Research Rookies Meeting

Monday, October 7, 20136:00pm-8:00pm

FML Staff Lounge & Room 297

Meeting Agenda• Dinner & Discussion with NLAs• Proposal Deadline• Bookmarks • Simmon Scholars • Internship Credit • Research Variables & Operationalization • Office of Research Compliance • Small Groups• Blog Prompt• MAP-Works

Proposal Deadline

Proposals are due

Friday, November 15, 2013Submit to ugresearch@niu.edu

Bookmarks• Research is Rad!

Bookmarks• Kiran Gill & Kyle

Mondron

Simmon Scholars• STEM students• Essay to apply• Additional responsibilities:– Blogging – Class presentations with

NLAs• $500 stipend at

completion of program

Internships• Internship notation on transcript• In-line with President Baker’s career success

campaign• Partnering with Career Services• 120 hours

Research Variables & Operationalization

• Dr. Gregory Barker – Director of Testing Services– Ph.D. in Psychology,

Northern Illinois University

Variables and OperationalizationIndependent vs. Dependent Variables

Manipulated vs. Selected Independent Variables

Variables often start as conceptsTheoretical creations based on observations that cannot be observed directly

IndicatorA reflection of the variable we wish to study

DimensionsA specifiable aspect of a concept

Variables and Operationalization

Operationalization - The process of specifying precisely how you will define and measure the variables in your study

Variables and OperationalizationThings to consider as you Operationalize

Range of VariationDegree of PrecisionExhaustiveMutually exclusive

Choose the appropriate designAre you conducting an experiment?–Investigates the effect of an Independent variable (treatment) on a Dependent variable (outcome)–USUALLY involves some form of Pretesting and Postesting–USUALLY involves comparison of AT LEAST two groups– Experimental and Control – What are these?–Usually involves Random assignment to Experimental and Control Conditions

Your ResearchThree major questions for your research:

• What do you hope to discover?– What you will increase/decrease/change?– What relationship do you hope to discover?– What variable(s) do you hope to identify?

• Who/what will you study?

• How will you measure it?

Your ResearchResearch topics should be specific, clear, and manageable.

• Stop ALL smoking• Reduce smoking• Reduce smoking among high school students

Your ResearchReduce the proportion of students at a specific high school who report cigarette use in the past 30-days using a social norms intervention. Cigarette use will be measured using specific questions from the annual student health survey administered every spring.

Your Research1. Choose an area in which you are interested2. Make your goals realistic3. Go to the journals – READ! – Try to extend previous

research – Don’t reinvent the wheel 4. Who/what are you testing? What is your

population?5. How will you get a sample?

Your Research6. Make sure you can state your hypothesis and

predictions simply 7. Consider how you are going to measure your

outcome – MAKE SURE YOU CAN!8. Start thinking about your independent and

dependent variables9. Operationalize your variables carefully10. What is your research design?

Research Compliance & Integrity

• Jeanette Gommel• Animal Research• Biosafety• Human Subjects• http://www.niu.edu/orci/

Small Groups

• Update on progress• MAP-Works– Class attendance– Test anxiety

• Time management activity

Blogs• 1-2 thoughtful paragraphs• 6-8 sentences per paragraph• Include picture, if possible• All content should represent RR

program in appropriate manner

Blog PromptBlog about your faculty mentor. Have you found one yet? If not, are you close to finding a mentor?

If you have found a mentor, have you selected a research topic? What will you be researching?

MAP-Works• If you have not completed MAP-Works:– Take survey before you leave