CCJ 355 Exam 1

research methods

tools, techniques, and procedures that researchers use to ask and answer questions

4 ways to collect data besides research

1. authority, 2. tradition and custom, 3. common sense, 4. media

exploratory research

find out what is happening

descriptive research

documents trends and describes social phenonema

evaluation research

assess efficiency or effectiveness of a program

explanatory

attemepts to find cause for social trends

research as a verb

follow a logical process that uses concepts, principles, and techniques to produce knowledge

research as a noun

collection of information that represents knowledge about a particular topic

pure research

conducted for purpose of expaning the body of knowledge

applied research

intended to collect the information necessary to solve a specific problem

action research

type of applied research that involces practitioners in research design and implementation and evaluation of results

4 objectives of research process

1. answer research question, 2. resolve disagreements among researchers, 3. fill in gaps in body of knowledge, 4. produce more research questions

step 1 of research process

ask a research question

step 2 of research question

cinduct a literature review

step 3 of research process

refine research questions

step 4 of research process

define the concepts

step 5 of research process

create the measures

conceptualization

defining variables

operationalization

defining how to measure what you defined

step 6 of research process

design a method

step 7 of research process

collect the data

step 8 of research process

analyze the data

probability sampling strategy

everyone has equal chance to be picked

non-probability sampling strategy

not random, unequal chance to be picked

priori assumption

before the fact assumption

step 9 of research process

interpret the data

step 10 of research process

communicate the findings

statistically signiificant

there is a strong relationship/correlation

variable

any characteristic of an individual, group, organization, or social phenomena that changes

hypothesis

predictive statement that predicts how a change in one variable will cause change in another

independent variable

causal variables, leads to another variable changing

dependent variable

variable that changes because of the IV

variable attributes

characteristics within the variables

exhaustiveness

complete list of all possible attributes

mutually exclusive

distinctive and do not overlap

null hypothesis

statement that alleges no plausible connection between variables

alternative hypothesis

how you predict your research will turn out

ethics

ensuring research follows morals and values

do no harm

never do anything that hurts another person or puts them in danger

3 categories: physical, psychological, and legal

ensure privacy

protect the privacy of particpants and research

confidentiality

keeping things between researcher and participant

anonymity

stays anonympus to everyone

obtain voluntary and informed consent

subject agrees to particpate without influence, pressure or force. participant is aware of reseeach expectations and how to information will be collected

Get permission

vulnerable populations: children, elderly, mentally ill, and prisoners

avoid sponsership bias and suppression

sponsership bias: occurs when sponser tries to influence design or results, suppression: when sponser gets results and refuses to disclose them to the public

prevent misrepresentation

research fraud, plagarism, or deception

ensure safety of researcher

the researcher is not put in harms way