A correlational study is a type of research design that investigates the relationships between two or more variables without the researcher manipulating or controlling any of them. Here are some key points about correlational studies:
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Non-experimental: In correlational studies, the experimenter does not manipulate or control any of the variables.
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Relationships between variables: Correlational studies focus on understanding the relationships between variables, and they do not establish causation.
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Types of correlations: Correlations can be positive, negative, or zero. A positive correlation means that both variables change in the same direction, a negative correlation means that the variables change in opposite directions, and a zero correlation means there is no relationship between the variables.
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Data collection methods: Common data collection methods for correlational research include surveys, observations, and secondary data.
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Use in real-life situations: Correlational research is ideal for gathering data quickly from natural settings and can help generalize findings to real-life situations in an externally valid way.
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Application in eHealth: In eHealth, correlational studies are often used to determine whether the use of an eHealth system is associated with particular user characteristics and/or quality of care patterns.
In summary, a correlational study is a valuable research design for understanding relationships between variables and can provide insights into real-life situations and associations between different factors.
