Research Methods Study Guide - Exam I Flashcards

Vocabulary flashcards covering empiricism, ethics, study designs, research claims, and validities from the Research Methods Study Guide.

Empiricism

Data-based decision making using systematic observations of repeated phenomena.

Intuition

Gut-feeling decision making based on a hunch, an inkling, or a feeling.

The Scientific Method

A systematic process consisting of Observation → Question → Hypothesis → Experiment → Conclusion → Result.

Theory Data Cycle

A process consisting of Theory → Research Question → Research Design → Hypothesis → Data, where data is used to strengthen, modify, or refute the theory.

Temporal precedence

The temporal order of events where the cause comes before the effect.

Covariation of the Cause and Effect

Observing a change in one variable with a change in a second variable; when the cause is present, the effect occurs, and when the cause is absent, the effect does not occur.

Alternative explanations

The requirement in establishing causality that there should not be other plausible alternative explanations for the relationship.

Basic research

Scientific research conducted to answer fundamental questions about the nature of behavior.

Applied research

Scientific research conducted to address practical problems and potential solutions.

Falsifiable

A characteristic of a good theory stating it must be capable of being shown as false when tested using scientific methods.

Parsimonious

A characteristic of a good theory stating it should be as simple as possible while still explaining the evidence.

Case studies

An intensive examination of one person ('case') or a few atypical people ('cases').

Observational studies

A descriptive research method involving coding observable behavior across specific time intervals.

Self-reports

Questionnaires given directly to participants asking about themselves or their experiences.

Descriptive Methods

Research methods focused on observing behavior in order to describe it.

Correlational Methods

Research methods that examine how two variables relate to one another.

Experimental Methods

Research methods involving the manipulation of one variable to determine its effects on another, with the goal of determining causation.

Random assignment

A procedure where study participants are placed into either control or experimental groups purely by chance.

Meta analysis

A statistical method that combines and analyzes the results of multiple independent studies on the same topic to find a single overall conclusion.

Peer-Review Cycle

The flowchart process of manuscript submission, expert assessment, rejection, revision and resubmission, and eventual publication.

Literature Reviews

Scientific papers that summarize previous research on a certain topic.

Theoretical Research Reports

Published research reports that represent the culmination of work describing a theory.

Empirical Research Reports

A report or study in which data was gathered to help answer questions, presenting the results of the research.

The Nuremberg Code

A set of ethical principles for human research that lacks enforcement mechanisms or structure.

Development of Helsinki

A set of ethical principles for medical research developed by the World Medical Association.

The Belmont Report (1976)

An ethical guide establishing three main principles for human subjects research: Respect for persons, Beneficence, and Justice.

Principle of Respect for Persons

The Belmont Report principle requiring that individuals be treated as autonomous agents who can give informed consent, and that groups requiring special protection be safeguarded.

Principle of Beneficence

The Belmont Report principle requiring researchers to balance potential risks to participants against potential benefits to society.

Principle of Justice

The Belmont Report principle requiring a fair balance between those who bear the burden of research participation and those who benefit from it.

Institutional Review Board

An administrative committee responsible for reviewing research proposals within an institution to ensure ethical conduct.

Research fraud

An ethical violation defined as making up or fabricating data.

Plagiarism

An ethical violation defined as misrepresenting someone else's work as one's own.

Exempt Review

An IRB review category for projects that do not require review because they are not considered research.

Expedited Review

An IRB review category for research involving no greater than minimal risk.

Limited Review

An IRB review category designated for studies involving minimal risk.

Full IRB Review

An IRB review category required for research involving more than minimal risk that is not covered under other categories.

IACUC

Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee; requires a panel consisting of at least one scientist, one veterinarian, and one community member to oversee animal research.

Word-for-word plagiarism

Copying sections of text exactly from another source without using quotation marks.

Paraphrasing plagiarism

Copying ideas from another work without giving proper credit.

Variable

Something that varies, meaning it possesses at least two groups or levels.

Constant

Something that could vary, but more than likely stays the same in a study.

Operational definition

A definition of a concept that specifies the precise method used to measure or manipulate it.

Positive Linear Relationship

A pattern where as the value of one variable increases, the value of the other variable increases.

Negative Linear Relationship

A pattern where as the value of one variable increases, the value of the other variable decreases.

No Relationship

A state where there is no systematic pattern or association between two variables.

Curvilinear Relationship

A relationship where increases in the value of one variable are accompanied by systematic increases and decreases in the value of the other variable.

Construct Variable

An abstract or theoretical variable (also known as a conceptual variable).

Frequency Claims

Claims that describe the rate or degree of how often a single variable occurs.

Association Claims

Claims describing relationships between two variables, where correlation strength ranges from $0.0$ to $1.0$.

Causal Claims

Claims asserting that changes in one manipulated independent variable directly cause changes in a measured dependent variable.

Independent Variable (IV)

The manipulated variable in an experiment that is changed by the researcher.

Dependent Variable (DV)

The outcome variable in an experiment that is measured to determine the effect of the manipulated variable.

Correlation coefficient

An index indicating how strongly two variables are related to each other.

Construct Validity

The extent to which the variable being measured accurately represents the underlying conceptual variable being studied.

External Validity

How much a study's conclusions can be generalized to other contexts, settings, or populations.

Internal Validity

The extent to which cause-and-effect conclusions drawn from a study are accurate and free from alternative explanations.