TERM 1 - GRADE 12 RESEARCH

Quantitative research designs:

They are research techniques used to gather quantitative data that can be sorted, classified, and measured.

Observation studies

• The emphasis is placed on specific quantifiable factor of behaviour

• Researchers are quiet spies

• Rating scales, raters, and defining of behaviour may be used as strategies for this type

Correlation Research

• Explores association between two or more quantifiable variables in a group

• Researchers are connecting the dots in the map

Survey Research

• Also called as normative survey, collecting data from small or large population through answering research questions

• Researchers are interviewers in this type of research

HIGH CASUAL VALIDITY

Refers to the degree to which a study can confidently show that one variable causes another variable, rather than merely being associated with it.

Pre Experimental Design

• It is the weakest among the 3 experimental research designs

• One group pretest post test design and static group comparison

• This is still sometimes used in educational research studies

One Group Pretest Post test

A research design in which a single group is measured before and after a treatment or intervention to determine whether any change has occurred.

Format: Pre test, intervention, posttest. 

Static Group Comparison Design

A research design that compares two existing groups, where one group receives a treatment, and the other does not. The groups are randomly assigned, and there is no pretest.

Format: Treatment group - posttest, control group - posttest

True experimental research design

• Also called randomized design and most accurate form of experimental research design.

• Relies on statistical analysis to support or reject a hypothesis

• Can be implemented with or without pre-test administered on two randomly assigned groups

POST TEST ONLY CONTROLLED GROUP

• Participants are randomly assigned to groups

• Only a pst test is conducted after treatment

• Useful when pretesting may influence results

PRE TEST, POST TEST CONTROL GROUP

• Participants are randomly assigned to an experimental group and a control group

• Both groups take a pre test and post test

• Only the experimental group receives the treatment

SOLOMON FOUR GROUP DESIGN

• Combines the first two designs

• Uses four groups to control for the effect of pretesting

• Considered highly reliable but more complex

Quasi experimental design

• The same with true experimental but lacks the random assignment of subjects

• Particularly applied to fields where random assignment is not needed or irrelevant

• Researchers, whenever possible, should avoid the use of this design