Glossary: The Process of Inquiry
Inquiry or Research Designs
Inquiry or Research Problems
Qualitative Inquiry
Quantitative inquiry
Variable
Mixed Methods Inquiry
Theory
Induction
Deduction
Survey
Survey instrument
Types of inquiry within qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods
approaches that provide specific direction for procedures in an inquiry or
research study. A design is a way to organize yourself when you are
trying to answer a question.
Problems or issues that lead to the need for inquiry. This is what you
want to know and why you want to know it.
A way of exploring and understanding the meaning of objects (like
people) or items that depends on observing things and describing them.
The process of inquiry involves collecting information (data) through
observation, analyzing the data inductively (building from particulars to
general themes), and making interpretations of the meaning of the
data. It is usually not based in numbers, but in descriptions of what is
observed.
A way of exploring and understanding meaning of objects (like people)
or events that depends on measuring things. One is trying to gather
information objectively and looking for relationships between things
that can be measured. There are usually numbers involved to represent
the measurements.
Something that can be studied and described or measured.
Combining together description and measurement, so both qualitative
and quantitative approaches to inquiry in the same study.
A related set of ideas that help us to explain events in the past and
predict the future. In the “hard sciences” like biology and chemistry, the
word theory means we have lots of information to support the set of
ideas (like the theory of the atom); we are quite sure it is correct. In
physics or math, the word “law” can be used in the same way, such as
the Law of Gravity. Theory is for something that is less certain in the
“soft sciences” like sociology or psychology. In those fields, a theory
might be a set of ideas that help them think about something, but they
are not sure they are right.
The logical mode in which general principles are developed from specific
observations. So if we see something over and over again, like an apple
falling from a tree to the ground, then we use inductive reasoning to say
that gravity causes things to fall to the Earth.
The logical model in which specific expectations of hypotheses are
developed on the basis of general principles. This goes the other
way. So if I know the Law of Gravity exists, I can use deductive reasoning
to tell me that the next time an apple lets loose from a tree, it will go
down to the Earth, not rise up into the air.
A tool or process used to collect information (data) on a large group of
people to answer one or more questions.
The questionnaire, or set of questions, that is given to people so they
can answer questions during a survey inquiry process.
Empirical question
Basic inquiry or research
Applied inquiry or research
Secondary use data
Generalizable
Something that can be answered with facts, so grounded in some sort of
observation or reporting of thoughts or feelings.
A study process undertaken without a specific immediate use of the
results in mind.
A study process undertaken with a specific immediate use of the results
in mind.
Information that was gathered and stored, but is now available to others
who want to study that information.
Information gathered about a specific group of people, things, events, or
actions can tell us about a broader group. So for example, if I know
something about 100 women who are first generation college students, I
can generalize that knowledge to predict things about other women who
are also first generation college students.