Skip to main content

Synthesis Table

Synthesis Table


At the beginning of the study…

Exploratory

Descriptive

Explanatory





Variables have been defined

Some but not all

Yes

In detail





Population has been defined

Not yet

Yes

In detail





Dependent variable has been defined

No

No

Yes





Independent variables have been defined

No

No

Yes





Operational definitions have been defined

No

Yes

Yes





A data collection instrument is tried and tested

No

Yes

Yes





Data is already available

No

Maybe

Yes





Empirical Verification supports hypothesis (Correlation)

No

No

Yes





A logical explanation (model) and group of hypotheses are established

No

Maybe

Yes


Repeatability is established

No

Maybe

Yes





Empirical Verification establishes causality

No

No

Yes





Type of logic

Inductive

Both

Deductive





Data type

Qualitative

Both

Quantitative





Research Methods

Field Work

Unobtrusive

Survey

Unobtrusive

Experiment

Available Data



Content Analysis





Method

Survey

Experiment

Field  Research

Unobtrusive measurement

Content Analysis

Available Data

Case Study


Participation

Direct

Indirect

Mix

Discipline (X)

Sociology

++




+



Anthropology



++





Psychology


++





+

History





++



Geography



+

+


++


Political Science

+





++


Economics






++


Data Collection Tool

Recorded Observation



++

++




Laboratory


++






Interview



+





Questionnaire

++

+






Documents




Artefacts

+

+


Study type

Exploratory



+





Descriptive

++


+

++

++



Explanatory


++




++


Generalization (XX)

To larger population








To theory








Causal Analysis

Temporal Order



++





Correlation

++





++


Reduction


++






Process of Theory

Deductive






+


Inductive

+

+

++





Data type

Qualitative

++




++



Quantitative






++


Scale

Nominal





++



Ordinal



++

++




Interval








Ratio

++

+




++


Reporting (XXX)

Tables & Graphs


Psychology


Sociology

Political Science

Economics


Social Linkages Maps

Sociology







Spatial Maps






Geography


Descriptive Text





History



Synthesis Tables



Anthropology















NOTES

* This table was produced for pedagogical reasons only and is not intended as a definitive design.


X - The highlighted areas indicate methods used very frequently by each discipline. Disciplinarians may also use other methods, albeit in a much less frequent way. For example, economists may use content analysis, but this occurs less frequently.

XX - The power to generalize a sample finding to a larger population depends on sampling technique. Methods require random sampling to benefit of full generalization power. Datasets including full populations are of no worry in this respect.

XXX - The discipline is named only as a prime example of this type of reporting, with a specific research method. Other disciplines may use this reporting technique in conjunction with this and other research methods, as well.