Nature of Inquiry and Research - Module 1: Quantitative Methods (Fill-in-the-Blank)

A set of fill-in-the-blank flashcards covering key concepts from the notes on quantitative research, variables, and research designs.

Quantitative research uses __ data to investigate observable phenomena.

numerical

In quantitative research, data are generally __ and quantifiable.

numerical

Descriptive design is used to describe a phenomenon by observing it as it occurs in nature with no __ manipulation.

experimental

Correlational design identifies the __ between variables.

relationship

Ex post facto design investigates a possible __ between previous events and present conditions.

relationship

A quasi-experimental design is used to establish the cause-and-effect relationship of variables, but lacks random __ and assignment of subjects.

selection

Experimental design provides more conclusive results because it uses random __ of subjects and experimental manipulations.

assignment

In an experimental design, the independent variable is pre-defined and __ by the researcher.

manipulated

The dependent variable is the __ observed and measured.

outcome

Extraneous variables are factors other than the independent variable that may influence the dependent variable; when uncontrolled they become __ variables.

confounding

Qualitative variables are not expressed in numbers but are descriptions or categories and can be dichotomous, nominal, or __.

ordinal

One level of measurement for quantitative data is the __ scale, where differences are meaningful but there is no true zero.

interval

Another level of measurement for quantitative data is the __ scale, which has a true zero.

ratio

Ratio data have a true zero value; examples include age, height, and __.

weight

Discrete variables are countable whole numbers; an example is the __ of students in a class.

number

Continuous variables take fractional values; an example is __.

height

A rating scale commonly used to quantify data is the __ scale.

Likert

A dichotomous variable consists of only two distinct categories, for example yes or __.

no

Independent variable is the presumed __.

cause

Dependent variable is the presumed __.

effect

In descriptive research, the concepts of independent and dependent variables are not applicable because there is no __ manipulation.

manipulation

Quantitative research data are commonly presented using __ and charts.

tables

The two main classifications of research methods are __ and qualitative.

quantitative

In quantitative data analysis, data are analyzed using __ software.

statistical

When extraneous variables are not controlled, they may threaten the study's __ validity.

internal