What are the components, process, strenghts, and weaknesses of correlational research?

Don Juan Williams

Potential Enote
Editor

April 19,
2011

Components, Process, Strengths’, and
Weaknesses of Correlation
Research

Psychological and educational
research can be separated into three
categories,

1. Historical
   research


2. Qualitative
   research


3. Quantitative
   research.

Number 3, Quantitative research, can also be
separated into three categories,

1. Descriptive
   research


2. Experimental
   research


3. Correlational
   research

Correlational research decides how variables
are related. The data is identified then their relationships are investigated. Data is put
together from various variables and statistical correlation methods are applied to the data.
Correlation does not mean cause and affect like experimental research. At the most, the
researcher will only be able to make small fundamental
inferences.

Correlational Research examines the nature of the
correlation or what one variable has to do with the other which can be either positive or
negative. Predictions are then made that can be tested on samples. For
example:

Hypothesis - Does drinking wine
make you look sexy?

Test the Hypothesis
using correlational research. You can either do a survey or conduct an experiment. The
strengths of a survey are that they are easier to give, you can
survey many people, variables etc. and you can be assured that it is not a real situation.
Weaknesses of a survey would be that some questions you ask may
prejudice responses, participants may not tell the truth when answering questions and even the
survey may be biased.