Research Questions, Hypotheses, and Theories

Flashcards covering key vocabulary and concepts related to forming research questions, hypotheses, and understanding the role of theories in research.

Research Question

Needs to be in the form of a question, with a question mark at the end.

Variables in Research Question

Should have one independent variable and one dependent variable.

Types of Research Questions

Broader questions (relationships) and comparison questions (comparing two different groups to different outcomes).

Causational Research

Should be avoided; correlation is not causation.

Comparison Question

Compares groups on some type of measure, involving an independent and a dependent variable.

Relationship Questions

Asks if there's a relationship between two variables or if one predicts another.

Correlation

A word we can use instead of relationship.

Repeatable, Observable, and Testable Research

The research question and the approach to answering it needs to be repeatable, observable and testable

Hypothesis

A predictive statement in research, an educated guess.

Null Hypothesis

A statement of equality that there's no difference or no relationship between your two variables. It's implied; you don't see null hypothesis explicitly written out in journal articles.

Nondirectional Hypothesis

States that there's a difference or a relationship, but the nature of that difference or relationship is left open.

Directional Research Hypothesis

States the nature of the difference of relationships.

Theory

An explanation that puts together assumptions, constructs, hypotheses, and facts so that you can explain findings that relate to each other by direction for future exploration, predict future behaviors.

General Theories

Very broad theories that explain a broad range of events and phenomena and can be applied to a variety of issues.

Middle Range Theories

Theories that have a more specific subject area that they apply to.

Framework

Organized assumptions and facts, but it hasn't been proven as extensively as these standard theories.

Lens

Theory is a lens from which you were looking at your research questions specifically or a lens through which you look at research more broadly or a lens at which you look through through which you look at children, childbirth.

Deductive Reasoning

Starts with a broader theory and funnels down to a very small specific dataset to either support or reject the theory.

Inductive Reasoning

Starts with a very specific dataset, collects data, and then applies findings to a broader theory.