Understanding the Nature and Purpose of Research

1. Chapter 1 Nature and Purpose of Research Conducting & Reading Research Baumgartner et al

2. Profession: Knowledge • Publications of new work • New knowledge may challenge old beliefs • Research: Way to obtain new knowledge • Requires unique set of skills Conducting & Reading Research Baumgartner et al

3. What is Research? • Usually systematic, organized • Usually focused on question of interest • Searches for “truth” • Should be free of bias and should be objective Conducting & Reading Research Baumgartner et al

4. Search for “Truth” – Where do your beliefs come from? • Custom and tradition • Authority • Personal experience • Deductive reasoning • Scientific inquiry Conducting & Reading Research Baumgartner et al

5. Deductive reasoning (logic) • Direction of thinking from general assumption to specific application • Syllogism: • Major weakness: Conducting & Reading Research Baumgartner et al

6. Induction • Direction of thinking is from the specific to the general • Basic principle of scientific inquiry • Researcher observes individual or group from larger population • Perfect induction vs. imperfect induction Conducting & Reading Research Baumgartner et al

7. Scientific Method • Integration of deduction and induction by Charles Darwin • Series of logical steps that define a pathway to acquire knowledge Conducting & Reading Research Baumgartner et al

8. Scientific Method - steps • Identifying the problem • Formulating a hypothesis • Developing a Research Plan • Collecting and analyzing the data • Interpreting results and forming conclusions • Frequently return to Step 1! Conducting & Reading Research Baumgartner et al

9. 1) Identifying the problem • Problem needs to be: • Specify a problem statement Conducting & Reading Research Baumgartner et al

10. 2) Formulating a hypothesis • What is a hypothesis? • Belief, hunch, prediction about what you think the data will look like at the end of the study and what that will mean • Exploratory studies may not have a hypothesis Conducting & Reading Research Baumgartner et al

11. 3) Developing a Research Plan • MOST IMPORTANT STEP! • Strategy for collecting and analyzing data • Methodology • Subject composition, recruitment • Procedures for obtaining data (interviews, questionnaires, lab tests?) • Analysis methods Conducting & Reading Research Baumgartner et al

12. 4) Collecting and analyzing data • Follow procedures from step 3 (hopefully!) Conducting & Reading Research Baumgartner et al

13. 5) Interpreting results and forming conclusions • How does the data you gathered support/refute the hypothesis? • Goal of the conclusions is to provide an explanation of the results (not just restate them) Conducting & Reading Research Baumgartner et al

14. Application of Scientific Method • Not always possible to control and design your dream experiment • Many differences between natural science and social sciences in application Conducting & Reading Research Baumgartner et al

15. Theory • Belief or assumption about how things relate to each other • Establishes cause-effect relationship with goal of explaining and predicting • Example: benefit of exercise on human health • May lead to development of new hypotheses! Conducting & Reading Research Baumgartner et al

16. Research Classifications • Basic research • Applied research • Quantitative research • Qualitative research • Experimental research • Causal-comparative research • Descriptive research • Correlationl research • Historical research Conducting & Reading Research Baumgartner et al

17. Basic research • Pure, fundamental • Theoretical • Goal is to discover new knowledge & develop new theory • May not have immediate practical value Conducting & Reading Research Baumgartner et al

18. Applied research • Goal is to solve immediate practical problem • Hopes to make inferences beyond study sample to larger population Conducting & Reading Research Baumgartner et al

19. Quantitative research • Collection & analysis of numerical data • Use direct testing • Questions clearly stated • Hypotheses • Well-developed procedures • Controls for extraneous factors • Large samples • Statistical analyses Conducting & Reading Research Baumgartner et al

20. Qualitative research • Extensive observations & in-depth interviews • Non-numerical data • Usually conducted in “natural” settings (less control) • Situational-specific results Conducting & Reading Research Baumgartner et al

21. Experimental research • Exploration of cause and effect • Manipulation of independent variables Conducting & Reading Research Baumgartner et al

22. Causal-comparative research • Tries to explain cause and effect • Independent variable not manipulated Conducting & Reading Research Baumgartner et al

23. Descriptive research • Information is collected to systematically, factually, and accurately describe certain characteristics • Focus on the present (what is) • Frequently comes before experimental research Conducting & Reading Research Baumgartner et al

24. Correlational research • Nonexperimental • Related to descriptive and causal-comparative • Determine extent of relationship between 2 variables and try to make predictions • No variable manipulation Conducting & Reading Research Baumgartner et al

25. Historical research • Nonexperimental • Qualitative and descriptive • Try to record and understand past events to predict future events • Limited to study of data that already exist Conducting & Reading Research Baumgartner et al