1. Formulating the Method
What is involved in the methods section?
Why is the methods section so imperative to a study?
Why are all the pieces of a methods section developed before the study is begun?

2. “…If a 10-kg and a 5 kg iron ball were dropped from the Empire State Building by King Kong 40 years ago or by Arnold Schwarzenegger today, they should strike the ground simultaneously on both occasions.” (Thomas & Nelson, 2001)

3. Scientific method: Predicated on the notion of replicability.
“That is, would anyone using the same materials and methods arrive at the same results?” (Scherr, 1983, p. ix).

4. Purpose: To explain how the study was conducted.
Should be thorough enough for a competent researcher to reproduce the study.

5. Additionally
“The purpose of planning the method is to eliminate any alternative or rival hypotheses.”
For instance: “When you design the study correctly and the results are as predicted, the only explanation is what you did in the research….” (Thomas & Nelson, 2001, p. 62).

6. Is this meaningful?
Shoe size and mathematics performance are positively correlated during elementary school.

7. Less is more…. What did Thomas and Nelson mean by that statement?
When ideas become so cumbersome that the study often fails because of the sheer complexity.
Too many independent and dependent variables…

8. Simple is better
Keep the study straight forward so that when you find something you can explain, understand, and interpret it.

9. Journal format: Participants (subjects) Instruments or apparatuses
Procedures
Design and analysis

10. Participants
Describes how and why the participants were selected and which of the characteristics are important to the study. Nature of the study dictates what is important to add to this section.

11. Participants Number of participants and the number lost
Age – children, elderly, athletes…..
Sex
Level of training (trained or untrained)
Level of performance (experts or novices)
Size, weight
How they were selected
Permission from participants, informed consent, IRB approval

12. Participants:
“In this study 48 males, ranging in age from years were randomly selected from a group (N = 147) of well-trained runners (VO2 max = 60 ml/ kg/min -1 or higher) who have been comeptitive runners for at least 2 years. The participants had the following characteristics: age M = 26 year sd = 3.3; height M = cm sd 7.5; weight 66.9 kg sd 8.7; and VO2 max M = 65 ml/kg/min -1 sd 4.2. Participants were assigned to one of four groups (n =12).” IRB approval was granted and all participants signed letters of informed consent.

13. Sampling Techniques Probability Sampling Non-probability Sampling
Random Sampling
Cluster Sampling
Stratified sampling
Systematic sampling
Convenience
Judgmental
Quota

14. Informed Consents

15. Testing Instruments: State test name, author(s), date.
Explain the test construct, theoretical background.
List and explain the test’s validity and reliability.

16. Apparatus: Identify apparatus and describe its function
List model, company, & so forth
Standard laboratory equipment usually mentioned without detail

17. Identify specialized equipment obtained from commercial supplierBY
Model number and supplier’s name and location.
WHY?

18. Use a drawing of photograph to illustrate complex or customized or custom made equipment.

19. Procedures: Detailed instructions to participants
Administration of tests
Timing of study
Step by step process from beginning to end.

20. Design and analysis: Identify design type
Identify statistical techniques
Justify use of statistical technique if there is question about appropriateness.
List independent and dependent variables.

21. Identify assumptions of statistical technique and evaluation of assumptions.
Identify probability level