Research Methods Vocabulary

verb to gather or collect a large amount of something over time

• The company was able to amass a large amount of data through their research efforts.
• I've been trying to amass a collection of vintage vinyl records.
• She's been amassing quite the following on social media.
• Over the years, he has managed to amass a wealth of knowledge and experience.

adjective characterized by exhibiting a tendency to disagree or argue

• The professor appreciated the student's well-researched and argumentative essay.
• She always gets so argumentative when discussing politics with her brother.
• Why are you being so argumentative about it? Just chill out.
• The argumentative storm clouds gathered overhead as tensions rose in the meeting.

noun a postmortem examination to discover the cause of death or the extent of disease

• The forensic pathologist conducted an autopsy to determine the cause of death.
• The doctors had to do an autopsy to find out what happened.
• They had to cut open the body for the autopsy.
• The team performed an autopsy on the project to analyze its failure.

noun A store or shop where chemicals and chemical products are sold

• The chemist conducted a series of experiments to determine the chemical composition of the substance.
• My friend works as a chemist and loves mixing different chemicals together in the lab.
• I heard that new chemist at the lab is a real wizard when it comes to creating new compounds.
• She approached the problem like a chemist, carefully analyzing each component before coming to a conclusion.

noun a variable that has a statistically significant relationship with another variable

verb to have a mutual relationship or connection

• The study aimed to correlate the effects of different variables on the outcome.
• I'm trying to see if there's a correlation between studying more and getting better grades.
• I wonder if there's a link between how much you practice and how well you play.
• In literature, the author often uses symbolism to correlate different themes throughout the story.

verb to confirm or give support to (a statement, theory, or finding)

• The witness was able to corroborate the suspect's alibi.
• I can corroborate that the party was a lot of fun.
• I'll corroborate your story if you cover for me later.
• The data from the study corroborates the theory proposed by the scientist.

noun a numerical value or total

verb to determine the total number of something

• Please make sure to count all the items in the inventory before placing an order.
• Can you count how many people are coming to the party?
• I lost count of how many times he called me last night.
• In times of trouble, true friends are the ones you can count on.

noun a long essay on a particular subject, especially one written as a requirement for a doctoral degree

• She spent months researching and writing her dissertation on environmental sustainability.
• I finally finished that super long dissertation for my degree.
• I can't believe I aced my diss without even trying!
• His dissertation on the art of persuasion was like a masterpiece in itself.

verb to participate or become involved in

preposition a word that shows the relationship between a noun or pronoun and other words in a sentence, in this case indicating the action being done (engaging) and what it is being done with (in)

• It is important for employees to engage in regular professional development opportunities.
• We should engage in a team-building activity to improve our communication.
• Let's engage in some brainstorming to come up with new ideas.
• She likes to engage in deep conversations about life and philosophy.

noun a person who seeks information or guidance; someone who asks questions or investigates

verb none

adjective none

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pronoun none

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conjunction none

interjection none

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• The enquirer requested more information regarding the company's financial performance.
• The enquirer wanted to know more about the party happening next weekend.
• The enquirer was snooping around asking about everyone's business.
• The enquirer's curiosity was like a relentless detective, always seeking out new information.

noun an approximate calculation or judgment of the value, number, quantity, or extent of something

• The project manager provided a detailed estimation of the costs involved in the construction.
• I made a rough estimation of how long it would take to drive to the beach.
• I took a wild guess at the number of people attending the party, but my estimation was way off.
• Her estimation of his character turned out to be completely wrong.

adjective coming from outside

• The professor asked the students to focus on the main points of the discussion and avoid including extraneous details in their essays.
• Don't worry about all those extraneous things, just tell me what happened.
• Why are you adding all that extraneous stuff to the story? Just get to the point.
• She tried to clear her mind of extraneous thoughts and focus on the task at hand.

noun a note of reference, explanation, or comment usually placed below the text on a printed page

• The author included a footnote at the bottom of the page to provide additional information.
• I always skip over the footnotes when reading a book.
• I added a little footnote at the end of my essay just to be extra.
• The footnote in his speech hinted at a deeper meaning behind his words.

noun a gathering or assembly of people, animals, or things

verb to bring together or collect into one place or group

• The conference room is where we gather for important meetings.
• Let's gather at the park for a picnic this weekend.
• Hey, wanna gather at my place later to hang out?
• She could gather her thoughts before making a decision.

verb to come together, assemble, or collect in one place

• The data gathered from the research study will be presented at the conference.
• We gathered at the park for a picnic with friends.
• I gathered from his tone that he wasn't interested in what I was saying.
• She gathered her thoughts before speaking in front of the audience.

noun a coming together of people, such as a meeting or assembly

• The annual gathering of world leaders took place at the United Nations headquarters.
• We're planning a gathering at the park this weekend, want to join?
• I heard there's a cool gathering happening downtown tonight, let's check it out.
• The gathering of thoughts in her mind led to a breakthrough in her research project.

verb to give or allow someone something

adjective given as a privilege or right

• The judge granted the defendant's request for a continuance.
• I granted myself a day off from work to relax.
• I granted you permission to use my car for the weekend.
• She granted him forgiveness for his past mistakes.

noun a supposition or proposed explanation made on the basis of limited evidence as a starting point for further investigation

• The researcher proposed a hypothesis to test the relationship between variables.
• I have a theory about what happened, wanna hear my hypothesis?
• I've got a hunch that my hypothesis is gonna be proven right.
• Sometimes, our assumptions act as a hypothesis for how things will turn out.

noun a person who specializes in the study or development of methods

• The methodologist conducted a thorough analysis of the research data.
• The methodologist really knows their stuff when it comes to research methods.
• That methodologist is the go-to person for all things research-related.
• The methodologist is like a detective, uncovering hidden patterns in the data.

verb to think about carefully; consider thoroughly

• After receiving the proposal, the board members took some time to mull over the details before making a decision.
• I need to mull over which movie to watch tonight.
• Let's mull over where to grab dinner later.
• She liked to mull over the memories of her childhood.

adjective not biased or partisan; impartial

• The organization is committed to providing nonpartisan analysis of public policy issues.
• The group aims to stay neutral and nonpartisan in their research.
• We gotta keep it nonpartisan, no bias allowed.
• Her nonpartisan approach to decision-making is like a breath of fresh air in a world full of political agendas.

noun the quality of being objective; unbiased or impartial

adjective objective

• Maintaining objectivity is crucial in scientific research to ensure accurate results.
• It's important to stay objective when analyzing the situation.
• Don't let your biases get in the way, try to stay objective.
• Seeing things with objectivity is like viewing the world through a clear lens.

noun the action or process of observing something or someone carefully or in order to gain information

adjective relating to or based on observation

• The scientist made a detailed observation of the specimen under the microscope.
• I noticed something interesting while making an observation in the park.
• I was just checking things out and made an observation about the situation.
• Her keen observation skills allowed her to see through people's facades.

noun a precise or exact point or detail

verb to locate or identify precisely or accurately

• The scientist was able to pinpoint the exact location of the anomaly.
• I can pinpoint where I left my keys using the Find My Phone app.
• I can pinpoint the best taco truck in town for you.
• She could pinpoint the moment when everything changed in her life.

verb to examine or study carefully and in detail

• The researchers will pore over the data to find any patterns or trends.
• I like to pore over magazines at the doctor's office to pass the time.
• We spent all night poring over the new video game, trying to beat the final level.
• She would pore over his words, trying to decipher the hidden meaning behind them.

noun a set of questions for obtaining information from individuals or groups

adjective pertaining to or consisting of questions

• The research study required participants to fill out a detailed questionnaire.
• I had to answer a bunch of questions on the questionnaire for the survey.
• I breezed through the questionnaire without really paying attention.
• Life sometimes feels like a never-ending questionnaire of choices and decisions.

noun a book or passage referred to for information

verb mention or allude to

• Please provide a reference for the information you have shared.
• Can you point me to a reference for that fact?
• Got any references to back that up?
• In this debate, historical references serve as our guiding light.

noun a superficial understanding or knowledge of a subject or problem

verb to only begin to understand or deal with a subject or problem

• In order to truly understand the complexity of the situation, we must do more than just scratch the surface.
• Just reading the headlines won't give you the full picture, you need to scratch the surface a bit more.
• You think you know everything about her, but you've barely scratched the surface.
• The research paper only scratches the surface of the topic, there's so much more to explore.

noun the quality of being important or having meaning

adjective significant - having importance or meaning

• The significance of the research findings cannot be understated.
• I don't think you understand the significance of what you just said.
• Dude, do you even realize the significance of what just happened?
• The significance of her presence in my life is like a beacon in the dark.

noun a preliminary or initial stage of work, especially in preparation for further development or progress

• The success of the project was largely due to the thorough spadework done by the research team.
• Before we can start the fun part of the project, we need to do all the spadework first.
• I can't believe how much spadework we had to do just to get this party organized.
• She knew that the spadework of building a successful career would require dedication and hard work.

adjective describing something that is in the form of a table or organized in rows and columns

• The data was presented in a tabular format for easy comparison.
• I like how the information is laid out in a tabular way.
• Check out this cool tabular presentation of the stats.
• Her mind worked in a tabular fashion, organizing thoughts neatly into rows and columns.

verb to reveal or make known something that was previously hidden or secret

• The detective was able to uncover new evidence in the case.
• I can't wait to uncover the surprise party plans for my birthday!
• Let's go explore the abandoned building and see what we can uncover.
• Through therapy, she was able to uncover deep-seated emotions that were holding her back.

adjective capable of being proven true or accurate

• The research findings are verifiable through multiple sources.
• You can easily verify the information by checking different websites.
• You gotta fact-check that, make sure it's verifiable.
• Her trust in him was not easily verifiable, as he often lied.

noun A person who extracts venom from snakes for medical or research purposes

• The snake milker carefully extracts venom from various species of snakes for research purposes.
• My neighbor is a snake milker and he always has interesting stories to tell about his job.
• I heard that becoming a snake milker is a pretty wild gig.
• In the world of finance, a successful investor is like a snake milker, able to extract profits from risky situations.

noun the academic community; academic life

• The university places a strong emphasis on academics and research.
• I need to buckle down and focus on my academics if I want to pass this class.
• I'm really struggling with my academics right now, I could use some help.
• In the game of life, academics can be your strongest weapon.

verb to cite as evidence or proof in an argument or discussion

• The lawyer will adduce evidence to support her argument in court.
• She will adduce examples from the study to prove her point.
• He's always trying to adduce some excuse for being late.
• You can adduce the success of the project as proof of your leadership skills.

noun a person who gives support or assistance; a helper or assistant

• The adminicular evidence provided by the witness supported the prosecution's case.
• The adminicular details helped piece together the puzzle of the crime.
• I found some adminicular stuff that might help us crack the case.
• Her words served as an adminicular crutch for him during his time of need.