Correlational Research

Elisha Gay C. Hidalgo, RND

Correlational Research

DEFINITION

What is a Correlational Research or Study?

y . In general, a correlational study is a

quantitative method of research in which you have 2 or more quantitative variables from the same group of subjects, & you are trying to determine if there is a relationship (or covariation) between the 2 variables (a similarity between them, not a difference between their means). Theoretically, any 2 quantitative variables can be correlated as long as you have scores on these variables from the same participants; however, it is probably a waste of time to collect & analyze data when there is little reason to think these two variables would be related to each other.

What is a Correlational Research or Study?

y A research method that examines how variables are naturally related in the real

world, without any attempt by the researcher to alter or change them. y The basic research question for correlation research is -What is the relationship between two or more variables for a given set of subjects.
y

Correlational studies can be appropriate to study the variables that cannot be manipulated or controlled because of their uncontrollable property or the ethical problems to control them. Examples of uncontrollable variables
y birth order y sex y age

Examples of variables that cause ethical issues in controlling

y Malnutrition y physical disabilities

Types of Correlational Research:

Naturalistic Observation Observe and record the natural environment without interference Survey Method Inexpensive and quick, can cover large population Dependent on survey respondents and questionnaire Archival Research Analyze historical records Inexpensive Questions the reliability of the method used for recording

The Design of Correlational Research Studies

Purpose/Goal of Correlational Research

y Try to have 30 or more participants; this is important to

increase the validity of the research. y Your hypothesis might be that there is a positive correlation (for example, the number of hours of study & your midterm exam scores), or a negative correlation (for example, your levels of stress & your exam scores). A perfect correlation would be an r = +1.0 & -1.0, while no correlation would be r = 0. Perfect correlations would almost never occur; expect to see correlations much less than + or - 1.0. Although correlation can't prove a causal relationship, it can be used for prediction, to support a theory, to measure test-retest reliability, etc.

Data Sources
y Raw scores such as

Research Tools
y Standardized tests are the

standardized test scores. y Measures such as grade point averages. y Dichotomous data , data which has two possibilities such as male/female or pass/fail.

most common tools for doing correlational studies. y Direct measurement techniques have also been used for specialized studies such as monitoring student pulse rates to determine stress on test performance.

Data Analysis:
y Excel has a statistical

Presentation of your results in a Research Report:

y

function. It calculates Pearson Product Moment correlations. y Statistical software program (SPSS or NCSS/PASS) for personal computers calculates correlations

Use the standard APA style lab report. In the Introduction, briefly review past research & theory in your topic question (e.g. summarize current research on stress & academic achievement). Use APA referencing style to cite your sources. Then in the Method section, present a general description of the group of participants (their number, mean age, gender, etc.) in the Participants section, any materials you may have used (e.g. tests, surveys, etc.) in the Materials section, & in the Procedure section, note that your general research strategy was a correlational study, & describe your methods of data collection (e.g. survey, test, etc.). In the Results section of the report, present your correlation statistic in both a table & in words, & note whether or not it is significant. If you have more than 2 variables to correlate, present a correlational matrix, showing the correlation between each of the variables. In the following example, 4 variables were correlated in one study. The correlation between Exam scores & hours of study, for example, is r = +.67, p <.01. This indicates a significant positive relationship between the number of hours of study & subsequent exam scores.

DIRECTION:
y In a positive correlation, as y In a negative correlation, as

the values of one of the variables increase, the values of the second variable also increase. Likewise, as the value of one of the variables decreases, the value of the other variable also decreases.

the values of one of the variables increase, the values of the second variable decrease. Likewise, as the value of one of the variables decreases, the value of the other variable increases.

Scatterplots and Correlations:

Positive Correlation

No Correlation

Negative Correlation

Purpose of Correlational Studies:

y The correlation is a way to

measure how associated or related two variables are. The researcher looks at things that already exist and determines if and in what way those things are related to each other. The purpose of doing correlations is to allow us to make a prediction about one variable based on what we know about another variable.

The Goal of Correlational Research

y The goal of correlational research is to find out whether one

or more variables can predict other variables. Correlational research allows us to find out what variables may be related. However, the fact that two things are related or correlated does not mean there is a causal relationship. It is important to make a distinction between correlation and causation. Two things can be correlated without there being a causal relationship. y The important thing to remember is that for correlational research we are just looking at the degree of relationship between the variables and not the effect of one variable on another variable.

In Summary:
Correlational research is used to explore co-varying relationships between two or more variables. A simple definition of a co-varying relationship is as one variable changes so does the other variable(s). The purpose of correlational research is to: y to identify variables that relate to one each other y to make predictions of one variable from another y to examine possible cause and effect relationships between one variable and another.