1.4 Looking at the problem or issue from different perspectives
🔍AP Research Unit 1 Review
1.4 Looking at the problem or issue from different perspectives
🔍 AP Research
continue practicing 1.4
Multiple choice
Strong research starts by looking at a problem from more than one perspective. Different fields, stakeholders, and methods can frame the same issue in different ways, so AP Research asks you to judge which sources are credible for the specific question you are asking.
Credibility
The credibility of sources is important in research because it helps to ensure that the information being used is accurate and reliable. Information from credible sources is more likely to be trustworthy and unbiased, whereas information from non-credible sources may be unreliable or contain errors. Additionally, using credible sources can help to increase the overall credibility and validity of the research itself. In short, it is essential to use credible sources in research to ensure that findings are accurate, reliable and trustworthy.
Image courtesy of GIPHY
Credibility Techniques
How do we analyze credibility? We use the acronym RAVEN!
R-Reputation: Analyze the background of the author (or primary author). Include where they work, their institution of education, and some background on their previous publications if they have any.
A-Ability to investigate: Describe how the author may have the ability to collect this data/make their conclusions. Do they have lab access? Are they part of the American Psychological Association? Etc.
V-Vested interest: Explain what stake the author may have in the results of the study. Would they have a personal interest to advance?
E-Expertise: What degree does the author have to give them credibility in this field? How verifiable is this information?
N-Neutrality: Does the author seem neutral when writing about the question, study, or results?
Here's a student RAVEN example on an article called Sleepless in Fairfax, which can be found at https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25178930/:
Reputation:
- The author, Adam Winsler, is an educational psychologist with a specialization in pediatrics. He has published more than 100 works on the effects of sleeplessness, specifically within children. He works for George Mason university, and has studied the impacts of several factors on the development of ethnic children as well.
Ability to Observe:
- The author is in a position to gain access to labs and human participants due to his position at George Mason University.
Vested Interest:
- The author does not have a personal stake in the research as seen from his public profile. He works with ethnically diverse children, but nothing on his public profile, such as a funder or an affiliation, clearly points to a personal stake in the results, though a profile alone cannot rule one out.
Expertise:
- The author has specialized knowledge in this particular field, as he is an associate chair professor in the psychology department at George Mason University.
- The evidence Winsler utilized is highly specialized as well and comes from numerous peer-reviewed journals.
- The information presented about adolescents in this article is highly verifiable through other peer-reviewed articles, as sleeplessness in teens that leads to depression etc. has been seen as a general trend in the psychological field.
Neutrality:
- The author does not seem wholly neutral on this particular subject matter. He has repeatedly done studies on the effects of certain phenomena on children. Due to this, he has most certainly formed an opinion on the subject of sleep and behavior. Researchers can form opinions from repeated study, so it is worth checking whether the author has kept those opinions from shaping the results.
This was published in 2014, and is considered a relatively new study. The article seems balanced and objective with the thorough research conducted.
** Make sure to check the date of publication of an article!**
** A peer-reviewed study, also called a "peer-reviewed article" or "scholarly article," is a type of research publication that has undergone a formal evaluation process by experts in the same field or domain as the authors. These experts, known as "peers," review the study's methodology, findings, and overall quality to ensure that it meets the standards of the field and is worthy of publication. The peer-review process is intended to help ensure the reliability, validity, and overall quality of the research. Peer-reviewed studies are typically published in academic journals and are considered to be a reliable source of information in research and scholarship.**
Exceptions
When you are trying to learn about how people behave, what they think, and what they like, it's important to make sure the information you are getting is true and reliable. This means checking where the information is coming from and who gave it to you. The people who answer your questions or who you observe have to be honest and have good memories, and the way you ask the questions or watch them has to be done correctly. This way, you can be sure that the information you are getting is accurate and can be trusted.
Practice Questions for 1.4
1 of 10
A researcher conducting interviews about student stress levels transcribes all responses and then assigns labels like 'academic pressure,' 'social anxiety,' and 'time management' to different sections of the interview data. Which term describes this organizational process?
A.
Sampling
B.
Inference
C.
Triangulation
D.
Coding
Vocabulary
The following words are mentioned explicitly in the AP® course framework for this topic.Term | Definition |
|---|---|
alternate approaches | Different methods or strategies used to achieve research goals when the initial approach encounters difficulties or proves ineffective. |
artistic processes | Creative approaches to inquiry that may include generating, conceptualizing, testing, and refining aesthetic approaches such as workshopping, storyboarding, composing, choreographing, staging, and model-making. |
author's perspective | The viewpoint, bias, and assumptions that influence how an author presents information and interprets data. |
authoritative | Recognized as having expert knowledge and trustworthy expertise in a particular subject area. |
coding | The process of organizing and categorizing data or information to identify patterns, themes, or meaningful units. |
contextualization | The process of placing a research problem within its broader circumstances, background, and framework to understand its significance and scope. |
copyright laws | Legal protections that govern the use, reproduction, and distribution of original creative works and intellectual property. |
correlations | Statistical relationships between two or more variables indicating how they vary together. |
credibility | The quality of being trustworthy and believable, which is enhanced through accurate and ethical attribution of sources. |
data analysis | The process of examining and interpreting collected data or information to identify patterns, trends, and meaning. |
data collection | The process of gathering information or evidence through various methods to address a research question or project goal. |
data collection instrument | The tool or method used to gather information from respondents or observers, such as surveys, questionnaires, or observation protocols. |
descriptive statistics | Statistical methods used to summarize and display data characteristics such as mean, median, and standard deviation. |
ethical research practices | Conducting research in accordance with moral principles and established guidelines to ensure responsible and honest scholarly work. |
feasibility | The practical possibility of conducting a research project given available resources, time, and constraints. |
generalizability | The extent to which research findings and conclusions can be applied to broader populations or contexts beyond the specific study. |
inferences | Conclusions drawn from data or evidence that extend beyond the immediate observations to make broader claims. |
inferential statistics | Statistical methods used to analyze data and draw conclusions about a larger population based on a sample. |
inquiry process | A systematic approach to research that draws upon curiosity and imagination to explore complex issues and develop understanding. |
institutional review board | A committee that reviews and approves research proposals involving human subjects to ensure ethical standards and protect participant rights. |
intellectual property | Original creations of the mind, including written works, inventions, and personal information, that are protected by law from unauthorized use. |
interpretation of texts | A qualitative method of analyzing written or recorded materials to extract meaning and understanding. |
interviews | A qualitative data collection method involving direct conversation between a researcher and participant to gather information and insights. |
long-term project | An extended research or inquiry effort that requires sustained effort over an extended period of time. |
methods of inquiry | The systematic approaches, procedures, and techniques used to investigate questions or create artistic works. |
mixed methods | A research approach that combines both qualitative and quantitative data collection and analysis techniques. |
modeling | A quantitative method of representing data or phenomena through mathematical or visual representations. |
observational notes | Qualitative data recorded by a researcher through direct observation of phenomena, behaviors, or events. |
open-ended survey questions | Survey questions that allow respondents to provide detailed, unrestricted responses rather than selecting from predetermined options. |
patent laws | Legal protections that grant inventors exclusive rights to their inventions and prevent unauthorized use or reproduction of patented work. |
pattern | Recurring sequences, structures, or relationships identified in evidence. |
peer-reviewed | A process in which scholarly articles are evaluated and approved by disciplinary experts before publication. |
perseverance | The ability to persist and continue working toward goals despite difficulties, setbacks, or obstacles in a research project. |
population | The entire group or collection from which a sample is drawn in a research study. |
precise measurements | Quantitative data collection involving exact, accurate numerical values obtained through standardized procedures. |
project goal | The intended outcome or objective that a research project or scholarly inquiry aims to achieve. |
qualitative research | A research method that focuses on understanding phenomena through descriptive data, such as interviews, observations, and open-ended responses. |
quantitative research | A research method that focuses on measuring and analyzing numerical data using precise measurements and statistical procedures. |
relevance | The quality of evidence being directly related to and supporting the specific claims or arguments being made. |
reliability | The consistency and dependability of conclusions and data, reflecting how trustworthy and reproducible the results are. |
research methods | The systematic procedures and techniques used to collect, analyze, and interpret data in a study. |
research question | A focused inquiry that guides scholarly investigation and defines what the researcher seeks to explore, explain, or understand. |
sample | A subset of a population or collection of artifacts selected for study in a research project. |
scholarly inquiry | A systematic and rigorous investigation or research project conducted according to academic standards and methods. |
scope | The boundaries and extent of a research project, including what is included and excluded from the inquiry. |
self-sufficiency | The ability to work independently and solve problems on one's own while conducting research, even while seeking guidance from experts. |
setbacks | Unexpected obstacles, failures, or delays that occur during the research process and require adaptation or alternative approaches. |
structured data collection instruments | Validated tools and procedures used in quantitative research to systematically gather consistent and comparable data. |
themes | Recurring ideas, concepts, or categories that emerge from organized and analyzed data or information. |
triangulation | A method of combining multiple qualitative and/or quantitative data sources to verify and corroborate findings. |
validity | The degree to which evidence is sound, reliable, and actually supports the claims being made. |
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