Formulating RP Revised
Formulating RP Revised
Research Steps
Formulating the research problem Conceptualizing and Operationalizing Constructing an instrument for data collection
Selecting a sample
Writing a research proposal Collecting data Processing data Writing the report
Problem definition
Most crucial Most difficult Foundation for a sound research Whats a research problem? A research problem can be viewed as a gap between the existing state of affairs and the desirable state of affairs.
Choosing a topic
Think about
Public Admin.
Subject matter of your degree programme
Labour turnover
Potential research questions may occur to us on a regular basis, but the process of formulating them in a meaningful way is not at all an easy task. Power, Meenaghan & Twoomy (1985:38)
To form an RP, considerable knowledge of both subject area and research methodology is required.
Most of the research studies are based upon at least a combination of two ps.
How has the Samuirdhi Programme impacted in alleviating poverty in women?
People
Women
Problems
Impact
Phenomena
Poverty
Program Samurdhi
People
Others Ps
Study Population
Subject areas
Aspects of Study
Study population
About
People
Study of
- Individuals - Organizations - Groups - Communities - Issues - Situations - Associations - Profiles etc. - Contents - Structures - Outcomes - Attributes - Satisfaction - Service providers etc. - Course and effect relationships - Study of phenomena They provide you with required info or you collect info from them
Problem
Subject area
Programmes
Information that you need to collect to find answers to your research questions
Phenomena
Level of expertise
Adequate level
Relevance
Relevant to the field of interest Up-to-datedness Timeliness Organizations objectives etc.
Availability of data
Accessibility Availability Form of data
Ethical issues
Anonymity Confidentiality/ privacy Relationship
Steps
Identification of a broad field/subject area of interest
Field of interest Field of employment ..
Sub-areas
Profiles of families in which DV occurs Profile of the victims of DV
Domestic Violence
Reasons for DV Extent and type of DV Impact of DV on family Services available to the victims Effectiveness of services provided
Selection of the most interesting area Not all areas are feasible to study. Select the area you really want to study. Forget areas you are not interested in. Think of;
Time Accessibility to data Resources etc.
Formulate objectives
What are your main objective (overall)? What are your sub-objectives (specific)? Develop objectives in line with research questions
Objectives grow out of the research question
Difference between objectives and research question (Only difference is the way it is written) Objectives to start with action verbs Objectives transform questions into behavioural aims
Double check
Are you still interested in the topic? Ready with the necessary resources? If no, reassess objectives
Suppose you want to conduct a study in the area of alcoholism. What steps you will take in formulating your research problem?
Step 2 Dissect
Profile of alcoholics Causes of alcoholism Effects on family Treatment methods Community attitudes Process of becoming
Step 3 Select
Step 4 Raise Qs
What impact has alcoholism on material relations? How does it affect children? What are the effects on familys finances?
Step 7
Double check
Still interested? Agree with objcs? Have resources? Have expertise?
Specific Obj.
To Ascertain the impact of alcoholism on material relations. To find out ways in which alco affects childrens lives. To find out effects on the fin, situation.
Group work: Select an area of your interest to conduct a study. What steps you will take in formulating your research problem?
Step 1 Identify
Step 2 Dissect
Step 3 Select
Step 4 Raise Qs
Step 7
Double check
RP cont.
The effect of the death penalty on violent crime rates in Sri Lanka. How does death penalty affect the commitment of crimes in Sri Lanka?
RP Cont.
Always start the research question with How or Why (Implies somewhat broader investigation) Avoid using where, who, when (suggests narrow scope)
Features of RP
The right topic should be interesting, complex, and compelling. Problem is significant. It should be delineated. Should be able to obtain information required. Should be able to draw conclusions related to the problem. Should be able to state the problem clearly and concisely.
What is a variable?
An image, perception or concept capable of measurement (capable of taking different values) is called a variable. A concept that can be measured is a variable.
Try measuring these concepts.
Concepts
Effectiveness Satisfaction Impact Excellent Rich Domestic violence High-achiever Alcohol consumption
Variables
Gender (male/female) Attitude Age Income Weight Height Religion
Rich
Criteria
Income Assets
No. of outputs
Job satisfaction
Creative ideas
New ideas
Ideas accepted Ideas implemented Number
Types of variables
Can be viewed from three different ways.
Cause
Change variables 1 Independent variable IV
Effect
Outcome variables 2 Dependent variables DV
Extraneous variables
Extraneous variables
2. Attribute variables
Variables that cannot be manipulated, changed or controlled.
age, sex, income etc.
Study population
Age Gender Level of motivation Attitudes etc. Attribute variables A researcher cannot manipulate
Categorical variables
Measured on nominal or ordinal measurement scales.
Gender
Male Female
Nominal
Income
Above average Average Below average
Ordinal/Ranking
Constant variable
Dichotomous variable
Polytomous variable Variable can be divided into more than two categories.
Religion (Buddhism, Hinduism, Christianity) Race (Sinhala, Tamil, Muslim) Political parties (Democratic, Socialist, Liberal etc.)
Quantitative variables
Measured on a numeric scale.
Temperature (C or F) Age (years, months)
Qualitative variables
Use either nominal or ordinal measurements.
Hair color (Black, Brown, Gray, Red, Yellow) Name (Mary, Nalin, Jeevani, Edward) Gender (Male, female)
Levels of Measurements
Four common levels of measurements. 1. Nominal scale
No ordering is implied, and addition/subtraction and multiplication/division would be inappropriate for a variable on a nominal scale.
Gender {Female, Male} Religion {Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Muslim}
2. Ordinal scale
Set of ordered values.
This lecture is (Very Poor, Poor, Average, Good, Very Good)
3. Interval scale
Numerical scales (Ordered and equal intervals on the underlying trait.)
Temperature (f 30 and f 40, f 80 and f 90)
4. Ratio scale
Numerical scale with a true zero point.
Market share, income group, age group, etc.
Hypothesis
A hypothesis is a specific, testable prediction about what you expect to happen in your study.
For example, a study designed to look at the relationship between study habits and test anxiety might have a hypothesis that states,
students with better study habits will suffer less test anxiety.
Unless your study is exploratory in nature, your hypothesis should always explain what you expect to happen during the course of your experiment or research.
Tentative explanation about the relationship between two or more variable. Provide a possible solution to the problem. Helps researcher in exploring a research issue of interest to him/her. Initially, loosely set out but has to be precise later. Either proved or disproved. Should be simple.
Research problem
Raises how variables are related to one another. Suggests resolution through empirical research. No evidence would lead to rejection of the problem statement. Should have at least two or more variables.
Null Hypotheses
State that there is no relationship between two variables. The opposite of the non-directional research hypothesis. Example: Colors of clothing has no impact on peoples mood.
Alternative hypothesis
The alternative hypothesis is the hypothesis used in hypothesis testing that is contrary to the null hypothesis. It is usually taken to be that the observations are the result of a real effect. Examples: Colors of clothing affect peoples mood. (Nondirectional hypothesis)
Validity
Validity is the
Extent to which a test measures what it claims to measure. It is vital for a test to be valid in order for the results to be accurately applied and interpreted. Validity is the extent to which a question or scale is measuring the concept, attribute or property it says it is.
face validity content validity construct validity
Reliability
Reliability is the extent to which an experiment, test, or any measuring procedure yields the same result on repeated trials. Refers to the consistency of a measure.
For example, if a test is designed to measure a trait (such as introversion), then each time the test is administered to a subject, the results should be approximately the same.
Assignment
Identifying complexities of problem definition
Broader Area: Educated Unemployed Tasks:
1. What is excluded in defining the research problem? 2. What are other concerns if the problem is to be defined more sharply? 3. Set objectives for the identified problem.
Answers
Exclusions: Educated who are employed
Objectives
To find out characteristics of educated unemployed To find out information to create employment opportunities To design training programmes to prepare them for specific jobs To arrange them in some order of priority to provide them with jobs when opportunities become available
Other concerns
Are we concerned with all educated unemployed? Concerned with only those who have attained a certain level of education? Educated in any subject? Educated in any particular subject? Concerned with under-employment? Include those who are completely without any job?
Unless: we think clearly and define more precisely our research problem and objectives,