Presentation Transcript

1. SCIENTIFIC KNOWLEDGE & HOW TO BUST MYTHS

   Design Factory13.5.2014
2. Me Doctoralcandidate at Aalto ENG M.Soc.Sci in administration and organization research(University of Helsinki) Workingtitle of dissertation:”Inter-organizationalinteractions in innovationprocesses in the realestate and constructionsector” lauri.pulkka(a)aalto.fi
3. After today’s session you should understand the difference between scientific and non-scientific knowledge; recognize different methods of data collection and analysis; and be able to apply the basic principles of scientific knowledge creation to busting myths
4. This is how we’re going about it We’ll start off with a 1-slide introduction to scientific knowledge and how it differs from it’s non-scientific counterpart, and draft a research plan based on one of last year’s myths: “new is better than the old” in pairs in sequence
5. Part I: 1-SLIDE INTRO TO SCIENTIFIC & NON-SCIENTIFIC KNOWLEDGE
6. Scientific and non-scientific knowledge Adapted from: Research Methods In Psychology (Shaughnessy & Zechmeister 1990, 6)
7. Example: how the Mythbusters do it http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YjzgsLqaWNU Empirical approach? Controlled observation? Unbiased reporting? Clear definitions? Accurate instruments? Reliable & repeatable measurements? Testable hypotheses? Critical attitude?
8. PART II: HOW TO DRAFT A RESEARCH PLAN
9. One way to draft a research plan around ”new is better than the old” Define concepts Doesourdelineationintroduce new concepts? Delineate and focus Doesprior knowledge changeour research question? Workinghypotheses Whatkind of methodologicalconsiderationsexist? Empiricalapproach Results Whatkind of limitationsdowerecognize and howcouldweminimizethem? Limitations Relevance Unfortunatelyit’snotthatstraightforward
10. But we’ll still do it this way;Outline of today’s exercise Define concepts 1. Minilecture: about concepts and delineation Delineate and focus 2. Produce a research questionto test the myth. Explainit to anotherpair Workinghypotheses 3. Minilecture: hypothesising; data collection and analysismethods Empiricalapproach 4. Whatdoyouassumeand howdoyou plan on testingyourassumptions? Explain to a differentpair Results 5. Minilecture: reliability, validity, ethics Limitations 6. Whatkind of resultsdoyouexpect and howdoyouknowyoudiditright? Explain to a differentpair Relevance 7. Discuss in a groupwhyyour research is relevant and to whom
11. Define concepts: what are we dealing with here Ideally a concept is a shared meaning for a specific thing Concise, precise, clearly articulated, unambiguous Operational vs. descriptive definition Concepts should be revisited multiple times during the research process You may likely find or come up with better definitions
12. Delineate and focus: because you can’t research the entire universe Object of study What are you interested in? New vs. old……things?…people?…technology?…social systems? In which context? Better in which way?resiliencedurabilityaesthetics…
13. Outline of today’s exercise Define concepts 1.Minilecture: about concepts and delineation Delineate and focus 2. Produce a research questionto test the myth. Explainit to anotherpair Workinghypotheses 3. Minilecture: hypothesising; data collection and analysismethods Empiricalapproach 4. Whatdoyouassumeand howdoyou plan on testingyourassumptions? Explain to a differentpair Results 5. Minilecture: reliability, validity, ethics Limitations 6. Whatkind of resultsdoyouexpect and howdoyouknowyoudiditright? Explain to a differentgroup Relevance 7. Discuss in a groupwhyyour research is relevant and to whom
14. Define concepts, delineate, and draft a research question to test the myth You can discuss for example What do you mean by old and new? What part of the myth do you want to focus on? What new concepts doesyourperspectiveintroduce? What question needs to be answered to test your perspective on the myth? Makenotes for the discussion Write your research question on a post-it
15. Outline of today’s exercise Define concepts 1.Minilecture: about concepts and delineation Delineate and focus 2. Produce a research questionto test the myth. Explainit to anotherpair Workinghypotheses 3. Minilecture: hypothesising; data collection and analysismethods Empiricalapproach 4. Whatdoyouassumeand howdoyou plan on testingyourassumptions? Explain to a differentpair Results 5. Minilecture: reliability, validity, ethics Limitations 6. Whatkind of resultsdoyouexpect and howdoyouknowyoudiditright? Explain to a differentgroup Relevance 7. Discuss in a groupwhyyour research is relevant and to whom
16. Working Hypotheses A hypothesis is a proposed explanation for a phenomenon A hypothesis has to be testable to be scientific Non-testable hypothesis: “All men are mortal” Testable hypothesis: “All men who were born before 2014 are mortal” Theoretical and practicalconstraints Preferablybased on theory, but can be lessrigid
17. Empiricalapproach
18. H: “Asphalt is a slow-moving liquid” Cool experiment: http://www.nature.com/news/world-s-slowest-moving-drop-caught-on-camera-at-last-1.13418
19. Outline of today’s exercise Define concepts 1.Minilecture: about concepts and delineation Delineate and focus 2. Produce a research questionto test the myth. Explainit to anotherpair Workinghypotheses 3. Minilecture: hypothesising; data collection and analysismethods Empiricalapproach 4. Whatdoyouassumeand howdoyou plan on testingyourassumptions? Explain to a differentpair Results 5. Minilecture: reliability, validity, ethics Limitations 6. Whatkind of resultsdoyouexpect and howdoyouknowyoudiditright? Explain to a differentgroup Relevance 7. Discuss in a groupwhyyour research is relevant and to whom
20. Formhypotheses; thinkaboutways to testthem? Write yourhypotheses and research setting on separatepost-its Whatdoweassume is the answer? Why? Can wetestit? How?
21. Outline of today’s exercise Define concepts 1.Minilecture: about concepts and delineation Delineate and focus 2. Produce a research questionto test the myth. Explainit to anotherpair Workinghypotheses 3. Minilecture: hypothesising; data collection and analysismethods Empiricalapproach 4. Whatdoyouassumeand howdoyou plan on testingyourassumptions? Explain to a differentpair Results 5. Minilecture: reliability, validity, ethics Limitations 6. Whatkind of resultsdoyouexpect and howdoyouknowyoudiditright? Explain to a differentgroup Relevance 7. Discuss in a groupwhyyour research is relevant and to whom
22. Reliability and validity Source: William M.K. Trochim (http://www.socialresearchmethods.net/kb/relandval.php)
23. Research ethics (Aalto ethics committee)Ethical principles (NABoRE) Respecting the autonomy of research subjects Voluntary participation Information for subjects Avoiding harm Mental, physical, social, financial harm Privacy and data protection Reporting Data handling and storage
24. Outline of today’s exercise Define concepts 1.Minilecture: about concepts and delineation Delineate and focus 2. Produce a research questionto test the myth. Explainit to anotherpair Workinghypotheses 3. Minilecture: hypothesising; data collection and analysismethods Empiricalapproach 4. Whatdoyouassumeand howdoyou plan on testingyourassumptions? Explain to a differentpair Results 5. Minilecture: reliability, validity, ethics Limitations 6. Whatkind of resultsdoyouexpect and howdoyouknowyoudiditright? Explain to a differentpair Relevance 7. Discuss in a groupwhyyour research is relevant and to whom
25. After today’s session you should understand the difference between scientific and non-scientific knowledge; recognize different methods of data collection and analysis; and be able to apply the principles of scientific knowledge creation to busting myths
26. Onlineresources How to conductscientificexperiments: http://www.wikihow.com/Conduct-a-Science-Experiment http://www.sciencebuddies.org/science-fair-projects/project_scientific_method.shtml#overviewofthescientificmethod Qualitativemethods for social sciences http://www.socialresearchmethods.net/kb/contents.php
27. Challenge breakers course topics, critical review Golf technology improves game play? Or is it a money machine? Are gasoline explosions in the movies real? Lightning storms Are doors as fragile as in the movies? Do electronics have an expiry date? Are they designed to break? Can parts of a car be used as shields for bullets? Can satellites be used to spy on people like on movies? / Can the ginger bread house on the tale of Hansel and Gretel exist? Twin tower conspiracy, can a plane crash do all that damage? Hollywood fiction Magical diets fact or fiction / sale hoax? Flying with balloons or umbrellas possible? Can you Fly with many Vappu Balloons? Does higher tire pressure make a bike go faster?