Week 4 SS3150 Research Methods

1. Week 4 SS3150 Research Methods • Review – • If you read a peer reviewed article in which the author ‘hypothesizes’ then this article is most likely • A) quantitative • B) qualitative • If you read a peer reviewed article in which the author’s research question involves how the participants in the research ‘ describe an experience’ this article is most likely • A) quantitative • B) qualitative • If you read a peer reviewed article in which the author investigates the relationship between time spent and money spent in a store this article is most likely • A) quantitative • B) qualitative

2. Week 4 SS3150 Research Methods Review – • The Introduction can begin with a story or anecdote that will spark your reader’s interest. • • Why you are interested in your topic? • The Introduction to your paper identifies the research question • What do you want to find out? • The Introduction identifies the significance of the research • Who is it for? • Who might be interested in your research and / or who might benefit from your research. • 1. Participants 2. Methodology (how will data be collected? analyzed?) • 3. Measurements 4. Findings (reporting of results) 5. Implications for future research 6. identify potential ethical issues that might arise during their research

3. Week 4 SS3150 Research Methods • Reliability: How consistent are the measurements? How “true” to reality is the score? • Example 1: If the study were to be conducted over and over again, with the same participants, would the measurements be statistically similar? • Example 2: If observation is the measure, than do two different observers rate behaviors in the same manner? The measurement of behavior is usually left up to the interpretation of the observer. Consider the following scenario: John and Jim are standing at the edge of a frozen lake where their uncle Ben has been fishing. From a distance, John sees Ben waving. John says, "Hey, uncle Ben is waving hello to us." However, Jim states, "No, Uncle Ben is signaling for help. Something must be wrong."

4. Week 4 SS3150 Research Methods • Validity: Do the measures/assessments/tools measure what they are supposed to measure? • Example: Does a math test that includes lengthy written scenarios really measure math, or does it also measure reading ability? • Validity and Reliability (Quantitative vs. Qualitative): In quantitative research, various statistical analyses and the examination of psychometric properties provide verification of validity and reliability. In qualitative research, some argue that validity and reliability do not exist. This is because qualitative research does not rely on statistical analysis the way quantitative research does. • However, proponents of validity and reliability in qualitative research state that the researcher can do various things to increase a qualitative study’s validity and reliability. For example, he or she can disclose any bias held regarding the population or results. The researcher can also provide exact transcripts of conversations as well as video of observations. The individual’s own reputation and trustworthiness has also been argued to contribute to the validity and reliability of qualitative research.

5. Week 4 Research Methods • Generalizability: In quantitative studies, the researcher determines an intended population to study. In a good sample, the participants that comprise the sample will have the same characteristics as those of the larger population. For example, if 46% of college students in the USA are males, and 54% are females, then the representative sample should come close to this. As a drastic example, the researcher wishing to study height among college students in the U.S. would not be able to generalize the results of a study using the height of basketball players from one college. • You may also use the example that if a friend has a bad experience while flying on Star Airlines, it doesn’t mean that Star Airlines is a bad airline. It simply means that your friend had a bad experience with Star Airlines. That particular result cannot be generalized any further than that one instance, and your friend’s interpretation of the event. This is where sampling techniques, etc., come into play.

6. Week 4 SS3150 Research Methods • Data Collection: The data collection method should be appropriate to the research question. Other factors such as reliability, validity, and generalizability should also be considered when scrutinizing data collection methods. For example, a researcher might use an Internet survey to collect data on frequency of Internet use among all seniors. Using this method, the researcher is not collecting data on all seniors; the researcher is collecting data on all seniors who have access to and use the Internet. Therefore, this research would not be valid. One way to begin to make this a valid study would be to change the research question to examine frequency of Internet use among seniors who have access to and use the Internet.

7. Week 4 SS3150 Research Methods • Verifying claims: It is important when verifying claims to be sure that sources are unbiased and present both sides of the story. In research, we rely heavily on peer-reviewed articles and text in which the authors have performed research or performed an appropriate literature review. It is very important to note the difference between primary and secondary sources. • In course texts and peer-reviewed literature, authors often reference the research of others. Students often decide to use the reference to others' research just the same as the author of the book or literature they are reading. Doing this is called citing secondary sources and is not suggested, and often not acceptable. • Instead, students should find the article that is cited in the literature or text they are reading, and go directly to that source. This allows the student to read the research themselves, rather than rely on the interpretation of others. • It is important to only cite primary sources, in which the student is reading the original work of the author(s) being cited.

8. Week 4 SS3150 Research Methods • Once you decide what question or problem you are going to research you need to review the existing literature relevant to your subject. (Literature Review) • The quality of the literature you review on your subject will have a direct bearing on your project. • It is therefore extremely important to be able to evaluate the worth of the research of others.

9. Evaluation report: Written document summarizing findings of a project or program or some type of social intervention. The primary audience usually consists of professionals with an interest in the social intervention. (see page 300 – 302) • Monograph: literally translated, ‘one writing.’ More precisely a book length document written on one scientific topic. A detailed report of an extensive research program of study (see page 302 – 303) • Government report: written document produced or sponsored by a government agency… Usually does not contain original research, but rather it reviews research existing prior to the time of its publication. • Refereed Journal article: found in a scholarly periodical that publishes only peer-reviewed papers. Issues are published several times a year, usually monthly, bi monthly or quarterly.

10. General format for APA style  6 items needed from an online source: • Author • Date • Title • Website / publisher • Retrieval date • URL References Author’s last name(s), First Initial. (Date of publication). Title only first word cap: Or following colon or Proper Nouns. Website or the Publisher. Retrieved month, day, year from URL ~ site http://www.abc.org Title only first word cap: Or following colon or Proper Nouns. (Date of publication) Website or the Publisher. Retrieved month, day, year from URL ~ site www.xyz.com//nnn

11. Center the word REFERENCES at the top of the page, then double space to start your first entry. • Alphabetize entries by the author’s last name or the first significant word in the titled text with no author. • Each entry is flush left for the first line. • Each subsequent line is indented ½ inch. • All entries are double spaced. • REFERENCES • Allerton, J. P. (2004). The greatest show on earth. Boston:Boswell • Publishers. • Bobo the clown. (2003, June 17). Newspress,24 (7) p. A1. • Cramer, D.(n.d.). My life as a clown. Retrieved July 16, 2004 from • http://www.clowns.org • Denver Department of Entertainment. (2003). The history of clowns. • Retrieved July 5, 2004 from http://www.de.state.co.us/org/ent/clowns

12. In class exercise • An article by Scott Williams and Susan Jones titled “Back to School with the Quilt” published on June 14, 1996 on the AIDS Memorial Quilt Website. Your read the article on September 19, 2011 at http://www.aidsquilt.org/newsletter/stories/backto.html • A newspaper article by B. Murray dated February 1998 titled ‘Email Bonding with Your Students’ and published in APA Monitor. You read it on September 18, 2011 at http://www.apa.org/monitor/bond.html • A report from the National Institutes of Health (this is a U.S. government report available on the Web) title Stem Cells: Scientific Progress and Future Research. You could not find a publish date and you read it on September 15, 2011 at www.nih.gov/new/stemcell/scireport.htm • On September 19, 2011 you found a document called Associative Learning. It was published in 2009 but there was no author. The URL is psy.soton.ac.uk/RGdata/lgarg/Associative%20Learning.htm

13. References Associative learning. (2004). Retrieved September 19, 2011 , from psy.soton.ac.uk/RGdata/lgarg/Associative%20Learning.htm Murray, B. (1998, February). Email bonding with your students. APA Monitor. Retrieved September 18, 2011 from http://www.apa.org/monitor/bond.html National Institute of Health. (n.d.). Stem cells: Scientific progress and future research. Retrieved September 15, 2011 from www.nih.gov/new/stemcell/scireport.htm Williams, S. & Jones, S. (1996, June 14). Back to school with the quilt. AIDS Memorial Quilt Website. Retrieved September 19, 2011 from http://www.aidsquilt.org/newsletter/stories/backto.html Allerton,J. P. (2004). The greatest show on earth. Boston:Boswell Publishers. Bobo the clown. (2003, June 17). Newspress,24 (7) p. A1. Cramer, D.(n.d.). My life as a clown. Retrieved July 16, 2004 from http://www.clowns.org Denver Department of Entertainment. (2003). The history of clowns. Retrieved July 5, 2004 from http://www.de.state.co.us/org/ent/clowns

14. Research partners and research topics Why individuals choose to teach @ ITT-Tech: Marcin The impact of the lack of servers on learning / $$: Andrews Ration of men to women: Sam & Brandon Cost of public vs. private tuition: Adam & Eric Development of friendships while @ ITT: Mike & Anthony Student and staff fraternization policy @ ITT: Cameron & Hector Student use of virtual library: Ted & Dennis Does pizza incentive improve attendance? Mitch & Cory Seating patterns of segregation in classrooms: Byron & Alec Appeal and appearance of the remodel: Denham & Bob Preferred gaming platform: Joey & Philip Germs & hygiene on campus: Robert & Ryan

15. A literature review is one major aspect of the academic research paper. The literature review does not report new research findings, but instead serves as a summary and synthesis of research findings relevant to the researcher’s topic of interest. • A literature review is a standard part of academic papers such as a dissertation or a thesis. • A literature review discusses published research in a particular subject area, and provides information in a particular subject area within a certain period. • Before writing a literature review, one must have identified his/ her research focus (i.e. proposed research question). • The literature review expands the researcher’s (and the consumers of that research) knowledge of what empirical findings are available relating to a particular research topic. • A literature review is performed to enhance the researcher’s expertise in a subject matter area.

16. The literature review is an integral part of the research process because it can help the researcher to accomplish the following: • Identify gaps in the literature – this means that the researcher will identify issues or specific questions that have not been thoroughly researched or researched at all. • Avoid reinventing the wheel (at the very least this will save time and it can stop you from making the same mistakes as others). From this point, explain that research results help point others in new directions to research. While certain studies should be replicated to ensure that findings can be reproduced, a researcher must complete a literature review to know where to begin the research focus. • Identify other people working in the same fields (a researcher network is a valuable resource).

17. Build on the work of other researchers in order to contribute to the knowledge base is an important part of the field. • Increase knowledge and understanding of a subject area. • Identify important works in an area of interest. • Provide the intellectual/scholarly context for one’s work, enabling the researcher to position a project relative to other contributions to the field. • Identify opposing views and define counterarguments. • Gain perspective on your own work (i.e., how much has been done in this area? Will the researcher be researching an entirely new dimension, or replicating a previously conducted study?). • Demonstrate ability to perform research. • Find empirical support for research methods that could be useful for your own project.