Lecture Notes Vocabulary

Flashcards for vocabulary review from lecture notes.

Serendipity

A potential source for research topics involving chance and good outcomes.

Literature Review

A written summary of articles, books, and other documents that describes the past and current state of knowledge about a topic.

Literature Review

One of the most exciting and significant aspects of doing research, often misconceived and undervalued.

Literature Review

Used to justify the importance of the research problem.

Literature Review

Used at the beginning of a quantitative study to refine research questions.

Research Article Title

Describes what the study is all about.

Abstract

A brief summary of the problem of interest to the researcher, typically 120-150 words.

Introduction/Literature Review

Gives background of the research topic and explains why it is important.

Purpose of the Study

Explains the aim of the study, hypothesis, or research question.

Methodology/Procedures/Research Design

Describes in detail what actions the author took to carry out the study.

Major Findings/Results/Analysis/Discussion

Describes the outcome of the study.

Summary/Conclusion/Ideas for Future Studies/Implication

Highlights major findings of the study and identifies gaps, addressing areas for further research.

Works Cited/References/Acknowledgments

An organized list in literary format.

Search Engine

A computer program that searches documents, especially on the web, for specified words.

Database

A large collection of data organized especially for rapid search and retrieval.

Research Gap

A question or problem that has not been answered by existing research.

Evidence Gaps

Results from studies allow for conclusions in their own right, but are contradictory when examined from a more abstract point of view.

Knowledge Gap

Desired research findings do not exist.

Practical-Knowledge Gap

Professional behavior or practices deviate from research findings or is not covered by research.

Methodological Gap

A variation of research methods is necessary to generate new insights.

Empirical Gap

Research findings or propositions need to be evaluated, or empirically verified.

Theoretical Gap

Theory should be applied to certain research issues to generate new insights.

Population Gap

Research regarding a population that is not adequately represented or under-researched.

Variable

Condition or character that can take on different values or categories.

Independent Variable

Variables that researchers manipulate to observe effects on dependent variables.

Dependent Variable

The variable that is measured or observed, affected by changes in the independent variable.

Control Variable

Variables that are kept constant to prevent them from influencing the outcome.

Confounding Variable

An outside variable that affects both the independent and dependent variables, skewing results.

Extraneous Variable

Variables other than the independent variable that could affect the dependent variable.

Moderator Variable

A variable that affects the strength or direction of the relationship between the independent and dependent variables.

Mediator Variable

A variable that explains the process through which the independent variable affects the dependent variable.

The Problem and Its Background

Presents a brief discussion of the rationale and background of the problem or subject of inquiry.

Statement of the Problem

Refers to the question that the research seeks to answer.

Minor or Sub-Problems

Problems implicitly contained in the major problem that guide data collection.

Significance of the Study

The degree to which the expected outcomes are important and relevant.

Scope and Limitations of the Study

Parameters or boundaries of the research established by factors other than the researcher.

Scope

Spells out the context of the study in terms of subject, concepts, and specific characteristics.

Limitations

Anticipated shortfalls and specific constraints in the study.

Literature Review

Pertinent readings, published or unpublished, that describe current knowledge of a problem.

Conceptual or Theoretical Literature

Non-research reference materials written by authorities on the subject.

Research or Empirical Literature

Studies, researches, theses, and dissertations that have a bearing on the current research.

Primary Sources

Information and data taken directly from the original research or author.

Secondary Sources

Materials taken from a researcher or author who cited the original author.

Synthesize the Literature

Involves comparing, contrasting, and merging separate pieces of information into one coherent whole.

Chronological Organization

Group and discuss sources in order of their appearance.

Thematic Organization

Discuss sources in terms of themes, topics, important concepts, or major issues.

General to Specific Organization

Discuss general material first, then material most closely related to the study.

Summarization

Highlights and clarifies the main points of a section.

Emphasizing Relatedness

Entails linking studies together by comparing similarities and differences among them.

Theoretical Framework

Presents a theory upon which the study is anchored.

Conceptual Framework

Presents constructs specific and well-defined to guide the researcher.

Research Paradigm

A diagrammatic representation of a conceptual framework.

Definition of Terms

Explaining the meaning of terms or variables as they are used in the study.

Conceptual Definition

A definition that is universally understood and based on dictionary or encyclopaedia.

Operational Definition

The researcher's own definition of terms as used in the study; concrete and measurable.

Lexical Definitions

Definitions taken from authorities on the subjects or terms being defined.

Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger

To remove extreme poverty and hunger.

Achieve universal primary education

All children complete primary school.

Promote gender equality and empower women

Ending all discrimination against women and girls.

Reduce child mortality

All children have the right to a healthy life.

Improve maternal health

Women have the reproductive care they need to deliver healthy babies.

Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases

Stopping the spread of deadly diseases.

Ensure environmental sustainability

Protecting our planet for future generations.

Global partnership for development

The nations of the world working together to end poverty

Boolean operators

A syntax term used in the search line to precisely help the computer to identify more precisely the articles of value to a specific search

Sexting

Sending, receiving or forwarding of sexually explicit messages, photographs or images primarily via mobile phones but it may also include the use of a computer or any digital device

Hypothesis

A tentative conclusion or answer to a specific problem raised at the beginning of the investigation. It is an educated guess about the answer to a specific problem.

Variables

The condition or characteristic that can take on different values or categories.

Independent Variable

Variables that are foundational to the structure of research, serving as the factors or conditions that researchers manipulate or vary to observe their effects on dependent variables.

Dependent Variable

The variable that is measured or observed. It is affected by changes in the independent variable.

Control Variable

Variables that are kept constant or unchanging to prevent them from influencing the outcome.

Confounding Variable

An outside variable that affects both the independent and dependent variables, potentially skewing results.

Extraneous Variable

Variables other than the independent variable that could affect the dependent variable. Not all extraneous variables are confounding.

Moderator Variable

A variable that affects the strength or direction of the relationship between the independent and dependent variables.

Mediator Variable

A variable that explains the process through which the independent variable affects the dependent variable.

Hypothesis

A tentative conclusion or answer to a specific problem raised at the beginning of the investigation.

Statistical Hypothesis

A statistical hypothesis stated in null form, indicating no significant relationship or difference between the independent and dependent variables.

The Problem and Its Background

The section in a research paper that presents a brief discussion of the rationale and background of the problem or subject of inquiry.

Statement of the Problem

Refers to the question that the research seeks to answer.

Minor or Sub-Problems

Questions implicitly contained in the major problem, supporting the major problem and guiding data collection.

Significance of the Study

The importance, responsiveness, or relevance of the expected outcomes of the investigation.

Scope and Limitations of the Study

Parameters or boundaries of the research established by factors or people other than the researcher.

Scope

The context of the study in terms of subject, concepts, and specific characteristics.

Limitations

Anticipated shortfalls and specific constraints in the study.

Literature Review

List of pertinent readings, published or unpublished, that describe current knowledge of a problem.

Conceptual or Theoretical Literature

Non-research reference materials written by authorities on the subject.

Research or Empirical Literature

Studies, researches, theses, and dissertations that have a bearing on the current research.

Primary Sources

Information and data taken directly from the original research or author.

Secondary Sources

Materials taken from a researcher or author who cited the original author.

Synthesize the Literature

Literature which involves comparing, contrasting, and merging separate pieces of information into one coherent whole.

Chronological Organization

Organizing sources based on their appearance (usually publication), useful for historical research.

Thematic Organization

Organizing sources based on themes, topics, important concepts, or major issues.

General to Specific Organization

Organizing sources moving from the comprehensive to the specific to provide a full perspective.

Summarization

Literature that highlights and clarifies the main points of a section.

Emphasizing Relatedness

Literature that links studies together by comparing similarities and differences among them.

Theoretical Framework

A framework that presents a theory upon which the study is anchored.

Conceptual Framework

A framework that presents constructs specific and well-defined to guide the researcher.

Research Paradigm

A diagrammatic representation of a conceptual framework.

Definition of Terms

The process of explaining the meaning of terms or variables as they are used in the study.

Conceptual Definition

A definition that is universally understood, often found in dictionaries or encyclopaedias.