ENG Tech. Terms

• Research


  A process of systematic inquiry that entails collection of data; documentation of critical information; and analysis and interpretation of that data/information, in accordance with suitable methodologies set by specific professional fields and academic disciplines
• Research


  Conducted to evaluate the validity of a hypothesis or an interpretive framework; to assemble a body of substantive knowledge and findings for sharing them in appropriate manners; and to generate questions for further inquiries
• Abstract


  A brief overview of a research study
• Applied Research


  Conducted to generate knowledge that influences or improves practice
• Conceptual Definition


  A variable, such as anxiety, may be defined as a feeling of uneasiness
• Concepts


  The building blocks of theories
• Constitutive definition


  The basic, dictionary meaning
• Control group


  In experiments, the one that does not get the treatment
• Correlational study


  A type of research design that depicts a relationship between variables, but not necessarily one of cause-effect
• Data


  Information used as a basis for reasoning, discussion, or calculation
• Delimitation


  It addresses how the study will be narrowed in scope
• Dependent variable


  The concept that the researcher is most interested in understanding
• Descriptive study


  Research design that describes "what is" e.g. a survey
• Experiment


  A research design used to find "cause-effect" relationships the "effect of…on…"
• Experimental Group


  The one that gets the treatment
• External validity


  How generalizable the results are as it concern other populations and locations
• Extraneous


  Variables that may influence or contaminate the data
• Heterogeneous


  Groups under study are very different or varied
• Homogeneous


  Groups that are very similar
• Independent variable


  The concept being studied that usually indicates the influence or cause; the one that the researcher is manipulating
• Hypothesis


  A statement written by the researcher that states the relationship among or between variables
• Inductive Reasoning


  The basis for the qualitative research approach
• Deductive Reasoning


  Depends on premises and is the basis for the quantitative research approach
• Internal validity


  The extent to which a study measures what it is supposed to measure (accuracy within a study)
• Introduction


  Establishes the scope, context and significance of the research to be conducted
• Limitations


  Identify potential weaknesses of the study
• Measures of central tendency


  Averages e.g. the mean
• Mean


  The arithmetic average
• Median


  The middle where half the scores fall above, half below, eliminates the influence of outliers
• Methodology


  Systematic approach to the conduct of a process. It includes steps of procedure, application of techniques, systems of analysis, and the modes of inquiry employed by a discipline
• Mode


  The score that occurs the most
• Null Hypothesis


  The proposition, to be tested statistically, that the experimental intervention has "no effect," meaning that the treatment and control groups will not differ as a result of the intervention. Investigators usually hope that the data will demonstrate some effect from the intervention, thus allowing the investigator to reject the null hypothesis
• Operational definition


  How a term is used in a study
• Participant


  Also called respondents, their characteristics and responses are the object of study in research
• Principle investigator


  The person who oversees a research
• Population


  The target group under investigation. The population is the entire set under consideration. Samples are drawn from population
• Purpose of the study


  Specific research aims and objectives for the research
• Random by chance


  Everybody has the same chance of being assigned to any group
• Qualitative Research


  Trying to verify or generate descriptive theory that is grounded in the data gleaned from the investigation (naturalistic)
• Quantitative Research


  Answer a specific research question by showing statistical evidence that the data may be addressed in a particular way (experimental)