Research Glossary - by Carole Stilwell

Action Research!
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Sometimes called Participatory Action Research (PAR). A qualitative

research approach often used when wanting to improve something
like a service, practice. Fundamental to the approach is that the
clients/stake-holders are included in the research project.

Case Study! !
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A research design that entails the detailed analysis of a single case.

Sometimes for comparison purposes the study may be extended to
include two or three cases.

Constructivist!
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An ontological position. Meaning is subjective, there are multiple

realities, reality is the creation of our own cognition.

Correlation! !
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An approach to the analysis of data that seeks to assess the strength

and direction (positive/negative) of the relationship between the
variables concerned.

Critical Realism !
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An ontological position. There is an external world, which we can try

and understand, but we are limited in this by our own experience.

Deductive!
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An approach to research that seeks to prove or disprove a starting

hypothesis or theory.

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Dependent ! !
Variable

A variable that is causally influenced by another variable.

Empirical!
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Based on concrete experiences or observations, as opposed to purely

theoretical conjecture.

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Epistemology!

A theory of knowledge and what passes as acceptable knowledge.

Ethnography!!
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A qualitative research methodology looking at the study of groups of

people and cultures.

Focus Group !
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A form of qualitative research. A form of group interview in which there

are several participants in the group and there is an emphasis in the
questioning on a fairly tight defined topic and the group construction of
meaning.

Grounded Theory! An iterative approach to the analysis of data qualitative data that aims
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to produce theory out of research data.
Hermeneutic!!
Single Case! !
Efficacy !
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Design!
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A relatively new approach to case study research in which the client is

seen as an active participant in the inquiry; there is a focus on soft
causality; a hermeneutic, open and contextual whole text interpretation
is made; using a quasi-judicial framework as a means of structuring
the inquiry process. (see McLeod, (2010) for a fuller description)

Hypothesis! !
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An informed speculation, which is set up to be tested, about the

possible relationship between two or more variables.

Independent !
Variable

A variable that has a causal impact on another variable.

Research Glossary - by Carole Stilwell

Inductive!
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An approach to research that seeks to allow theory to emerge from the

research.

Interpretivist! !
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An epistemological stance. Meaning is subjective, knowledge is

unique to each individual.

Mean! !
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Sometimes called the arithmetic mean, it is the average. It is the sum

of all the values divided by the number of values.

Median!

The mid-point in a distribution of values.

Mixed Methods!
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Research that combines both quantitative and qualitative elements.

Mode! !

The value that occurs most frequently in a distribution of values.

Narrative!
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An approach to the elicitation and analysis of data that is sensitive to

the temporal sequence that people tell the story of the events of their
lives.

Normal !
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Distribution! !

Data is distributed around a central value, with no bias left or right.

The Bell Curve is a normal distribution.

Null Hypothesis!

A hypothesis of no relationship between two variables.

Ontology!

A theory of the nature of existence, reality and social entities.

p-value!
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(Probability value.) The probability that a particular difference between

groups has come about by chance. It ranges from 0 to 1. Often in
research p=0.05 (i.e. 1 in 20) is a standard cut-off point for
significance, and if p<0.05 then they will reject the probability that the
results came about by chance.

Phenomenology !
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A qualitative research methodology looking at the study of things,

phenomenon. Seeking to understand a phenomenon. Data usually
collected through individual interview.

Positivism!
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An epistemological position. Meaning exists in the world. Knowledge

reflects reality.

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Post-positivism!
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An epistemological position. We can never achieve perfect objectivity.

Truth is making fallible statements about the real.

Qualitative! !
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Language based research, in which experiences, perceptions,

observations etc. are not reduced to numerical form.. As a research
strategy it is inductivist, constructivist and interpretivist.

Quantitative! !
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Number based research, generally incorporating statistical analysis.

As a research strategy it is deductivist, objectivist and positivist.

Questionnaire!
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A collection of questions administered to respondents. May be a selfcompletion questionnaire.

Research Glossary - by Carole Stilwell

Randomised!!
Control!
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Trial! !
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Popularly called RCT. An experimental study in which participants

are randomly assigned to two or more groups, with one always being
a control group that does not receive the intervention being tested,
such that the efficacy of different interventions can be identified.

Range!!
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The difference between the maximum and the minimum value in a

distribution of values.

Realist!
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An ontological position. There is one reality, that exists independent of

the senses and the observer that is governed by laws.

Reflexivity ! !
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A requirement for the researcher using qualitative methods to be

aware of their own position and the influence they might have on the
research.

Research!
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A systematic process of enquiry that leads to the development of new

knowledge.

Sample !
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The collection of participants used in a study, for whom we want to

make generalisations to a wider population.

Standard!
Deviation!
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A measure of dispersion around the mean. 68% of values are within 1

SD of the mean; 95% are within 2 SDs; 99.7% are within 3SDs.
(see www.mathsisfun.com/data/standard-normal-distribution.html)

Survey!
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An approach that can be used for both quantitative and qualitative

research. Data is usually collected from more than one case in
connection with two or more variables to detect patterns of relationship
between those variables.!

References
Bryman, A. (2012)! Social Research Methods (4th Ed.) Oxford:OUP.
Cooper, M (2008)! Essential Research Findings in Counselling and Psychotherapy.
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London:Sage.
McLeod, J. (2010)! Case Study Research in Counselling and Psychotherapy. London:
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BACP/Sage.