Applied Research
Protocols
Dr. Steve Prochaska
Harold Watters
Applied Research
Protocols - Outline
Why??
Selection of a research
question/hypothesis
Review of related literature
Funding/cost of research
Feasibility of quality of research
Precision of objectives as it relates to
your research question.
State specialist; Field specialist support
WHY
As OSU employees are work is:
RESEARCH
 TEACHING
 SERVICE
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“We disseminate research based
(unbiased) information to help farmers
increase yields, protect the environment
and improve profitability.”
WHY
Applied research that we conduct must be
unencumbered by:
 Personal opinion
 Incorrect interpretation
 Unwarranted conclusion
 Lack of relevance, error etc
The peer review process is how we evaluate
our work to prevent all the above while
maintaining credibility (it is continuous quality
improvement).
WHY
Publish findings (share findings) in order
to answer clientele questions, grow
agriculture, meet job requirements, and
expand your career.
Applied Research
Protocols - Begininng?
What general question/problem should an
extension agricultural educator conduct
applied research on?
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What are needs of county/state clientele?
What are the issues facing agriculture (DRP)?
Why is this study important or will anybody care?
Has the work been done before?
What impact will it make on clientele, for you,
OSUE?
Are you able to conduct this research with
precision? Example??
Applied Research
Protocols - Literature
Review the literature for studies related to your
applied research study.
Record the citation & summary of findings. For
example:
Are the results applicable to our area?
How well was systemic error (internal error –
quality of study) controlled?
Are the results of this study relevant?
For what reason are you repeating a study?
Review your question and/or research objectives
and make any changes.
Applied Research
Protocols – Funding for
or Cost of Study
Have you developed a budget for the project?
If you rely on donations – will these donations
impact final outcome ?
Is there a need to hire contractors to
complete a part of or all of the study?
Is the study funded by a grant/contract – how
much time will be necessary to meet grant
obligations- Suggest unencumbered gifts
where possible.
Applied Research
Protocols – Site/Cooperator
Do you have an appropriate site and or
cooperator.
Why have you chosen this cooperator –
Expertise/Experience/Skill
 Patience
 Site
 Equipment
 Attitude towards
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Applied Research
Protocols – What is
Feasibility of a Quality of
Research Outcome
Will you able to measure treatment effect?
Most field research is experimental, where the
independent variable is manipulated (treatment)
while observing the dependent variable and
controlling all other variables (error).
Control of other variables is a major issue with
field research, even with statistical techniques
such as randomization/replication.
In general most educator trials should be simple
as error may be better controlled with better
results .
Applied Research
Protocol - Factors?
Appropriate design (RCB vs Completely randomized,
split plot, etc), Would not recommend factorial
design.
Replicated (4 replications minimum to detect
differences, statistical power) , treatments
randomized and study repeated over 3 years as a
minimum.
Plot uniformity (soil type, fertility, drainage, slope, etc)
Plot control (all plots treated the same except for
independent variable)
Accurate and uniform measurement of dependent
variable.
Awareness of other possible causes to treatment
effect.etc
No vested interests. (Unbiased)
Applied Research
(AR) Protocol
Review?
Control Extraneous variable threats
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Every experiment has extraneous variables that if
not controlled will make the trial devoid of any
meaning – This is difficult in field research, but is a
major point in designing a good experiment.
Example: Corn Nitrogen Rate –what might
impact corn yield: soil drainage, slope, soil type,
pH, P, K, tillage, Residue, Deer, weeds, insects,
different day of planting, different combine, plot
size, incorrect rate, weather. The list goes on.
Keep complete field notes. Repeat study.
AR Protocol Review?
When formulating your objectives –
Remember the 4 R’s are essential to
well done applied agronomic plots:
Replicate treatments
 Randomize treatments
 Repeat experiment over years (min 2 to 3)
 Request help

Applied Research
Protocol – Precise
Objectives
Be brief and concise when writing objectives
Use active verbs such as compare, compute,
calculate, determine. Avoid vague verbs such as;
study, understand, comprehend, evaluate, etc.
Define dependent variable outcome; ie - yield of
soybeans in bu/a ,number of wheat tillers per square
meter, wheat yield in bu/a in two tillage systems
,etc
Read your objectives to see if more than one
meaning could be understood – if so re-write to
clarify to one outcome.
,
Applied Research Protocol
:Research Question
Example
To measure corn yield in bu/a over 1
pint/acre rate of a XYZ soil conditioner
compared to a control?
Statistical hypothesis; There is no
difference in mean values ie Null
Hypothesis - HO: u1=u2
Objectives Annual
Ryegrass (AR) Study:
how not to write
1. To evaluate AR uptake of nitrogen from liquid
swine manure (measure).
2. To evaluate AR growth (stand, plants per sq.
foot) and winter survival. (Treatment)
3. To compare AR to Cereal Rye over objective
one. (measure)
4. To evaluate nitrate nitrogen using the PSNT over
the four treatments.
5. To evaluate corn yield over all treatments and
the control.
Writing Research
Objectives – State
Specialist Support
Review project idea with state specialist to
obtain his/her opinion of the feasibility and/or
worth of the study.
Share with state specialist , question,
hypothesis, objectives, treatments and
research design at a minimum.
Or as opposed to your own work, collaborate
with state specialist on their applied research.
Applied Research
Protocol
Takes great skill, patience and in some
cases money to conduct high quality
research.
A keystone to knowing if your findings
are valid is the publishing of your results
in referred journals or can other trained
scientists replicate your findings.
Applied Research
Protocol - Summary
Formulate question/problem
Conduct literature review
Define variables of the study
Calculate a budget for the study
Measure your ability to conduct experiment
(site adaptability, equipment, inputs,
measurement, etc)
Write precise research objectives
Get aid/opinions from state/field specialist
Resources/Aid
OSU Extension State Specialists/Field
Specialist
Agricultural Experimentation – Thomas
Little and F. Jackson Hills (John Wiley
and Sons).
Many others
Questions???
Agricultural
experimentation –
helping to feed the
world