The Information School of the University of Washington LIS 570 Session 5.1 Research Design and Data...
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Transcript of The Information School of the University of Washington LIS 570 Session 5.1 Research Design and Data...
The
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LIS 570Session 5.1
Research Design and Data Collection
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LIS 570 Research Design Mason; p. 2
Objectives• Place sampling and research
design in context • Recall components of research
design• Further develop the research
projects• Get feedback on research designs
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LIS 570 Research Design Mason; p. 3
Agenda• Research in context• Review of research design
– Definition– Criteria for selection– Research goal (type): explanatory;
descriptive• Common designs• Exercise: “elevator speech”• Exercise: developing questions
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LIS 570 Research Design Mason; p. 4
Sampling and Research
• Reality, models, & research findings• Absolutes, certainty, beliefs, & decisions • Sampling: done if a census is not
feasible because of resources or other constraints
• Point of research (including sampling):– Building knowledge through
• communication with others• storing and making accessible results
– Following “accepted” methods
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LIS 570 Research Design Mason; p. 5
Research Design: Definition
• Framework which guides the collection of data
• Roadmap or blueprint for the study• Goal: select the strongest (or most
appropriate) design for the type of research
• Two major types of research– descriptive– explanatory
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LIS 570 Research Design Mason; p. 6
Choice of research design (Bouma)
Depends on hypothesis or research objective • Case study: What is happening?• Longitudinal study: Has there been a
change in A• Comparison: Are A and B different?• Longitudinal comparison: Do A and B differ
over time?• Experiment: Is the difference between A
and B due to a change in the independent variable?
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LIS 570 Research Design Mason; p. 7
Case study• Simplest (most primitive?) design
– Rich in detail– Requires “plausibility” to establish
generality– Documentation/write up is not trivial
• Collecting information from one group at one point in time
• Aim: description—what is going on? Are there discernable relationships among the factors?
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LIS 570 Research Design Mason; p. 8
The longitudinal study
• Two or more case studies of the same group separated by an interval of time
• Measure a variable at both points of time
• Intervention: cannot conclude a causal influence
InterventionTime 1 Time 2
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LIS 570 Research Design Mason; p. 9
Comparison study• Cross-sectional design• Most common• Collect measures from at least two
groups of people at one point in time
• Compares the extent to which the two groups differ on the dependent variable
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LIS 570 Research Design Mason; p. 10
Comparison Study• Select variable related to the concept
under study• Devise a way to measure the variables• Develop a data recording method• Measure the same variable: use same
technique, measure at the same/nearly the same timeA
B
Do A and B differ?Time 1
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LIS 570 Research Design Mason; p. 11
Longitudinal comparison
• Study different groups at two points of time
• Can avoid problems of keeping track of individuals over time
• Problems– Can’t draw causal inferences– Matching the samples at time 1and time 2
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LIS 570 Research Design Mason; p. 12
Explanatory Research: Basic Requirements
• A relationship between the variables needs to be established
• All other reasons for the relationship must be able to be eliminated
• Strongest research design is an experimental design– Vary independent variable– Control for other variables
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LIS 570 Research Design Mason; p. 13
Classic Experimental Designs: Minimum
Requirements• Two groups– Experimental group – Control group
• Random Assignment of units of analysis to C and E groups– Active intervention for the E group
• Purposefully change the value of the Independent Variable
• Synonyms (other “jargon” in the literature): “treatment,” “manipulation of the IV”
– Measure dependent variable after intervention for E and C groups
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LIS 570 Research Design Mason; p. 14
Collecting data• How the data will be collected
– Observation– In-depth interview (structured, semi-
structured)– Content analysis
• Questionnaire• Which questions to ask?
– Research problem– Indicators– Hunches about the link between variables
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LIS 570 Research Design Mason; p. 15
Questionnaires• Explanatory research
– Measures of the dependent variable– Measures of the independent variable– Measures of the test variable– Background (measures of control variables
—ceteris paribus)• Descriptive research
– The phenomenon we are describing– Background characteristics
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LIS 570 Research Design Mason; p. 16
Question content• Behavior: what people do• Beliefs: what people believe is
true or false• Attitudes: what people think is
desirable• Attributes: characteristics
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LIS 570 Research Design Mason; p. 17
Wording questions (De Vaus, Babbie)
• Is the language simple?• Can the question be shortened?• Is the question double-barrelled
(compound)?• Is the question leading?• Is the question negative?• Is the respondent likely to have the
necessary knowledge?• Will the words have the same meaning for
everyone?• Is there a prestige bias?
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LIS 570 Research Design Mason; p. 18
Wording questions• Is the question ambiguous?• Do you need a direct or indirect
question?• Is the frame of reference for the
question sufficiently clear?• Does the question artificially create
opinions?• Is personal or impersonal wording
preferable?
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LIS 570 Research Design Mason; p. 19
Wording questions• Is the question wording
unnecessarily detailed or objectionable?
• Does the question have dangling alternatives?
• Is the question likely to produce a response set?
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LIS 570 Research Design Mason; p. 20
Question types (De Vaus)
Open or closed questions?• Open Questions: how to code
responses• Closed question formats
– Category or rating scales– Semantic differential formats– Checklists– Ranking formats– Attitude choice
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LIS 570 Research Design Mason; p. 21
SummarySimple case study
Longitudinal study
Comparison
Longitudinalcomparison
Experiment
What is happening?
Has there been a change in A
Are A and B Different?
Are A and B different through time?
Is the difference between A and B due to a change in the independent variable
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LIS 570 Research Design Mason; p. 22
Elevator Speech20-30 second synopsis; intent: to
elicit interest• Who you are and what you are
doing• With whom• Where/How• Why: What you hope to find, why
the results may be important
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LIS 570 Research Design Mason; p. 23
Exercise• In teams, prepare your “elevator
speech”• Practice so that everyone can
deliver it
5 minutes
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LIS 570 Research Design Mason; p. 24
Exercise• Discerning problems in question
construction• In teams, review the handout
questions—how can they be improved?