Summary and Review

academic imperialism: an unequal relation between academics where one group dominates while other groups are ignored or silenced.

analysis: the process of compiling and reviewing information, and then summarising and synthesising the data, often with the aide of statistical techniques, to reach a conclusion or explanation about the phenomenon under study.

conceptualisation: to form a concept or idea about something and to become very specific about what we mean by those concepts for the purpose of our own research.

cross-sectional: a research study that gathers data at one point in time. It provides a snapshot of the phenomenon of interest.

data sovereignty: implies rightful ownership of specific data. This involves allowing Indigenous peoples to control who collects data about their people and what data are collected, as well as how the results are disseminated.

deductive: a research model that involves working from the general to the specific, or from theory to data collection. The deductive model employs quantitative methods of research.

empiricism: a method of study based on tangible and observable facts, evidence, and research.

epistemology: the study of knowledge or ways of knowing.

evidence-based: when the information you use to make decisions is based on research, not opinion.

evidence-informed: when information and research is combined with experiences and expertise to best fit the population and culture being served.

experiments: a quantitative scientific procedure performed to determine something or test a hypothesis.

field research: a qualitative method that involves observing and possibly interacting with research subjects in their natural environment.

focus groups: a qualitative method that involves a group of individuals brought together and led by a moderator to share similarities, opinions, or differences.

gatekeepers: a person or position that controls access to something and has the power to decide who obtains resources or opportunities and who does not.

generalisability: the degree to which the results of a study can be applied to a larger population. The larger the sample, the greater the ability to generalise the findings of the study.

grey literature: information produced outside of traditional publishing and distribution channels, including government and community reports, conference papers, and dissertations.

historical trauma: multigenerational trauma experienced by a specific cultural or racial group, such as the violent colonisation experienced by Indigenous peoples.

hypothesis: a proposed explanation used as a starting point in the deductive model for further investigation, or emerging at the end of the research process in the inductive model. A hypothesis is typically written as an “if, then” statement and outlines how we expect the variables to be related to one another and the direction of that relationship.

inductive: a research model that involves working from the specific to the general or from observations to the development of theory. The inductive model employs qualitative methods.

interviews: a qualitative method that involves asking a series of mostly open-ended questions in an effort to capture the participants’ voices in their own words.

literature review: a written summary and overview of writings and other sources on a selected topic to gain an understanding of existing research relevant to the topic.

longitudinal research: a study which extends beyond a single point in time and involves the collection of data at various time intervals.

methodology: system of methods, procedures and principles used in a particular area of study or discipline.

objectivity: ideas that are based on fact and free from bias or personal opinion.

OCAP: the First Nations principles of ownership, control, access, and possession (OCAP) assert that First Nations have control over data collection processes, and that they own and control how this information can be used.

official dataset: data sets often produced by official governmental agencies for administrative purposes, such as Census data or crime figures.

operationalisation: turning abstract concepts or phenomena that may not be directly observable into measurable observations. For example, this would involve selecting the exact wording of survey questions.

population: all members of a particular area or group, or all things, that you want to learn more about from which a sample is drawn.

qualitative: research that involves the collection and analysis of in-depth textual or verbal, non-numerical data. Methods include interviews, focus groups, and field observation.

quantitative: research that involves the collection and analysis of numerical data. It can involve testing causal relationships and making predictions. Methods include closed-ended surveys and experiments.

raw data: data collected directly from the source and that exist at this point without any processing, transformation, or analysis. Interview notes or survey responses are examples of raw data.

reliability: the degree to which a measurement or research method produces consistent results. This consistency can also be understood as replicability, either at different times, and/or by different researchers.

research method: the specific way you will collect data for your research study, such as conducting focus groups, interviews, surveys, or experiments.

sample: a subset of people or things from the larger population we want to know more about. In quantitative research, our samples are larger than in qualitative research.

sampling: the process of selecting which people or things to research (i.e. selecting our sample) from the larger population, with the typical goal of generalising our findings from the sample to the population. In quantitative research, our sampling techniques are random, while in qualitative research, we use non-random sampling techniques to select those people or things with specific characteristics of interest.

scientific colonialism: the state in which the transformation of knowledge production is controlled by the colonisers while other ways of knowing, namely Indigenous ways of knowing, are dismissed.

secondary data: data that the researcher has not collected or created themselves as they already exist. The data in the UCR2 or the General Social Survey are examples of secondary data.

subjectivity: perceptions based on one’s own feelings, experiences, and opinions rather than on external, observable facts.

survey: a quantitative method of collecting data by asking respondents questions in a questionnaire.

talking circle: a type of discussion with participants sitting in a circle, originated by Indigenous peoples and often used as a part of a healing ceremony. Talking circles can also be used to value participants’ sharing of personal experiences for the sake of research.

theory: an explanation for observed facts and laws that relate to a particular phenomenon. It is made up of a set of concepts and an explanation of how these concepts are related to one another.

Two-Eyed Seeing: the blending of Indigenous worldviews and Western science.

unit of analysis: the thing or person being studied and analysed in a research study, such as individuals, groups, organisations or social artifacts.

validity: the accuracy of our research methods, and whether they measure what they intend to measure.

variable: a person, place, thing or phenomenon that you are trying to measure and that varies in value. Age, income, and number of crimes committed are all examples of variables.

Western research design: a typically European or colonial approach with adherence to the scientific method grounded in a belief in individualism, autonomy, purposefulness and meaning.