| A | B |
|---|
| Normal Distribution | A normal frequency distribution representing the probability that a majority of randomly selected members of a population will fall within the middle of the distribution. Represented by the bell curve. |
| Range | The difference between the highest and lowest scores in a distribution. |
| Ordinal Variable | A variable in which the order of data points can be determined but not the distance between data points, e.g., letter grades |
| Parameter | A coefficient or value for the population that corresponds to a particular statistic from a sample and is often inferred from the sample |
| Peer Review | A process by which research studies are examined by an independent panel of researchers for review. The purpose of such is to open the study to examination, criticism, review and replication by peer investigators and ultimately incorporate the new knowledge into the field. |
| Phenomenology | A qualitative research approach concerned with understanding certain group behaviors from that group's point of view |
| Placebo Group | Is something that does not directly affect the behavior or symptoms under study in any specific way. A researcher must be able to separate these effects from the actual effects of the intervention being studied. |
| Population | The target group under investigation, as in all students enrolled in first-year composition courses taught in traditional classrooms. Is the entire set under consideration. |
| Precision | In survey research, the tightness of the confidence limits. |
| Pre-Defined or Interactive Concept Choice | One must determine whether to code only from a pre-defined set of concepts and categories, or if one will develop some or all of these during the coding process. For example, using a predefined set, Horton would code only for profane language. But, if Horton coded interactively, she may have decided to half-way through the process that the text warranted coding for profane gestures, as well. |
| Probability | The chance that a phenomenon has a of occurring randomly. As a statistical measure, it shown as p (the "p" factor). |
| Professional Judgment/Wisdom | What individuals acquire through experience, which can be reflected in numerous ways, including the effective identification and incorporation of local circumstances into instruction. |
| Qualitative Research | Is multi-method in focus, involving an interpretive, naturalistic approach to its subject matter. Researchers study things in their natural settings, attempting make sense of, or interpret, phenomena in terms of the meanings of people bring to them. |
| Empirical Research | The researcher explores relationships using textual, rather than quantitative data. Case study, observation, and ethnography are considered forms. Results are not usually considered generalizable, but are often transferable. |
| Quantitative Research | The collection of numerical data in order to describe, explain, predict and/or control phenomena of interest. |
| Quasi-Experimental Research | Similar to experimental design, however the researcher cannot control one of the following (the three elements of a research design)-environment, treatment, assignment to experimental and control groups. Incorporates interpretation and transferability in order to compensate for lack of control of variables. |
| Quixotic Reliability | Refers to the situation where a single manner of observation consistently, yet erroneously, yields the same result. |
| Random Sampling | The selection of a group of subjects (sample) for study from a larger group (population) so that each individual is chosen entirely by chance. This type of sampling is also called 'equal probability' sample because each member of the population has an equal probability of being included. Random sampling is designed to reduce 'bias.' |
| Randomization | A process that reduces the likelihood of bias by assigning people to specific groups (e.g., experimental and control groups) by chance alone (randomly). |
| Operant Conditioning | A process of behavior modification in which the likelihood of a specific behavior is increased or decreased through positive or negative reinforcement each time the behavior is exhibited, so that the subject comes to associate the pleasure or displeasure of the reinforcement with the behavior. |
