Research Methods Handbook.pdf - CLES

VWValidityConcerns the extent to which your research findings can be said to beaccurate and reliable, and the extent to which the conclusions are warranted.VariableAny factor, which may be relevant to a research study. For example theage and gender of respondents would be variables. See also StandardVariables, Dependent/Independent variables, and Controlling variables.Variation (variance)A measure of the spread of the variable, usually used to describe thedeviation from a central value (e.g, the mean).WeightingThe process of weighting involves emphasising some aspects of a phenomenon,or of a set of data – giving them ‘more weight’ in the finaleffect or result.72