Science & Research

20 words

1. 1

   scientific consensuscollocation/ˌsaɪənˈtɪfɪk kənˈsɛnsəs/

   A general agreement among scientists about a specific scientific question or interpretation of evidence.

   “There is now a scientific consensus that human activities contribute to global warming.”

2. 2

   robust evidencecollocation/rəˈbʌst ˈɛvɪdəns/

   Strong, reliable evidence from well-designed studies that supports a conclusion.

   “The clinical trials provided robust evidence that the treatment reduces symptoms.”

3. 3

   response ratenoun phrase/rɪˈspɒns reɪt/

   the percentage of people invited to a survey who actually respond

   “Low response rates can threaten the validity of survey results.”

4. 4

   ethical considerationsnoun phrase/ˈɛθɪkəl kənˌsɪdəˈreɪʃənz/

   moral issues researchers must consider when planning or conducting a study (e.g. consent, harm, confidentiality)

   “Ethical considerations required that vulnerable participants not be exposed to risk.”

5. 5

   systematic reviewnoun phrase/ˌsɪstəˈmætɪk rɪˈvjuː/

   a rigorous summary of research on a specific question, using predefined methods to identify and evaluate studies

   “Before designing the trial, the team conducted a systematic review of the evidence.”

6. 6

   secondary datanoun phrase/ˈsɛkəndəri ˈdeɪtə/

   data that were collected for other purposes and are reused by researchers

   “The study relied on secondary data from government surveys.”

7. 7

   methodological limitationsnoun phrase

   weaknesses in study design or methods that limit validity or generalisability of findings

   “The authors acknowledged several methodological limitations, including a small sample and short follow-up.”

8. 8

   effect sizenoun phrase/ˈefɛkt saɪz/

   a quantitative measure of the magnitude of a phenomenon or difference, not just its statistical significance

   “The paper reported a moderate effect size, suggesting the intervention had a meaningful impact.”

9. 9

   interdisciplinary researchnoun phrase

   research that integrates methods or ideas from more than one academic discipline

   “Interdisciplinary research on urban health combines epidemiology, sociology and urban planning.”

10. 10

    replication studynoun phrase/ˌrɛplɪˈkeɪʃən ˈstʌdi/

    a study that repeats the methods of a previous study to see if the original results can be reproduced

    “A failed replication study raised questions about the original findings.”

11. 11

    null hypothesisnoun phrase/nʌl haɪˈpɒθəsɪs/

    the default assumption that there is no effect or no difference between groups being tested

    “In clinical trials researchers often try to reject the null hypothesis that the new drug is no better than placebo.”

12. 12

    open-access publicationnoun phrase/ˌəʊ.pən ˈæk.ses pʌb.lɪˈkeɪ.ʃən/

    a publication (article or journal) that is freely available online without a paywall

    “Many researchers now aim to publish in open-access publications so their work reaches a wider audience.”

13. 13

    data sharing policynoun phrase/ˈdeɪ.tə ˈʃeə.rɪŋ ˈpɒl.ɪ.si/

    a set of rules about how research data may be stored, shared, and accessed by others

    “The funder required a clear data sharing policy before awarding the grant.”

14. 14

    publication biasnoun phrase/ˌpʌblɪˈkeɪʃən ˈbaɪəs/

    the tendency for journals or researchers to publish positive or significant results more often than negative or null results

    “Many meta-analyses try to account for publication bias when estimating treatment effects.”

15. 15

    construct validitynoun phrase/kənˈstrʌkt vəˈlɪdəti/

    the extent to which a measurement tool actually measures the theoretical concept it is intended to measure

    “The questionnaire's construct validity was tested against established scales.”

16. 16

    measurement errornoun phrase/ˈmeʒ.ə.mənt ˈer.ə/

    the difference between a measured value and the true value caused by instruments, method, or observer

    “Temperature readings showed measurement error after the thermometer was bumped.”

17. 17

    research integritynoun phrase/rɪˈsɜːtʃ ɪnˈtɛɡrɪti/

    honesty and responsibility in conducting and reporting research, including avoiding fabrication, falsification and plagiarism

    “Universities provide training to promote research integrity among postgraduate students.”

18. 18

    data integritynoun phrase/ˈdeɪtə ɪnˈtɛɡrɪti/

    the accuracy, consistency and reliability of data throughout its lifecycle

    “Maintaining data integrity is essential when datasets are shared across institutions.”

19. 19

    grant applicationnoun phrase/ɡrɑːnt ˌæp.lɪˈkeɪ.ʃən/

    a formal request (document) submitted to a funder to obtain research funding

    “The research group prepared a detailed grant application to cover equipment and staffing costs.”

20. 20

    research paradigmnoun phrase/rɪˈsɜːtʃ ˈpærədaɪm/

    a basic set of beliefs and assumptions about how research should be conducted and how knowledge is constructed

    “The study adopts an interpretivist research paradigm, prioritising participants' perspectives.”