WGU - C224 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
LATEST UPDATE
Exploratory Research
Attempts are frequently made in this type of research to generate preliminary explanations or
theories about how and why a phenomenon operates as it does.
Descriptive research
Type of research that seeks to provide an accurate description or picture of the status or
characteristics of a situation or phenomenon.
Explanatory research
Research that tests hypotheses and theories to show how and why a phenomenon operates as it
does and explain its functions in detail. This type of research is concerned with cause and effect.
Predictive research
Research designed to search for variables measured at one point in time that may forecast an
outcome that is measured at a different point in time.
Prediction
Forecasts a phenomenon, wherein there is an association made between two points in time.
Influence
Attempting to apply research to make certain outcomes occur.
The application of research knowledge to control various aspects of the world.
Interrogation
Consolidating insights from multiple investigators, theories/perspectives, sets of data, and
methods in order to understand a given entity of study.
Emic Perspective
+ Provides insider's perspective
+ Gives meanings and views of people being studied
+ Gets inside the heads of group members
+ Includes local languages, forms of expression, and jargon/slang
Etic Perspective
+ Provides external, social scientific perspective
+ Gives perspective of objective researcher
+ Uses social scientific concepts, terms, and procedures to describe and explain behavior
+ Brings research questions from outside
Basic Research
Research that is aimed at generating fundamental knowledge and theoretical understanding about
primary human functions and other natural processes.
Action research
Research that focuses on answering real-world, practical questions in order to provide relatively
immediate solutions.
Evaluation research
, Research that is intended to determine how well social or educational programs work in real-
world settings, as well as any improvement possibilities.
Needs assessment
is there a need for this type of program?
Theory Assessment
Is this program conceptualized in a way that it should work?
Implementation assessment
Was this program implemented properly and according to the program plan?
Impact assessment
Did this program have an impact on its intended targets?
Efficiency assessment
Is this program cost-effective?
Orientational Research
Research that focuses on collecting information to aid in advancing a specific ideology, political
position, or orientation that a researcher believes will improve society.
deductive reasoning
Reasoning in which a conclusion is essentially true if the underlying premises are true.
Inductive reasoning
Reasoning from detailed facts to general principles.
Exploratory Method
Also called inductive method. Bottom-up; general to particular approach.
Moves from (1) making observations to (2) studying the observations and searching for patterns,
and then (3) making a tentative conclusion/generalization about the pattern.
Confirmatory Method
Also called deductive method. Top-down approach, particular to general.
Moves from (1) existing theory to (2) forming a hypothesis or predictions, and finally (3) collect
data to test the hypothesis empirically.
The rule of parsimony
the simplest theory that explains all the evidence is the best one.
Falsifiability
a feature of a scientific theory, in which it is possible to collect data that will prove the theory
wrong.
The most common objectives of quantitative research
description, prediction, control, explanation
Components of the Research Process
1. purpose
2. research questions
3. assumptions
4. sampling methods
5. data collection methods
6. research methods
7. quality criteria
8. data analysis
9. report writing
LATEST UPDATE
Exploratory Research
Attempts are frequently made in this type of research to generate preliminary explanations or
theories about how and why a phenomenon operates as it does.
Descriptive research
Type of research that seeks to provide an accurate description or picture of the status or
characteristics of a situation or phenomenon.
Explanatory research
Research that tests hypotheses and theories to show how and why a phenomenon operates as it
does and explain its functions in detail. This type of research is concerned with cause and effect.
Predictive research
Research designed to search for variables measured at one point in time that may forecast an
outcome that is measured at a different point in time.
Prediction
Forecasts a phenomenon, wherein there is an association made between two points in time.
Influence
Attempting to apply research to make certain outcomes occur.
The application of research knowledge to control various aspects of the world.
Interrogation
Consolidating insights from multiple investigators, theories/perspectives, sets of data, and
methods in order to understand a given entity of study.
Emic Perspective
+ Provides insider's perspective
+ Gives meanings and views of people being studied
+ Gets inside the heads of group members
+ Includes local languages, forms of expression, and jargon/slang
Etic Perspective
+ Provides external, social scientific perspective
+ Gives perspective of objective researcher
+ Uses social scientific concepts, terms, and procedures to describe and explain behavior
+ Brings research questions from outside
Basic Research
Research that is aimed at generating fundamental knowledge and theoretical understanding about
primary human functions and other natural processes.
Action research
Research that focuses on answering real-world, practical questions in order to provide relatively
immediate solutions.
Evaluation research
, Research that is intended to determine how well social or educational programs work in real-
world settings, as well as any improvement possibilities.
Needs assessment
is there a need for this type of program?
Theory Assessment
Is this program conceptualized in a way that it should work?
Implementation assessment
Was this program implemented properly and according to the program plan?
Impact assessment
Did this program have an impact on its intended targets?
Efficiency assessment
Is this program cost-effective?
Orientational Research
Research that focuses on collecting information to aid in advancing a specific ideology, political
position, or orientation that a researcher believes will improve society.
deductive reasoning
Reasoning in which a conclusion is essentially true if the underlying premises are true.
Inductive reasoning
Reasoning from detailed facts to general principles.
Exploratory Method
Also called inductive method. Bottom-up; general to particular approach.
Moves from (1) making observations to (2) studying the observations and searching for patterns,
and then (3) making a tentative conclusion/generalization about the pattern.
Confirmatory Method
Also called deductive method. Top-down approach, particular to general.
Moves from (1) existing theory to (2) forming a hypothesis or predictions, and finally (3) collect
data to test the hypothesis empirically.
The rule of parsimony
the simplest theory that explains all the evidence is the best one.
Falsifiability
a feature of a scientific theory, in which it is possible to collect data that will prove the theory
wrong.
The most common objectives of quantitative research
description, prediction, control, explanation
Components of the Research Process
1. purpose
2. research questions
3. assumptions
4. sampling methods
5. data collection methods
6. research methods
7. quality criteria
8. data analysis
9. report writing
