AP Research Methods

Case Study

Using “real-world” context to study a person/event/group in detail

correlational research

Using 2+ variables and finding the relationship between them without using any experiment. The data is also being used as is/not manipulated

descriptive research

A study without using an experiment - looking at groups/phenomenons to find and study interesting traits or trends

Evaluation Research

Using qualitative and quantitative data to evaluate how effective existing things are (rules, programs, items)

factor analysis

Using statistics to limit a vast amount of variables into a smaller amount of bigger variables. The smaller variables were observed, while the bigger variables were not.

hermeneutic research

Understanding social/cultural background by looking at text, human behavior, language patterns - only qualitative

narrative research

Understands how people feel about personal experiences through closely reading people’s stories - only qualitative

phenomenography research

Looks/documents the ways that people view/comprehend a certain idea/event/phenomenon - qualitative

Semiology research

Looking at specific symbols and representations to see how they provide meaning in a certain culture

content analysis

Looks at certain pieces of texts, conversations, or graphics in order to come across themes and commonalities

delphi research

Anonymous surveys to gain multiple responses to gather a common/group opinion among the results

ethnography

Researchers communicate with people in person - discussion and observation in people’s environments

Experimental design

Carefully planning to test ideas through changing different variables/factors and seeing how the independent variable impacts the dependent variable

Grounded theory

Qualitative - using data to come up with a theory without using a hypothesis first to build off

historical research

studying the impact of the past on the present through different books/sources specifically studying events, people, and beliefs

Needs assessment

Looking at gaps between the current progress and the future progress with a plan on how to fill the gaps with acknowledgement of the gaps

phenomenology

Looking at different experiences regarding a specific event/experience - qualitative

trend analysis

Looking at present and past data to look at continuous patterns and behaviors