Lecture 9 – Practical Research 2: Literature Review & Frameworks

Vocabulary flashcards covering key terms from Lecture 9 on Practical Research 2, focusing on literature reviews, conceptual frameworks, hypotheses, and proper citation practices.

Conceptual Framework

A visual or written structure that defines the key concepts, variables, and relationships in a study.

Research Hypothesis

A specific, testable prediction about the expected outcome or relationship between variables in a study.

Literature Review

A critical evaluation and synthesis of existing scholarly works to identify what is known, unknown, and the gap a new study will address.

Higher-Order Thinking Skills

Advanced cognitive processes such as analysis, evaluation, and synthesis used when reviewing scholarly literature.

Gap in the Literature

An unanswered question or under-explored area revealed through critical examination of existing studies.

Academic Skill

A competency—like reviewing and reporting on literature—needed to succeed in scholarly research.

Accumulated Knowledge

The collective findings and insights from previous studies on a given topic.

Replication

Re-conducting a previous study to verify or extend its findings.

Critical Review

An in-depth assessment of literature that highlights strengths, weaknesses, and methodological issues.

Article Title

The specific, descriptive heading of a research paper that signals its focus without revealing results.

Abstract

A concise summary of a research article’s purpose, methods, key results, and conclusions.

Plagiarism

Presenting someone else’s words or ideas as your own without proper citation.

Authority (in Citation)

The credibility added to a statement by formally acknowledging its original scholarly source.

Citation

An in-text reference (e.g., author and year) that points readers to the full source details.

Bibliography / Reference List

A separate section containing full publication information for every source cited in a paper.

Scholarly Journal Article

A peer-reviewed paper presenting original research, theory, or analysis within an academic discipline.

Dissertation

A lengthy, original research document submitted in partial fulfillment of a doctoral degree.

Policy Report

A document produced—often by government or NGOs—summarizing research that informs policy decisions.

Internal Citation Format

A style that places the author’s last name and publication year in parentheses within the text.

E-Journal

An electronic version of a scholarly journal accessible online, often containing full-text articles.

Quantitative Study

Research that collects numerical data and often includes methods, data sections, and statistical tables.

Paraphrasing

Restating another author’s ideas in your own words while still giving proper credit.

Four-Step Literature Review Process

Selecting a topic; choosing literature; analyzing and interpreting literature; writing the review.

Referencing

Systematically indicating which ideas in a paper come from other sources and where they can be found.

Original Thought

The researcher’s own analysis, interpretation, or viewpoint distinguished from sourced material.