Identifying the Inquiry & Stating the Problem

These flashcards cover the key vocabulary and concepts for identifying the inquiry and stating the problem in Practical Research 2, including research titles, background context, research questions, and scope/delimitation.

Preliminary Research

The second step in developing a research topic that involves reading articles, journals, and studies to understand the topic better and noting how researchers collected data.

Research Title

A 5 to 15-word accurate description of the subject and scope that includes the main dependent and independent variables while avoiding unnecessary phrases like “The study of.”

Italicized Full Scientific Names

A guideline for research titles requiring that scientific names be written out completely and styled in italics.

Background of the Study

The introductory part of a paper that informs the reader of the context, rationale, and research gap while justifying the need for the study.

Context

The situation or circumstances within which a research topic was conceptualized.

General Context

The flow of the background of the study that introduces a broad issue or phenomenon using facts, trends, or statistics.

Specific Context

The part of the background that narrows the discussion to a target population, location, or setting.

Research Gap

An under or unexplored area of a topic, such as variables, conditions, population, or methodology, that requires further exploration.

Quantitative Research Problem

A problem that describes trends and patterns of a phenomenon with precision and specificity.

Feasible

A characteristic of a good research question where the study is possible regarding time, energy, money, and respondents.

Ethical

A characteristic of a good research question that considers the welfare of subjects and avoids physical or psychological harm.

Descriptive Research Questions

Questions focusing on observing and reporting factors, typically using phrases like “how often,” “how many,” or “to what extent.”

Correlational Research Questions

Questions designed to determine the relationships among two or more variables, often beginning with “Is there a significant relationship.”

Ex Post Facto Research Questions

Questions that attempt to identify the causes of a phenomenon where the cause already exists before the study is conducted.

Experimental Research Questions

Questions that provide explanations for causal relationships brought about by the manipulation or control of variables during a study.

Scope

A component of the study that specifies the coverage, such as variables, population or participant, and timeline.

Delimitation

A component of the study that cites factors, populations, or areas that are not included or are excluded from the research.

Locale of the Study

A component of the scope and delimitation that identifies where the data gathering will take place.

Researcher-made questionnaire

The research instrument used in a quantitative descriptive research design to collect data from selected respondents.