Unit 2

• Deductive reasoning


  A theory based approach that concludes with generalizations made based on research findings
• Inductive reasoning


  Data driven approach that begins with observations and ends with theory construction
• Exploratory research


  Explores an area of interest that very little is known about
• Deductive research


  Describes features and characteristics of a group, event, activity or situation
• Explanatory research


  Explains aspects of a particular social phenomenon
• Evaluation research


  Assesses the need for or the effectiveness of social programs
• Empowerment research


  Examines social settings and conditions to identify key issues and involves stakeholders for the purpose of improvement
• Participatory action research


  A field method involving stakeholders as co-researchers in a collaborative process designed to improve outcomes
• Conduction research steps

  1. Research question - what interests you
  2. Literature review - What is already known about the topic
  3. Narrowed focus - How can you transform your research interest into a study
  4. research design - what is your proposed research design
  5. Data collection - how will you collect your data
  6. Data analysis - what can you do with the data
  7. Draw conclusions - what does the data tell you
  8. Report findings - how can you share what you find
• Ethical conduction of research

  1. Respect for persons
  2. Concern for welfare
  3. Justice
• Qualitative methods 


  Used to better understand social phenomena using inductive reasoning and non-numerical data
• Quantitative methods 


  Used to test hypothesis based on deductive reasoning and numerical data
• Experiment


  A deductive research method for testing a hypothesis through us of a controlled environment and random assignment
• Independent variable


  The presumed cause of a variable that is manipulated in an experiment
• Control group


  Participants in an experiment who are not exposed to the independent variable
• Dependent variable


  The outcome or variable that is measured in an experiment
• Field experiment 


  An experiment design constructed in a real-life setting where the variables of interest occur naturally
• Survey


  A method of gathering options using a questionnaire
• Representative sample 


  A group that closely resembles the population of interest
• Interview 


  A verbal question and answer technique used for obtaining information on a topic
• Secondary analysis of existing data


  A research method used to examine information on a topic of interest that was collected or created by someone other than the researcher for an unrelated purpose
• Content analysis 


  A secondary analysis technique used to systematically examine messages contained in text or portrayed in images
• Discourse analysis


  The use of multiple methods to critically examine the ways in which language is used to convey social constructions and social relations
• Historical analysis


  The examination and interpretation of historical forms of data
• Ethnography


  Fieldwork designed to describe everyday behavior in natural settings
• Systematic observation


  A naturalistic way to collect data on a social group that doesn't involve participation
• Participant observation


  A naturalistic method for collecting systematic data while taking apart in a social group
• Single case design


  Case study research that focuses on only one person organization or event
• Convergent design


  Used at least one qualitative and quantitative method at the same time to compare the different perspectives as part of the overall data integration
• Operationalization


  The process whereby variables are defined in a precise mannerthat is measurable
• Empowerment 


  A type of research that examines social settings and conditions toidentify key issues and involves stakeholders for the purpose ofimprovement
• Evaluation 


  A type of research that assesses the need for or effectiveness ofa social program
• Unstandardized


  A type of interview that has no set format so that the order orwording of questions can be modified.
• Concept


  An abstract idea expressed as a word or a phrase
• Reliability


  There is consistency in the measure for a variable of interest
• Systematic Observation


  A type of observation that is based on a naturalistic but non-participatory method for collecting data on a social group orprocess
• Content analysis 


  The researcher is able to identify a given person’s responses, butpromises not to do so
• Debriefing 


  The later disclosure of all relevant details in cases where researchparticipants cannot be told all of the information ahead of time
• Descriptive


  A type of research that describes features and characteristics of agroup, event, or situation
• Participatory action


  A field of research methods involving stakeholdersas co-researchers in a collaborative process designed to improveoutcomes