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What is Data?

What is Data?. EDUC 894 Week 3. Plan for Today. Reading Cheques & Tech Talk Erickan and Roth – What is Data? Human Subjects Discussion ----------Dinner Break------------- Groupwork & Team Consultations RQ honing + Methods & Methodology Planning Human Subjects / Logistics Planning

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What is Data?

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  1. What is Data? EDUC 894 Week 3

  2. Plan for Today • Reading Cheques & Tech Talk • Erickan and Roth – What is Data? • Human Subjects Discussion ----------Dinner Break------------- • Groupwork & Team Consultations • RQ honing + Methods & Methodology Planning • Human Subjects / Logistics Planning • For Next Week • Review relevant chapters in Creswell – what is useful? • Deliverable 1 Due Next Week

  3. Ercikan & Roth – What is Data?

  4. Data are Just Representations • Two aspects of phenomena in the world: • Quantitative (continuous, additive structure, magnitude) • Qualitative (discontinuous, non additive, multitude) • What’s the difference? • Let’s look at some examples: • Material Situation • Social Situation • Quick Check…

  5. Source: http://shrimpandgrits.rickandpatty.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/01/iodinesetup.jpg

  6. Source: http://images.theage.com.au/ftage/ffximage/2009/04/09/spirit_wideweb__470x314,0.jpg

  7. Quick Check • Which Kind of Data • Involves measurement? • Best represents someone’s ethnicity? • Lead to generalizable claims? • Is more objective?

  8. The Myth of Psychological Measurement • Classic Definition of Measurement • “the estimation of the ratio of a magnitude of a quantity to a unit of the same quantity” (Michell, 1999) • Quantity = number * unit • Once a base unit is defined, we can have any multiple • Example: The Kilogram • International prototype kept under 3 bell jars in a vault at the BIPM • 2 kg is twice as much mass as the base unit Image source: http://www.bipm.org/en/si/base_units/

  9. So what do we have in psychology? • Constructs: E.g. self-esteem • Do we all agree on what it is? • Theoretically, maybe:“the confidence and satisfaction a person has in him/herself” • How do we measure it? • Operational definitions • For example, a 3 factor definitions • Internal locus of control • Sense of belonging and acceptance • Sense of competence: • Indirectly through responses to specific questions on each factor (“a sampling of indicators”) • The common “Likert scale”

  10. So what do we have in psychology? 2 • But, what does 1 unit of self-esteem look like? • Do we all agree on this? • Is 2 units of self-esteem twice as much as 1 unit? • How do we know? • What does it mean to have 0 self-esteem • Can we have negative self-esteem? • Does self-esteem only vary in one way? • These may sound like silly questions – but statistical calculations assume that “quantities” have these properties

  11. Psychological Definition of Measurement • “The assignment of numbers to quantities of the properties of an object according to certain rules” (Stevens, 1946) • 4 Kinds of scales • Ratio (“Distance to where I am standing right now”) • Interval (“30o Celsius this weekend”) • Ordinal (“Toy Poodle is Best in Show”) • Nominal (“It’s a boy”) • Which takes us back to Erickan and Roth’s point…

  12. Erickan & Roth’s Call to Arms • Let your Research Questions drive your methods • What kind of question are you asking? • What is happening? • Is there a systemic effect? • Why/how is it happening? • What level of inference is required? • How will you collect and analyze data to make that inference? • How will both quantitative and qualitative aspects of the phenomenon your are studying come into play?

  13. Human Subjects Discussion

  14. Research Ethics – Key Concepts • Informed Consent • What information • How to consent • Right to Withdraw • Risks versus Benefits • Evaluating the trade-off • Anticipating & minimizing the risk • Informing the subjects • Confidentiality • Data storage and collection • Conflict of interest • Oversight • Course “review board” • Providing my contact information

  15. Dinner Break

  16. Groupwork & Team Consultations

  17. For Next Week • Review relevant chapters in Creswell • What is useful? • On your wiki collaboratively make a list of • Chapters you found useful • Specific points in the chapters to keep in mind as you craft your methods • Deliverable 1 Due Next Week • Please bring a hard copy to next class

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