Research Methods and Vocabulary: A Comprehensive Guide

Vocabulary

English Definitions

Leading questions: Questions that encourage someone to answer in a certain way.

Mutually exclusive: Not able to be true or correct at the same time.

Weight: To give something more importance than something else.

Incentive: Something that will encourage people to do something.

Respondent: Person who completes a survey.

Analyse: To examine closely.

Ambiguity: When something has more than one possible meaning.

Jargon: Words used by one group of people, that other people might not understand.

Feedback: Opinions about something.

Dropout rate: The percentage of people who stop the survey before they have completed it.

Spanish Definitions

Liderar preguntas: Preguntas que animan a alguien a responder de cierta manera.

Mutuamente excluyentes: No pueden ser verdaderas o correctas al mismo tiempo.

Peso: Dar algo más importante que otra cosa.

Incentivo: Algo que animará a la gente a hacer algo.

Encuestado: Persona que completa una encuesta.

Analizar: Examinar de cerca.

Ambigüedad: Cuando algo tiene más de un significado posible.

Jerga: Palabras utilizadas por un grupo de personas, que otras personas podrían no entender.

Feedback: Opiniones sobre algo.

Tasa de deserción: El porcentaje de personas que detienen la encuesta antes de que la hayan completado.

The Research Process

1. Definition of the problem
2. Information required
3. Objective
4. Research plan and methods
5. Sources of information
6. Surveys
7. Results
8. Analysis and interpretation
9. Presentation
10. Application of results
11. Monitoring and evaluation

Research Methods

Opinion poll: A survey designed to find out what people think, often on politics or environmental issues.

Validity: An essential quality for research; without it, the research is not reliable.

Quantitative research: Research which is designed to provide facts and statistical data. Results are easy to analyse, often by computer.

Extrapolation: Using information gained from a small number of people to estimate how large numbers of similar people would behave in similar circumstances.

Statistical analysis: Analysis of numerical information to test that results are accurate and reliable.

Pilot survey: A limited study carried out on a small number of people to test your research methods.

Fieldwork: An original study carried out among the population or from published sources.

Unstructured survey: A set of questions in which the answers given affect what questions will be asked next.

Qualitative research: Research which is open-ended and gives respondents the chance to express opinions, feelings, and attitudes.

Cluster sampling: A sampling method based on using small groups that are representative of much larger groups.