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Suggestions on How to Conduct Empirical Research

Suggestions on How to Conduct Empirical Research. Examples of an Empirical Study Conducted within a Classroom and a Study Conducted on an Institution-Wide Basis. Legal Writing Institute June 8, 2006 Atlanta, Georgia. Robin A. Boyle, Legal Writing Professor St. John’s University School of Law

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Suggestions on How to Conduct Empirical Research

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  1. Suggestions on How to Conduct Empirical Research Examples of an Empirical Study Conducted within a Classroom and a Study Conducted on an Institution-Wide Basis

  2. Legal Writing InstituteJune 8, 2006Atlanta, Georgia • Robin A. Boyle, Legal Writing Professor • St. John’s University School of Law • Dr. Joanne Ingham, Institutional Research Specialist • New York Law School

  3. Empirical Research Checklist • Identify the Question or Hypothesis • Explain & Defend the Rationale • Prepare a Formal Proposal • Conduct the Study • Collect the Data • Analyze and Report the Findings • Describe and Share the Results

  4. step 1: Identify the Research Question or Hypothesis • Begin with a question and then collect data. • State the question in CLEAR terms. • Explain the study in a sentence or two. • Classroom: Will students achieve higher exam scores when taught with instructional materials that complement their learning-style strengths? • Institution: Do first-year law students and faculty have similar or different learning-style characteristics?

  5. step 2: Explain the Rationale • Why should this study be conducted? • Has anyone else conducted this study? • Why is this study worth doing? • Who will benefit? • How will they benefit? • Conduct a Pilot Study!

  6. step 3: Prepare a Formal Proposal • What do you plan to do? • How do you plan to do it? • Who are your constituents? • Whose approval must you obtain? • Whose support do you need? (con’t)

  7. step 3 con’t • What is your timeline? • What resources do you need? • IRB – Institutional Review Board • Seek input now from a statistician!

  8. step 4: Conducting the Study • Prepare a formal timeline with dates, times, locations, materials, point-person(s). • Circulate the timeline to all involved parties. • Organize all the materials ahead of time. • There is no room for error at this stage!

  9. step 4 con’t • How will you prepare the participants? • Informed consent? • Part of classroom/institution business? • Oral, written, electronic? • Seek Institutional Review Board (IRB) guidance.

  10. step 5: Collecting the Data • What information do you need to gather? • Where will you get the data? • How will you store the data? • What steps will you take to assure the data are stored safely and will remain confidential? • What software will you use?

  11. step 6:Analyze & Report Findings • Which analyses will you be conducting? • Who will run the statistics and prepare tables and graphs? • How will the findings be reported? • With whom will you share the data?

  12. step 7: The Results • What did you learn? • How are the findings relevant to others? • What are your next steps? • Share the results with the participants? • the institution? • colleagues? • Identify recommendations for future research.

  13. Thank You!Questions? boyler@stjohns.edu & jingham@nyls.edu

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