Term
| Define the term research. |
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Definition
| The application of a specific set of techniques based on what is often called the "scientific method". |
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Term
| What are some of the distinct steps that are taken in conducting social scientific research? |
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Definition
1. Thorough review of what is already known about the phenomenon in questions ("lit review").
2. Clear statement of the problem and any relevant subproblems.
3. Makes predictions about what is expected to be observed (state hypotheses) and describe how the research is going to be conducted.
4. Once research completed, observations and their relationships to BOTH the problem AND the hypotheses are described
5. Then researcher interprets observations in light of original "knowledge" presented in the lit. review. |
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Term
| What are the 3 common types of variables in social research? |
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Definition
1. Independent
2. Dependent
3. Conntrol |
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Term
| Define an independent variable. |
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Definition
| Those variables that are manipulated or selected by the researcher to cause, influence, or otherwise effect the outcome. Ask "What is the technique the researcher is using to cause change?" |
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Term
| Define dependent variable. |
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Definition
| The variables that are affected or changed as a result of the manipulation of another variable. Ask "What is the researcher attempting to measure or test?" |
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Term
| Define control variables. |
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Definition
| These are possible confounding variables that the researcher attempts to hold constant so that their effects are canceled out or regulated, such as demographic or background characteristics of the subjects of a study. Ask "What is the demographic or background info identified in the purpose statement?" |
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