correlational)

Question 32

What are the links between concepts called in a qualitative study?

Answer 32

Patterns of association

Question 33

What are the logical reasoning processes in a quantitative study?

Answer 33

Deductive reasoning

Question 34

What are the logical reasoning processes in a qualitative study?

Answer 34

Inductive reasoning

Question 35

What is the quality of evidence called in a quantitative study?

Answer 35

Reliability, validity, generalizability

Question 36

What is the quality of evidence called in a qualitative study?

Answer 36

Trustworthiness

Question 37

What are variables called (what types of variables) in a quantitative study?

Answer 37

Independent, dependent, extraneous

Question 38

What is an independent variable?

Answer 38

Presumed cause, or influence on dependent variable.

Question 39

What is a dependent variable?

Answer 39

Outcome, consequence

Question 40

What is an extraneous variable?

Answer 40

Confounding variable - other factors/causes that impact the dependent variable

Question 41

What are variables called in qualitative studies?

Answer 41

Phenomena | concept

Question 42

What is the conceptual definition of a quantitative study?

Answer 42

Independent and dependent variables need to be operationalized - specify the procedures and tools required to measure the variable.

Question 43

What is the conceptual definition of a qualitative study?

Answer 43

Phenomenon being studied need to be conceptually defined - clarify the abstract or theoretical meaning of the concept being studied.

Question 44

What are the tools/instruments in quantitative studies?

Answer 44

How variables are measured - device that researchers use to collect data - questionnaires, surveys, scales, etc.

Question 45

What are the tools/instruments in qualitative studies?

Answer 45

Interview guide, observation

Question 46

What is the preliminary stage of reading research? (What occurs during this stage)

Answer 46

Read to gain familiarity - focus on title and abstract; skim rest

Question 47

What is the comprehensive stage of reading research? (What occurs during this stage)

Answer 47

Read to gain understanding - understand researcher's intent, methods, and the findings.

Question 48

What are the steps of critical reading of research?

Answer 48

Critical read to analyze and critique Analysis and Synthesis

Question 49

What is analysis (when reading research critically to analyze and critique)

Answer 49

Analysis - break the content into parts to understand each aspect of the study.

Question 50

What is synthesis (when reading research critically to analyze and critique)

Answer 50

Synthesis - pulling together or combining parts into a whole - to make sense of it and explain relationships.

Question 51

What is contained in the abstract of a research report?

Answer 51

Overview of the study

Question 52

What is contained in the introduction of a research report?

Answer 52

Background to the problem Literature review Theoretical/conceptual framework Identify research questions and purpose of study

Question 53

What is contained in the methods section of a research report?

Answer 53

Describe research design and sample Describe data collection Instruments used

Question 54

What is contained in the results section of a research report?

Answer 54

Describe data analysis procedures | Present findings

Question 55

What is contained in the discussion section of a research report?

Answer 55

Major findings Limitations Conclusions, implications, recommendations

Question 56

What is at the end of every research report?

Answer 56

References