Problem Questions: Role, Isolation, and Composition

Issues in Problem Questions • The Role of Problem Questions • Isolation of Problems • Composing Problems

The Role of Problem Questions • Focus Research • Separate Relevant from Irrelevant Background • To solve a problem, one must know what the problem is

Problem Statements and Variables • “The objective of our study is to offer a framework for conceptualizing refusals and to assess the framework by examining the claim that refusal effectiveness can be predicted by the refuser’s social perception abilities.” • “The present study was designed to correlate the hearing-specific self-report measures of communication functioning from CPHI with general measures of depression, loneliness, and suspiciousness in persons with profound postlingually acquired hearing loss.”

“The present study has two objectives: (1) to examine and describe the verbal style in the conversations in the first meetings of zero-history, task-oriented, leaderless small groups; and (2) to investigate the relationship of verbal style and the process of rejecting certain participants as potential leaders in the initial interactions of the groups.”

Use of “Subproblems” “Does the act of disclaiming one’s stated position influence others’ attributions of credibility? If so, [subproblem 1] do hedges and cognitive dislaimers differ in the magnitude and/or direction of their effect, and [subproblem 2] does the simultaneous use of a hedge and a cognitive disclaimer have a stronger effect than the singular use of a hedge or a cognitive disclaimer?

Selecting areas for problem questions • What are some research areas that interest you? • What topic areas first drew you to the field? • What are some topic areas you have read about in some of your classes? • What do you think is the most personally meaningful issue that makes communication studies most important to you?

Format for Developing Problem Questions What is the relationship between ____________ and ____________?

Criteria for Problem Questions • Stated unambiguously • Include at least two variables • Testable • No value judgments • Grammatical

Logic in Research • Major Premise: If p, then q • Minor Premise: p • Conclusion: q

Logic in Research • Major Premise: If p, then q • Minor Premise: p or not q • Conclusion: q not p

Logic of Using Hypotheses • Major Premise: If theory is true, data support hypotheses • Minor Premise: Theory is true • Conclusion: Data support hypotheses

Logic of Using Hypotheses • Major Premise: If theory is true, data support hypotheses • Minor Premise: Theory is true or data will not support hypotheses • Conclusion: Data support hypotheses or Theory is not true

Method to Construct Hypotheses of Simple Relationships There will be a____________ relationship between ________________and _________________.

Method to Construct Hypotheses to Predict Differences Subjects who are________________ will have______________ than others who are__________________.

Notation for Hypotheses H1 (non directional)

Notation for Hypotheses = H1 (non directional)

Notation for Hypotheses = H1 (non directional) H1 (directional)

Notation for Hypotheses = H1 (non directional) H1 (directional) <

Notation for Hypotheses = H1 (non directional) H1 (directional) H o (null)

Notation for Hypotheses = H1 (non directional) H1 (directional) H o (null) =

Logic of the Null Hypothesis • Major Premise: If null hypothesis is true, data will show no relationships/differences • Minor Premise: Data show relationships/differences • Conclusion: Therefore, null hypothesis is not true

Variable Types • INputs INdependent Variables • OUTputs Dependent Variables

See you next Time!

Problem Questions: Role, Isolation, and Composition