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Typology (social Science Research Method)
Typology is a composite measure that involves the classification of observations in terms of their attributes Attribute may refer to: * Attribute (philosophy), an extrinsic property of an object * Attribute (research), a characteristic of an object * Grammatical modifier, in natural languages * Attribute (computing), a specification that defines a prope ... on multiple variables. Such classification is usually done on a nominal scale. Typologies are used in both qualitative and quantitative research. An example of a typology would be classification such as by age and health: young-healthy, young-sick, old-healthy, old-sick. Typological theorizing is the development of theories about configurations of variables that constitute theoretical types. According to Andrew Bennett and Alexander George, typological theories are useful "to address complex phenomena without oversimplifying, clarify similarities and differences among cases to facilitate comparisons, provide a comprehensi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Composite Measure
Composite measure in statistics and research design refer to composite measures of variables, i.e. measurements based on multiple data items. An example of a composite measure is an IQ test, which gives a single score based on a series of responses to various questions. Three common composite measures include: * indexes - measures that summarize and rank specific observations, usually on the ordinal scale; * scales - advanced indexes whose observations are further transformed (scaled) due to their logical or empirical relationships; * typologies - measures that classify observations in terms of their attributes on multiple variables, usually on a nominal scale. Indexes versus scales Indexes are often referred to as scales, but in fact not all indexes are scales. Whereas indexes are usually created by aggregating scores assigned to individual attributes of various variables, scales are more nuanced and take into account differences in intensity among the attribute of the same v ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Variable And Attribute (research)
In science and research, an attribute is a quality of an object (person, thing, etc.). Earl R. Babbie, ''The Practice of Social Research'', 12th edition, Wadsworth Publishing, 2009, , p. 14-18 Attributes are closely related to variables. A variable is a logical set of attributes. Variables can "vary" – for example, be high or low. How high, or how low, is determined by the value of the attribute (and in fact, an attribute could be just the word "low" or "high"). ''(For example see: Binary option)'' While an attribute is often intuitive, the variable is the operationalized way in which the attribute is represented for further data processing. In data processing data are often represented by a combination of ''items'' (objects organized in rows), and multiple variables (organized in columns). Values of each variable statistically "vary" (or are distributed) across the variable's domain. A domain is a set of all possible values that a variable is allowed to have. The values are or ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Nominal Scale
Level of measurement or scale of measure is a classification that describes the nature of information within the values assigned to variables. Psychologist Stanley Smith Stevens developed the best-known classification with four levels, or scales, of measurement: nominal, ordinal, interval, and ratio. This framework of distinguishing levels of measurement originated in psychology and is widely criticized by scholars in other disciplines. Other classifications include those by Mosteller and Tukey, and by Chrisman. Stevens's typology Overview Stevens proposed his typology in a 1946 ''Science'' article titled "On the theory of scales of measurement". In that article, Stevens claimed that all measurement in science was conducted using four different types of scales that he called "nominal", "ordinal", "interval", and "ratio", unifying both " qualitative" (which are described by his "nominal" type) and "quantitative" (to a different degree, all the rest of his scales). The co ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Qualitative Research
Qualitative research is a type of research that aims to gather and analyse non-numerical (descriptive) data in order to gain an understanding of individuals' social reality, including understanding their attitudes, beliefs, and motivation. This type of research typically involves in-depth interviews, focus groups, or observations in order to collect data that is rich in detail and context. Qualitative research is often used to explore complex phenomena or to gain insight into people's experiences and perspectives on a particular topic. It is particularly useful when researchers want to understand the meaning that people attach to their experiences or when they want to uncover the underlying reasons for people's behavior. Qualitative methods include ethnography, grounded theory, discourse analysis, and interpretative phenomenological analysis. Qualitative research methods have been used in sociology, anthropology, political science, psychology, social work, folklore, educational ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Quantitative Research
Quantitative research is a research strategy that focuses on quantifying the collection and analysis of data. It is formed from a deductive approach where emphasis is placed on the testing of theory, shaped by empiricist and positivist philosophies. Associated with the natural, applied, formal, and social sciences this research strategy promotes the objective empirical investigation of observable phenomena to test and understand relationships. This is done through a range of quantifying methods and techniques, reflecting on its broad utilization as a research strategy across differing academic disciplines. The objective of quantitative research is to develop and employ mathematical models, theories, and hypotheses pertaining to phenomena. The process of measurement is central to quantitative research because it provides the fundamental connection between empirical observation and mathematical expression of quantitative relationships. Quantitative data is any data tha ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
