Introduction To Research PDF

INTRODUCTION TO RESEARCH MODULE 1 MRS. GREY  WHAT IS A RESEARCH? From middle French – RECHERCHE Means - to go about seeking The root word is SEARCH To look for information about something RESEARCH-A STRUCTURED, SYSTEMATIC PROCESS OF COLLEC...

INTRODUCTION TO RESEARCH MODULE 1 MRS. GREY  WHAT IS A RESEARCH? From middle French – RECHERCHE Means - to go about seeking The root word is SEARCH To look for information about something RESEARCH-A STRUCTURED, SYSTEMATIC PROCESS OF COLLECTING AND ANALYZING INFORMATION The use of various qualitative and quantitative techniques of investigation to obtain desired information on a given subject or phenomenon. (McDermott, 2008)  TYPES OF RESEARCH METHODS Quantitative Qualitative Mixed Methods-Combination of both  Who are Researchers? We are all researchers Student - I am going to prove that Miss don’t like me Teacher - The teaching method that works best with the grade twelve students Bleacher - Kartel soap is the best bleaching agent  VOCABULARY TERMS HYPOTHESIS A statement the researcher believes is true about the variables in research A testable prediction which designates the relationship between two or more variables. VARIABLE anything (person, place, thing, event, setting) in your research topic that can affect the outcome of your research because of its ability to change or take on different values.  TYPES OF VARIABLES Independent Variable – manipulated by the researcher to affect the outcome of the research – the cause/the variable responsible for the outcome Do children who live in single parent homes have lower achievement in school than children who live in two parent homes? Can training students on test taking skills improve performance on standardized tests?  TYPES OF VARIABLES Dependent Variable (response variable) – The dependent variable is observed and measured in response to the independent variable. – It is expected to change as a function of the independent variable. – it’s influence on the outcome of research depends on the way in which the independent variable was manipulated Eg. Do children who live in single parent homes have lower achievement in school than children who live in two parent homes?  TYPES OF VARIABLES Controlled Variable – the factors that have to be controlled or held constant so that their effect on one’s research is neutralized. Characteristics of the Research Process Structured and systematic Statement of expectation Subjected to rules Empirical (Originating in or based on observation or experience rather than theory) Collection and interpretation of data Replicable  RESEARCH DESIGNS Each type of research has certain research designs. Research designs are types of inquiry within qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches that provide specific direction for procedures in a research design.  ACTIVITY Watch this video and write down: – two types of research – the difference between them – examples of each type of research – two types of sources used – the difference between them FIVE STUDENTS WILL BE SELECTED TO SHARE! QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH RESEARCH DESIGNS DATA COLLECTION METHODS  Quantitative Research Quantitative research is concerned with testing hypotheses derived from theory and/or being able to estimate the size of a phenomenon of interest collecting numerical data to analyze utilizing statistical methods. Statistics derived from quantitative research can be used to establish the existence of associative or causal relationships between variables.  Best For Things that can be counted and expressed numerically Number of high school dropouts Number of persons who support the JLP Number of bleachers Number of students getting a grade 1 in communication studies from 2003 -2008  Advantages Study of trends Tests hypothesis Reliable Make comparisons Establish causality Easy to analyze Objective Representative  Disadvantages No focus on the individual Numbers mask reality  QUAN RESEARCH DESIGNS 1. SURVEY DESIGN-used to investigate attitudes, market trends, beliefs, opinions as we attempt to represent the entire population through the use of strategic sampling. 2. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN- Researcher chooses to observe a particular process/event/feeling/object- a dependent variable. S/he selects one or more variables- independent variable-which s/he theorizes may have a causal effect on the dependent variable. 3. *CORRELATIONAL STUDIES/DESIGN-researcher studies whether or not variables co-occur with each other, and also make predictions about possible correlations (Correlation does not necessarily mean causal relationship. This design does not establish causation, but seeks to understand the relationship between two variables.) Eg. POVERTY AND EDUCATIONAL ACHIEVEMENT  Experimental Done in a lab/in the field Hypothesis formation Observation Two groups/two sets of samples – Control group-In experimental research, the control group is the group of participants that do not receive the experimental treatment and serves as the standard for comparison – Experimental group-In a comparative experiment, the experimental group (the treatment group) is the group being tested for a reaction to a change in the variable Drawing conclusion Quantitative in nature  Advantages Replicable and reliable Control over independent variable Useful for testing hypothesis Controlled environment Can establish cause and effect relationships Possible to match control and experimental groups on key variables Reflects natural science methodology Results generalizable to the real world Can cover time spans over a year Real life situations in natural settings (field study)  Disadvantages Artificial environment Cannot control variable outside the experimental environment Impossible to repeat the same conditions (field research) “Hawthorne effect”/observer effect - behaviour changes as the result of the researcher’s presence or the knowledge of being the subject of an experiment  Survey Quantitative research that use contemporary survey methodology to answers questions about a population Polls about public opinion Public health surveys Market research surveys Government surveys and Census  Advantages Can be used with population of varying sizes  Disadvantages Cost Time consuming Respondents willingness to participate Response accuracy  Quantitative Data Collection Methods Questionnaire Face-to-face (In-Person Interviews) Mail surveys or self-administered questionnaires Telephone interviews Computer assisted telephone interview (responses are immediately keyed into a computer to save time spent processing the data) Online Surveys (questionnaire on a website and respondents complete it online) McDermott pg. 208 QUALITATIVE RESEARCH RESEARCH DESIGNS DATA COLLECTION METHODS  Qualitative Research Collects subjective data such as information about people’s emotions, feelings and values. The researcher usually interacts directly with the respondents (i.e. face-to-face) or by actually joining in their everyday activities  Best For Real-world observations/dilemma Identify the cause/reason Identify why people bleach  Advantages Close to reality More personal In depth feelings and meanings Rich description  Disadvantages Subjective Unreliable Not measurable Not scientific Lacks credibility Misinterpretation  QUALITATIVE RESEARCH DESIGNS QUALITATIVE DESIGNS: 1. NARRATIVE 2. PHENOMENONLOGY 3. ETHNOGRAPHY 4. CASE STUDY 5. GROUNDED THEORY 6. PARTICIPATORY ACTION RESEARCH (less popular) 7. DISCOURSE ANALYSIS (less popular)  QUALITATIVE THE RESEARCH DESIGNS In the designs, researchers might study: – individuals (narrative, phenomenology); – explore processes, activities, and events (case study, grounded theory); – learn about broad culture-sharing behavior of individuals or groups (ethnography). QUALITATIVE DATA COLLECTION METHODS  In qualitative interviews, the researcher conducts face-to-face interviews with participants, telephone interviews, engages in focus group interviews with six to eight interviewees in each group, and/or observations. These have different advantages and disadvantages.  Participant Observation Is regarded as a scientific tool because the researcher studies people in their natural environment by joining their daily activities The researcher must remain as objective – non-judgmental and not overly involved – as possible Researcher can be overt – letting the group members know that they are being studied - or covert – choose to keep his identity secret Unlike interviews, trust must be gained from the start in overt interviews.  TERMS TO KNOW Observational methods: OVERT OBSERVATION/PARTICIPANT OBSERVATION – Validity be reduced because participants may modify their behaviour COVERT OBSERVATION/DIRECT OBSERVATION – Validity can increase because participants do not modify behaviour  Consideration and Possible Advantages of Qualitative Data Collection Methods Consideration: The respondents’ trust must be gained and factors such as social class, sex or ethnicity can influence the level of trust gained Advantage: The validity of the data is enhanced by the following: Researcher can detect lies or inconsistencies by observing facial reactions and body language Misunderstandings can be clarified The researcher can understand the world from the point of view of the interviewee Researcher can gain information that he never thought about asking ADVANTAGES OF QUAL CONTINUED It is a more practical research technique for explaining specific issues, e.g. rape Due to the small sample, it can be useful for challenging or refuting already existing ideas The researcher witnesses the group first hand Observer effect is minimized in covert observations Questions can be asked to clarify events and actions of the group  Possible Disadvantages of Qualitative Data Collection Methods 1. Validity is reduced by the following: Observer effect Deliberate lies on the part of the interviewee 2. Time consuming 3. Large quantities of information can pose problems for analysis 4. Some interviewees can have limited knowledge of a particular topic 5. Not cost effective SAMPLING, VALIDITY AND RELIABILITY IN RESEARCH Considerations for evaluating data and sources!  What is sampling? Selection of a sub-group of the population for participation in the study. Population – all relevant units of analysis or persons with relevant information for the study Sampling Frame – list of members of the total population from which the sample is drawn Sample – sub-group actually selected for the study  Why do we Sample? Make study practical and manageable Reduce cost and time required to complete the study Ensure that findings are valid  Factors influencing sampling Nature of the topic and problem statement Size of the population Composition of the population Use of information to be collected – generalizations, testing theory, understanding a group or process Data collection technique  TERMS TO KNOW Validity is used to determine whether research measures what it intended to measure and to approximate the truthfulness of the results. VALIDITY How sound your research is. Is it based on sound reasoning? Applies to both the design and the methods of your research. That your findings truly represent the phenomenon you are claiming to measure  VALIDITY LOGICAL sequence/logical conclusion reached No mixture of facts and opinion Sufficient and complete Factually accurate No shifts in meanings of key terms  Validity ASK YOURSELF: – IS INFORMATION BASED ON SOUND REASONING? – DOES IT HAVE A LOGICAL STRUCTURE? – EVIDENCE? – INCONTESTABLE? IN EVALUATING VALIDITY, WE NEED TO LOOK AT ACCURACY AND BIAS.  To Test Validity ACCURACY Currency-When was the data published or gathered? Is it outdated or current? Relevance-applicable to circumstance you are applying it to Data collection-were reliable methods to accurately record or collect data Sample size-was the sample size large enough Replicable-do other sources have similar information BIAS Representation (Does the sample include all variables within the population and are the proportions the same?) Cultural (Has the data been collected by someone of the same of different cuture? Different=misinterpretatin; Same=assumptions of researcher who does not question or clarify responses) Social (a woman’s perspective on sexual equality may differ from a man’s) Faulty research methods (Poorly designed questionnaires, interviews etc.) Aim ( the reason for the data being presented may cause bias eg. presenting certain data while avoiding others)  RELIABILITY Consistency Dependability Trustworthiness Questions: 1. Can I trust the information received from this source? Why or why not? 2. Can I depend on it to be truth? Why or why not?  Reliability 1. Author-qualifications, expert in the field? Eg. A medical doctor writing article about HIV is more reliable than the same article written by someone without medical qualitifications-because he has more authority to speak on the matter. 2. Professional standards- Do these persons conform to profesional standards eg. academic authors, doctors, peer-reviews journals must conform to certain standards. 3. Publisher-Is the publisher reputable? Known for high standards? 4. Organisation-Reputation of organizations, what are their roles and responsibilities 5. Research Method-Does the method generate the necessary data? Eg. In researching reasons for teen pregnancy, a questionnaire to teens woud be better for generating data than an interview with an expert such as a doctor. Primary data - observed or collected directly from first-hand experience. Secondary data- is data collected by someone other than the user Correlational -It is a measure of the association, or co-variation of two or more dependent variables. A variable is any factor that can be controlled or changed in an experiment. Scientific experiments have three types of variables: ◦ The independent variable is the one condition that you change in an experiment ◦ The dependent variable is the variable that you measure or observe. The dependent variable gets its name because it is the factor that is dependent on the state of the independent variable.  NEXT CLASS Walk with your two secondary sources and your McDermott text. We begin working on evaluations for our speeches.