Један каталог истраживачких метода — сазнајте како свака ради, када се користи и шта не може.
Remote Participant Observation is a qualitative data collection method in which the researcher joins and participates in an online or digitally mediated social setting — such as a video-based community, online forum, virtual world, or remote work environment — to observe and record social interactions, practices, and m
A Remote Research Diary is a qualitative data collection method in which participants record their thoughts, experiences, and reflections in a structured or semi-structured journal over time, submitting entries to the researcher without face-to-face contact. Conducted via email, secure web platforms, or dedicated apps,
A remote semi-structured interview is a qualitative data collection method in which a researcher conducts a guided, flexible conversation with a participant over a distance-bridging medium — telephone, video conferencing, or voice-over-IP — using a prepared topic guide with open-ended questions while allowing natural c
Remote sensor data collection is the systematic acquisition of measurements from geographically distributed sensing devices without requiring direct human presence at each location. Sensors continuously or periodically record physical, chemical, or biological variables — temperature, pressure, motion, light, GPS coordi
A remote survey is a structured data collection method in which respondents complete a questionnaire without the researcher being physically present. Delivered via mail, telephone, email, web platforms, or mobile apps, it enables researchers to reach geographically dispersed samples at relatively low cost. The method i
Remote web scraping is a data collection approach in which automated scripts or bots harvest publicly accessible web content — text, tables, metadata, or links — running on remote servers or cloud infrastructure rather than on the researcher's local machine. This separation allows continuous, large-scale, or geographic
The Repertory Grid is a qualitative-quantitative method derived from Personal Construct Theory that elicits how individuals construe (interpret and evaluate) a domain of interest—people, concepts, events, or objects—through their own idiosyncratic dimensions or 'constructs.' Introduced by George Kelly in 1955, the meth
Representational Similarity Analysis (RSA) is a framework for comparing representational geometry across brain regions, computational models, and behavioral measures. Introduced by Kriegeskorte and colleagues in 2008, RSA measures how similarly a brain region represents different stimuli or concepts by examining pairwi
The Rescorla-Wagner Model is a quantitative theory of associative learning that predicts how organisms learn associations between stimuli (e.g., tone and shock in fear conditioning). The model proposes that learning is driven by prediction error—the difference between what is expected to occur and what actually occurs.
A research diary is a systematic, dated log maintained by the researcher throughout a study to record methodological decisions, emergent observations, analytical hunches, and reflections on researcher positionality. Unlike a participant diary, it is authored by the researcher and functions simultaneously as a data sour
Resonance Frequency Analysis (RFA) is a non-invasive, objective method for assessing dental implant stability and osseointegration. Introduced by Meredith and colleagues in 1996, RFA measures the stiffness of the implant-bone interface by analysing the frequency response of an implant abutment to vibration. The Implant
The respiratory exchange ratio (RER), also called the respiratory quotient (RQ), is the ratio of carbon dioxide produced to oxygen consumed during metabolism. Introduced by J. B. Weir (1949), RER is a non-invasive indirect measure of substrate utilization—indicating whether the body is primarily oxidizing carbohydrate,
Respondent-Driven Sampling (RDS) is a probabilistic chain-referral method designed to reach hidden or hard-to-reach populations that lack a sampling frame. Introduced by sociologist Douglas Heckathorn in 1997, RDS combines snowball recruitment with mathematical weighting based on participants' personal network sizes, a
The Retail Service Quality Scale (RetSQ) is a 17-item instrument developed by Dabholkar, Thorpe, and Rentz (1996) to measure customer perceptions of service quality in retail store environments. Adapted from SERVQUAL but customized for the unique context of in-store shopping, RetSQ measures five dimensions: Physical As
Retrospective Think-Aloud is a variant of the Think-Aloud Protocol in which participants complete a task without verbalization, then immediately review a video or replay of their task performance and narrate their thoughts, reasoning, and reactions. This method captures post-hoc reflection on decision-making and user e
The RCADS is a 47-item (or 25-item brief version) self-report measure that assesses the full spectrum of anxiety disorders and major depression in children and adolescents ages 6–18 years. Developed by Bruce Chorpita in 2000, it provides six subscale scores aligned with DSM-IV diagnostic criteria: Separation Anxiety, G
Rheometry is the scientific measurement of how fluids and semi-solids (pastes, gels, suspensions) flow and deform under applied stress. Using a rheometer (a precision instrument that applies controlled shear forces and measures the resulting deformation), rheometry characterizes the viscosity, viscoelasticity, and othe
Rhizosphere Amplicon Analysis is a molecular-ecological pipeline used to characterise the microbial communities inhabiting the root-adjacent soil zone — the rhizosphere — by sequencing targeted marker genes such as the bacterial 16S rRNA gene or the fungal ITS region. Widely applied in agronomy, soil ecology, and plant
The Richmond Agitation-Sedation Scale (RASS), developed by Sessler et al. in 2002, is a 10-level ordinal scale for assessing level of consciousness, agitation, and sedation in critically ill patients. It ranges from +4 (combative/violent) through 0 (alert and calm) to -5 (unarousable), enabling precise titration of sed
The Right-Wing Authoritarianism Scale (RWA) is a self-report measure developed by Bob Altemeyer in 1981 to assess individual differences in authoritarian attitudes, including submission to established authorities, adherence to conventional norms, and aggression toward those perceived to violate social conventions. The
Ripeness index combines multiple quality measurements—soluble solids, firmness, color, starch degradation, ethylene production—into a single composite score indicating fruit maturity and harvest readiness. Unlike single-parameter metrics, this integrated approach accounts for cultivar variation and environmental influe
The Rivermead Mobility Index (RMI) is a brief, clinician-observed performance test of basic mobility abilities developed for assessing stroke and neurological rehabilitation outcomes. Published in 1991 by Frank Collen and colleagues at Rivermead Rehabilitation Centre (Oxford, UK), the 15-item index measures bed mobilit
Robust content validity assessment applies outlier-resistant statistical methods to the aggregation of expert panel ratings in content validation studies. By detecting and down-weighting idiosyncratic or extreme rater judgements, it yields Content Validity Ratio (CVR) and Content Validity Index (CVI) estimates that ref
Robust differential item functioning analysis detects items that behave differently across demographic groups after matching respondents on the underlying trait, while protecting the procedure against distortion by outliers, model misfit, or contaminated anchor items. It is applied in educational testing, clinical asse
Robust discriminant validity assessment determines whether distinct latent constructs in a measurement model are sufficiently different from one another. Unlike traditional AVE-based approaches, robust methods such as the Heterotrait-Monotrait (HTMT) ratio use the pattern of inter-indicator correlations to provide a mo
Robust item analysis applies outlier-resistant statistical methods to the evaluation of individual test or scale items. Instead of classical means and Pearson correlations — both sensitive to extreme scores — it uses trimmed means, Winsorized correlations, or M-estimators to obtain item difficulty and item-total discri
Robust McDonald's omega estimates the internal consistency reliability of a composite scale using factor-analytic loadings obtained through robust estimation methods (such as MLR or DWLS). Unlike standard omega or Cronbach's alpha, it remains accurate when item distributions are non-normal, skewed, or when the sample c
Robust measurement invariance testing evaluates whether a psychometric instrument measures the same latent construct in the same way across groups when observed data violate multivariate normality. It adapts standard multi-group CFA sequences by replacing ordinary chi-square statistics with robust alternatives such as
Robust nomological validity evaluates whether a psychological construct relates to theoretically expected variables in the predicted directions, using statistically robust estimation methods that remain trustworthy when distributional assumptions are violated. It tests the construct's place within its nomological netwo
The Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire (RMDQ) is a brief, disease-specific self-report measure developed by Morris Roland and Ruth Morris in 1983 to assess functional disability and activity limitations in patients with acute and chronic low back pain. With 24 items addressing daily activities impacted by back pain
The Rome IV criteria are the internationally accepted diagnostic standard for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), published in 2016 by the Rome Foundation. These criteria define IBS as recurrent abdominal pain (≥1 day per week for ≥3 months) associated with altered bowel habits, without structural or biochemical abnormalit
Root Architecture Analysis is a quantitative method in agronomy and plant science that characterises the spatial configuration, branching pattern, and geometric properties of a plant's root system. By measuring parameters such as total root length, lateral root density, root angle, and root tip number, researchers link
Root canal length determination (working length) is a critical procedural step in endodontic therapy that establishes the precise depth to which instrumentation, irrigation, and obturation should extend within the root canal system. Modern approaches combine electronic apical locators (EAL) with radiographic verificati
The Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES) is a 10-item unidimensional instrument designed to measure global self-esteem in adolescents and adults. Developed by Morris Rosenberg in 1965, the RSES is one of the most widely used and shortest self-esteem measures in social and clinical psychology research. Its brevity, ease o
The Rotator Cuff Quality of Life Index (RC-QoL) is a rotator cuff-specific outcome instrument that measures symptom impact and functional limitations in patients with rotator cuff disease. Developed within rotator cuff treatment literature, the RC-QoL captures the physical, emotional, and social burden of rotator cuff
The Rothermel fire spread model, developed by Richard Rothermel in 1972, is a mechanistic mathematical model that predicts the rate of fire spread through surface fuels using fuel characteristics, weather, and topography. It forms the theoretical foundation of the BEHAVE fire modeling system used operationally by fire
RAPID3 is a patient-reported outcome (PRO) measure of rheumatoid arthritis disease activity based on three simple self-report items: patient-counted swollen and tender joints and overall health assessment. Introduced by Pincus et al. in 2008, RAPID3 was designed for primary care and busy practices where joint examinati
The RQLQ is a 28-item disease-specific quality-of-life instrument developed by Juniper and colleagues at McMaster University in 1996 to assess the impact of allergic rhinitis and allergic conjunctivitis on daily functioning. It captures symptom burden and activity limitation across seven domains: sleep, non-nose/eye sy
Rule Space Methodology (RSM) is a diagnostic classification approach developed by Tatsuoka (1983) that uses Item Response Theory and geometric methods to classify examinees into knowledge states based on their response patterns. Unlike classical scoring, RSM identifies which specific skills or competencies an examinee
The In Vitro Gas Production (IVGP) assay is a laboratory method that measures the fermentation kinetics of animal feeds by incubating feed samples with rumen microorganisms in controlled conditions and monitoring the volume of gas produced over time. Developed by Theodorou and colleagues in 1994, IVGP provides rapid, c
The Rupture Resolution Rating System (RRRS) is an observer-based measure designed to assess the quality of therapist response to alliance ruptures and the degree to which ruptures are resolved within psychotherapy sessions. Developed by Safran and Muran, the RRRS operationalizes the principle that ruptures—temporary br
The SADQ is a 20-item self-report instrument that measures the severity of alcohol dependence on a continuum from mild to severe. Developed by Stockwell and colleagues in 1979, it quantifies physical withdrawal symptoms, psychological dependence, and behavioral indicators of dependence to guide treatment intensity and
The Safety Compliance and Participation Scale (SCPS) measures workers' occupational safety behavior across two dimensions: safety compliance (following safety rules and procedures) and safety participation (proactive engagement in safety activities beyond minimum requirements). Developed by Neal and Griffin, the SCPS r
The Saint Louis University Mental Status Examination (SLUMS) is a brief, clinician-administered cognitive screening instrument developed by Tariq and colleagues at Saint Louis University in 2006. It was designed as an alternative to the MMSE with improved sensitivity to mild cognitive impairment and early dementia. The
Salivary biomarker analysis detects protein, molecular, or microbial markers in saliva that indicate oral and systemic disease. Salivary diagnostics assess risk and activity of dental caries, periodontal disease, oral cancer, and other conditions. Biomarkers include antimicrobial proteins (lysozyme, lactoferrin), infla
The Structured Assessment of Protective Factors for Violence Risk (SAPROF) is a 17-item structured professional judgment tool developed by de Vogel, de Ruiter, Bouman, and colleagues (2012) to identify protective factors and strengths in individuals undergoing violence risk assessment. It complements risk assessment in
Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) Image Analysis is an active microwave remote sensing pipeline that processes complex-valued radar backscatter data to characterize land cover, surface roughness, moisture, and structural properties. Foundational treatment was consolidated by Jong-Sen Lee and Eric Pottier in their 2009 CRC
The Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS) is a brief, five-item self-report measure of global life satisfaction developed by Diener, Emmons, Larsen, and Griffin in 1985. It assesses the degree to which individuals are satisfied with their lives as a whole, reflecting a cognitive-judgmental component of subjective well-be
Small-Angle X-ray Scattering (SAXS) is a solution-phase X-ray scattering technique that measures the overall shape and size of macromolecules and nanoparticles by analyzing scattering intensity at low angles (0.1-10 degrees). Developed by Kratky and colleagues in the 1950s, SAXS provides information about molecular rad
SCAD (Smoothly Clipped Absolute Deviation) is a variable selection and regularization method developed by Fan and Li (2001) that addresses limitations of L1 penalization (lasso). SCAD uses a non-concave penalty that automatically performs variable selection while maintaining oracle properties: it recovers the true unde
Scale development is a structured, multi-step process for creating psychometrically sound measurement instruments that capture latent psychological constructs. It encompasses construct definition, item generation, expert review, exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, reliability estimation, and validity evidence
Scan Sampling (also called instantaneous sampling) is a behavioral observation method in which an observer records the state of all group members simultaneously at regular time intervals. Introduced alongside focal animal sampling by Jeanne Altmann in 1974, scan sampling is efficient for quantifying activity budgets an
Scatchard analysis is a graphical method for determining ligand-receptor binding affinity (Kd) and binding capacity (Bmax) from binding data. Developed by George Scatchard in 1949, the Scatchard plot linearizes hyperbolic binding curves, enabling visual detection of multiple binding sites and quantitative parameter est
Schild analysis is a quantitative method for characterizing competitive receptor antagonism developed by Henry Schild in 1947. It uses dose-response curves in the presence and absence of antagonist to estimate the antagonist affinity constant (pA2), enabling standardized comparison of antagonist potency across drugs an
The SPQ is a 74-item self-report measure of schizotypal personality traits across cognitive-perceptual, interpersonal, and disorganized domains. Developed by Adrian Raine in 1991 based on DSM-III-R schizotypal personality disorder criteria, it is the most widely used dimensional measure of schizotypy on the psychosis s
The School Climate Scale (SCS) is an institutional assessment tool that measures the overall social and emotional environment of a school. Grounded in organizational climate research, instruments such as Hoy and Tarter's Organizational Climate Description Questionnaire (OCDQ) evaluate dimensions including principal lea
The School Engagement Scale (SES) conceptualizes and measures school engagement as a multidimensional construct encompassing behavioral engagement (participation in academic and school activities), emotional engagement (motivation, interest, sense of belonging), and cognitive engagement (willingness to exert effort, pe
The Sleep Condition Indicator (SCI) is an 8-item self-report scale designed to assess the severity of insomnia symptoms in adults in a manner closely aligned with DSM-5 diagnostic criteria for insomnia disorder. Developed by Espie and colleagues in 2014, it measures the core features of insomnia: difficulty initiating
The SCOFF is a five-question screening tool for eating disorders, developed by Morgan, Reid, and Lacey at the University of Leeds in 1999. Its acronym—Sick, Control, One, Fat, Food—represents its five core items. The SCOFF is exceptionally brief, takes less than 2 minutes to administer, and was designed to identify cas
The SCORAD is a comprehensive clinician-administered tool for measuring the extent and severity of atopic dermatitis (eczema). Developed by the European Task Force on Atopic Dermatitis in 1993, it combines objective clinical assessment with subjective symptom reporting. It is the gold standard for atopic dermatitis sev