cms 310: research methods (fall 2025)

What are some of the overarching ideas of the course?

What were the main takeaways from each lecture/discussion?

What are the key concepts/ideas from each lecture?

How did the researchers in our assigned articles use their method?

What is research?

systematic investigation into and study of materials and sources in order to establish facts and reach new conclusions

-              Seeking understanding

-              Creating knowledge

What is ontology?

 deals with what is real—the nature of existence and reality

What is epistemology?

addresses how we know what we know—the nature of knowledge and the justification for beliefs.

How is epistemology different from ontology

The difference is that ontology focuses on existence, while epistemology focuses on knowledge and its foundations.

Objectitvism

views reality as external and knowable

Constructionism

 suggests that reality is co-created through interaction

Subjectivism

holds that meaning is individual and based on personal perceptions.

What is a paradigm?

 a set of beliefs and assumptions that guide research approach and method selection.

How do methodologies fit within paradigms?

Methodologies must align with paradigms, such as using quantitative methodology within objectivist paradigms.

What is methodology?

– the process used to collect and assess data

What three principles (i.e., beliefs and desires) do quantitative researchers share?

objectivity, replicability, and the use of numerical and statistical analysis.

How do we know if we explore, describe, and/or explain something accurately?

You can ensure through systematic empirical observation, theoretical grounding, and rigorous data analysis.

What is empiricism?

 refers to generating evidence through observation and experience.

What is theory?

-              Can’t be proven, but strongly suggested

-              A systematic explanation for the observations that relate to a particular idea

-              Theories are built by cohering empirical data (creating an explanation)

Why is theory important?

helps researchers make sense of data and draw informed conclusions.

Why is data aggregation important?

strengthens findings and generalizations by combining multiple results or studies.

What is quantification?

means assigning numeric values to variables, ensuring they can be measured and analyzed.

What does it mean to quantify data?

to express information numerically, making it measurable and subject to statistical analysis

What is the difference between a concept and construct?

concept is an abstract idea; a construct is a specific, measurable form of that idea.

Concept

abstract ideas that combine into a theoretical explanation

-              Abilities, attitudes, self-image, well-being, upward, downward, lateral social comparison

the state of being comfortable, happy , and/or healthy

Construct

concrete translations of concepts that can be measured

A dependent variable?

-              assumed to depended on or be caused by another

What is an independent variable?

  – presumed to cause or determine a dependent variable

What is a survey?

 a structured method for collecting self-reported data using a series of questions.

Why is the design of a survey important?

Well-designed surveys reduce bias, increase clarity, and ensure valid results.

What is the difference between a closed-ended and open-ended question?

Closed-ended questions provide specific answer options; open-ended questions allow more individualized responses.

Closed-ended Qs

the respondent is asked to select an answer from among a list provided by the researcher

-              More uniform

-              More easily processed

-              More quantitative

Open-ended Qs

the respondent is asked to provide their own answer to the question

-              More detailed

-              More exploratory

-              More qualitative

What is a double-barreled question?

combines two separate questions into one, making it difficult for respondents to answer clearly.

Why are negative items problematic in a survey?

confusing and lead to misinterpretation or inaccurate answers.

How might question bias influence survey responses?

 occurs when wording influences respondents, skewing results.

Why should we care about question ordering?

The order of questions impacts how respondents think and answer subsequent items.

What are some advantages/disadvantages of different distribution strategies? (Online Survey example)

are fast but may have low response, while in-person surveys are more engaging but more resource-intensive.

Different distribution strategies.

-              In person: finding respondents on the street, typically high-traffic areas

-              By phone: random digit dialing, using number databases

-              By mail: random address selection, drop-off in mailboxes

-              Online: sent via email, online forum, social media

Sampling has two routes.

Non probability and Probability

Nonprobability sampling

sample is drawn without consideration of probability

-              Selection is convenient

-              Simple

-              Not generalizable

-               Can’t be used to describe the whole population and the population you’re looking for

Probability Sampling

sample is drawn with consideration of probability

-              Selection is random

-              Difficult

-              Generalizable

What is a sample?

group of units (ex. respondents) drawn from a population of interest

What is a sampling strategy?

techniques used to draw the sample from the population

Why is probability sampling more useful for survey research than nonprobability sampling?

Probability sampling is preferred for survey research because it enables generalization to the larger population, while nonprobability sampling cannot.

What is content analysis?

 systematic technique to code and evaluate recorded communications, revealing patterns and themes.

What is meant by unobtrusive research?

approaches content analysis without affecting or altering the content studied.

o   Method of studying social behavior without affecting it

o   Content is analyzed without researcher influence

What is a sampling frame?

 the pool of all possible items eligible for analysis, such as all news articles published within a specific time frame.

What does it mean to unitize a sample?

 refers to breaking material into manageable units for examination and coding.

What is a unit of analysis?

Segment of content that I want to study/understand

Why is a codebook important for content analysis?

 provides definitions and detailed guidelines to code content consistently and reliably.

Why is coder training important?

Proper coder training ensures consistency and minimizes subjectivity when coding content.

What is intercoder reliability?

 a metric, typically with an alpha value of 0.8 or higher, demonstrating consistent coding between different coders.

What is one of the major disadvantages of content analysis?

that it requires significant time and effort, making large-scale projects labor intensive.

What is an experiment?

a research method where the independent variable is manipulated to observe effects on a dependent variable, establishing causal relationships.

What is the primary focus of an experiment?

 is establishing causality by demonstrating that changes in the independent variable produce changes in the dependent variable.

What is experimental control? Why is this important?

involves isolating and managing variables so that observed effects are attributable to the manipulation and not to other factors.

How do you construct a conceptual (or hypothetical) model?

this model visually or logically outlines expected relationships between variables, shaped by theory and prior research.

What is an experimental protocol?

 is a detailed, step-by-step guide outlining how the experiment is conducted from participant briefing to data collection and debriefing.

What is an IRB? Why is this group important?

 Institutional Review Board, is responsible for reviewing experimental designs to protect research participants’ rights and welfare.

How does randomization work in experimental research?

assigns participants to different groups randomly, controlling for bias and improving the validity of findings.

How do we measure causality?

is established when manipulation of the independent variable directly leads to measurable changes in the dependent variable.

What is internal validity?

means the degree to which the experimental findings accurately reflect the experimental conditions without confounding influences

What is external validity?

 is the extent to which results generalize outside the laboratory or study setting.

What are computational methods?

 use automated tools and algorithms, such as text mining, network analysis, and machine learning, to analyze large and complex datasets.

What are some current uses for computational methods?

currently applied in content research, user behavior analysis, network mapping, sentiment analysis, and language processing, among other fields.

What is sentiment analysis?

 is the automated process of classifying text as positive, negative, or neutral in tone.

What is the difference between the “bag of words” and machine learning techniques?

BOW counts the occurrence of specific words for classification, whereas machine learning employs algorithms for deeper contextual processing and categorization

What is network analysis? What can we study using network analysis?

examines patterns of connections and relationships within large data sets, such as mapping social or information networks.

What is topic modeling?

is an automated process for identifying themes or topics within extensive text data.

What are the major advantages of computational methods?

speed, scalability, and the ability to process massive amounts of data

What are the disadvantages of computational methods?

limited flexibility, potential difficulties with ambiguity or nuanced meaning, and the requirement for advanced technical skill.