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Brief Review of Brief Review of Research Model / Research Model /

HypothesisHypothesis

Brief Review of Brief Review of Research Model / Research Model /

HypothesisHypothesis

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Research is ArgumentResearch is ArgumentResearch is ArgumentResearch is Argument

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ResearchOne definition of research:“Research is a formal, systematic, and

rigorous process of inquiry used to generate and test the concepts and propositions that comprise middle-range theories, which are derived from or linked with a conceptual model.”

Reference: Fawcett, J., The relationship of theory and research, 3rd ed., F.A. Davis Company, 1998. (p.8)

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Journal ReviewArticles pass through a double blind review

process to ensure the quality of their underlying research methodology and argument.

Australian Accounting Review

What’s interesting here? Rigorous argument and presentation are expected throughout.

Information Systems Research

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ICIS 2006 Review Criteria for Research

Papers• Fit with track • Interesting/important problem • Clear motivation (why the problem is

interesting theoretically or practically)• Conceptual development or grounding

in prior literature • Methodological adequacy (if relevant) • Interesting findings • Well structured and clearly written

paper

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Conceptual Model …Conceptual Model …HypothesisHypothesis

Conceptual Model …Conceptual Model …HypothesisHypothesis

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Different Levels of Abstraction

Most abstract -------- Conceptual Model

Grand Theory

Middle-range theory

Most concrete ------- Empirical research methods

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ConceptA concept is a word or phrase that summarizes

the essential characteristics or properties of a phenomenon.

A proposition is a statement about a concept or a relation between concepts.

A construct usually means a concept that is complex or inferred.

A variable refers to the concrete, measured values.

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HypothesisHypotheses are special types of

propositions that represents conjectures about the concepts of middle-range theories stated in empirically testable forms.

(Concepts are linked to empirical indicators. But many reports use concepts directly in the hypothesis.)

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Example 1Proposition: There is a phenomenon

known as X.Hypothesis: The phenomenon

known as X is empirically demonstrated by X’

X

X’

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Example 2Proposition: There is a relation

between X and Y.Hypothesis: X’ and Y’ are related.

X

X’

Y

Y’

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Example 3Proposition: There is a negative relation

between loneliness and cognitive functioning.

Hypothesis: The higher the score on the Revised Loneliness Scale, the lower the score on the Mental Status Examination.

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Example 4Proposition: There is a strong positive relation

between walking exercise and physical functioning, such that moderate walking exercise is associated with much better physical functioning than usual care.

Hypothesis: The difference in scores on the 12-minute walk test between the experimental moderate walking exercise program group and the control usual care group signify a large effect size, with higher scores for the experimental group.

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Example 5Hypothesis: Groups will make fewer

spreadsheet development errors than will individuals working alone.

What are the constructs & relations?

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Example 6Hypothesis: If individuals sustain a

distinction between entities and attributes, they will recall an item that represents an entity first during a recall task.

What are the constructs & relations?

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Examples (bad)Hypothesis: Gender has higher speed.

Hypothesis: Good interfaces lead to better interaction.

Hypothesis: Old men have higher anxiety about computer applications.

Checks 1) How are these measured?

2) How are the measurements to be related?

3) What are the comparison groups?

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Conceptual ModelA conceptual model is a set of relatively

abstract and general concepts and the propositions that describe or link those concepts.

A conceptual model shows the relevant phenomena, while ignoring less important phenomena.

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TheoryA theory is a set of relatively concrete and

specific concepts and the propositions that describe or link these concepts.

Grand theory: broader, more abstractMiddle-range theory: narrower, more concrete

(could be tested)

Theories allow us to explain or unite phenomena.

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Theory –Example 1Technology acceptance model- constructs: perceived usefulness,

perceived ease of use, intention to use

- Relations among constructs- Measurement items

PU

PEOU

IU

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Theory –Example 2Fitts’ Law- Movement time (for a device) is a

function of the distance and width of the target.

- MT=a + b log2(D/W + 1)

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Theory –Example 3Hick’s Law- Time taken to choose between a

number N of alternative targets.

- Time=a + b log2(N + 1)

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Theory –Example 4Levels of analysis theoriesA 4-level theory (Foley et al., 1995)• Conceptual level (user’s mental model)• Semantic level (input/output meanings)• Syntactic level (sequence of input actions)• Lexical (precise mechanisms for input)

See Ch 2 of Shneiderman & Plasiant

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Theory –Example 5Stages of action model (Norman, 1988)• Cycles of action and evaluation• Forming goal, forming intention,

specifying action, executing action, perceiving system state, interpreting system state, evaluating outcome.

• Gulf of execution / evaluation

See Ch 2 of Shneiderman & Plasiant

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Theory –Example 6GOMS model (Card et al., 1983)• Goals (e.g. to delete some words)• Operators (mouse, delete key)• Methods (the sequence of actions)• Selection (rules to choose among

alternative methods)

See Ch 2 of Shneiderman & Plasiant

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Types of Theory• Descriptive – what is (descriptive)• Explanatory – why (correlational)• Predictive – does an intervention

result in the intended effect (experimental)