This week’s topics
Types of research (descriptive, associational, intervention) and how to make research valid and reliable
- Starting point: a clear research question, fair data collection and unbiased questions
- Descriptive research
- Associational research
- Intervention research
- Validity and reliability of research
What you will be able to do
- 1.3 Discuss different types of academic research.
Activity
Start with this week’s 4 videos, then discuss how they apply to this week’s topic and note one example from a real business.
Study materials
Videos
- Data collection · Oak National Academy, Key Stage 4 (GCSE level) · for registered students
- Biased questioning · Oak National Academy, Key Stage 4 (GCSE level) · for registered students
- Statistical problems - drawing conclusions · Oak National Academy, Key Stage 3 (lower secondary level) · for registered students
- How to Develop a STRONG Research Question | Scribbr 🎓 · YouTube · Scribbr · 4 min · for registered students
Further resources
- Writing Guide, 12.5: Formulating a research question · PDF · OpenStax Writing Guide with Handbook (2021), 12.5 on choosing a topic and formulating a research question, pp. 402–404 · for registered students
- Introduction to Sociology 3e, 2.2: Research Methods · PDF · OpenStax Introduction to Sociology 3e (2021), 2.2: the research process, surveys, field research, experiments and secondary data, pp. 40–52 · for registered students
- Introductory Business Statistics 2e, ch. 1.2: Data, sampling and variation · PDF · OpenStax (2023), avoiding bias in samples; pp. 10–21 · for registered students
- Principles of Data Science, 2.2: Survey Design and Implementation · PDF · OpenStax Principles of Data Science (2025), 2.2: designing questionnaires and avoiding bias, pp. 61–65 · for registered students
Materials marked “for registered students” open in the student portal, which is set up as soon as you receive final acceptance.
