Research terminologies

• Research is a scientific, systematic, controlled, orderly and objective investigation to develop, refine and expand body of knowledge.
• ABSTRACT clear, concise summary that communicates the essential information about the study. 
• ABSTRACT In research journals, it is usually located at the beginning of an article
• DATA Units of information or any statistics, facts, figures, general material, evidence, or knowledge 
• VARIABLES Attributes or characteristics that can have more than one value, such as height or weight. 
• RESEARCH VARIABLE Qualities, Properties or Characteristics which are observed or measured in a natural setting 
• OPERATIONAL DEFINITION the researcher defines the variables under investigation
• CONCEPT Refers to a mental idea of a phenomenon
• CONCEPT words or terms that symbolize some aspects of reality. EX. Love, pain.
• CONSTRUCT highly abstract & complex phenomenon ( concept) which is denoted by a made up or constructed term. 
• CONSTRUCT used to indicate a phenomenon that cannot be directly observed but must be inferred by certain concrete or less abstract indicators of the phenomenon. E.g. self esteem.
• PROPOSITION a statement or assertion of the relationship between concepts. E.g., relationship between anxiety and performance.
• CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK Interrelated concepts or abstractions that are assembled together in some rational scheme by virtue of their relevance to a common theme.
• CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK It is also referred to as theoretical framework.
• ASSUMPTION research assumptions are tentative affirmations or denials of the research problem.
• HYPOTHESIS predicted relationship between two or more variables in a research study
• HYPOTHESIS an educated or calculated guess by the researcher.
• LITERATURE REVIEW critical summary or research on a topic of interest, generally prepared to put a research problem in context or to identify gaps and weaknesses in prior studies so as to justify a new investigation.
• LIMITATIONS Restrictions in a study that may decrease the credibility and generalizability of the research findings.
• MANIPULATION intervention or treatment introduced by the researcher in an experimental or quasi experimental study
• POPULATION The entire set of individuals or objects having some common characteristic(s) 
• RESEARCH SETTING The study setting is the location in which the research is conducted.
• SAMPLE part or subset of population selected to participate in the research study.
• SAMPLING process of selecting sample from the target population to represent the entire population.
• PROBABILITY SAMPLING selection of subjects or sampling units from a population using random procedure.
• RELIABILITY degree of consistency or accuracy with which an instrument measures the attributes it is designed to measure. 
• VALIDITY The degree to which an instrument what it is intended to measure.
• ANALYSIS Method of organizing, sorting, and scrutinizing data in such a way that research question can be answered or meaningful inferences can be drawn.
• PARAPHRASE use one's own words to restate another author's ideas 
• RELEVANCE degree to which information is connected to a particular topic of study
• REVISION review and make alterations to a piece of writing
• REVISION the step that occurs after proofreading, when you go back and make changes to a draft
• FIELD STUDIES Research studies carried out in natural settings, rather than in laboratories, classrooms, or other structured environments
• PROBABILITY likelihood that a phenomenon will occur randomly.