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•  AMERICAN PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION (APA)

  • This form of writing research papers is used mainly in the social sciences, like psychology, anthropology, sociology, as well as education and other fields.

  
• Synthesizing

  • Put back together, explain, interpret. 
  • Means you need to explain and provide an original interpretation of what you’ve read by highlighting relationships (or lack thereof), between your sources.
• Argumentative Review

  • This type of literature review examines literature in a selective way in in order to address a specific argument, assumption, or philosophical standpoint that is firmly established in the literature, typically with the goal of developing an alternative viewpoint.
• Argumentative Synthesis

  • You will use information from multiple resources addressing the same topic to argue your own position on that topic. This assignment requires that you make an explicit thesis, or claim, about your topic and use your sources to provide adequate support for your thesis.
• DATA COLLECTION

  • Is a systematic process of gathering observations or measurements.
• Population 

  • All persons or objects which are the focus of the research.
• Sample 

  • Is a subsection of the population identified for research.
  • Acts as a foundation for the target population hypothesis.
• Target Population 

  • The population you are using to generalize the study.
• Correlation

  • Displays whether a negative or positive correlation exists between them and reveals the magnitude and nature of variable relationships.
• Causal

  • Examines the causes and effects of variables.
• Experimental

  • One where a randomly chosen group of respondents is subject to a particular treatment implemented by the researcher to assess the effect of such treatment.
• Descriptive

  • Describes the characteristics of an individual or a group.
• Historical

  • Uses historical information to predict variable behavior.
• Experiment

  • To test a causal relationship.
• Survey

  • To understand the general characteristics or opinions of a group of people.
• Interview/Focus Group

  • To gain an in-depth understanding of perceptions or opinions on a topic.
• Observation

  • To understand something in its natural setting.
• Ethnography

  • To study the culture of a community or organization first-hand.
• Archival research

  • To understand current or historical events, conditions, or practices.
• Secondary data collection

  • To analyze data from populations that you can’t access first-hand.