Glossary

Did you come across a word whose meaning you were not sure of? Is all the fancy lingo surrounding research intimidating? Rest assured, we’ve all been in your shoes before and that’s why we created this page to break down some of those confusing terms!

The world of research is full of discipline-specific terminology that can easily confuse the best of us, here we provide definitions for them and hopefully clear up any confusion. Think of this as your starting point but feel free to do your own research online to deep dive into what these words mean in the context of your field!

Confusing Terms:

Interpreting collected data and communicating the results of the research.

Any outside influence or prejudice that may or may not distort how you collect, interpret, or report data.

In-depth analysis of a single person, group, or event.

Being selective of which parts of data you choose to use and not use, is typically done by using what supports your ideas.

Information collected during research that you will use to draw conclusions and answer your research question.

Sum of money awarded to a researcher to fund all or part of their research; usually based on financial need.

An initial prediction of how one variable (independent) will affect another variable (dependent).

While many words can be used, the meaning entails sharing research knowledge with others. It can be done in traditional academic forms such as papers, presentations and conferences or in more creative forms such as podcasts, videos, and art installations.

The initial paper detailing your research question, methodology, findings, and conclusions that you submit to a journal for publication.

A support system of like-minded peers and researchers that can offer assistance, collaboration opportunities, or guidance if needed.

A publication that has been reviewed and critiqued by experts in the field to verify its accuracy.

The specific question or issue you are trying to investigate in your research; helps guide your research.

Conducting your research in such a way that others can trust that your methods are honest, ethical, and verifiable and that your data is reported clearly and transparently; guidelines, policies, and regulations are available to ensure integrity.

Sum of money awarded to a researcher to fund all or part of their research; usually based on merit.

Further Definitions and Explanations: