Week 1
Name the steps to the research process?
School of thought you’re working within -- theoretical framework
Example: structural functionalism - society works like a machine; everything in society works like cogs in a wheel
Develop a specific plan for addressing the research questions: Determine how to measure concepts; Develop a sampling/recruitment plan; Create a data collection protocol
Collect, organize, and analyze data related to the problem
Interpret the meaning of the data as they relate to the research question
Provide recommendations based on interpretation of data
Describe the difference between Basic & Applied Research?
Basic Research: enhances knowledge about the physical, biological, psychological, or social world or sheds light on a phenomenon. Projects which can advance theoretical conceptualizations about a particular topic.
Applied Research: projects which can inform human decision making about practical problems
Dealing with an immediate need
Addresses issues that have immediate relevance to current practices, procedures, or policies
Often involves addressing questions in one’s immediate work environment with the goal of solving a problem
Example: All practicum projects are applied research
Explain the components of Informed Consent
Participants can refuse or withdraw at anytime
they should understand all risks, harms, and benefits
must be informed of anonymity vs. confidentiality
What are types of Qualitative Data Collection?
Interviews
Focus Groups
Content of Analysis of Existing Documents
Observation (direct/participant)
What do we mean by "research is iterative and cyclical"?
One might have to repeat steps throughout the process; outcomes become basis for new research.
Returning to previous steps; interpreting the findings does not mean research is complete
A single research project doesn’t prove or disprove anything; it either shows or doesn’t show support for a hypotheses
Move back and forth between steps, revising and changing the plan
Cyclical - we come back to the beginning; we never prove anything; we never have a direct answer
We just have data that helps us make decisions, although never perfectly
What are paradigms? Why do they matter? List the five types and state which ones are are quantitative, qualitative, or mixed?
Philosophical assumptions in research; they guide our research methods.
Positivism
More common in hard science
Goal is to develop hard truths
Adheres to hypothesis-deductive method
Mainly quantitative methods
Post-positivism
More common in social science
Recognizes unpredictability of human behavior
Show patterns/tendencies but never “proves”
Still adheres to hypothesis-deductive method
Mainly quantitative methods
Constructivism (or Social Constructivism)
Truth can mean different things for different people
Can’t use numbers to understand people
Mainly qualitative methods
Collect a multiplicity of participant perspectives and then determines themes/theories
Critical-ideological
Social/political forces shape reality
Focus on historical power imbalances and subjugation of less-empowered social groups
Engages participants to be involved in research “participatory action research”
Employs both qualitative and quantitative methods
Pragmatic
Use the problem to decide the method
“Whatever approach works” is used
Oriented toward real-world practice
Not committed to any one philosophy
Often employs mixed-methods approaches
How does one achieve Confidentiality?
Collect data in a private location;
Do not discuss information about individual participants with ANYONE else
Deep surveys and interviews in a secure location
Securely dispose of completed material when no longer needed
How is Qualitative Data collected?
Iterative
Moves back and forth between data collection and analysis
Collect, inspect, then collect again
Often starts with very general research questions
Ex: How is the program perceived by participants?
Explain the difference between Analyzing and Interpreting data
*Analyze - making it numerical; using descriptive statistics (percentages)
*Interpret - Say what does that mean in the context of literature and theory
Define Literature Review. What is it's purpose?
Definition: Describes theoretical perspectives and previous research findings related to the problem (essentially what patterns do we see on this topic?)
Purpose
Find what others have done in areas similar but not necessarily identical
See if your research question has already been answered
Help form hypotheses for deductive projects
Explore new ideas, perspectives, approaches
Find how others have handled methodological and design issues (don’t reinvent the wheel)
Help you interpret and make sense of your findings
What is the difference between Anonymity vs Confidentiality?
Anonymity: there is no identifying information
Researcher cannot match a given response with a given respondent
Confidentiality: Researcher can identify who gave a response but promises to not reveal this publicly
When do you use interviews?
To answer questions such as:
What does the program look and feel like to the participants?
What do stakeholders know about the project?
What thoughts do stakeholders have concerning program operations, processes, and outcomes?
What are participants’ and stakeholders’ expectations?
What changes do participants perceive in themselves as a result of their involvement in the project? (impact but not TRUE impact)
Why is research important in the public sector?
To determine:
What social problems need to be addressed
If interventions are feasible
If interventions are making an impact
If we are reaching the appropriate population
Whether participants are satisfied
If disparities exist in our programs/policies for marginalized groups
Rising demand for systematic data in the nonprofit sector
Funding agencies are requiring evaluation more and more
National surveys show that most nonprofits are collecting some kind of data
Tracking is limited ways and don't find data useful
Barriers: not enough expertise, not enough time, technology
Basically: grants/funding; learn how to better serve a community
What are the types of research design projects?
Descriptive: If we are trying to describe a phenomenon, we often use descriptive statistics (quantitative - means, medians, percents, proportions). Descriptive research question is where the answer is expected to document the existence and status of something (Nishishiba p.40)
What share of streets in Little Rock are cul-de-sacs; what share of people feel close to their neighbors? These help guide research.
Exploratory: in depth phenomenon; trying to find the “why”. You want in-depth rich detail. Use qualitative data
Example: what are cul-de-sac residents perceptions of their neighbors?
Explanatory projects: cause and effect; inferential stats; you want to determine if X caused Y.
Example: How much more time do children spend playing outdoors if they live on a cul-de-sac?
Name the four types of sampling methods in non-probability sampling
Convenience sampling:
Relies on subjects that are easy to study (whoever shows up to parent-teacher conferences)
Will have more bias; get responses about feelings that are biased
Purposive sampling
Select subjects based on usefulness or provide most useful information (key informants)
Not getting a representative sample; can pick and choose extreme viewpoints
Snowball sampling
Each subject is asked to suggest additional people to interview (used when population is difficult to locate: crime, drugs, homeless)
Quota sampling
Units are selected on the basis of pre-specified characteristics (50% first year; 50% second year)
What is a "culture of evaluation"?
Trying to understand groups at every point where they need you
Data collection is integrated in the day-to-day; an organization builds in data collection and evaluation into everything they do
What are the steps in Qualitative Analysis
Organizing the Data
Finding and Organizing Ideas and Concepts
Building Overarching Themes in the Data
Ensuring Reliability and Validity in the Data Analysis and in the Findings
Finding Possible and Plausible Explanations of the Findings