Term
| What is the Goal of Descriptive Research? |
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Definition
To describe the world systematically. To describe the characteristics of behaviors of a given population.
Provides information about the physical, social, behavioral, economic or psychological characteristics of a group of people. |
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Term
| What are the four types of descriptive research? |
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Definition
1. Survey
2. Demographic
3. Epidemiological
4. Qualitative |
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Term
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Definition
Surveys are the more common type of descriptive research. They use numbers to describe the world systematically. May be in the form of questionnaires, interviews, or observational techniques.
(ex. Surveys to inquire about people's attitudes, lifestyles, behaviors, and problems). |
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Term
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Definition
Concerned with basic life events. Such as birth, death, marriage, divorce, employment, moving from one place to another.
(ex. Life expectancy, number of children per family, divorce rates, predicting population growth). |
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Term
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Definition
Concerned with disease and public health.
(ex. HIV in children, instances of mental health, alcoholism, the swine flu, male-female mortality ratio, health insurance w/giving birth and after birth practices). |
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Term
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Definition
Not using numbers, looking for consistancies/themes in the data through observations, notes, tapes, and interviews.
(ex. A common response was "we don’t get enough training"). |
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Term
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Definition
| Taking a sample of the population and drawing conclusions from that sample. Problems arrive when the sample is not representative. Needs to be as close to the population as possible. |
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Term
| When does a Sampling Error occur? |
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Definition
When the sample is not representative of the population.
(ex. Landlines being eliminated creates a sampling error because younger generation only uses cell phones). |
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Term
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Definition
| Refers to using random procedures to create the sample. |
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Term
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Definition
| Refers to not using random procedures to create the sample. |
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Term
| What are 3 probability sampling techniques? |
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Definition
1. simple random sampling
2. stratified random sampling
3. cluster sampling |
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Term
| What is a simple random sampling? |
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Definition
| Using a number and taking a sample of students with that number that have student ID #'s with the same number. Or picking 10 names out of a hat. |
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Term
| What is stratified random sampling? |
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Definition
More elaborate than simple random, but still random. Used to make sure you have a representative sample.
(ex. 50% randomly chosen males & 50% randomly chosen females). |
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Term
| What is a cluster sampling? |
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Definition
When clusters/groups are created and sampling from those groups.
(ex. Sampling from 20 different schools[which are clusters]). |
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Term
| What is the problem of nonresponse? |
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Definition
| It makes it difficult for researchers to obtain probability sampling. |
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Term
| What are the 2 non-probability sampling techniques? |
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Definition
1. Convenience sample
2. Quota/purposive sample |
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Term
| What is a convenience non-probablitiy sample? |
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Definition
Not very representative. Taking the easiest sampling. "Sample I have at hand".
(ex. the teacher taking a sampling using the student from her on campus class). |
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Term
| What is a quota or purposive non probability sample? |
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Definition
Selecting people not at random but with a quota.
(ex. 1/3 middle class, 1/3 upper class, 1/3 lower class).
Trying to be representative sampling without being random. |
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Term
| When are qualitative methods appropriate? |
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Definition
| When researchers are doing a study on one child in depth. |
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Term
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Definition
Extended period of time in the setting and immersed in the culture.
(ex. Families, observing in their homes). |
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Term
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Definition
Using participants as informants. Observing and asking them questions.
(ex. Researcher went into high school setting and asked about clicks. How they got into them? Who labeled them? What it meant?).
They're not studying what happens, they're studying what you think about what happens! |
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Term
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Definition
Research used to inform practice and performed in own professional environment.
(ex. evaluate own environment and adjust to make it better). |
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Term
| What are the strengths and weaknesses of qualitative methods? |
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Definition
Strengths: Rich data, in depth, addresses process. (ex. Observations of children in science over time, how they have progressed and developed concepts in science).
Weaknesses: Likely to have an unrepresentative sampling of the larger population. Cannot hold to the same standard of quantitative research. |
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Term
| What are three methods for qualitative research? |
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Definition
1. Observations
2. Interviews
3. Focus Groups |
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Term
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Definition
| Through note taking or video tape. Used frequently and good for young children. |
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Term
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Definition
Start with questions and then ask follow up questions as you go. Then transcribed afterwards.
Then look for themes or codes. |
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Definition
Interviews with groups on a focused question.
(ex. first year teachers and questions about their challenges). |
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