LIS 570
Methods of observation - Collecting
data
Summary
 Definition
 Criteria for selection
 Type of research
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Explanatory
Descriptive
 Common designs
 Asking questions
Research Design: Definition
 Framework which guides the collection of
data
 Blueprint for the study
 Goal - to select the strongest design for the
type of research
 Two major types of research
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descriptive
explanatory
Choice of research design (Bouma)
 Depends on the hypothesis or research objective of
the study
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Case study - What is happening?
Longitudinal study - Has there been a change in A
Comparison - Are A and B different?
Longitudinal comparison - Are A and B different through
time?
Experiment - Is the difference between A and B due to a
change in the independent variable?
Case study
 Most primitive design
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of little use when trying to analyse causal
processes
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would rely on plausible conjecture
 Collecting information from one group at one
point in time
 Aim - description - what is going on? Is there
a relationship between A and B?
The longitudinal study
 Two or more case studies of the same group
separated by an interval of time
 Measurement of a variable at both points of
time
 Intervention
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cannot conclude a causal influence
Time 1
Intervention
Time 2
Comparison study
 Cross-sectional design
 Most common
 Collect measures from at least two groups of
people at one point in time
 Compares the extent to which the two groups
differ on the dependent variable
Comparison Study
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Select variable related to the concept under study
Devise a way to measure the variables
Develop a data recording devise
Measure the same variable in the same way in two
or more groups at the same or nearly the same time
A
Are A and B different?
Time 1
B
Longitudinal comparison
 Quasi-panel design
 different groups of people are studied at the two
points of time
 Can avoid problems of keeping track of people over
time
 Problems
can’t draw causal inferences
 difficulties with matching the samples at time 1
and time 2
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Explanatory Research: Basic
Requirements
 A relationship between the variables needs to be
established
 All other reasons for the relationship must be able
to be eliminated
 Strongest research design is an experimental design
Classic Experimental Designs:
Minimum Requirements
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Two groups
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Experimental group
Control group
Random Assignment of units of analysis to C and E
groups
Active intervention for the E group
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Purposefully changes the conditions of the Independent
Variable (X)
Synonyms
 Manipulation of the IV
 Treatment
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Measurement of Dependent Variable Y at the end of
intervention for E and C groups
Collecting data
 How the data will be collected
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observation
in-depth interview
content analysis
 Questionnaire
 Which questions to ask?
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Research problem
indicators
hunches about the link between variables
Questionnaires
 Explanatory research
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Measures of the dependent variable
Measures of the independent variable
Measures of the test variable
Background measures
 Descriptive research
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the phenomenon we are describing
background characteristics
Question content
 Behavior
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what people do
 Beliefs
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what people believe is true or false
 Attitudes
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what people think is desirable
 Attributes
 characteristics
Wording questions (De Vaus, Babbie)
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Is the language simple?
Can the question be shortened
Is the question double-barrelled?
Is the question leading?
Is the question negative?
Is the respondent likely to have the necessary
knowledge?
 Will the words have the same meaning for
everyone?
 Is there a prestige bias?
Wording questions
 Is the question ambiguous?
 Do you need a direct of indirect question?
 Is the frame of reference for the question
sufficiently clear?
 Does the question artificially create opinions?
 Is personal or impersonal wording preferable?
Wording questions
 Is the question wording unnecessarily
detailed or objectionable?
 Does the question have dangling
alternatives?
 Is the question likely to produce a response
set?
Question types (De Vaus)
 Open and closed questions?
 Closed question formats
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Category rating scales
Semantic differential formats
Checklists
Ranking formats
Attitude choice
Conclusion
Simple case study
What is happening?
Longitudinal study
Has there been a change in A
Comparison
Are A and B Different?
Longitudinal
comparison
Are A and B different through
time?
Experiment
Is the difference between A and
B due to a change in the
independent variable