4 - Designing Quantitative Research & Data Collection Method

Method section

most concrete and specific part of a research proposal

Introduction

is the first passage in a journal article, dissertation, or scholarly research study.

• It sets the stage for the entire study.

Introduction

The _______ needs to create reader interest in the topic, establish the problem that leads to the study, place the study within the larger context of the scholarly literature, and reach out to a specific audience.

Deficiencies model of an Introduction

a general template for writing a good introduction

• Research problem

• Studies that have addressed the problem

• Deficiencies in the studies

• Significance of the study for particular audiences

An introduction Consists of: (4)

• reader interest

• issue

Some tips in making an opening paragraph:

1. Write an opening sentence that will stimulate ________ as well as convey an _____ to which a broad audience can relate

quotations

As a general rule, refrain from using ______, especially long ones, in the lead sentence.

idiomatic expressions

Stay away from _______ expressions or trite phrases

• numeric

• research problem

• references

• Consider ______ information for impact

• Clearly identify the _________ leading to the study.

• Indicate why the problem is important by citing numerous _________

approach

Make sure the problem is framed in a manner consistent with the _______ to research in the study.

• single problem

• research problems

• Consider and write about whether there is a ________ involved in the proposed study or multiple problems that lead to a need for the study

• Often, multiple __________ are addressed in research studies.

Significance of the Study

After establishing the research problem in the opening paragraphs

• the next step is to provide the ____________ by reviewing studies that have examined the issue.

Reviewing studies

to justify the importance of the study and to create distinctions between past studies and the proposed one.

• topics not have been explored

• literature may need to be replicated

• the voice of underrepresented groups has not been heard

Deficiencies in past literature may exist because of the following reasons:

Significance of the study for particular audiences

This section is included in a research study to convey importance of the problem for different groups that may profit from reading and using the study.

importance

The more audiences that can be mentioned, the greater the ________ of the study and the more it will be seen by readers to have wide application.

• Quantitative research questions

• Quantitative hypotheses

Research Questions and Hypotheses:

Quantitative research questions

inquire about the relationships among variables that the investigator seeks to know

Quantitative hypotheses

on the other hand, are predictions the researcher makes about the expected relationships among variables.

• Use of variables limited to 3 basic approaches

• IV and DV measured separately

• If hypotheses are used

Guidelines for writing good Quantitative

research questions and hypotheses:

• Null

• Alternative

If hypotheses are used, there are two forms:

Null hypothesis

This states that there is no effect or no difference. It’s what the researcher tries to test against.

• Example: There is no difference in memory recall between students who handwrite notes and those who type notes.

Alternative hypothesis

This states that there is an effect or a difference. It’s what the researcher expects or predicts.

• Example: Students who handwrite notes recall more information than those who type notes.

Survey

provides a quantitative or numeric description of trends, attitudes, or opinions of a population by studying a sample of that population.

Experiment

the basic intent of an experimental design is to test the impact of a treatment (or an intervention) on an outcome, controlling for all other factors that might influence that outcome.

• Survey Design

• Data Analysis and Interpretation

• Population and Sample

• Instrumentation

Components of a Survey Method Plan: (4)

Survey Design

begins by reviewing the purpose of a survey and the rationale for its selection for the proposed study

• Purpose of the research survey

• Why a survey is the preferred type of data collection procedure

• Whether the survey will be crosssectional/longitudinal

• Form of data collection

Survey Design involves: (4)

Cross-sectional

with the data collected at one point in time

Longitudinal

data collected over time

• Self-administered questionnaires

• Interviews

• Structured record reviews

• Structured observations

Forms of Data Collection:

• Population in the study

• Sampling design for population (Single stage / Multistage)

• Number of people in the sample & Procedures used to compute this number

• Selection process

• Whether the study will involve stratification of the population before selecting the sample

Essential Aspects of the Population and Sample: (5)

Stratification

means that specific characteristics of individuals are represented in the sample and the sample reflects the true proportion in the population of individuals with certain characteristics

• means dividing the population into subgroups (strata) based on specific characteristics

• Random sample

• Nonprabability/Convenience sample

On Selection process, you may employ:

Random sample

(systematic/probabilistic sample)

in which each individual in the population has an equal probability of being selected

• This provides a generalization to a population from a representative sample.

Nonprobability sample (convenience sample)

Less desirable

• in which respondents are chosen based on their convenience and availability.

• Single stage sampling procedure

• Multistage/Clustering Procedure

Sampling Designs: (2)

Single stage sampling procedure

one in which the researcher has access to names in the population and can sample the people (or other elements) directly

Multistage/Clustering Procedure

• the researcher first identifies clusters (groups or organizations)

• obtains names of individuals within those clusters, and then samples within them.

• Name of survey instrument

• Validity & Reliability

• Reestablish when you modify an instrument

• Sample items in appendix section

• Major content sections (cover letter, item, closing)

• Plans for pilot testing or field testing the survey

Instrumentation (Consider the following):

Validity

refers to how accurately a method measures what is intended to measure.

• Content

• Predictive or concurrent

• Construct

Validity: (3)

Content validity

do the items measure the content they were intended to measure?

Predictive or concurrent validity

do scores predict a criterion measure?

Do results correlate with other results?

Construct validity

do items measure hypothetical constructs or concepts?

Reliability

refers to how consistently a method measures something.

• Internal consistency

• Test-retest correlations

• Consistency in test administrattion & scoring

Reliability: (3)

Internal Consistency

Checks if all items in a test measure the same concept.

Example:

• A questionnaire about stress levels has 10 items. If a person agrees with “I feel tense most of the time,” they should also agree with “I often feel nervous.”

→ High agreement between items = good internal consistency.

Test-Retest Reliability

Are scores stable over time when the instrument is administered a second time?

Example:

• A student takes a self-esteem test today and again two weeks later. If both scores are nearly the same, the test has high test-retest reliability.

Consistency in Test Administration and Scoring

Were scores caused by careless in administration or scoring?

Example:

• If two researchers give the same math test to students, both should follow the same instructions and scoring rules.

→ Consistent results across both = reliable administration and scoring.

Data

A researcher also indicates in the proposal the analysis of the _____

• Descriptive analysis of the data (means, standard deviations, and range of scores)

• Statistics & Statistical computer program

• Results in tables or figures

• Interpret results

Points to remember in Data Analysis: (4)

Statistical computer program

_________ for testing the major inferential research questions or hypotheses in the proposed study

• statistically significant or not

• Did the results support the hypothesis or did they contradict what was expected?

• theory

• implications

Interpretation involves:

• Report whether the results of the statistical test were _______or____.

• Report how these results answered the research question or hypothesis:

• Indicate what might explain why the results occurred. This explanation might refer back to the ____ advanced in the proposed study.

• Discuss the ________ of the results for practice or for future research on the topic.