COMP 494 Research Methods exam (REVIEW) NEW UPDATE Athabasca University
Unit 1 : What is research? Research question: In essence, the research question should identify a property of the element, a
property that can vary between elements of the population in a given situation or environment (e.g., when debugging or when working in groups). Research process: define the research problem; develop and implement a sampling plan; conceptualize, operationalize and test your measures; and develop a design structure. Research can be: Descriptive. When a study is designed primarily to describe what is going on or what exists. Relational. When a study is designed to look at the relationships between two or more variables. Causal. When a study is designed to determine whether one or more variables (e.g., a program or treatment variable) causes or affects one or more outcome variables. Empirical versus rational: Empiricism is a label for a way of thinking and working with data. It indicates an attitude complex characterized by an utmost faith in the senses, a firm belief in the power of observation, a willingness to be ruled by observable evidence,
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