Читать книгу Social Work Research Methods - Reginald O. York - Страница 70

Chance. A possibility. The absence of any cause of events (actualities) that can be predicted. In scientific inquiry, you typically have a theory being tested by systematically collected data, but you realize that data can occur by chance, so you test to see if your data can too easily be explained by chance to be taken seriously with regard to the research question being examined.

Cherry-picking. A biased selection and presentation of facts to support an opinion.

Critical thinking. Disciplined thinking that favors rationality, open-mindedness, and systematically analyzed evidence, and requires an idea (theory, proposal, opinion, etc.) to be effectively subjected to criticism.

False dichotomy. Asserting a claim based on the faulty assumption that there are only two alternatives when there are actually more.

Generalization of data results. The likelihood that these results would be repeated in another study using the same methods as in the current study.

Measurement error. The difference between a measurement and reality.

Pseudoscience. A process that relies on methods that are not scientific but is portrayed in a manner that seems scientific.

Science. A process that relies on a carefully articulated question, the systematic collection of data on an objective basis, the analysis of the data, and the drawing of conclusions consistent with the data.

Social scientist. Someone who applies the principles and methods of science to learn more about social phenomena.

Spirit of scientific inquiry. An atmosphere that adheres to the principles of science.

Statistical significance. A finding that suggests that chance is not a good explanation of the data results.

Statistical test. A mathematical formula that determines the likelihood that a set of data would occur (or be explained by) chance.