Research Design & Literature Review Fundamentals

Basic Research

Expands knowledge without immediate practical applications.

Applied Research

Solves specific, practical problems using existing knowledge.

Quantitative Research

Collects and analyzes numerical data to identify patterns and trends.

Qualitative Research

Explores subjective experiences and meanings through non-numerical data.

Mixed Methods Research

Combines quantitative and qualitative techniques for a comprehensive view.

Descriptive Research

Details characteristics of a population or phenomenon without exploring causes.

Correlational Research

Examines relationships between variables without implying causation.

Experimental Research

Manipulates variables in a controlled environment to establish cause-and-effect relationships.

Exploratory Research

Investigates little-understood issues to generate ideas and hypotheses.

Explanatory Research

Uncovers reasons behind observed phenomena and underlying mechanisms.

Descriptive Research Question

Describes characteristics and population features.

Comparative Research Question

Compares groups or variables to see differences.

Relational Research Question

Explores relationships and associations between variables.

Causal Research Question

Examines cause-and-effect between variables.

Null Hypothesis (H0)

States there is no relationship or effect between the variables.

Alternative Hypothesis (H1)

Suggests that a relationship or effect is present between variables.

Directional Hypothesis

Anticipates the specific direction of the relationship between variables.

Non-Directional Hypothesis

Recognizes a relationship exists without predicting its direction.

PICOS Criteria

Stands for Population, Intervention, Comparison, Outcome, and Study design.

Boolean Operator 'AND'

Limits search by requiring all combined terms to be present.

Boolean Operator 'OR'

Broadens search by allowing either of the combined terms.

Boolean Operator 'NOT'

Excludes certain terms from the search results.

Snowballing

Searching reference lists of other studies to identify relevant literature.

Grey Literature

Government reports, dissertations, and unpublished work providing essential information.

PRISMA Guidelines

Open-source guidelines designed to support transparent reporting of systematic reviews.

CASP Checklist

Widely used 11-question guideline for critically appraising Randomized Controlled Trials.

Data Saturation

Continuing data collection until no new themes or insights emerge.

Triangulation

Using multiple data sources, methods, or investigators to verify findings.

Member Checking

Sharing interpretations with participants to confirm accuracy and authenticity.

Audit Trail

Detailed record documenting all research decisions, activities, and analytical processes.