1. 1 Chapter 4: Formulating a Research Question Formulating Research Hypotheses Replication Research Designing Research for Utilization Bias in Formulation of Research Questions Summary

2. 2 Formulating Hypotheses Establishing a background (fig 4-1, p91) Choosing a topic Formulating the question Definitions http://home.ubalt.edu/tmitch/kerlinger.htm Maps: http://www.psy.tcu.edu/peg/acapsy.htm Review of literature Formulate hypotheses Designing the study Writing the proposal (Schroeder et al., ’85)

3. 3 Formulating Hypotheses Establishing a background (fig 4-1, p91) –Psychological, not sociological, economic –Observational unit –Use Psychological constructs –Psychological theory based Choosing a topic (want to & can do) –Bootstraps approach (lit review cycle) –Your area of interest (CO or IO or…) –Feasibility something you can manipulate (think theory)

4. 4 Research Question Formulating the question Definitions http://home.ubalt.edu/tmitch/kerlinger.htm Maps: http://www.psy.tcu.edu/peg/acapsy.htmhttp://www.psy.tcu.edu/peg/acapsy.htm –Topic -> question (e.g. “jealousy”) –A good question asks about relationships among constructs Researchable? Operational definitions adequate? –E.g. codependency…a good construct? Is it important? Will it advance theory? Does it test competing theory –aggression: reduced by modeling (Bandura) or catharsis (Freud) Propositions: central or peripheral? –(Locke & Latham, ’90) difficulty of goals & who sets them? –Sources Theory, intuition, prior research, practical problems, analogy (McQuire)

5. 5 Formulating a Question Review of literature –Purposes: Provides scientific context Avoid duplication Id potential problems in conducting the research –Types of information Relevant theories Previous research on the topic Previous methods/procedues Types of analyses (quant/qual; corr/experimental/quasi) –Primary v. secondary and “Googlin” –Peer review (Refereed) v. popular press –Lucy Holman (actual library) v. computer search (Google)

6. 6 Formulating a Question Formulate hypotheses –Research hypotheses “if…then” Direction (pos v. negative) (one tail or two) –Statistical hypotheses Stated in mean differences (IV-DV), –E.g. H1: Gp1 < Gp2 = Gp3 direction of relationship (corr) –E.g. “…will be significantly positively related”

7. 7 Formulating a Question Designing the study –How: research design – what: operational definitions –Where: lab, field –Whom: popoulation, sample, Ps –When: cross sectional/longitudinal Writing the proposal (Schroeder et al., ’85) –Anticipates problems –What the results will tell you –Anticipates limitations What if the null is supported/not supported?

8. 8 Replication Research Exact Conceptual –Different setting, population, method Implications of replication –Generalizing theory and / or findings –Type I and type II errors Which are more costly (trick question) Considerations –Importance of hypotheses Adds new information? (risky shift & group polarization) Avoid Over duplication

9. 9 Research for Utilization: Applied research Knowledge Utilization –Truth test (give an example) –Utility test (give an example) Design Considerations –IVs Policy variables (manipulate them) (example?) Estimator variables (measure them) (example?) –DVs Outcomes (utility and value) Research population (use appropriate one) Research Setting (to fit external reality)

10. 10 Bias in Research Questions Biased assumptions –Re: importance of population –Assuming a general problem is applicable to only one group (girls & contraception) Biased theory –Erroneous assumptions E.g. women are masocistic Avoiding Bias –Get a second opinion

11. 11 Chapter 4: Formulating a Research Question Summary Formulating Research Hypotheses Replication Research Designing Research for Utilization Bias in Formulation of Research Questions Summary