Week 2 Philosophical foundations, language and thinking processes

Question 1

Ontology

Answer 1

The study of what exists, and how we understand and categorise the things that exist. What we think is real and exists. What is reality?

Question 2

Epistemology

Answer 2

How we come to have knowledge of the world, and the rules for knowing. What are the ways of discovering what exists?

Question 3

Selecting a research tradition

Answer 3

How do researchers decide on which tradition to use? (PPLP)

1. Purpose of the research
2. Preference for knowing
3. Level of knowledge development
4. Practical considerations

Question 4

Methodology:

Answer 4

Overall framework related to the associated paradigm

Question 5

Methods

Answer 5

Techniques used to collect and analyse data

Question 6

Tools

Answer 6

The devices used to collect data

Question 7

Methodological design:

Answer 7

The plan for conducting the research

Question 8

Experimental type designs

Answer 8

• The research design is the plan that specifies and structures the action processes used to answer the research question
• The purpose of the design is to control or restrict the extraneous influences on the study
• This allows the researcher a degree of certainty that the observations or outcomes of the experimental type research are not random but actually reflect the reality that is being examined

Question 9

Sequence of experimental type research

Answer 9

• Problem statement - Theory - Research question - Design - Data collection - Data analysis - Reporting

Question 10

Concepts:

Answer 10

Words or ideas that symbolically

represent observations and experiences

Question 11

Conceptual definition:

Answer 11

Stipulates the meaning of concepts or constructs in words, the relationship between different concepts or constructs, and the theoretical framework that the concepts or constructs can be seen in

Question 12

Operational definition:

Answer 12

Stipulates how the concepts in the research are observed or experienced which in experimental type research means specification of how the construct will be measured

Question 13

Independent Variable:

Answer 13

Is the cause. Its value is independent of other variables in the research

Question 14

Dependent Variable:

Answer 14

is the effect. Its value depends on changes in the independent variable Intervening (extraneous or confounding)

Question 15

Variable

Answer 15

Is any variable that the research is not investigating that can potentially affect the outcomes of your research study

Question 16

Hypothesis

Answer 16

is a statement that can be tested • indicates what the researcher expects to find • can be directional

Question 17

Positive hypothesis

Answer 17

(both variables increase or decrease) e.g. as temperature increases research exam scores increase

Question 18

Inverse hypothesis

Answer 18

(one variable increases and one variable decreases) e.g. as temperature increases research exam scores decrease

Question 19

Bias

Answer 19

Unintended or unavoidable effects on the study outcomes

• When bias is present and not accounted for the researcher may draw incorrect conclusions from the research

Question 20

Systematic error (or bias) can occur in three different areas of the research design:

Answer 20

• the way participants are selected
• how variables are measured
• the method of data analysis

Question 21

Plan of the design-manipulation

Answer 21

• Manipulation is the action process of altering the independent variable so the effect of its presence, absence or variation can be observed and measured
• Manipulation is usually seen in experimental type designs investigating the effects of an intervention (independent variable) on a defined set of outcomes (dependent variable)

Question 22

Plan of the design-control

Answer 22

• Control is a set of action processes that direct or manipulate factors to achieve an outcome \
• Control in experimental type designs is used to minimize the extraneous influences (intervening variables or bias) on the dependent variable

Question 23

Some ways experimental type designs use control are:

Answer 23

• using established inclusion and exclusion criteria for participants
• using valid and reliable measurement tools
• training research assistants in how to collect data
• the use of a control group -random assignment

Question 24

Validity

Answer 24

Validity refers to the extent to which your study answers the research question

Question 25

Internal validity

Answer 25

Internal validity refers to the extent to which the research design answers the research question accurately

Question 26

External validity

Answer 26

External validity refers to the capacity of the research findings to be generalized to the study population specified in the research question

Question 27

Reliability

Answer 27

Reliability refers to the stability of the research design

• It is linked to properties of reproducibility and consistency

Question 28

Context specificity

Answer 28

• Naturalistic inquiry seeks to understand perspectives
• To do this the researcher will often become involved in the setting where the phenomena being investigated is occurring

Question 29

Perspective of reality

Answer 29

• The underlying epistemology of naturalistic inquiry embraces the concept of multiple realities
• The same information can have different meanings and interpretations causing complexity
• Researchers use inductive and abductive reasoning to analyse these different perspectives and make sense of them

Question 30

Transferability of findings

Answer 30

• Naturalistic inquiry seeks to generate theory
• This theory can be transferred to different groups of people or different settings
• This process is facilitated by the researcher providing a ‘thick’ description of the research
• Transferability refers to the potential relevance of knowledge across settings an/or groups

Question 31

Flexibility

Answer 31

• Naturalistic inquiry designs are fluid and flexible
• Action processes in naturalistic inquiry change as the research progresses
• This flexibility is a characteristic of naturalistic inquiry

Question 32

Emic Perspective

Answer 32

Emic perspective = the insiders understanding and interpretation of the experience (for example, a person with depression)

Question 33

Etic Perspective

Answer 33

Etic perspective = the outsiders understanding and interpretation of the experience (for example, a doctor treating depression)