Intern/Mentor Seminar November 2, 2012

Intern/Mentor SeminarNovember 2, 2012 ASSIGNMENTS DUE: MAHARA PORTFOLIO NOODLETOOLS MENTOR EVALUATION JOURNAL SUMMARY TIMESHEET

Agenda • County-wide Oral Presentations • Preliminary Research Proposal Assignment • Research Data Collection • Due Dates: Quarter 2 • Digital Photo • Open Agenda

Prior to the County-wide Oral Presentation • Create your PPT presentation and rehearse it for your mentor(s) and parents/guardians. • Rehearse with me on your scheduled day (Nov 12-15) • Review the day and location of your presentation (Nov 28-Dec 5) • Practice the drive to the high school in advance. • Dress professionally. • Prepare note cards, PowerPoint (5 slides max) on a USB or transparency and/or visual

PowerPoint Criteria • Five slides unless data is included for science research • Save as [lastname_firstname_MRHS] to a USB and your email. • Subject line of the email to the teacher: • (Category) Mentor Presentation for (Date) • Applied Arts Mentor Presentation for Nov 28 • Email your presentations to the G/T Resource Teacher at the school of your scheduled presentation. Specific directions will be on the information sheet you receive.

Day of the County-wide Oral Presentation • All FINALIZED PowerPoint slides must be emailed to the evaluating teacher by NOON on the designated day • Review day and location of your presentation • Arrive by 2:50 p.m. to sign up for your order preference • Dress professionally • Bring note cards, PPT (5 slides max) on a USB or transparency as a backup. • PRESENTATION DATES: November 28 - December 5 • Complete Oral Presentation Reflection and submit 2 days after the presentation • REVIEW grading criteria for the presentation…REMINDERS

Preliminary Research Proposal I. Research question: Type research question or engineering goal here. Be sure it is clear, focused, concise and complex. II. Overview of Research • What specific area within the field will be investigated, researched and/or studied? • What resources will be used to acquire knowledge in the field?[print, non-print, human, be specific] • What real problem/need will be solved/addressed? III. Primary Research Methodology What research methodology will be used to answer your research question?[research design: descriptive, historical, experimental, correlational or causal-comparative.] What data will be collected and analyzed? [qualitative/quantitative data] [data collection: survey by questionnaire, interview or observation/experimental notebook]

Preliminary Research Proposal IV. Significance of Research (So What?) • Why is the proposed problem important? • Who is the intended audience of the project? • Why is this audience an appropriate choice? Why/how will they benefit from the project? V. Product Overview • What product do you propose to communicate your research? [fundraiser, science fairs, HoCo Film Festival, seminar, mentor specific product, published article, scrapbook of event/performance, documentary, website, published paper, National History Day, music composition, or other original work] . Due to mentor by Tuesday, November 20 Due Date: Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Collecting and Compiling DataG/T Research Program

Data Collection Part of your research experience is collecting data. This data collection process contributes to the “original research” piece of your final paper and product. There are various methods and tools that you may use to collect your data. • Surveys • Questionnaires • Interviews • Data collection notebook (observational) • Experiments (also requires a data collection notebook)

Language Distinction “A survey is the process of describing some aspect of a population based on a sample; whereas, a questionnaire is simply the instrument [tool] used too accomplish this mean.To expand on this, a survey is an overall methodological choice to study and/or answer specific questions about a population. A survey encompasses various elements: sample design, data collection methodology, data collection instrument, analytic techniques, etc. A questionnaire is one form of data collection instrument.” http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_the_difference_between_questionnaire_and_a_survey

Selecting your Survey Method • Do you have access to the population of interest, and will they be cooperative? • Will respondents have the necessary background information to answer the questions? • Are there geographical restrictions? • Will you use open- or closed-ended questions? • Will the questions require complex answers? • Will you need follow-up questions? • Are the questions too vague? Too specific? • Are the questions written using appropriate language and reading level for the population of interest?

Survey Methods: Questionnaires “Questionnaires are a way to gather information from a large number of respondents…Often they are the only feasible way to reach a number of reviewers large enough to allow statistical analysis of the results.” http://www.cc.gatech.edu/classes/cs6751_97_winter/Topics/quest-design/

Survey Methods: Questionnaires “It is important to remember that a questionnaire should be viewed as a multi-stage process beginning with [what is being examined] and ending with interpretation of the results…the final results are only as good as the weakest link in the questionnaire…” http://www.cc.gatech.edu/classes/cs6751_97_winter/Topics/quest-design/

Survey Methods: Questionnaires “The importance of well-defined objectives cannot be over emphasized. A questionnaire that is written without a clear goal and purpose is inevitably going to overlook important issues and waste participants’ time by asking useless questions…questionnaire design is a long process that demands careful attention…[it] is a powerful evaluation tool.” http://www.cc.gatech.edu/classes/cs6751_97_winter/Topics/quest-design/

Survey Methods: Questionnaires Designing the Questionnaire • Keep the questionnaire as brief as possible. • Use simple, clear, concise language. • Provide CLEAR instructions. • Provide purpose of the questionnaire to the respondents. • Place most important questions first. • Avoid embarrassing questions. • Vary the types of questions to maintain interest. • Avoid assumption and biased questions: i.e. What strategies have you tried to quit smoking?—assumes respondent wants to and has tried to quit.

Survey Methods: Questionnaires Implementing the Questionnaire • Include a brief cover letter that persuades the respondent to complete the survey. • Consider online survey tools such as Google Docs, Surveymonkey and Zoomerang. • Consider timing of distribution. Avoid holidays and busy times of the year. • Make returning the questionnaire convenient. • Recognize that mailed questionnaires typically have lower return rates. • In school surveys must be approved by principal.

Survey Methods: Questionnaires Testing the Questionnaire “Though you have taken great care to be clear and concise, it is still unreasonable to think that any one person can anticipate all the potential problems…you MUST observe a few test questionnaire takers. You [must] then review the questionnaire with the test takers and discuss all points that were…confusing and work together to solve the problems. You [must] then produce a new, improved questionnaire.” This process may need to be repeated for the best results. http://www.cc.gatech.edu/classes/cs6751_97_winter/Topics/quest-design/

Selecting the Sampling Method: Who do I ask to take my questionnaire? • What type of contact information is available? • Will I be able to make contact with respondents? • Can all members of the population of interest be sampled? • Are response rates expected to be high or low? • From whom will I get the best return of questionnaires?

Survey Bias: Questionnaires and Interviews • Response Bias Respondents may be untruthful because they are embarrassed, uncomfortable, or afraid. • Interviewer Bias Interviewers may omit questions that make them uncomfortable or distort information due to their own personal views. • Non-response Bias Respondents may refuse to answer questions or neglect to return questionnaires.

Survey Bias: Questionnaires and Interviews Wording of Questions • Question may lead or mislead the respondent. • Questions that are too vague may be misunderstood. • Questions that are too specific may result in too large a variety of responses to be useful. • Qualifying words such as always, very, may, etc. may be interpreted differently by respondents. • Vocabulary may be at an inappropriate level. • Respondents may become fatigued or bored if there are too many questions.

Types of Questions:Questionnaires and Interviews 1. Dichotomous Questions (two choices) 2. Level of Measurement Questions • Nominal (number labels) • Ordinal (rank) • Interval (scale rating) 3. Contingency Questions (If yes, …) 4. Open-ended Questions

Question Order:Questionnaires and Interviews • Start with easy, non-threatening questions and put more difficult questions towards the end. • Do not start with an open-ended question. • Ask about one topic at a time, and use a transition if/when switching topics. • Ease into questions of a personal nature.

Interview Skills: Getting the most out of your interview • Silent probe (pause and wait) • Encouragement (“uh-huh”) • Ask for elaboration • Ask for clarification • Repetition (“So you say that…”)

Conducting an Interview:Getting the most out of your interview • Dress appropriately (appearance and body language can influence respondent). • Introduce yourself; briefly explain the study. • Make eye contact while asking questions. • Ask questions precisely. • Ask every question in the order written. • Be patient; do not finish sentences. • Thank the respondent when finished. • Transcribe the interview immediately.

Interview Assignment:Required second marking quarter interview See “Interview Assignment” for direct instructions, examples of effective interview questions, details, and script for conducting telephone interviews.

Data Collection Notebook In addition to questionnaires and interviews, there are other ways to collect original research. You can keep a log of observations in a “Data Collection” notebook. Data collection entries should… • be dated and • include observations and/or record experiments and results.

Data Analysis: Examining and making sense of the data collected • “Analysis of data is a process of inspecting, cleaning, transforming, and modeling data with the goal of highlighting useful information, suggesting conclusions, and supporting decision making.” (wikipedia) • Carefully review all of the data collected. Use charts and graphs to help analyze the data and patterns. Did you get the results you had expected? What did you find out from your experiment/observations? • Think about what you have discovered, and use the data to help explain outcomes. Source: sciencebuddies.org

Data Analysis: Examining and making sense of the data collected • “Data analysis is a practice in which raw data is ordered and organized so that useful information can be extracted from it.” • “The process of organizing and thinking about data is key to understanding what the data does and does not contain. “ • “It is notoriously easy to manipulate data during the analysis phase to push certain conclusions or agendas. For this reason, it is important to pay attention when data analysis is presented, and to think critically about the data and the conclusions which were drawn.” Source: wisegeek.com

Data Collection/Analysis Requirements All students must complete original data collection for the final paper. This assignment will be turned in separately from the synthesis paper (literature review) and will be due in February (3rd marking quarter).

Data Collection/Analysis Requirements Acceptable Data Collection/Analysis Methods DATA COLLECTION: Marble notebook/70 pg spiral notebook filled with dated, recorded observations and/or experiment descriptions. ANALYSIS: One page minimum typed/double spaced analysis of data collected and how it applies to the research question.

Data Collection/Analysis Requirements Acceptable Data Collection/Analysis Methods DATA COLLECTION: Minimum of FIVE transcribed interviews each with different individual interviewed. ANALYSIS: One page minimum typed/double spaced analysis of data collected and how it applies to the research question.

Data Collection/Analysis Requirements Acceptable Data Collection/Analysis Methods DATA COLLECTION: Questionnaire distributed to at least 50 respondents. ANALYSIS: Graph of results and explanation of how results apply to research question.

References Bock, D, Velleman, P, & De Veaux, R (2007). Stats: Modeling the World. New York: Addison-Wesley. cc.gatech.edu/classes/cs6751_97_winter/Topics/questdesin Sciencebuddies.org Trochim, W (2006, 10 20). Web Center for Social Research Methods. Retrieved July 21, 2008, from Web Center for Social Research Methods Web site: http://www.socialresearchmethods.net/ Wisegeek.com

Seminar, November 27 & 28(SR), 2012 Download Qtr 2 Timesheet —40 hours • Four annotated works: Non-print #2 (Non-science) • Four annotated works: Non-print #2 & Primary • Journals • Digital Photo at the internship

Digital Photo • The digital photo will be used for: • Slide show for the GT Parent Information Night and Mentor Appreciation Night • Showcase from December – March • Considerations for the photo: • Review photos in my office to get ideas as far as location, etc. • JHUAPL photos may not be taken on site unless we have permission granted…. • Camera is available for check out if needed • Be sure the quality of the photo is clear • Dropbox or Google Drive?

Open Agenda Questions? Share experiences…

Intern/Mentor Seminar November 2, 2012