Specifying a Purpose

1. Specifying a Purpose Problem Analysis I

2. How do we convey the direction for our research? • Purpose Statements • Research Questions • Research Hypotheses • Research Objectives EAL 7794 Fall 05

3. Purpose Statement • Declarative statement that advances the overall focus of the study. • One or more succinctly formed sentences. • Used both in quantitative and qualitative studies • Usually found in the Introduction, the last sentence • Sometimes it begins with, The purpose of this study is… EAL 7794 Fall 05

4. Hint Examples of Purpose Statements • The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between use of Internet communication between teachers and parents in a Midwestern school district and student achievement on tests in high school social studies Quantitative EAL 7794 Fall 05

5. Examples of Purpose Statements Qualitative • The purpose of this study is to explore parent stories regarding Internet communications with teachers about their students in one Midwestern school district. Hint EAL 7794 Fall 05

6. Research Questions • Narrow Purpose Statements to specific questions • Interrogative-Ask a question • Researcher is seeking an answer to these questions • Typically there will be multiple questions to fully explore the topic • Both Research Questions and Purpose Statements are used together • Can be found at the end of the introduction or the literature review EAL 7794 Fall 05

7. Examples of Research Questions • Do parent-teacher Internet communications affect student performance in the classroom? Quantitative Notice: this question is closed. EAL 7794 Fall 05

8. Examples of Research Questions Qualitative • What types of Internet experiences do parents have with teachers about the performance of the parents’ children? Notice: This question is more open-ended. EAL 7794 Fall 05

9. Hypotheses • Narrow the purpose to specific predictions • The prediction is relative to an outcome of a particular relationship • This is not a guess but based upon previous research • Found at the end of the introduction or literature review • Can use multiple hypotheses to subdivide a major prediction into subparts • They are used predominately in quantitative research EAL 7794 Fall 05

10. Examples of Hypotheses • Students in high schools in the school district in which parents and teachers communicate through the Internet will have higher grades than students whose parents and teachers do not communicate through the Internet. Where is the Prediction? EAL 7794 Fall 05

11. Research Objectives • This is the least popular form of stating the direction of research • Objectives are a statement of intent • They specify the goals to be achieved by the research. • Used more often in quantitative designs rather than qualitative projects • Found at the end of the Introduction or Literature Review EAL 7794 Fall 05

12. Examples of Research Objectives • To describe the frequency of Internet communication between parents and teachers regarding the parents’ children in high school social studies classes. • To describe the types of Internet communication between parents and teachers • To relate (a) frequency and (b) types of communication to student achievement in the class as measured by performance on tests. EAL 7794 Fall 05

13. Your Turn-Activity 1 • Write the following for your study • Purpose Statement • Research Question • Hypothesis • Research Objectives (2-3) EAL 7794 Fall 05

14. Quantitative Research • Variables • Constructing Purpose Statements • Research Questions • Research Hypotheses EAL 7794 Fall 05

15. Variables defined A characteristic or attribute of an individual or an organization that 1) can be measured or observed by a researcher and 2) varies among individuals or organizations Characteristic: Personal Attribute Attribute: How one feels, behaves or thinks EAL 7794 Fall 05

16. Variables Measured Varies EAL 7794 Fall 05

17. Examples of Variables Measured Varies EAL 7794 Fall 05

18. L K at the difference Is a Construct the Same as a Variable? • Yes but there is a difference • Construct: an attribute or characteristic expressed in an abstract or general way. • Variable: an attribute or characteristic expressed in a specific or applied way. Construct: Student Achievement Variable: Grade Point Average EAL 7794 Fall 05

19. Types of Variables • Independent: Influences or effects an outcome or dependent variable Can you find the independent variable in the following statement? The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between use of Internet communication between teachers and parents in a Midwestern school district and student achievement on tests in high school social studies. EAL 7794 Fall 05

20. Types of Variables A.K.A. • Control Variables:A variable that the researcher does not want to measure directly, but that is important to neutralize its affect because it potentially influences the dependent variable Covariates • gender • socioeconomic status • intelligence • race Controlled, adjusted for their effect, statistically. Assigning to groups randomly EAL 7794 Fall 05

21. Intervening Variables • Intervening Variable: stands between the Independent and the Dependent Variable. It exercised influence on the Dependent variable apart from the Independent variable. Intervening Variable Dependent Variable Independent Variable EAL 7794 Fall 05

22. How does this work? Independent Variable Dependent Convenient office hours for students Student seeks help from faculty Intervening Variable Convenient office hours for students Student becomes willing to take risks EAL 7794 Fall 05

23. X Y Y Comparing Quantitative and Qualitative Research Quantitative Design Shaping Forces Central Phenomenon Qualitative Design EAL 7794 Fall 05

24. Qualitative Research • Purpose Statements and Research Questions are also used • Difference, Qualitative researcher uses open-ended and broad questions that allow participants to share their views about the problem being studied. • Quantitative questions tend to be closed because the researcher specifies in advance the variables of the study. • Qualitative is open to allow the researcher to explore a broad range of variables to best learn from the participants. EAL 7794 Fall 05

25. Types of Variables • Dependent: an attribute or characteristic that is influenced and or dependent on an independent variable. • Most studies focus on one dependent variable. Can you find the dependent variable in the following statement? The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between use of Internet communication between teachers and parents in a Midwestern school district and student achievement on tests in high school social studies. EAL 7794 Fall 05

26. In a purpose statement or research question, the independent variable precedes the dependent variable. EAL 7794 Fall 05

27. 4 Ingredients in a Research Question • Independent Variable • Dependent Variable • Participants • Research Site EAL 7794 Fall 05

28. Central Phenomenon • Issue or a process explored in qualitative research. • Examples: • Smoking among adolescents • Communication between a preservice teacher and a cooperating teacher • They focus on single issues rather than relating two or more ideas as found in Quantitative studies. EAL 7794 Fall 05

29. Emerging Processes • In Quantitative research the variables are determined in advance and do not change. • In Qualitative research purpose statements and research questions may change during the research process as feedback from participants warrants it. EAL 7794 Fall 05