A theme is an idea or pattern that recurs throughout a dataset and is related to a specific research question.
The identification of themes is a core component of thematic analysis, which is a research method commonly used to analyze qualitative data.
Proportionate sampling in stratified sampling is a technique where the sample size from each stratum is proportional to the size of that stratum in the overall population.
This ensures that each stratum is represented in the sample in the same proportion as it is in the population, representing the population’s overall structure and diversity in the sample.
For example, the population you’re investigating consists of approximately 60% women, 30% men, and 10% people with a different gender identity. With proportionate sampling, your sample would have a similar distribution instead of equal parts.
Construct validity refers to the extent to which a study measures the underlying concept or construct that it is supposed to measure.
Internal validity refers to the extent to which observed changes in the dependent variable are caused by the manipulation of the independent variable rather than other factors, such as extraneous variables or research biases.
The research design is the backbone of your research project. It includes research objectives, the types of sources you will consult (i.e., primary vs secondary), data collection methods, and data analysis techniques.
A thorough and well-executed research design can facilitate your research and act as a guide throughout both the research process and the thesis or dissertation writing process.
A good inter-rater reliability score depends on the statistic used and the context of the study.
For Cohen’s kappa (two raters), common guidelines are:
For the Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (interval or ratio data), similar thresholds are used:
Ordinal data is usually considered qualitative in nature. The data can be numerical, but the differences between categories are not equal or meaningful. This means you can’t use them to calculate measures of central tendency (e.g., mean) or variability (e.g., standard deviation).
