HCDE 516: Identifying Variables and Constructing Research Questions/Statements
When an abstract to a journal article is clearly written, you should be able to easily identify the research
question for a study and the variables studied, i.e., well-written abstracts should make these concepts apparent.
In the left hand column below, I have excerpted some abstracts from published research articles. If you can find
a clearly worded research question or statement, underline it or copy it into the right hand column. Otherwise,
try and write a clear research question or statement.
A research question/statement for an empirical study in which the researchers manipulate the independent
variable should be worded as follows:


Question Format: What is the effect of the independent variables (IVs) and moderator variables (MVs)
on the dependent variables (DVs) given any control variables (CVs)?
Statement Format: This study investigates the effect of the independent variables (IVs) and moderator
variables (MVs) on the dependent variables (DVs) given any control variables (CVs).
A research question/statement for a correlational study is usually worded as follows:
 Statement Format: This study investigates the relationship of the independent variables (IVs) and the
dependent variables (DVs) given any control variables (CVs).
Abstract
1. Ford, Nigel et al. Cognitive styles and searching, Online
and CD ROM Review, 1994, 18, 2: 79-86. An analysis of 275
searches of a LISA (Library and Information Science
Abstracts) CD-ROM conducted by 67 master's students
determined that different cognitive styles (comprehension,
operation, versatile, field dependent, and field independent)
resulted in different search behaviors and search outcomes,
with and without postings information. Discusses
implications for online search training.
2. Jones, Matt, Buchanan, George, and Thimbleby, Harold.
Sorting Out Searching on Small Screen Devices, Human
Computer Interaction with Mobile Devices. Small handheld
devices—mobile phones, PDAs etc.—are increasingly being
used to access the Web. Search engines are the most used
Web services and are an important user support. Recently,
Google™ (and other search engine providers) have started to
offer their services on the small screen. This paper presents a
detailed evaluation of the how easy to use such services are in
these new contexts. An experiment was carried out to
compare users’ abilities to complete realistic tourist
orientated search tasks using a WAP, PDA-sized and
conventional, desktop interface to the full Google™ index.
With all three interfaces, when users succeed in completing a
task, they do so quickly (within 2 to 3 minutes) and using few
interactions with the search engine. When they fail, though,
they fail badly. The paper examines the causes of failures in
small screen searching and proposes guidelines for improving
these interfaces
Research Question/Statement
Abstract
Research Question/Statement
3. Spruijt, S., and Jansen, C. The influence of task and
format on reading results with an online text, IEEE
Transactions on Professional Communication, 1999, 42: 2,
92-99. The aim of the study was to map the influence of
reading task and text format on reading results with an online
text. To this purpose, an experiment performed by S. Gordon
et al. (1988) was replicated and enhanced. In four conditions,
subjects were given a reading task (summarize or answer
specific questions) and an online text (linear or hypertext
format). In all conditions, both text and task were
administered through the World Wide Web, After the
subjects had completed their reading, all were given the same
assignment: make a summary and answer specific questions.
No significant main effects of the independent variables
(format and task) were found on the performance of the
subjects. There proved to be a significant interaction effect,
however, on the completeness of the summaries. The most
thorough summaries were written by subjects who were told
before the experiment that they would have to summarize the
text, and who were presented with the text in a linear version.
As far as reading time was concerned, there was a significant
difference between the format conditions: reading the text in
linear format took more time than reading the text in
hypertext format.
4. Hinckley, K., Cutrell, E., Bathiche, S., and Muss, T.
Quantitative analysis of scrolling techniques, Proceedings of
Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, CHI
2002. We propose a formal experimental paradigm designed
to help evaluate scrolling interaction techniques. Such a
method is needed by interaction designers to quantify
scrolling performance, thereby providing a tool to evaluate
and improve upon new techniques. We systematically vary
the scrolling distance as well as the required tolerance of
scrolling. Distance and tolerance are the parameters of Fitts'
Law, which traditionally has been applied to the evaluation of
pointing devices in tasks involving rapid, aimed movement to
visible targets. Scrolling involves acquisition of targets well
beyond the edges of the screen, yet Fitts' Law models our
experimental data very well. We apply our paradigm to the
IBM ScrollPoint and the IntelliMouse Wheel. Our
experimental approach reveals a crossover effect in
performance versus distance, with the Wheel performing best
at short distances but the ScrollPoint performing best at long
distances. We also demonstrate that the performance of the
Wheel can be significantly improved using an acceleration
algorithm. These results show that our approach yields a
practical and rigorous method for the evaluation of scrolling
techniques.
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Abstract
Research Question/Statement
5. Scealy, Marita, Phillips, James G., Stevenson, Roger.
Shyness and Anxiety as Predictors of Patterns of Internet
Usage, CyberPsychology & Behavior December, 2002, 5(6):
507-515. The Internet has the potential to empower or isolate.
Shyness and anxiety may potentially influence the extent to
which people avail themselves of Internet services such as
email, chat rooms, information searches, entertainment, and
commerce. To understand how personality moderates Internet
usage, 177 participants completed an Internet Use Survey, the
Social Reticence Scale, and a Trait Anxiety Inventory.
Shyness, anxiety, gender, and academic achievement were
employed within separate multiple regressions to predict
forms of Internet usage. The use of email and chat-rooms was
not related to shyness or anxiety, suggesting that shyness or
anxiety does not pose an obstacle to these Internet
applications. Males were more likely to use the Internet for
downloading entertainment. Shy males were more likely to
use the Internet for recreation/leisure searches. Highly
educated males were more likely to use the Internet for
banking and paying bills. Although shyness or anxiety does
not seem to modify the communicative functions of the
Internet, it may influence people's use of other recreational
applications.
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