Research methods glossary.
162 plain-English definitions of the terms a thesis runs on: research design, sampling, statistics, qualitative analysis, literature reviews, citations and the process itself.
Research design
- research question
- hypothesis
- null hypothesis
- variable
- independent variable
- dependent variable
- confounding variable
- operationalization
- conceptual framework
- theoretical framework
- unit of analysis
- cross-sectional study
- longitudinal study
- case study
- experimental design
- quasi-experimental design
- control group
- randomized controlled trial
- pilot study
- mixed methods research
- action research
- ethnography
- grounded theory
- phenomenology
- positivism
- interpretivism
Sampling & data collection
- population
- sample
- sampling frame
- random sampling
- stratified sampling
- convenience sampling
- purposive sampling
- snowball sampling
- sample size
- saturation
- response rate
- primary data
- secondary data
- survey research
- questionnaire design
- Likert scale
- structured interview
- semi-structured interview
- focus group
- observation study
- field notes
- data cleaning
- missing data
- outlier
- data triangulation
Quantitative analysis
- descriptive statistics
- inferential statistics
- mean median mode
- standard deviation
- variance
- normal distribution
- p-value
- statistical significance
- confidence interval
- effect size
- correlation
- regression analysis
- t-test
- ANOVA
- chi-square test
- Cronbach's alpha
- factor analysis
- Type I and Type II errors
- statistical power
- non-parametric tests
- Mann-Whitney U test
- logistic regression
- degrees of freedom
- skewness and kurtosis
Qualitative analysis
- coding qualitative data
- thematic analysis
- content analysis
- discourse analysis
- narrative analysis
- open coding
- axial coding
- codebook
- inter-rater reliability
- member checking
- reflexivity
- thick description
- constant comparative method
- deductive coding
- inductive coding
- qualitative rigor
- audit trail
- negative case analysis
- memoing
- transcription conventions
Literature review
- literature review
- systematic review
- scoping review
- meta-analysis
- narrative review
- PRISMA diagram
- inclusion and exclusion criteria
- literature matrix
- synthesis matrix
- annotated bibliography
- citation chaining
- grey literature
- peer review
- preprint
- research gap
- seminal work
- conceptual saturation
- database search strategy
- Boolean operators
- hand searching
Citations & integrity
- citation
- reference list
- bibliography
- in-text citation
- DOI
- citation style
- plagiarism
- self-plagiarism
- paraphrasing
- direct quotation
- citation manager
- BibTeX
- RIS format
- retraction
- predatory journal
- impact factor
- h-index
- open access
- academic integrity
- AI-use disclosure
- primary source
- secondary source
- citation hallucination
- verbatim quote
The thesis process
- thesis statement
- dissertation
- thesis proposal
- abstract
- methodology chapter
- results chapter
- discussion chapter
- limitations section
- delimitations
- validity
- reliability
- generalizability
- ethics approval
- informed consent
- supervisor meeting
- thesis defense
- viva voce
- examiner report
- revisions after defense
- submission formatting
- front matter
- appendices
- word count management