LESSON 1
Dr. John M. Ritz
What is Research?
- A systematic attempt to provide answers to questions.
Research, what is it?
- A process used in investigating a problem using the scientific method of analysis.
- The process is:
o Formal
o Systematic
o Intensive
The Scientific Method
- Identifies and defines the problem.
- Formulates a testable hypothesis (probable outcome or solution)
- Collects, organizes, tabulates, and analyzes data.
- Formulates conclusions on the basis of findings.
- Appraises new conclusions (recommendations) in light of future needs.
What is Research? A Summary
- A more structured form of investigation.
- Usually resulting in some sort of formal record of procedures.
- A documented report of results and conclusions.
Characteristics of Research
- Obtain data from primary sources.
- Does not restate or reorganize what is known or written.
- Discovery of general principles is emphasized.
- Findings can be related to the entire population.
- It is an expert, systematic and accurate investigation.
- The researcher knows what is known about his/her problem.
- It is logical and objective. Every possible test is employed to verify the data and procedures.
- The researcher must be a scholar, imaginative, and have high levels of integrity. The researcher must be willing to spend long, tedious hours seeking the truth.
Chapters: The Research Report
* Chapter 1, Introduction
* Chapter 2, Review of Literature
* Chapter 3, Methods and Procedures
* Chapter 4, Findings
* Chapter 5, Summary, Conclusions, and Recommendations
Summary of Chapter I
* Problem identification.
* Problem origins -
o Personal experience
o Professional literature
o Professional contacts
o Replication
* Evaluation of the problem -
o Determine its researchability
o What are the financial considerations
o What are the time requirements
o What are the administrative needs
o What are your research competencies
o What is the significance of the problem
Common mistakes made while formulating a problem
* Collecting data without a well defined plan.
* Using data that already exists and trying to do something with it.
* Establishing research goals that are too general and ambiguous resulting in drawing arbitrary conclusions.
* Not reviewing the literature in depth on the chosen topic.
* Undertaking too limited of a problem that cannot be generalized to other situations.
* Failure to establish theoretical or conceptual limitations for your problem.
* Failure to make clear assumptions.
* Failure to anticipate alternative variables for causing change.
Operational Definition
* Stating a problem in an observable and measurable form; making it available for manipulation, control, and experimentation.
* Non-operational - A study of education in America.
* Operational - The problem of this study was to compare American and Japanese student achievement levels in mathematics at grades four, eight, and twelve.
Types of Research Studies
* Historical (what causes something to take place)
o Determining factors that led to the establishment of Tech Prep
* Descriptive (surveys and longitudinal studies)
o Analyzing parents attitudes toward homework
* Experimental (comparisons)
o t-test (comparing the results of two teaching methods)
+ Teaching math using manipulative vs. textbook
o Correlations (seeing if one trait influences another)
+ Comparing leadership skills with job performance
o Chi-square (determining factors related to populations)
+ Contrasting age with abstract thinking
Example Problem
* Non-operational - A study of Occupational and Technical Studies graduate students.
* Possible variables -
* The problem of this study was to determine the correlation between Old Dominion University Occupational and Technical Studies graduate students' GRE scores to their cumulative GPA as a predictor of graduate school success.
