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Types of Research Design. 10/8/2013. Readings. Chapter 4 Research Design and the Logic of Control (Pollock). Allan W. Hook Endowed Wild Basin Creative Research Fund.
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Types of Research Design 10/8/2013
Readings • Chapter 4 Research Design and the Logic of Control (Pollock)
Allan W. Hook Endowed Wild Basin Creative Research Fund • The purpose of this Research Fund is to provide support for scholarly research projects conducted at the Wild Basin Creative Research Center or elsewhere on the Balcones Canyonland’s Preserve system. • Fellowships are intended to cover costs associated with independent research projects proposed and written by student applicants and undertaken with the supervision of a faculty or staff member. • Fellowships will be awarded in amounts up to $1,000 per student. For the 2013/2014 funding cycle, the deadline will be December 2, 2013 by 5:00 p.m. Awards will be announced no later than February 15, 2014. • See the Wild Basin Creative Research Center (www.wildbasin.org) for details including specific guidelines and an application form.
Office Hours For the Week • When • Wednesday 10-12 • Thursday 8/12 • And by appointment
Course Learning Objectives • First, students will learn the research methods commonly used in behavioral sciences • Students will learn the basics of research design and be able to critically analyze the advantages and disadvantages of different types of design.
Research Design • Internal Validity? • External Validity?
Types of Designs • Experimental (mirror the natural sciences • Non-experimental- sacrifice internal for external
The Classic Experimental Design • This design is the best way to demonstrate causality • You have total control • This has 4 key steps
Step 1- Random Selection and Assignment • Test Subjects are selected at random and assigned to an experimental or control group • You cannot pick people who you want to be in the experiment • You have two equal groups of participants • This ensures an even baseline between your groups (no one group is meaningfully different from the other)
Step 2- A pre-test is given to both groups • A Pretest measuring the Dependent variable is given to each group
Step 3- The introduction of the independent variable • The experimental group receives the independent variable (test stimulus) and the control group does not
Step 4- A Post Test is Given • The researcher measures the dependent variable for both groups after the experimental stimulus is given.
What You want to show R= Random assignment O 1 & O3 Observation for the two groups at time 1 X =Introduction of the treatment for the experimental group O2 & O4 Observation of the two groups at time
If Done properly • You can • Compare Pre Test against Post-test • Compare Control group against Test Group • Attribute Differences to the Independent Variable
This type of design is common • In the natural sciences • In Psychology • In Food Tests
It is rare in Social Sciences • Legal and Ethical Problems • Historical Problems • Reactivity Problems.
Missing at Least one step Quasi-Experimental Design
Randomized Post-Test • What is it Missing? • Advantages • Disadvantages
The Comparison group-pretest-post test • What is it Missing? • Advantages • Disadvantages
What it entails • Missing more than 1 part of classic design • Sacrifices internal validity for real-life (external) application
Single Post Test • What is missing? • Problems? • Exit Exams (selection effect bias as well)
Single Group Pretest-Post test • What is it missing • Problems • Where do we see it?
What are they? • you observe outcomes that occur under natural conditions and try to isolate variables that may have caused these outcomes • We do this all the time
Cross-Sectional Design • What is it? • An Example • Limits on Cross Section
Time-Series Design • Cross-Sectional design over time • Problems with time series design
Panel Data • A Special Kind of Time Series • Expensive and difficult to collect • You can track individual change…
Field Research • Observations in a natural setting • People do not like to be followed (reactivity), other things are less reactive
Case Study Design • What is it? • N=1 (one unit in your study) • Problems