This glossary will present the different concepts related to research design, as well as the description, their English pronunciation, their translation and some examples to understand each one of them.
Correlational Research
Phrase
Correlational research is a type of non-experimental research method in which a researcher measures two variables, understands and assesses the statistical relationship between them with no influence from any extraneous variable.
Correlation studies are used to establish how variables are related to each other. In other words, these investigations evaluate how the characteristics of one variable correspond to those of other variables.
Example: If you want to make a diagnosis of the development of a certain plant, you can analyze how the different conditions of light, humidity, and soil acidity interact with each other; all these elements are variables that correlate with each other.
es: Investigaciones de correlación
Data Collection
Phrase
Data collection is defined as the procedure of collecting, measuring and analyzing accurate insights for research using standard validated techniques. A researcher can evaluate their hypothesis on the basis of collected data. In most cases, data collection is the primary and most important step for research, irrespective of the field of research. The approach of data collection is different for different fields of study, depending on the required information.
The most critical objective of data collection is ensuring that information-rich and reliable data is collected for statistical analysis so that data-driven decisions can be made for research.
Example: Data collection methods are chosen according to available resources. For example, conducting questionnaires and surveys would require the least amount of resources, while focus groups require moderately high resources.
es: Recopilación de datos
Descriptive Research
Phrase
The term descriptive research refers to the type of research question, design, and data analysis that will be applied to a given topic. Descriptive statistics tell what is, while inferential statistics try to determine cause and effect.
Descriptive research is a type of research that describes a population, situation, or phenomenon that is being studied. It focuses on answering the how, what, when, and where questions If a research problem, rather than the why.
This is mainly because it is important to have a proper understanding of what a research problem is about before investigating why it exists in the first place.
Example: an investor considering an investment in the ever-changing Amsterdam housing market needs to understand what the current state of the market is, how it changes (increasing or decreasing), and when it changes (time of the year) before asking for the why. This is where descriptive research comes in.
es: Investigación descriptiva
Diagnostic Research
Phrase
Diagnostic research is a method of study by means of which it is possible to know what is happening in a specific situation. In other words, it is the analysis of a series of events with the objective of identifying the factors that promoted the appearance of a phenomenon.
Example: A diagnostic investigation can be the study of the characteristics of an infection that has broken out in a population. Through this investigation, the necessary actions can be taken to stop the disease.
es: Investigación diagnóstica
Experimental Research
Phrase
Whether it is a field experiment, a controlled experiment, or a quasi-experiment, this is one of the research design types that establishes a relation between the cause and effect of a particular happening.
Here, the researcher observes the influence of an independent variable on the dependent one. For instance, you can observe the impact of the price (an independent variable) on customer satisfaction (a dependent variable).
Usually, this type of research design contributes to solving a particular problem by manipulating the independent variables to observe the change they have on the dependent one. For example, you can experiment with changing the price and observe the effect it has on customer satisfaction.
Example: The most basic example of experimental research is laboratory experiments, which may differ in nature depending on the subject of research.
es: Investigación experimental
Explanatory Research
Phrase
Explanatory research was carried out to investigate in a timely manner a phenomenon, that had not been studied before, or had not been well explained previously. Its intention is to provide details where a small amount of information exists.
The researcher gets a general idea and uses the research as a tool to guide him to issues that might be addressed in the future. Its goal is to find the why and what for an object of study.
Example: Some of the popular methods of explanatory research design include literature searches, depth interviews, focus groups, and case analysis. Literature search: The literature search may include magazines, newspapers, trade literature, and academic literature.
es: Investigación explicativa
Generalization
Noun
The outcome of your design should apply to a population and not just a restricted sample. A generalized design implies that your survey can be conducted on any part of a population with similar accuracy.
The above factors affect the way respondents answer the research questions and so all the above characteristics should be balanced in a good design.
Example: A researcher must have a clear understanding of the various types of research design to select which model to implement for a study. Like research itself, the design of your study can be broadly classified into quantitative and qualitative.
es: Generalización
Measurement
Noun
Measurement System Analysis, or MSA, is a formal statistical study that determines whether your measurement systems, whether they be measuring devices or people, are capable of providing reliable data so that you can make the best possible data-driven decisions. The statistical study used for continuous data is called a Gage R&R study, and the tool used for discrete data is called an Attribute Agreement Analysis.
In reality, you can never directly know whether your measurement system is providing accurate and precise measurement. When you measure an object, the value that the measurement system provides is from the natural variation in the object plus the variation in the measurement system.
Example: When you get on your bathroom scale every morning, the weight shown in the window of the scale is a function of the change or variation in your weight, which is what you are interested in, and the variation in the springs or mechanism of the scale. Is the variation in the weight due to your diet and exercise or due to a poorly functioning scale? You hope it is the actual change in weight.
es: Medición
Neutrality
Noun
When you set up your study, you may have to make assumptions about the data you expect to collect. The results projected in the research should be free from bias and neutral. Understand opinions about the final evaluated scores and conclusions from multiple individuals and consider those who agree with the derived results.
Example: We can give an example, that when conducting a survey, we should take the final opinions neutrally even if it does not end up being as expected.
es: Neutralidad
Qualitative Research
Phrase
Qualitative research is the process of collecting, analyzing, and interpreting non-numerical data, such as language. Qualitative research can be used to understand how an individual subjectively perceives and makes sense of his or her social reality.
Qualitative data is defined as non-numerical data, such as text, video, photographs or audio recordings. This type of data can be collected using diary accounts or in-depth interviews and analyzed using grounded theory or thematic analysis.
It determines relationships between collected data and observations based on mathematical calculations. Theories related to a natural phenomenon can be proved or disproved by statistical methods. Researchers rely on qualitative research methods that conclude "why" a certain theory exists along with "what" respondents have to say about it.
Example: There are different types of qualitative research methods including diary accounts, in-depth interviews, documents, focus groups, case study research, and ethnography.
es: Investigación cualitativa
Quantitative Research
Phrase
Quantitative research is defined as a systematic investigation of phenomena by gathering quantifiable data and performing statistical, mathematical, or computational techniques. Quantitative research collects information from existing and potential customers using sampling methods and sending out online surveys, online polls, questionnaires, etc., the results of which can be depicted in the form of numerical. After careful understanding of these numbers to predict the future of a product or service and make changes accordingly.
The goals of quantitative research are to test causal relationships between variables, make predictions, and generalize results to wider populations.
Example: An example of quantitative research is the survey conducted to understand the amount of time a doctor takes to tend to a patient when the patient walks into the hospital. A patient satisfaction survey template can be administered to ask questions like how much time did a doctor takes to see a patient, how often does a patient walks into a hospital, and other such questions.
es: Investigación cuantitativa
Reliability
Noun
With regularly conducted research, the researcher involved expects similar results every time. Your design should indicate how to form research questions to ensure the standard of results. You’ll only be able to reach the expected results if your design is reliable.
Example: An example of reliability is when the research is approved because the content is from a reliable source, or that through an experiment it obtained accurate and precise results.
es: Fiabilidad
Research Design
Phrase
The research design refers to the framework of market research methods and techniques that are chosen by a researcher. The design chosen by the researchers allows them to utilize the methods that are suitable for the study and set up their studies successfully in the future as well.
The design of research can be either qualitative, quantitative, or mixed. Under these research designs, researchers can choose between different types of research methods; experimental studies, surveys, correlational studies, or quasi-experimental review studies. There are also sub-types of research methods namely experimental design, defining research problems, and descriptive studies. Research designs also include the elements of data collection, measurement of data with the respective tools, and the analysis of the data.
As a rule of thumb, the research problem a company chooses to work on is the determining factor of the research design chosen by the researcher instead of the other way round. The market research study’s design phase is the time when the researchers determine the tools to be used in the study and the way they are used. Good research usually ensures minimum levels of bias in the data collection method to improve both the internal and the external validity of the research. The desired outcome of experimental research is to have a design that will result in the least amount of error in the study.
Example: (Types) Descriptive research design, correlational research design, experimental research design, diagnostic research design & explanatory research design.
es: Diseño de investigación
Survey Research
Phrase
Survey research is simply a systematic investigation conducted via a survey. In other words, it is a type of research carried out by administering surveys to respondents.
Surveys already serve as a great method of opinion sampling and finding out what people think about different contexts and situations. Applying this to research means you can gather first-hand information from persons affected by specific contexts.
Survey research proves useful in numerous primary research scenarios. Consider the case whereby a restaurant wants to gather feedback from their customers on its new signatory dish. A good way to do this is to conduct survey research on a defined customer demographic.
Example: Quantitative Research & Qualitative Research
es: Investigación de encuestas
Validity
Noun
Validity and reliability reflect the way in which the instrument adjusts to the needs of the research (Hurtado, 2012). Validity refers to the capacity of an instrument to quantify in a meaningful and adequate way the trait it was designed to measure. That is, that it measures the characteristic (or event) for which it was designed and not another similar one.
There are multiple measuring tools available. However, the only correct measuring tools are those which help a researcher in gauging results according to the objective of the research. The questionnaire developed from this design will then be valid.
Example: Judges Validation Form.
The following format is for the control and consolidation of the results provided by the judges.
