AP Research Types of Studies

Experimental research

involves designing an experiment by manipulating variables to find how one is affected by certain factors and then performing on different groups to find/assess results
Dependent variable
Independent variable

Control group

Phenomenography/Phenomenology

looks at different viewpoints from the inside and outside of a phenomenon with memory, consciouness, meaning, and image;gains info through interviews

Historical research

examines past events from documents and archives to make conclusions about the present/predictions for the future

needs assessment

identifies what needs to get changed to reach a desired condition and get rid of gaps

case study

in depth studies on people, processes, events, programs,and more; starts from identiying issues and collected with visuals,media, and other traditional methods

content analysis

analyzes materials such as books and movies to identify pattern and themes based on frequency and quantity

grounded theory

using abstract theories from processes, actions, and interactions from participants viewpoints; theories come from data gathered in the field

semiology

a study of signs, symbols,and how their meanings evolve and are altered in different systems

evaluation research

an evaluation of the holistic success(design,implementation,impact) of a program/policy through taking surveys,analyzing stats, and more

narrative research

study focusing on stories people tell about themselves or events; explores the question of who people are and how they change over time

descriptive research

explaining events and situations by their current status; finding correlations from pure observations instead of variables

correlational research

exploring relationships between two aspects/variables without manipulation;looking for natura connections and how extreme they are

delphi research

method usin

ethnographic research

involves immersion into a cultural/social group to study their practices; gives a detailed approach on data collection through interviews and observations

factor analysis

finding correlations between variables to model other variables by breaking them down into smaller subcategories that explain correlations

trend analysis

identifying past patterns from data to make educated predictions for the future