The Practical Aspects of Doing Research An Giang University June, 2004 Dennis Berg, Ph.D.

Tool Box Analogy When We Begin We Have A Small Number of Tools Sampling Measurements Statistics Research Designs Content Analysis SPSS - SAS

Tool Box II As We Learn We Collect More Tools Through Experience and Training

STUDYING AND PRACTICING RESEARCH AND ANAYLSIS 1. Learn the Logic of Science 2. Learn the Process of Developing and Asking Research Questions 3. Learn the Nature of Research Designs 4. Learn the Tools and Techniques of Producing Evidence 5. Learn the Tools and Techniques of Analysis and Conclusions

Types of Research Based on Purpose Two Type Classification  Basic  Applied Within Applied  Policy Analyst  Evaluation  Social Monitor  Data Analyst

BASIC RESEARCH  Seeks to discover “new knowledge about SOCIAL PHENOMENA, hoping to establish GENERAL PRINCIPLES and THEORIES with which to explain them.”  The goal is “to produce new knowledge, including the discovery of the nature of RELATIONSHIPS between VARAIBLES.”

Applied Research  Seeks to “understand how basic research can help alleviate a demanding social problem and provide policymakers with well- grounded guides to remedial action.”  The goal is “to explore the value of basic knowledge in an applied setting….”

APPLIED RESEARCH Concerned With Focuses Upon Policy Implications Data Gathering and Interpretation Social Processes Policy Analyst Evaluation Researcher Social Outcomes Social Monitor Data Analyst

Policy Analyst Studies social processes and describes what policy alternatives exist to solve and existing problem.

Evaluation Researcher Studies social processes to determine if a program or project is accomplishing what it is intended to accomplish.

Social Monitor Examines outcomes data to discover patterns that require some organizational or government action

Data Analyst Uses and refines methodological tools to interpret outcome data, often using advanced statistical processes

TYPES OF RESEARCH BASED ON RESEARCH QUESTION Descriptive Studies Correlational/Relational Studies Causal Studies Exploration Description Explanation Evaluation

Descriptive Research When a study is designed primarily to describe what is going on or what exists. Public opinion polls that seek only to describe the proportion of people who hold various opinions are primarily descriptive in nature.

Relational When a study is designed to look at the relationships between two or more variables. A survey looking at the relationship between gender and make of motorbike would be relational.

Causal When a study is designed to determine whether one or more variables (e.g., a program or treatment variable) causes or affects one or more outcome variables.

RESEARCH DESIGNS The detailed plan for the creation of evidence.

Research Design Criteria  Reliability (repeatable)  Replication (replicability)  Validity (integrity of conclusion) Measurement Internal External Ecological

Research Design Templates I  Experimental Designs Manipulation Classic Experimental Designs Laboratory Experiments Quasi-Experimental Designs Natural Experiments

Research Design Templates II  Cross Sectional Survey Designs  More than one Case  Single Point in Time  Longitudinal Designs  Panel Study  Cohort Study

TIME IN DESIGN IA

TIME IN DESIGN IB  Rows Represent a cohort trough time  Columns represent a one point in time measurement  Numbers in cells is age of each population at time of measurement

TIME IN DESIGN IIA

TIME IN DESIGN IIB  cross sectional study highlighted  trend study: compares the cross sectional in 1990 with the cross sectional in 2000

TIME IN DESIGN IIIA

 cohort: a sample of the cohort would be taken at each point in time.  panel design: is a special case of longitudinal in that the very same people would be measured at the three points in time

Research Design Templates III  Case Study Designs Detailed and Intensive Analysis of a Single Case  Comparative Designs A Study Using Similar Methods To Study Two Or More Contrasting Cases.

Research Design II II. Units of Analysis A. Individuals B. Groups C. Organizations D. Social Artifacts E. Considerations in Unit of Analysis  1. Ecological Fallacy  2. Reductionism

POINTS OF FOCUS A. Characteristics B. Orientations C. Actions

Causality I I. Deterministic vs. Probabilistic II. Criteria for Causality A. cause precedes the effect in time B. two variables be empirically related

Causality I C. correlation not explained by influence of a third 1. spurious relationships 2. intervening variable 3. specification variable D. Necessary vs. Sufficient Causality

Steps in Designing a Research Project A.Research Question B.Literature Review and Conceptualization C.Choice of research method D.Operationalization E.Population and Sampling

Steps in Designing a Research Project F.Observations G.Data processing H.Analysis I.Application J. Bibliography K. Report Writing L. Journal Artical

 Quantitative research (e.g., experiments and survey)  Qualitative research (e.g., face-to-face interviews; focus groups; site visits)  Case studies  Participatory research Some More Research Methods

 Involves information or data in the form of numbers  Allows us to measure or to quantify things  Respondents don’t necessarily give numbers as answers - answers are analyzed as numbers Quantitative Research

 Helps develop a deeper understanding of a topic  Often contrasted to quantitative research  Together (mixed methods)they give us the ‘bigger picture’  Examples include face-to-face interviews and focus groups Qualitative Research

 What do you want to know?  How can you find out what you want to know?  Where can you get the information?  Who do you need to ask?  When does your research need to be done?  Why? (Getting the answer) Planning Your Research: Key Questions

 What do I want to know?  Keep in mind: Who your research is for; What decisions your research will inform; What kind of information is needed to inform those decisions.  Literature Review is a Must  Take another look at your research question Step 1: What?

 How do I find out what I want to know?  Where can I get the information I need?  Who do I need to ask?  Choose your methodology  quantitative or numbers information  qualitative in-depth explanatory information  case studies  site visits or observation  participatory research Step 2: How? Where? Who?

 When do all the different parts of the research need to be done?  List all your research work areas  Map them against a timeline  Develop a work plan Step 3: When?

 Collect your data  Keep returning to your research question  Organize your research results to answer the question  Keep in mind who you are doing the research for  Focus on what research results do tell you  Be creative, methodical and meticulous Step 4: Why?