Running Head: CORRELATION RESEARCH STUDIES

Correlational Research Christina Boswell Kaplan University December 19, 2011

Running Head: CORRELATION RESEARCH STUDIES

Correlational research what it is you may ask? Correlational research is a type of study that has the goal of indentifying predictive relationships, among naturally occurring variables. Correlational studies are used when there are predictions that are trying to be found and they use more than one variable to gather information for this research study type (Zechmeister, 1994). Correlational research method is used when the researchers goals are description and prediction (Zechmesiter, 2010). Now, you have to remember that you cannot use correlation research for a statement about anything to do with the causes of the relationships between the variables. After doing some research I had found that they had done a research project on people and their incomes and education. They tried to say that people who have a lot more money seem to have a better continuation of going to school. Then they say that people who do not have the income does not go to school to continue there education. They used a scatter plot to prove the numbers that they had done the research on. I myself do not believe that just because the people do not have a lot of income coming in does not mean they do not at least try and continue their education. I am one of those people who do not have income or should I say a lot of income so I went to the government for help which I think some of the people they did the research on did but they do not have that have that a research data part. (Thompson, B.W.2005). Researchers use this research method because it helps us to be able to see relationships that we may not be able to see with the naked eye. Another thing is that we may miss and to discount correlations and random events that might otherwise look significant (David G.Myers, 2000). There are a couple of limitations when using the correlaational method when talking conclusion terms. One first thing is that you cannot come up with an effective conclusion to much with this type of study. The reason for this is one that you do not know what direction your

Running Head: CORRELATION RESEARCH STUDIES

cause will be coming from. Another reason is that you cannot make statements with this type of research study because you do not always have the accurate data that needs to be collected. So if you cannot use the cause and effect statement how can you really honestly say what the conclusion is? Another reason you have to be careful with correlational research study method id because there may be another variable present and you yourself doing the research and or collecting data may not see the other variable or even know of its appearance so that there can mess you up with any type of conclusion you may try or want to say it is. Your hypotheses should always be what you are trying to find out but with this type of research and data collecting it is easy to accidentally get side tracked so you have to remember what you are actually looking for to get the right information you want. Positive correlation is when both variables increase or decreases with each other at the same time. Negative correlation is when either one or another variable increases as for as the other increases or they can be vice versa. Now with the no correlation that is when both variables have no relationship what so ever with each other. The numbers for example for positive correlation it would be a positive number 1.00 or higher and this correlates to a strong relationship between the variables. In the negative speaking of correlations the number of course will be negative-1.00 and this shows very little relations between the two variables. When there is a 0 present that just means that there is not any type or form or relations between those two variables. For example for the study of more income shows more people that g to school to further educate themselves verses the ones who do not have the income and do not go to school to further their education. According to the chart in my research from www.nvcc.edu it shows that there is a positive match for the two variables of extra income and more education, and it is also showing that the less income the less people go an further their education.

Running Head: CORRELATION RESEARCH STUDIES

A non linear relationship between two variables can influence the correlation coefficient by not showing any relations what so ever for the two variables (Mitchell Jolley, 1992). For example you may say that 25 people went to school even though it is not show exactly what income they had but you say that it is better to think that they did go to school to further education even though there is no evidence that that variable was not in the others saying they had the extra income. So if there is no relations at all for the variables then it is non linear the reason for being non linear is because linear when there are similarities and information to back up what the question might be. Thinking about the ceiling and floor effect it can harm the conclusions that you may come up with after all is said and done. The reason for this is because if the floor effect is when a score reaches its minimum that it can reach then what happens if the score for say one of the variables I lower than what the floor effect allows it to go. This goes the same for the ceiling effect which is when the maximum score has reached its limit what if say for example the score needs to go higher what will be done then? The thing is you will not be able to get a proper conclusion if you have to use the floor and ceiling effect during the correlation research method. To conclude this paper on correlational research method I just want to remind people who do use this research method do not try and make a statement because it will not be a true one. This research method is not to be able to make statements to come to any conclusion. So just make sure you collect the right data and the more you can collect the more answers you may receive.

Running Head: CORRELATION RESEARCH STUDIES

References http://www.webster.edu/~woolflm/methods/devresearchmethods.html http://psychology.about.com/od/researchmethods/a/correlational.htm?r=et Zechmeister, J. Zechmeister, E. Shaughnesey, J. (2010). Essentials of Research Methods in Psychology. McGraw-Hill.