Week 2 Chapter 1 Notes: Empirical and Nonempirical Research in SLHS

Week 2 Chapter 1 Notes: Empirical and Nonempirical Research in SLHS

These notes summarize the content from Week 2, Chapter 1 of SLHS 235, including key concepts, definitions, examples, and practical applications for research in Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences.

Chapter 1 Overview: Empirical and Nonempirical Research

• Source reference: Research in Communication Sciences and Disorders: Methods for Systematic Inquiry, Fifth Edition, by Lauren K. Nelson & Jaimie L. Gilbert. Copyright © 2026 by Plural Publishing, Inc.
• Central idea: Systematic inquiry represents a structured approach to answering research questions in communication sciences and disorders (CSD), aligning with the scientific method and clinical problem solving.

Systematic Inquiry

• Key features of systematic inquiry:
  • Formulate a question to answer.
  • Define a process for obtaining information.
  • Follow a predetermined set of procedures in a regular, orderly way to obtain information that answers the question.
• Connection to the scientific method:
  • Identify and further define a problem.
  • Develop hypotheses (or questions).
  • Plan procedures.
  • Collect relevant data.
  • Analyze data.
  • Make a decision about the hypothesis/hypotheses.
• Practical connection: This is how clinical problems/diagnoses are approached in the field, emphasizing a disciplined method for evidence gathering and interpretation.

Roles for Research

• Satisfy scientific curiosity (underlying physiology, etiology, etc.).
• Answer important clinical questions.
• Evaluate clinical service programs.
• Document the need for program support.
• Influence public policy (e.g., universal preschool vs. future special education service needs).
• Engage in evidence-based practice (EBP).

Evidence-Based Practice (EBP)

• Key elements for clinical decision-making:
  • Make informed clinical decisions based on available evidence identified through a thorough search.
  • Integrate professional expertise and knowledge of the client(s).
  • Incorporate client and family considerations.
• Source: American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA), 2004.

Types of Research: Overview

• 1) Empirical vs Nonempirical
  • Empirical research: Collect new information or data; make observations and measurements.
  • Nonempirical research: Use existing information or data.
• 2) Qualitative vs Quantitative
  • Qualitative: Collect and analyze data of a verbal/narrative nature (e.g., recorded speech, direct quotes, detailed descriptions).
  • Quantitative: Collect and analyze numerical data (e.g., frequency counts, scores, physical properties).
• 3) Experimental vs Nonexperimental
  • Experimental: Manipulate one or more factors to create different conditions or experiences.
  • Nonexperimental: Study existing characteristics or differences without manipulation.
• 4) True experimental vs Quasi-experimental
  • True experimental: Random assignment of participants to groups.
  • Quasi-experimental: Use existing groups without random assignment.

Nonexperimental Examples

• Case-control studies (groups with pre-existing differences; no manipulation to create them)
• Survey research
• Case study
• Field study
• Correlational research
• Longitudinal, developmental research

Research Variables

• Independent variable (IV):
  • Manipulated by the experimenter.
  • Used for studying cause-and-effect relationships.
  • Designated by the experimenter.
  • Symbolically: $ext{IV} = ext{manipulated factor}$
• Dependent variable (DV):
  • Measured by the experimenter.
  • Used for documenting participants’ responses or outcomes.
  • Symbolically: $ext{DV} = ext{measured outcome}$

Independent vs. Dependent Variables: Visual Illustration

• Example setup:
  • Independent variable: Amount of water / Amount of fertilizer (manipulated) → Plant growth outcome (dependent).
  • Diagram intuition (described): IV affects DV, with a range of values for IV showing corresponding changes in DV.
• Simple demonstration (from slide):
  • Independent variable: Amount of water (Little vs. Much) and Amount of fertilizer (Little vs. Much)
  • Dependent variable: Height of plant (Short vs. Long) under those conditions.

Let’s Practice: IVs and DVs in SLHS Contexts

• Practice 1: Speech sounds practice duration
  • Research question: Does practicing speech sounds for 5 minutes a day vs 20 minutes a day affect accuracy of the /r/ sound?
  • Independent Variable (IV): Amount of daily practice: $5 ext{ minutes}$ vs $20 ext{ minutes}$.
  • Dependent Variable (DV): Accuracy of /r/ production.
  • Note: The IV is the manipulated factor; the DV is the outcome measured.
• Practice 2: Language development and intervention type
  • Research question: Does storybook reading vs play-based intervention affect preschoolers’ expressive vocabulary growth?
  • IV: Type of intervention (storybook vs play-based).
  • DV: Expressive vocabulary growth.
• Practice 3: Dysphagia swallowing technique
  • Research question: Does the effortful swallow technique reduce residue after swallowing compared to a normal swallow?
  • IV: Type of swallow (effortful vs normal).
  • DV: Amount of residue in the throat.

Debrief: Critical Thinking About IVs and DVs

• How to decide IV vs DV:
  • Which factor is deliberately manipulated by the researcher? (IV)
  • Which outcome is measured? (DV)
• Why clearly identifying IV and DV matters:
  • Clarifies what is being tested and measured.
  • Helps identify potential confounding variables and controls.
• Potential confounding variables:
  • Any other factor that could influence the DV but is not the IV.
  • Examples vary by study design and context.

Reading Articles: Notetaking and Synthesis (Silverman, 1998)

• Include in notes or paraphrase:
  • Reference for the information.
  • Statement of the research question or hypothesis (often found just above Methods).
  • Description of observational procedures, including participants.
  • Summary of observations (results).
  • Tentative answer to the question or decision.

Reading Articles – TL;DR

• First: Abstract
• Next: Purpose/Research Question
• Finally: Discussion

Notetaking Template (Canvas)

• The LEARNING Center Note-Taking Template for Journal Articles
• Fields/Sections:
  • Title of Article; Publication; Author(s)
  • Background: context and prior findings
  • Methods & Nature of this Study: objective; data collection; time/place
  • Results: highlights and surprises; data visuals (tables/figures)
  • Data: dates and other relevant data entries
  • Conclusions: overall learnings
  • Next Steps: future study directions
  • Significance: why this research matters
  • My Thoughts & Questions: personal reflections

Parts of the Research Project

• Literature Review:
  • Provides background and context for the study.
  • Summarizes relevant previous research.
  • Explains rationale and identifies gaps/questions.
  • Concludes with research question and hypothesis.
• Methods:
  • Describes how the study was conducted.
  • Includes participants, procedures, materials, data collection techniques.
  • Outlines steps so the study can be replicated.
• Results:
  • Presents findings, often via tables or figures.
  • Reports whether results support or refute the hypothesis (but does not interpret yet).
• Discussion:
  • Interprets results and explains significance.
  • Compares findings with previous research.
  • Discusses implications, limitations, and future research.

Project Road Map & Information

• Stage 1: Literature Review
• Stage 2: Methods
• Stage 3: Results
• Stage 4: Discussion
• Submit Final Paper & Record Presentation
• Schedule highlights:
  • Complete 3 Question Sets and Discussions: Weeks 2–5
  • Submit Draft 1: Week 6; Complete 1 Question Set
  • Discussions: Weeks 7–8; Submit Draft 2: Week 9; Complete 1 Question Set
  • Discussions: Weeks 10–11; Submit Draft 3: Week 11; Complete 2 Question Sets
  • Discussions: Weeks 12–13; Submit Draft 4: Week 14; Week 15 for final

Project Information and Ethics

• See Canvas page "Project Road Map & Information" for specifics.
• Confidentiality Agreement:
  • Qualtrics link (also in Canvas) required before viewing recorded sessions.
  • Read statements, enter your name, sign and submit.

Example Research Project (Case Study)

• Case Study: The Impact of Articulation Therapy on Speech Clarity in Children with Speech Sound Disorders (SSD)

Literature Review (Case Study Context)

• SSD in children affect production of certain sounds; improving clarity enhances communication, academic success, and quality of life.
• Rationale: Early intervention improves speech outcomes; articulation therapy commonly used but limited research on ages 5–7.
• Prior findings:
  • Smith et al. (2019): early speech therapy improves speech production.
  • Jones & Miller (2017): articulation therapy is commonly used but not extensively studied for the target age group.
• Research Question: Does articulation therapy improve speech clarity in children aged 5–7 with SSD?
• Hypothesis: Children receiving articulation therapy will show a significant reduction in speech errors after 8 weeks.

Methods (Case Study) – Part 1

• Participants: Ten children, age 5–7, diagnosed with SSD; similar baseline impairment based on initial assessments.
• Measures: Speech clarity measured as the percentage of correctly produced target sounds during speech tasks.
• Review: A licensed speech-language pathologist analyzed recordings to count errors pre- and post-therapy.

Methods (Case Study) – Part 2

• Procedure: 8 weeks of weekly articulation therapy sessions, each 30 minutes long; focus on sounds like /s/, /r/, /l/.
• Baseline: Recorded descriptions of a picture to establish initial speech clarity; counted errors in descriptions as baseline.

Results

• After 8 weeks, improvements observed for all participants.
• Average errors per session decreased from 15 to 5.
• Reported reduction: $ext{Reduction} = \frac{15 - 5}{15} imes 100 ext{ extperthousand} = 66.7 ext{ extpercent}$
• The slide notes a 66% reduction (rounded).

Discussion

• Interpretation: Articulation therapy significantly improves speech clarity in children with SSD over 8 weeks.
• Consistency: Aligns with Jones & Miller (2017) findings supporting articulation therapy.
• Implications: Supports use of articulation therapy for SSD in young children.
• Future research: Long-term effects; influence of parental involvement on outcomes.

References

• American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. (2004). Evidence-based practice in communication disorders: An introduction [Technical report]. Retrieved from www.asha.org/policy
• Silverman, F. H. (1998). Research design and evaluation in speech-language pathology and audiology: Asking and answering questions (4th ed.). Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.

Key Takeaways for Exam Preparation

• Understand the distinction between systematic inquiry and the clinical application of the scientific method.
• Be able to identify IVs and DVs in experimental and quasi-experimental designs, and explain why confounding variables matter.
• Distinguish empirical vs nonempirical, qualitative vs quantitative, and true vs quasi-experimental designs.
• Be familiar with the standard sections of a research project (Literature Review, Methods, Results, Discussion) and their purposes.
• Know how to summarize a reading article using the given template (reference, research question/hypothesis, procedures, results, tentative conclusions).
• Be able to interpret and calculate basic results from a study (e.g., percentage reductions in errors).
• Recognize ethical practices (e.g., confidentiality agreements) and project timelines (stages and drafts).