Thinking Like a Researcher- language

of Researcher
 Language of Research
Conceptual
Concepts Constructs
schemes

Operational
Models
definitions
Terms used
in research
Theory Variables

Propositions/
Hypotheses 2
 Concepts
The basic building blocks of theories are concepts.
A concept is a verbal abstraction drawn from observation

of a number of specific cases.( Income, Height)

concept is a generally accepted collection of meanings or
characteristics associated with certain events, objects, conditions,
situations, and behaviors.

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 Concepts cont....

Classifying and categorizing objects or events that have common

characteristics beyond any single observation creates concepts.

We abstract such meanings from our experiences and use

words as labels to designate them.

We use numerous concepts daily in our thinking, conversing and

other activities.
 Sources & Importance of Concepts

The success of the research

depends upon:
.
1 How clearly we conceptualize

2. How well others understand the concepts we use.

We design hypothesis using concepts.

It is a challenge to develop concepts that others will clearly

understand.
 Constructs
Concepts have progressive levels of abstractionthat is, the
degree to which the concept does or does not have something
objective to refer to.

construct is an image or abstract idea specifi cally invented for

a given research and/or theory-building purpose.
 Constructs are built from the logical combination of a
number of more observable concepts, especially when the
idea is or image is we intend to convey is not subject to
direct observation.
Job Redesign Constructs and Concepts

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Conceptualization

Definition: the process through which we specify what we will

mean when we use particular terms in research.

Conceptualization produces specific, agreed-upon meaning for a

concept for the purposes of research.
 Conceptual Definition
A Conceptual Definition is a critical element to the research
process and involves scientifically defining a specific concept
or construct, so it can be systematically measured.
The conceptual definition is considered to be the (scientific)
text book definition.
 Operational definition

An Operational Definition is the actual method, tool, or

technique which indicates how the concept will be measured

Specifies precisely how a concept will be measured the

operations it will perform.

Operational definitions convert verbal concepts into

measurable variables
 Research Variables

The word variable is derived from the root word vary,

meaning, changing in amount, volume, number, form, nature
or type.
These variables should be measurable, i.e., they can be

counted or subjected to a scale.

 What is a Variable?
A Variable
(A Characteristic or Attribute)

That can be and

Measured
Varies
(Can be assessed
on an instrument (Can assume
and recorded on different values or
an instrument) scores for
different
individuals)

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 Crime and violence in the streets
Examples of variables related to
crime and violence:

number of robberies
number of attempted murders
 Poor performance of students in college
entrance exams

Entrance exam score

Number of hours devoted to studying
Student-teacher ratio
Number of students in the class
Educational attainment of teachers
The distance of school from home
Number of hours devoted by parents in providing tutorial
support
 Categorical and
Continuous measures
of variables
A categorical measure is a
value of a variable assigned by
the researcher into a small
number of categories. (e.g.
Gender)
A continuous measure is the

value of a variable assigned by

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the researcher to a point along

 The Family of Variables in Quantitative
Studies
Probable
Cause Effect
(X) (Y) (Z)
Independent Intervening Dependent
Variables Variables Variables
Treatment
Measured

Control
Variables

Moderating Confounding
Variables Variables
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 Families of Variables
Dependent Variables: An
attribute or characteristic
influenced by the independent
variable.

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 Families of Variables
Independent Variable: An
attribute or characteristic that
influences or effects an
outcome or dependent
variable.
Treatment Variable
Measured Variable

Control Variable
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 Intervening Variables
Intervening Variables
(Mediating Variables): An
attribute or characteristic that
stands between the
dependent and independent
variables.

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 Example of an
Intervening Variable
Independent Dependent
Step 1 Variable Variable

Example Convenient office hours Student seeks help

for students from faculty

Independent
Independent Intervening
Step 2 Variable
Variable Variable

Convenient office hours Student becomes willing

Example to take risks
for students

Independent Intervening Dependent

Step 3 Variable Variable Variable
Convenient office hours Student becomes willing
Example Student seeks help
for students to take risks from faculty
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 Families of Variables
Confounding Variables
(Spurious Variables):
Attributes or characteristics
that the researcher cannot
directly measure because
their effects cannot be easily
separated from the other
variables, even though they
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 Families of Variables
Extraneous variables are all variables other than the independent variables
that affect the response of the test units, e.g., store size, store location, and
competitive effort.

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