The Practical Aspects of Doing Research

An Giang UniversityJune, 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 Questions3. Learn the Nature of Research

Designs4. Learn the Tools and Techniques

of Producing Evidence5. 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

PolicyAnalyst

EvaluationResearcher

Social Outcomes

SocialMonitor

DataAnalyst

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 StudiesCorrelational/Relational StudiesCausal Studies

ExplorationDescriptionExplanationEvaluation

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)

MeasurementInternalExternalEcological

Research Design Templates I

Experimental DesignsManipulationClassic Experimental

DesignsLaboratory ExperimentsQuasi-Experimental

DesignsNatural Experiments

Research Design Templates II

Cross Sectional Survey DesignsMore than one CaseSingle Point in Time

Longitudinal DesignsPanel StudyCohort Study

TIME IN DESIGN IA

Y EAR OF MEASUREMENT

Y EAR OF BIRTH

(COHORT)

1980 1990 2000

1960 A-20 B-30 C-40 1950 D-30 E-40 F-50 1940 G-40 H-50 I-60

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

Y EAR OF MEASUREMENT

Y EAR OF BIRTH

(COHORT)

1980 1990 2000

1960 A-20 B-30 C-40 1950 D-30 E-40 F-50 1940 G-40 H-50 I-60

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

Y EAR OF MEASUREMENT

Y EAR OF BIRTH

(COHORT)

1980 1990 2000

1960 A-20 B-30 C-40 1950 D-30 E-40 F-50 1940 G-40 H-50 I-60

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 DesignsDetailed and Intensive Analysis of a Single Case

Comparative DesignsA 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 CausalityA. cause precedes the effect in timeB. two variables be empirically related

Causality I

C. correlation not explained by influence of a third

1. spurious relationships2. intervening variable3. specification variable

D. Necessary vs. Sufficient Causality

Steps in Designing a Research Project

A. Research QuestionB. Literature Review and ConceptualizationC. Choice of research methodD. OperationalizationE. Population and Sampling

Steps in Designing a Research Project

F. ObservationsG. Data processingH. AnalysisI. ApplicationJ. BibliographyK. Report WritingL. 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 MoreResearch 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?