Chambliss & Schutt Key Terms with Definitions (Ch. 3, 7, 8, 9, 10)

A set of flashcards featuring key terms and their definitions from the lecture notes.

Belmont Report

A 1979 report outlining basic ethical principles in research with human subjects: respect for persons, beneficence, and justice.

Beneficence

An ethical principle from the Belmont Report requiring that research maximize benefits and minimize harm.

Certificate of Confidentiality

A certificate issued to protect the privacy of research subjects by withholding identifying information.

Confidentiality

The assurance that data collected from participants will not be disclosed in ways that violate their privacy.

Debriefing

A process in which researchers explain the purpose and methods of the study to participants after it concludes.

Federal Policy for the Protection of Human Subjects (Common Rule)

U.S. policy requiring IRB review and ethical protections for human research subjects.

Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)

A U.S. law protecting personal health information, which applies to research data.

Institutional Review Board (IRB)

A committee that reviews and approves research involving human subjects to ensure ethical standards.

Justice

An ethical principle from the Belmont Report concerning the fair distribution of research benefits and burdens.

Nuremberg War Crime Trials

Trials post-WWII that highlighted the need for ethical standards in research involving human participants.

Obedience Experiments (Milgram’s)

Research demonstrating the extent to which individuals obey authority figures, raising ethical concerns.

Prison Simulation Study (Zimbardo’s)

An experiment revealing how social roles influence behavior, also noted for ethical violations.

Respect for Persons

A Belmont Report principle requiring informed consent and respect for participant autonomy.

Tearoom Trade

A controversial study on male sexual behavior in public restrooms, criticized for lack of informed consent.

Tuskegee Syphilis Study

An unethical study where treatment was withheld from Black men with syphilis to study disease progression.

Survey

A data collection method using questionnaires or interviews to gather information from a sample.

Closed-ended question

A survey question that provides fixed response options.

Open-ended question

A question that allows respondents to answer in their own words.

Questionnaire

A set of questions used to collect data from respondents.

Double-barreled question

A problematic question that asks about two issues simultaneously.

Fence-sitter

A respondent who chooses neutral options to avoid taking a stance.

Floater

A respondent who gives an opinion when unsure, often influenced by question wording.

Likert-type responses

A scale measuring agreement or disagreement with a statement.

Filter question

A question used to determine if respondents should answer subsequent questions.

Contingent question

A question that depends on a prior response to be asked.

Matrix question

A series of questions with the same response options presented in a table.

Pretest

A trial run of a survey on a small sample to identify problems.

Sampling

The process of selecting a subset of individuals from a population to represent the whole.

Population

The entire group a researcher is interested in studying.

Sample

A subset of a population used to make inferences about the whole.

Sampling frame

A list of all elements in the population from which the sample is drawn.

Element

The individual member of the population being studied.

Sampling unit

The unit considered for selection during sampling.

Census

Data collection from every member of a population.

Probability sampling

Sampling method in which every element has a known, non-zero chance of selection.

Nonprobability sampling

Sampling method where some elements have no chance of selection.

Simple random sample

A sample where every element has an equal chance of selection.

Systematic random sample

A sample drawn by selecting every nth element from a list.

Stratified random sampling

Sampling that divides the population into strata and samples from each.

Cluster sampling

Sampling that involves selecting groups or clusters, then sampling within them.

Availability sampling

A nonprobability sample selected based on convenience.

Quota sampling

A nonprobability method where quotas are set to match population characteristics.

Purposive sampling

Sampling based on the researcher’s judgment of who is most useful or representative.

Snowball sampling

A method where sample members recruit future participants.

Sampling error

The difference between the characteristics of a sample and the population it represents.

Sampling distribution

A statistical distribution of a variable in all possible samples.

Statistical inference

Drawing conclusions about a population based on sample data.

Ethnomethodology

The study of the way people make sense of their everyday social interactions.

Field notes

Detailed notes taken by researchers to record observations during field research.

Field research

A qualitative method involving direct observation of people in their natural environments.

Focus groups

A group interview on a topic guided by a moderator.

Gatekeeper

A person who controls access to a research site or participants.

Intensive (depth) interviewing

A qualitative method that uses open-ended questions to explore participants’ thoughts and experiences.

Jottings

Brief written notes taken during observation to be expanded into field notes later.

Key informant

A knowledgeable participant who provides insight into the group or setting being studied.

Netnography (cyberethnography or virtual ethnography)

Ethnographic research conducted online.

Participant observation

A method where researchers immerse themselves in the setting they are studying.

Qualitative methods

Research methods designed to capture social life as participants experience it.

Reactive effects

Changes in behavior that result from being observed.

Saturation point

The point at which new data no longer adds new insights.

Theoretical sampling

Sampling based on emerging theory, where researchers seek out cases to test or expand the theory.

Mixed methods

Combining qualitative and quantitative methods in a single study.

Triangulation

Using multiple methods to study the same phenomenon for greater validity.

Secondary data analysis

Using existing data for a new analysis.

Big data

Extremely large data sets analyzed computationally to reveal patterns and trends.

Content analysis

A research method for systematically analyzing text, images, or media.

Historical methods

Research using historical documents and records.

Comparative research

A method that compares two or more entities to understand similarities and differences.

Evaluation research

Research that assesses the impact of programs, policies, or products.

Meta-analysis

A statistical technique for combining the results of multiple studies.