Quantitative Research Vocabulary

These flashcards cover key terminology and definitions relevant to the field of quantitative research.

Population

The entire group of individuals or instances about whom we hope to learn.

Sample

A subset of the population, used to represent the group being studied.

Descriptive Statistics

Statistics that summarize the data collected from a sample.

Inferential Statistics

Statistics that allow us to make inferences about a population based on a sample's characteristics.

Constructs

Abstractions generalized from particulars; ideas formed to summarize observations about unobservable phenomena.

Categorical Variables

Variables where participant responses are placed into categories without a specific order.

Quantitative Variables

Variables that are measured on a numerical scale, indicating different amounts.

Levels of Measurement

Different scales used to measure constructs, affecting the type of statistics used.

Nominal Level

A scale for categorical data where numbers assigned have no meaningful value.

Ordinal Level

A scale for numerical data where numbers indicate order but not the distance between categories.

Interval Level

A scale for numerical data that indicates order and assumes equal distances between categories.

Ratio Level

A scale that has an absolute zero point, allowing for the comparison of absolute magnitudes.

Measurement

The process of determining the characteristics and quantity of a variable.

Quantitative Measurement

Assigning numerical values to indicate the relative level of a variable present.

Conceptual Definition

A broad definition of a concept, outlining its general meaning.

Operational Definition

A specific definition of a concept in terms of how it will be measured.

Independent Variable

The variable that is manipulated by the researcher to observe its effect.

Dependent Variable

The outcome variable that is measured to assess the effect of the independent variable.