Glossary

Analytical framework

Overview of relations that are assumed to exist between variables

Answering tendencies

Inclination of respondents to answer questions in a certain pattern, diverging from their true answers

Axiom

Theoretical statement base on empirical research

Bivariate

Term used for forms of statistical analysis in which the relation between two variables are studied

Case study

Research strategy in which researcher concentrates on one or two cases of the research subject

Causality

Events that are connected if there is a cause-effect relation between the two

Coding

Process of assigning a code to empirical data during the analysis

Cohort

Homogenous group of unit of study, sharing a certain characteristic

Content analysis

Method for gathering and analysing the content of existing data sources

Control group

Units of study who aren’t subjected to the experimental condition

Control items

Questions or statements in a questionnaire that are included to counter answering tendencies

Control variables

Variable that are included in the analysis to limit their potential interfering influence

Correlation

Statistically provable relation between two or more variables

Cross-sectional design

Form of research in which units of study in the sample are divided into groups who share a certain characteristic

Deduction

Process of deriving suppositions or hypotheses from the theory

Dependent variable

Variable that shows a change or effect as a result of a change in the independent variable

Dichotomy

Refers to answers that can only assume two shapes

Discourse analysis

Analysis of the contents of a text, esp. language that is used

Empirical

Refers to reality and real life

Empirical-analytical approach

View on science and doing research that stresses the testing of theoretical laws

Empirical cycle

Describes the different stages of doing research

Endogenous variables

Variables that form part of the research situation

Epistemology

Philosophy of knowledge, revolves around the question whether its possible to gain objective knowledge of reality

Estimation error

Unexplained variance in statistical analysis

Evaluation research

Form of research aimed at establishing whether a certain policy target has been reached

Exogenous variables

Variables that don’t form part of the research situation but which can influence the dependent variable

Exploration

Research that is carried out when only little or nothing is known on the subject of study

External validity

Generalisability of research findings to other units of study

Factor analysis

Form of statistical analysis used for distilling joint relation between several variables, which together constitute factor

Falsification

Process of rejecting theoretical predictions or hypotheses by proving them false

Field experiment

Experiment conducted outside the laboratory, in an everyday setting

Focus groups

Interviewing technique with group of respondents who have an open discussion led by a moderator

Fundamental research

Research aimed at testing exiting theories or formulating new theories

Hidden observation

Observation technique in which the researcher doesnt get involve in research situation

Hypothesis

Testable prediction in the form of a statement

Independent variable

The variable that causes the effect or change in which the researcher is interested

Induction

Deriving axioms from empirical research data with the aim of formulating new theories

Informants

People who are not or are no longer involved in the research situation

Interdisciplinary

Indicates that a researcher or piece of research integrates knowledge derived from different disciplines

Internal validity

Soundness and effectiveness of a piece of research

Interpretative approach

Philosophy of Chinese which takes the subjectivity of observation as a starting point

Interview

Conversation in which the researcher poses questions to one or more respondents to gather information

Intra-researcher reliability

Degree to which several measurement taken by the researcher of several or comparable research phenomena concur with each other

Items

Questions or statements in a written questionnaire

Level of measurement

Refers to the kind of values a variable can assume

Literature review

Overview of the knowledge that already exits on a subject

Longitudinal research

Study with a wider time frame

Manipulating variables

Term used to indicate that in certain research situations, the researcher fully determines which variables will and which variables wont play a role

Mechanism

Shows the relation between variables given certain conditions

Meta-analysis

Method for gathering and analysing existing data from several previously conducted studies are brought together

Methodological individualism

Research conclusions based on individual measurements, aggregated to macro-level units

Multi disciplinary

Term use to indicate that knowledge from several socialites is applied in conjunction

Multivariate analysis

Statistical analysis with several independent variables

Non-probability sample

Sample in which the units of study are selected consciously and purposefully

Normative

Research conclusion or theory that is prescriptive

Object of knowledge

Central object of study in a discipline

Observation

Research method in which the researcher rats conclusion on basis of observing people‘s behaviour

Observer effect

If subjects are aware of being tested, they can modify their behaviour accordingly

Ontology

Philosophy of „being“, revolves around question of whether reality truly does exist

Open interview

Interview technique in which the opening question is the only fixed item

Open observation

Observation technique were the researcher is present but doesnt interact with the units of study

Operationalisation

Process of translating theoretical concepts into variables that can be observed or measured

Outlier

Result that deviates strongly from other observations or measurements

Paradigm

Theoretical tradition or accepted way of thinking in a certain discipline

Participant observation

Observation method in which the researcher is involved or participates in the research situation

Philosophy of science

View a researcher holds on what science is

Pilot

Preliminary test study to see whether chosen method is clear and user friendly

Population

Total of all possible units of study from which the researcher draws a sample

Probability sample

Sample created by selecting the unit of study from the total population on the basis of chance

Problematising

Process of arriving at an adequate research problem

Programme theory

Suppositions and assumptions on which a certain policy is founded

Qualitative data

Non-numerical research data

Quantitative data

Numerical research data

Quasi-experiment

Experiment in which not all conditions or the classic experiment are met

Quota sample

Sample of an equal number of respondents or subjects in the various strata or groups specified by the researcher

Randomisation

Using a random procedure

Regulative cycle

Alternative to empirical cycle for applied research

Reliability

Accuracy and consistency of measures

Replication

Repeating previously conducted study

Researcher aim

Specifies why the study will be carrie out

Research design

Specifies all chice that have been made on how the study will be implemented

Research problem

Describes what is being studied

Research strategy

Overarching design or logic of the study

Respondents

Units of study that participate

Retrospective study

Study of events that took place in the past

Review study

Meta analysis of existing Studies

Rhetorical analysis

Textual analysis for tracing the rhetorical technique use by producer of the text

Sampling

Selection of units of study

Sampling frame

Description and motivation of the way in which a sample is drawn

Scientific relevance

Degree to which the knowledge will contribute to the existing body of knowledge

Secondary analysis

New analysis of existing data which have been gathered for a different purpose

Semi-structured interview

Interviewing technique in which researcher formulates few open questions

Simulation

Situation in which reality is imitated

Snowball sample

Form of sampling in which first respondent is asked to provide name of other suitable respondents

Social desirability

Inclination of respondents to reply in a manner that they think is expected from them

Societal relevance

Extent to which a study is expect to contribute to the solution of social problems

Stratification

Dividing the research pupilation into different state by creating groups in terms of social characteristics

Stratified sample

Sample drawn by taking certain characteristics of respondents into account

String variables

Non-numerical variables in a data matrix

Structured interview

Interview in which the researcher asks close-ended questions