Test 1 Review

Here are some review question to help focus your studying.  Bring questions to class.  Good luck.

1.  From lecture, what distinguishes a research topic from a research question? A research question from a testable hypothesis?  (Hint: Consider the function of variables)

2. What is meant by linear and nonlinear paths of research?  What this means for qualitative and quantitative research questions?

3. From the text, why are variables important in quantitative research? Why might they problematic for qualitative research? From lecture, what is the difference between the independent and dependent variables? From tutorial, what’s a trick for distinguishing between them?

4. In you own words, why doesn’t qualitative research typically begin with a hypothesis?

5. According to lecture, most errors in reason are a result of what?

6. Understand the breakdown of a hypothesis statement. For example: Smoking one or more packs of cigarettes per week increases risk of lung cancer by 20%.  Answer the following questions.

• What are the independent and dependent variables?
• What kind of relationship is implied?
• What would be the null hypothesis?
• What is the research question?
• From the text and lecture, why are hypotheses never proven?
• In your own words, what is the "process of a hypothesis" over time? How might this process apply to the smoking example?

7. What is the difference between the ecological fallacy and the error of reductionism?  Consider the difference between the follow statements.

• I’ve seen an awful lot of people in California driving Hybrid cars. As a result, the California state government is going to give tax breaks to people who purchase Hybrids.
• Hybrids are now the top selling car in California.  Chris is from California, therefore he’s probably going to purchase one too.

8. What’s the difference between an ontological position and an epistemological one?  Why does it matter for methodology?

9. What are the different characteristics associated with qualitative and quantitative types of research?  Although these dichotomies are more flexible in actual research, why are they a useful way to learn about research types?