MOREHEAD STATE UNIVERSITY
IET 698 – Research
Methods Technology
Discussion Boards
Travis Fisher
5/9/2013
Contents
Session 1 ....................................................................................................................................................... 1
Session 2 ....................................................................................................................................................... 2
Session 3 ....................................................................................................................................................... 6
Session 4 ..................................................................................................................................................... 11
Session 5 ..................................................................................................................................................... 14
Session 6 ..................................................................................................................................................... 18
Session 7 ..................................................................................................................................................... 18
Session 8 ..................................................................................................................................................... 21
Session 9 ..................................................................................................................................................... 23
Session 10 ................................................................................................................................................... 27
Session 11 ................................................................................................................................................... 30
Session 12 ................................................................................................................................................... 33
Session 13 ................................................................................................................................................... 37
Session 1
Please read the article linked above and discuss: What is the purpose for graduate
education. Please read the attachment and discuss on the TEXT format NOT
attachment.
It really is a shame that education seamlessly outweighs experience these days. Although I do believe in
the education system, and also in furthering ones self as far as he/she can go, I also believe that there
are situations in a work place where the hands on experience could never be simulated completely in a
class room environment. Furthermore I believe that employees with this priceless experience should not
fear the loss of their jobs after the company hires a new college grad or a "top out" in salary. In house
training should be set in place for these types of employees to gain the credentials and prove their
worth. College is not ideal for everyones situation and I think there are gray areas where that type of
learning is not necessary for an experienced employee.
The primary purpose of the Graduate School is to prepare scholars and researchers to master the
content and methods of their special subjects, especially those who give promise of continuing
development because they want to create knowledge and communicate it widely. After completing an
intensive program of study, graduates should be able to claim professional standing in their chosen
fields.
1
This article discusses the pros and cons of online learning. I agree with some of the points that are made
about the benefits of online classes. For example an online student does all of his/her communicating
through the written word so this skill must really be fine tuned. Online classes are typically far more
tedious than a face to face so the student must be very self motivated and disciplined and much more
time is spent learning the subject matter per week since it is up to the student to learn the material. I
actually do like the fact that through online classes a student has all the necessary time to comfortably
reply to a question in class. Although it is good that the student is given the time to reflect on the
information before responding I personally think that it is more important to develop the skills needed
to be able to verbally represent one’s own thoughts on the spot, especially in our field of study
(engineering management). I agree that online learning has a lot of benefits but I do not prefer it to the
traditional class room setting.
The article “Transforming Leadership: An Assessment Tool” by Dr. Jule D. Scarborough discusses
how several modern leadership theories seem to fit the leadership needs of business today.
Anderson Consulting performed studies on CEO’s of major companies that brought forth a
serious concern those today’s’leadership standards and styles are not keeping pace with the
needs of today or the future. As corporations grow so does their complexity and similarly so
does the competition between corporations. The idea for advancement in this article is that as
companies become more focused on the development of human resources and participation as
opposed to power and control the more effective the organization will be. Some of the listed
characteristics of effective organizations in this article are as follows:
•&νβσπ;Create/communicate a compelling vision which will provide direction and guidance.
•&νβσπ;Treat employees as business partners to secure informed cooperation and to tap
knowledge and experience.
•&νβσπ;Use information technology positively, making the leader the center of a human
intelligence network, not a bureaucratic controller.
The focus of the research in this article was mainly directed to the industry but was also
directed towards the IT departmental leadership and program content. The author encourages
IT departmental administrators to consider some sort of similar assessments to their selves and
their department to harness the potential within the faculty and the IT programs. He says that
each faculty member should be also challenged and engage in leadership activities so that they
set a good example of how to be a leader for the students. Leadership skills are not something
that should be learned after one graduates, its something that should be developed throughout
ones life.
Session 2
Go to the Announcement Section, Click on the link for article, Digitization and
Graphic Communication .............". Read and review the article and post your critical
review on Literature, Methodology, Findings, and Summary.
2
In regards to the review of related literature, the author starts the research with an impeccable introduction. Unlike
other researchers, Ms Sartorius uses simple vocabulary which makes it easier for her audience to understand the key
points, for instance she writes “ This paper describes the changes faced by the field of graphic communications in
light of new digital graphic communication media”. It is very clear what the problem statement is. The author also
includes good sources that also explain the issue she is addressing on Multimedia Electronic Publishing and the
Future of Graphic Communications, Graphic communications and the “digital revolution”, Technology literacy in
the workplace, etc. When she writes about the digital revolution, she writes , “In 1998, the London College of
Printing conducted a study analyzing the training needs of the pre-press industry (Pira International, 1999).The
study identified a skills gap generated by the convergence of once highly differentiated text, image origination
and manipulation areas into one that allows for still and moving images to be treated within a single digital
environment. In regards to the methodology, even though the operational definitions are not clearly specified
in her research, she does mention the use of surveys and what companies and people were studied as part of
her participants and instrument of research. Also, in the design and procedure, she does not include details on
how the study was done. This makes the findings questionable. Finally, her summary does have a thorough
explanation on the causes and consequences of the digitization of the workflow. In my opinion this was a good
research but it lacks more information about how the studies that were done.
What is research? Why should there be any question about the definition of
research?
Research is the systematic process of collecting and analyzing information (data) in order to increase our
understanding of the phenomenon about which we are concerned or interested. People often use a
systematic approach when they collect and interpret information to solve the small problems of daily
living. Here, however, we focus on formal research: research in which we intentionally set out to
enhance our understanding of a phenomenon and expect to communicate what we discover to the
larger scientific community.
Although research projects vary in complexity and duration, research typically has eight distinct
characteristics:
1. Research originates with a question or problem.
2. Research requires a clear articulation of a goal.
3. Research follows a specific plan of procedure.
4. Research usually divides the principal problem into more manageable sub problems.
5. Research is guided by the specific research problem, question, or hypothesis.
6. Research accepts certain critical assumptions.
7. Research requires the collection and interpretation of data in an attempt to resolve the problem that
initiated the research.
8. Research is, by its nature, cyclical or, more exactly, helical.
Research is a valuable tool we acquire through the course of our studies. It's purpose should be
questioned so that it can also be answered, such is the way of research. Research is not a universal tool,
3
though it may seem like one at first, but rather, different topics might require different types of
research. For insctance some projects may require surveys, and some may require Finite Element
Analysis. These are both forms of research development but they are totally different tools. By defining
the term research for any given problem you are actually defining the first few steps of that should be
conducted on that project.
You are manager of the Midwestern of a major corporation, supervising five animal
feed plants scattered over four states. Corporate headquarters asks you to conduct
an investigation to determine whether any of these plants should be closed,
expanded, moved, or reduced. Is there a possible conflict between your roles as
research and manager? Explain.
Yes I believe there is a major conflict of interest here. As a manager of the plant I believe the research that would
be conducted could potentially be biased seeing as you would be an employee of the same plant you’re debating
on whether or not to shut down or expand. More than likely the manager would vote to expand the plant if
anything. As a researcher the best decision might be to close the plant, but as a manager you would want to keep
the plant open.
The new president of an old, established company is facing a problem. The company
is currently unprofitable and is, in the president’s opinion, operating inefficiently.
The company sells a wide line of equipment and supplies to the dairy industry. Some
items it manufactures, and many it wholesales to dairies, creameries, and similar
plants. Because the industry is changing in several ways, survival will be more
difficult in the future. In particular, many equipment companies are bypassing the
wholesalers and selling directly to dairies. In particular, many equipment companies
are bypassing the wholesalers and selling directly to dairies. In addition, many of the
independent dairies are being taken over by large food chains. How might research
help the new president make the right decisions? In answering this question,
consider the areas of marketing and finance as well as the whole company.
The first step should be an extensive research on the market and also set a competitive benchmark. Pareto charts
could be used to isolate the vital few problems with the existing company; from there the major financial problems
can be eliminated first. For instance if the company is still manufacturing products that can be bought elsewhere
much cheaper than that particular task might need to be eliminated for the sake of time and money. Also by
eliminating the major problems, the companies strongpoints will likely be revealed in which case the president
should set in motion a procedure to embellish on those good qualities. For example, the company is very old, and
likely the larger chain companies will steal a lot of the customers, but since it is so old it will likely have a small but
loyal branch of customers that can now be catered to more thoroughly. Maybe instead of trying to compete on a
larger scale the company can step it down a notch and focus on utilizing all of its profitable traits.
You have received a research report done by a consultant for your firm, a life
insurance company. The study is a survey of morale in the home office and covers
the opinions of about 500 secretaries and clerks plus about 100 executives and
actuaries. You are asked to comment on its quality. What will you look for?
4
There are a number of alternative methods available for assessing employee satisfaction so
the first decision is which approach and which workplace satisfaction survey methods are
appropriate for this situation. Before anything I would ask some of the following questions:
•&νβσπ;Are you looking for some general feedback on just how satisfied employees are?
•&νβσπ;Do you want to establish benchmarks against which you can measure
improvement?
•&νβσπ;Or are your needs more tactical? Maybe there is a specific morale or performance
problem on which you need additional insight?
•&νβσπ;Or key people are leaving and you need to understand why?
Some possible approaches are quantitative research, quantitative surveys, or even a crossfunctional team meeting.
Quantitative research simply means the results are measurable and projectable. They
generally rely on a larger sample size, standardized questions and scoring systems, and
then all the results are consolidated to provide baseline measures of employee satisfaction.
This kind of survey is good for providing benchmarking that allows you to measure progress
and improvement over time and implement a process of continuous improvement.
Qualitative surveys are easier and faster. They may involve interviewing a few people from
across the company as ‘barometers’ for the organization morale, or conducting a small
‘group’ research session.
Also you could arrange a team event to get feedback from a cross-functional team. If your
people trust you and feel they’ve been given permission to speak up they will likely be very
honest about their workplace satisfaction and discussing whatever is on their minds. In
addition to possibly solving problems based on the information given by employees, their
will also be a boost of morale in the workplace because the workers will feel like their
opinions and suggestions are important.
List defining characteristics of the Scientific Method (Research)
The textbook defines the scientific method as a means whereby insight into the unknown is sought by:
a) Identifying a problem that defines the goal of ones quest.
b) Positing a hypothesis that, if confirmed, resolves the problem.
c) Gathering data relevant to the hypothesis.
d) Analyzing and interpreting the data to see whether they support the hypothesis and resolve the
question that initiated the research.
Explain and differentiate between Omnibus studies and Syndicated research?
An omnibus survey is a method of quantitative marketing research where data on a wide variety of
subjects is collected during the same interview. Usually, multiple research clients will provide
proprietary content for the survey, while sharing the common demographic data collected from each
respondent.
5
Syndicated data can be structured or unstructured data that is primarily provided by external sources
(data providers) as a result of their analysis and studies conducted. For example: Marketing results,
Survey results, Common Usage patterns and forecasting information. This kind of research is usuallya
large-scale marketing research project undertaken by market-research companies and subsequently
offered for sale to interested parties.
As area sales manager of a company manufacturing and marketing outboard
engines, you have been assigned the responsibility of conducting a research study to
estimate the sales potential of your products in the domestic (U.S. or Canadian)
market. Discuss key issues and concerns arising from the fact that you, the manager,
are also the researcher.
My concern here is that the manager might be taking on too much work and in turn he may reap
unsuccessful results. “He who serves two masters disappoints one or both”, or in this case, he who has
two jobs will fail at one or both of them. Labor in a workplace should divided equally from the top down
according to employees pay scale and qualifications.
Session 3
Go to the BLS site in the External Link and go the
employment/unemployment. Go to occupations, and prepare a report on
Employment Trends for Science and Technology graduates.
These charts are the most relevant industrial occupational
reports I could find while surfing this website.
Percent of
Hourly
industry
mean wage
employment
Annual
mean wage
(2)
Industry
Employment
(1)
Management of Companies and
Enterprises
7,050
0.37
$54.79
$113,950
Plastics Product Manufacturing
6,460
1.27
$42.53
$88,460
Motor Vehicle Parts Manufacturing
5,040
1.15
$43.20
$89,860
Aerospace Product and Parts
Manufacturing
4,740
1.00
$52.13
$108,440
$44.84
$93,260
Printing and Related Support Activities
4,580
0.96
Industries with the highest concentration of employment in this occupation:
Industry
Employment
(1)
Percent of
industry
Hourly
Annual
mean wage mean wage
6
employment
(2)
Basic Chemical Manufacturing
2,620
1.84
$51.78
$107,700
Lime and Gypsum Product Manufacturing
210
1.74
$43.47
$90,420
Resin, Synthetic Rubber, and Artificial
Synthetic Fibers and Filaments
Manufacturing
1,510
1.73
$47.68
$99,180
Pharmaceutical and Medicine
Manufacturing
4,330
1.63
$51.53
$107,180
650
1.61
$41.77
$86,880
Clay Product and Refractory
Manufacturing
Top paying industries for this occupation:
Percent of
Hourly
industry
mean wage
employment
Annual
mean wage
(2)
Industry
Employment
(1)
Oil and Gas Extraction
870
0.54
$64.12
$133,370
Federal Executive Branch (OES
Designation)
230
0.01
$59.29
$123,310
Office Administrative Services
120
0.03
$59.22
$123,170
Scientific Research and Development
Services
1,210
0.19
$58.72
$122,130
Machinery, Equipment, and Supplies
Merchant Wholesalers
380
0.06
$57.63
$119,870
Click on Jason's draft of thesis proposal and discuss
his proposal.
I will judge Jason’s proposal based on the review of literature, presentation of paper, and methodology.
Literature: First of all this article is set up in a manner that allows it to flow from one topic to the next
and Jason provides headings to allow the reader to follow his train of thought. It is good that he included
a review of literature in the beginning. The problem of the paper is clearly stated. The references used
seem to be strong sources but are not properly cited throughout the paper, as far as I know you are
supposed to also include the date and location of the information accessed.
Presentation of paper: Although the paper contains some good information, I don’t think that it has a
very professional appearance. I think that some minor adjustments to the format could go a long way.
Methodology: Since he works at this place the participants in the research can likely be trusted sources
so the methodology is good.
7
Please carefully study the linked document below on "graduate
research" and discuss your understanding of the topic on this thread.
Reflection On Forum II
The instructor is pleased to review your more than 20 pages of
responses, comments, discussions on Forums I and II. Please do not
consider the DB questions, issues and topics as a TEST. The instructor
doesn't grade you based on right OR wrong answers, your informed
discussions are important. The instructor encourages you to review the
assigned literature, join the discussions and engage in intellectual
conversations. Although we do not copy other classmate's work, we
should react to it, agree or disagree, make comments. As I grade the DB
work, I look at the level of your work, the depth of your knowledge and
your involvement. The instructor doesn't encourage isolated responses
as in many exams. The instructor encourages joint discussions. This is
not a TEST that you respond to questions and leave the Forum, you
shall continue to react to other participants.
This article extensively covers the information of chapter one. It explains the formulation of the research
problem, the execution of the investigation, and the publication of the research. It defines research as
having four categories:
•&νβσπ;Methodology
•&νβσπ;Applicability
•&νβσπ;Locality
•&νβσπ;Funding
This article does a fine job in distinguishing between what is research and what is not research.
Go to the Assignments, Reading Assignments, access
the manuscript, Are Americans Becoming Internet
Slave? Read and review the article and post
8
your critical review on the Literature, Methodology,
Findings, and Summary. Please discuss you findings:
Upon reading this article I have found validity in its suggestions that Americans have become too
dependent on the internet. The article states that as Internet use grows, Americans report that they are
spending less time with friends and family, shopping in stores, or watching television, and more time
working for their employers at home--without cutting back their hours in the office. This thesis was
gathered by the Stanford Institute for the Quantitative Study of Society (SIQSS), sampled 4,113 adults in
2,689 households.
I do agree that technologies like the internet result in a declination of social awareness to some extent,
but also enhance our communication experience in others. On one hand this tool can bring us together
communicatively and on the other it can be the wedge in between us. For instance, without the internet
it might not be possible to remain in touch with a long lost friend or stay so close to a family member
fighting in a war over seas; adversely, email and social medias also allow us to be very brief and
mechanical in our communication.
This article brought to life some interesting discussion points but they felt lacking in description. The
methodology could have been strengthened if graphs and tables were provided to visually represent the
multitude of quantitative data.
In regards to the researchers review of literature this article was on the short side of convincing.
Although the data being presented was all over the spectrum it was represented by the study conducted
at Stanford University alone, more sources would be added credibility.
Finally, I felt that this article was limited in its finding. Although the author does well in stating in the
introduction the instrumentation of the survey and specifying conductor of the research, the findings
would have been more powerful if the article had used more than one source. Also, the procedure of
informing the reader about the research and how it was conducted is good, we know that it was a
descriptive survey. What we do not know is the demographics of the sample group and the questions on
the survey. I think this information is critical when weighing the validity of any survey based research.
Where are research problems found?
Problems can be found everywhere; whereas, researchable problems are far less general. If the research
being conducted is a replication of an existing research then yes of course research problems can be
found everywhere. As a replicative work the idea is to reiterate the truth and validity of an existing
work, failure should really not be an option here. On the other hand, if the research being conducted is
an original work then the problems will be much more elusive. For example, you might be able to find
several products right now in your eyeshot that have the characteristics of a problem; such as, a pen or
pencil, a backpack, a computer, kitchen utensils, an automobile, etc. Problems though they may be, the
question here is, are they researchable? Unless ones motives to research these problems is to ultimately
discover and develop a more effective and efficient alternative product or process then the research
9
being conducted is a replication. In addition, suppose one has an idea to invent an alternative product or
process, or innovate on an existing one, is this problem really worth the research? Even if one was
positive on the originality of the research problem, will the work put into developing the idea be worth
the results or will the means be worth the ends? These are good questions to ask in a projects early
stages; similarly, the customer will eventually ask, is this product really worth my money? So to answer
the question, problems can be found everywhere, but finding a good problem is somewhat of a problem
in and of itself.
What are the characteristics of a researchable
problem?
There are two types of research: replications and original work. The purpose of replicative
research is, most importantly, to provide further evidence that the parenting study was true,
and ideally its problem statement should reveal and reference the parenting research. In an
original work, no such references shall be made.
The commonality that links these two types of research is the process and criteria to be met in
the problem selection and the execution of research. When selecting a problem to research,
whether it is a replication or an original work, the researchable problem should be of
passionate interest to the researcher, and also build upon what was commonly known to be
true about that particular subject. Also, during the research process these two would share
common techniques and criteria that would apply to all research.
These five strategies are useful in articulating the research problem:
1. State the problem clearly and completely.
2. Think through the feasibility of the project that the problem implies.
3. Say precisely what one means.
4. State the problem in a way that reflects an open mind about its
solution.
5. Edit one’s work (Leedy & Ormrod 2010).
Above all, the development of a reasonable theoretical framework for the study begins with
identifying a good research question and addressing every loose end. Although there are
strategies and criteria that are useful in developing a good study, some of the greatest
researchers are those who present questions that stray our minds to think outside the box,
similarly there methods may have been rather unorthodox. Just as the importance of good
research is to improve what was previously known about a certain subject matter, just maybe
the way research is conducted can also be improved.
10
Session 4
Select a research report from a management journal. Outline a proposal
for the research as if it had not yet been performed. Make estimates of
time and costs. Generate a CPM schedule for the project.
Critical Path Method
Activity Description
Required Predecessor Duration
A
Product design
(None)
5 months
B
Market research
(None)
1
C
Production analysis A
2
D
Product model
A
3
E
Sales brochure
A
2
F
Cost analysis
C
3
G
Product testing
D
4
H
Sales training
B, E
2
I
Pricing
H
1
J
Project report
F, G, I
1
Activity Required Predecessor Normal Time Normal Cost Crash Time Crash Cost
A
(None)
3 weeks
$3000
2 weeks
$5000
B
(None)
4
$4000
2
$6000
C
(None)
5
$5000
3
$8000
D
A
8
$5000
6
$6000
E
A,B
3
$3000
2
$4000
F
C
5
$4000
3
$8000
You are the manager of a research department in a large department store chain. Develop a list of
criteria for evaluating the types of research activities listed below. Include a point scale and weighting
algorithm.
a. Market research
b. Advertising effectiveness
c. Employee opinion surveys
d. Credit card operations
e. Computer service effectiveness at the individual store level.
a. Market research
Pertinence of provided information – weight 25%
Reliability of provided information – weight 40%
Timeliness of provided information – weight 25%
11
Cost of research – weight 10%
b. Advertising effectiveness
Customer base coverage of advertising plan – weight 30%
Volume of new business created – weight 30
%
Repeat business generate – weight 30%
Cost of advertising – weight 10%
c. Employee opinion surveys
Reliability of survey results – weight 40%
Pertinence of responses to company goals – weight 20%
Pertinence of responses to current company problems – weight 30%
Amount of time interruption to production - weight 10%
d. Credit card operations
Reliability of results – weight 40%
Pertinence of responses to issues under study – weight 40%
Cost of research – weight 20%
e. Computer service effectiveness at the individual store level.
Reliability of results – weight 40%
Pertinence of data collected – weight 40%
Cost of research – weight 20%
Each category is weighted on a scale of 1 to 5 with 1 being the best response possible and 5 being the
worst response possible. Each score would then be weighted with the associated percentage with the
low score providing the best research results.
Consider the new trends in desktop publishing, multimedia computer authoring and display
capabilities, and inexpensive videotaping and playback possibilities. How might these be used to
enhance research proposals? Give several examples of appropriate use.
Modern multimedia capabilities add credibility to research proposals because instead of using
the traditional methods of presenting a written proposal a researcher can support that writing
12
with visual aids. For example sites like youtube make it very easy and inexpensive for people to
advertise their own ideas in a modern and professional format.
For this week’s assignment you are asked to go to the Assignments and click on the Readings and read
the article "A Reading List for Establishing a Base of Knowledge for Technology Management: A Delphi
Study" (mcnabb032503.pdf )
Read the article and post a 250 word critique explaining your reaction to the topic, introduction,
review of the literature, methods, findings, and conclusions. Do NOT use attachment. Use the text to
engage you colleagues in discussions. and post it on the Discussion Board.
Introduction: This article does a good job of addressing the problem in the introduction which is how the
program has clearly demonstrated the a web-site based consortium approach can more effectively
deliver a Ph D level degree program to a wider audience than other more traditional strategies but the
advantages that are initially gained are lost in some instances in the vastness of the system.
Review of literature:
I couldn’t find any significant problems or limitations with any of the information in this article.
Methodology:
The methodology was also clearly stated. A Delphi study was conducted. Consortium faculty from
manufacturing systems were instructed to submit a list of books they believed to be essential for
covering the basic ideas in their area. The selected books went through three refining rounds until they
were narrowed down to a final list of ten books that represented the most important ideas in the area
of manufacturing systems.
Findings/Conclusion:
In successful manufacturing of the future, as well as today, teamwork is more important than turf.
Further, competitive production must include a mindset of flexibility. These ten books clearly
demonstrate that the ability to change is a notion that should be taught and learned in a manufacturing
technology graduate program. The Delphi study discussed here could be on effecteive way of beginning
to establish a core base of knowledge in any program.
You are the new manager of market intelligence in a rapidly expanding
software firm. Many product managers and corporate officers have
requested market surveys from you on various products. Design a form
for a research proposal that can be completed easily by your research
staff and the sponsoring manager. Discuss how your form improves
communication of the research objectives between the manager and the
researcher
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During the process of this proposal communication between the manager and research would be
improved. I have suggested in the proposal to form a focus group which would encourage any and all
opionions and feelings about the company to be shared by the people involved. After this proposed
market research is conducted there should be a unanimous vision shared between the researcher and
manager pertaining to the decision-making process for this comany's future endeavors.
Proposal for Market Research for Software Firm.pdf (657.572 KB)
What, if any, are the differences between solicited and unsolicited proposals?
A solicited proposal is a written response to any requirement that have been previously
published. Such kinds of requirements are usually found in Request for Proposal, Request for
Bid or in a Request for Quote. The requests for proposals shows what does a customer wants in
a detailed manner and are issued by customers themselves in times when their requirements
are not fulfilled. However an unsolicited proposal is used to advertise or publicize a new
product and not used to respond to the needs of any customer. The unsolicited proposals are
circulated in brochures, leaflets, fliers etc. (VS Pages, 2013)
Basically a solicited proposal is when the customer asks for a proposal, and an unsolicited
proposal is when you send them a proposal they haven’ t even asked for.
Session 5
When we are asked to review or evaluate the scholarly work such as
articles, books, manuscripts, WE DO NOT summarize the work. We
criticize the work as if we were to accept or reject the scholarly work for
publication. I have attached the Evaluation Form used by the Journal of
ATMAE editors to accept or reject the articles. The instructor expects
the research practitioners in this class to use a similar system to review
the assigned work. There is much difference between summarizing an
article and reviewing it! Do not summarize it if you are asked to review it.
Having a rubric like this will be very useful for future work in this class. I think that after
becoming familiar with the criteria in this rubric I will also begin to conduct better research
myself.
List and explain types of ethical violations in
research.
Scientific misconduct is defined as "the violation of the standard codes of scholarly conduct and ethical
behavior in professional scientific research" (Scientific Misconduct, 2013).
14
To determine scientific misconduct the code of scholarly conduct would have to be defined. The code of
scholarly conduct is written by each institution to reflect their values but always contains certain
universal ideas:
•&νβσπ;The treatment of human subjects.
•&νβσπ;Honesty
•&νβσπ;Maintaining integrity of all experiments and research
•&νβσπ;Publishing the research and results
•&νβσπ;Granting access to others to allow reproduction of the testing
•&νβσπ;Personal responsibility for the research
•&νβσπ;Acknowledging others contributions
This is a partial list of the most important factors that are considered to be a typical code for scholarly
conduct and ethical behavior in professional scientific research. These codes are in place to minimize
false reporting and unethical behavior in experimentation.
Over time, many horrible studies have been conducted that sacrificed the welfare of humans and
animals. Studies that include the Tuskegee Syphilis Study, Unit 731, and the Nazi Experiments. Granted,
these are all extreme cases, but to ensure these types of things will not happen again we have
committees like the Institutional Review Board.
The role of the Institutional Review Board exists to protect the rights and welfare of individual research
subjects and to assure that the following requirements are satisfied:
1. Risk to subjects are minimized.
2. Risk to subjects are reasonable in relation to anticipated benefits.
3. Selection of subjects is equitable, i.e. fair.
4. Informed consent is sought form each subject or his/her legally authorized
representative.
5. Informed consent is appropriately documented.
6. When appropriate, the research plan makes provisions for monitoring data
collection.
7. Privacy and confidentiality of research subjects is appropriately protected, and
8. When some or all of the subjects are likely to be vulnerable to coercion or undue
15
influence, additional safeguards have been included.
The Institutional Review Board has to approve that these requirements are followed before they
approve a research study and must review these documents on, at the least, an annual basis.
I have included a couple links about some of the most inhumane studies ever conducted if anyone is
interested.
http://listverse.com/2008/03/14/top-10-evil-human-experiments/
http://listverse.com/2008/09/07/top-10-unethical-psychological-experiments/
Works Cited
Scientific Misconduct. (2013). Retrieved from http://explorable.com/scientific-misconduct
Top 10 Unethical Psychological Experiments. (2013). Retrieved from
http://listverse.com/2008/09/07/top-10-unethical-psychological-experiments/
List and explain the components of the
informed consent.
Informed consent means the knowing consent of an individual without undue inducement or any
element of force, fraud, duress or any other form of constraint or coercion. Sufficient information must
be presented (in understandable language) so that the potential subject can make an informed
judgment about participation.(UNC Charlotte, 2013) This information can take on a variety of shapes. It
can be provided to the potential participant as: a document which may or may not require a signature; a
script which is read to the participant prior to proceeding with a telephone survey; a paragraph to be
read prior to completing an on-line survey.
Research involving human subjects can pose complex ethical issues which require careful thought and
consideration on the part of both researchers and research participants. Prospective participants should
always be given adequate information on both the possible risks and the potential benefits of their
involvement to allow them to make informed decisions about whether or not to participate in the
research.
The following is a list of the minimum information which should be provided for all types of research
including anonymous surveys or questionnaires as required by the Code of Federal Regulations:
•
A statement that the study involves research
•
Explanation of the purposes of the research
•
Name(s) of the principal researchers and sponsor(s) where appropriate
•
Expected duration of the subject's participation
16
•
Description of the procedures to be followed
•
Identification of any procedures which are experimental
•
Description of any reasonably foreseeable risks or discomforts to the subject
•
Description of any benefits to the subject or to others which may reasonably be expected from
the research
•
For research involving more than minimal risk, an explanation as to whether there are any
treatments or compensation if injury occurs and, if so, what they consist of, or where further
information may be obtained.
•
Statement describing the extent, if any, to which confidentiality of records identifying the
subject will be maintained
•
Statement that participation is voluntary, their right to decline to participate and to withdraw
from the research once participation has begun and the subject may discontinue participation at any
time without penalty or loss of benefits to which the subject is otherwise entitled.
Works Cited
UNC Charlotte. (2013). Retrieved from Research & Economic Development:
http://research.uncc.edu/compliance-ethics/human-subjects/informed-consent
What are Characteristics of Effective Code of
Ethics.
A code of ethics is a set of principles of conduct within an organization that guide decision making and
behavior. The purpose of the code is to provide members and other interested persons with guidelines
for making ethical choices in the conduct of their work.
Codes typically divide into four distinct elements: 1) an introduction or preamble, 2) a statement of
purposes and values, 3) specific rules of conduct which may be subdivided in various ways, and 4)
implementation of the code, which will define administrative processes, reporting, and sanctions. (US
Legal, 2013)
Works Cited
US Legal. (2013). Retrieved from http://definitions.uslegal.com/c/code-of-ethics/
17
Session 6
You have been asked to determine how
hospitals prepare and train volunteers. Since
you know relatively little about this subject,
how will you find out? Be as specific as
possible.
Similarly to John, I believe the internet would be a trusty enough foothold to begin with. After
doing a brief internet search I found that as a hospital volunteer, you will first be trained in the
basics. These include business practices, first aid, safety and medically specific safety training.
Most volunteers have to obtain CPR certification as well as first aid certification (eHow, 2013).
Such general information as this is made so readily available to us because of the internet, and
likely even the application process for a volunteer position would be found on the hospitals
web site. That’s two birds and one stone so-to-speak. After wielding oneself with some
fundamental knowledge, a face to face visit should be scheduled with, like John said, HR or
someone from upper management for an interview. Likely there would be some sort of
volunteer team leader, in which case that is probably the first person you would want to see
anyways, presuming that all the other facets would have undoubtedly steered you in that
direction regardless. For such research I feel like a step in any direction would be the right one.
eHow. (2013). Retrieved from
http://www.ehow.com/about_6468770_hospitalvolunteer-training.html
Session 7
Go to the External Link, Go to the National Science Foundation (NSF) site, click on Funding, go to the
topic of "A guide to proposal writing, " open the PDF file, review the document and post as TEXT on
the Discussion Board Forum 7 (No Attachments) a summary of four steps "Advice to Proposal Writers"
NSF URL: http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/policydocs/pappguide/nsf08_1/gpg_index.jsp
Step 1 – Before you write:
A good proposal begins with a clear idea of the goals and objectives of the project.
Step 2 – Writing the proposal narrative:
A good proposal is always readable, well-organized, grammatically correct, and understandable.
Step 3 – Before sending your proposals to NSF:
18
Encourage your professional organization to form a committee to help members review their
proposals before submitting them to NSF.
Step 4 – Awards and Declinations:
If the proposal is successful, make the best possible use of the funds awarded.
How to make Surveys:Visit http://www.ehow.com/how_4495824_makesurvey.html and begin to learn how to make surveys. This is to
familiarize you with writing preparing surveys. Please discuss your
learning of this site. Is it usefull?
This web site was useful in that it explained that the first step to making a survey is in deciding whom
you will target, current customers and non-customer consumers who may have an interest in your
products. It also provides six of the following steps that are helpful in creating a successful survey:
1. Write the objectives and goals for your survey
2. Decide what type of survey you want to conduct
3. Create a qualifying question at the beginning of your survey or questionnaire
4. Start drafting the questions for your survey
5. Divide the body of your questionnaire into different sections
6. End your survey with demographic questions
Professor Parsnip wants to know more about the mental process students go through as they learn
about research methods. She also wants to know which instructional methods are most effective for
teaching research methods to her students. Assume that Professor Parsnip decides to take a
qualitativeapproach to studying these questions. State a specific research question related to her
general research problem that lends itself well to a qualitative research approach. Then explain why
your question is better addressed using a qualitative, rather than a quantitative, methodology.
Do students learn how to properly research better through active learning like a face to face class
discussion or by actually performing the research alone?
It is best to use a qualitative research approach here because we are trying to answer a question about a
complex phenomena, with a purpose of describing and understanding the phenomena from a
participants' point of view.
Sometimes students believe that taking the time to prepare a complete and carefully
designed research proposal is something to be preached, but not really practiced.
Identify at least two different problems related to research design that are commonly
19
encountered when doing research. For each problem, explain how a complete and
detailed research proposal would help the researcher avoid the problem.
One problem that commonly arises for a researcher is converting a question into a clearly stated
research problem. Another problem could be that the data suggested an unexpected conclusion
after it had been analyzed and interpreted. Having a detailed research proposal would lead the
way for a systematic research project and would help the researcher see in the beginning what
would likely result from the research.
In regard to quantitative research proposals, novice researchers often find it very challenging and
tedious to explain in detail how the data will be analyzed and interpreted in their study. Explain why it
is essential that the researcher not cut corners in this section of the proposal.
It is essential to not to cut corners here because there needs to be a plan explained in explicit
detail within the proposal so that the readers can feel comfortable with giving the "go ahead" on
such research. The entire idea behind a proposal is to provide the details that upper
management need to be on board with what you believe your research can offer the company.
There are unique challenges associated with conducting research on data that are already in existence
(e.g., historical research). Discuss some of these unique challenges, pointing out pitfalls the researcher
should be careful to avoid.
The major steps in conducting research are:
•&νβσπ;Identification of research problem
•&νβσπ;Literature review
•&νβσπ;Specifying the purpose of research
•&νβσπ;Determine specific research questions or hypotheses
•&νβσπ;Data collection
•&νβσπ;Analyzing and interpreting the data
•&νβσπ;Reporting and evaluating research
The Historical Research Method comprises of several techniques and guidelines that historians use such
as:
•&νβσπ;Identification of origin date
•&νβσπ;Evidence of localization
•&νβσπ;Recognition of authorship
•&νβσπ;Analysis of data
20
•&νβσπ;Identification of integrity
•&νβσπ;Attribution of credibility
Works Cited
Garraghan, Gilbert J. (1946). A Guide to Historical Method. New York: Fordham University Press. p. 168.
ISBN 0-8371-7132-6.
Session 8
How does qualitative research differ from
quantitative research?
Qualitative Research is primarily exploratory research. It is used to gain an understanding of underlying reasons,
opinions, and motivations. It provides insights into the problem or helps to develop ideas or hypotheses for
potential quantitative research. Qualitative Research is also used to uncover trends in thought and opinions, and
dive deeper into the problem. Qualitative data collection methods vary using unstructured or semi-structured
techniques. Some common methods include focus groups (group discussions), individual interviews, and
participation/observations. The sample size is typically small, and respondents are selected to fulfill a given quota.
Quantitative Research is used to quantify the problem by way of generating numerical data or data that can be
transformed into useable statistics. It is used to quantify attitudes, opinions, behaviors, and other defined variables
– and generalize results from a larger sample population. Quantitative Research uses measurable data to
formulate facts and uncover patterns in research. Quantitative data collection methods are much more structured
than Qualitative data collection methods. Quantitative data collection methods include various forms of surveys –
online surveys, paper surveys, mobile surveys and kiosk surveys, face-to-face interviews, telephone interviews,
longitudinal studies, website interceptors, online polls, and systematic observations (snapsurveys, 2013).
snapsurveys. (2013). Retrieved from
http://www.snapsurveys.com/blog/what-is-the-differencebetween-qualitative-research-and-quantitative-research/
The Quantitative data collection methods, rely on random sampling and structured data collection instruments
that fit diverse experiences into predetermined response categories. They produce results that are easy to
summarize, compare, and generalize. Quantitative research involves gathering data that is absolute, such as
numerical data, so that it can be examined in as unbiased a manner as possible. Qualitative research, on the other
hand, is a much more subjective form of research, in which the research allows themselves to introduce their own
bias to help form a more complete picture. Qualitative research may be necessary in situations where it is unclear
what exactly is being looked for in a study, so that the researcher needs to be able to determine what data is
important and what isn’t. While quantitative research generally knows exactly what it’s looking for before the
research begins, in qualitative research the focus of the study may become more apparent as time progresses.
Often the data presented from qualitative research will be much less concrete than pure numbers as data
(wisegeek, 2013).
wisegeek. (2013). Retrieved from http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-thedifference-between-quantitative-and-qualitative-research.htm
NSF Site: http://www.nsf.gov/funding/
21
Visit the NSF site at: http://www.nsf.gov/home/funding
Find a source of grant for your present or future occupation (Two-year
college faculty, university instructor/administrator, company manager
and discuss your findings on the DB Forum 8.
On the NSF website I found a grant opportunity for the field of my interest which is engineering design.
The Engineering and Systems Design (ESD) program supports descriptive and normative research leading
to a theory of engineering design and an understanding of systems engineering. The program is focused
on gaining an understanding of the basic processes and phenomena underlying a view of design where
the system life-cycle context informs the identification and definition of preferences, analysis of
alternatives, effective accommodation of uncertainty in decision-making, and the relationship between
data, information, and knowledge in a digitally-supported environment. The program funds advances in
a descriptive understanding of design and basic design theory that span multiple domains, such as the
relationship of systems to the environment, the significance of manufacturability, and the range of
complexity from small designed artifacts to large engineered systems.
in 100 words describe an example of a
Qualitative research, and one example of a
Quantitative Research.
Qualitative research is useful for studies at the individual level, and to find out, in depth, the
ways in which people think or feel (e.g. case studies).
Analysis of qualitative data is difficult and requires accurate description of participant
responses, for example, sorting responses to open questions and interviews into broad themes.
Quotations from diaries or interviews might be used to illustrate points of analysis. Expert
knowledge of an area is necessary to try to interpret qualitative data and great care must be
taken when doing so, for example, if looking for symptoms of mental illness.
Quantitative research gathers data in numerical form which can be put into categories, or in
rank order, or measured in units of measurement. This type of data can be used to construct
graphs and tables of raw data.
Experiments typically yield quantitative data, as they are concerned with measuring things.
However, other research methods, such as observations and questionnaire can produce both
quantitative and qualitative information. For example, a rating scale or closed questions on a
questionnaire would generate quantitative data as these produce either numerical data or data
that can be put into categories (e.g. “yes”, “no” answers). Whereas open-ended questions
would generate qualitative information as they are a descriptive response. A good example of a
qualitative research method would be the case study (Qualitative Quanitative, 2013).
Qualitative Quanitative. (2013). Retrieved from
http://www.simplypsychology.org/qualitativequantitative.html
22
Session 9
In WHICH situations you would use a personal
interview, telephone survey, or selfadministered questionnaire?
In the face-to-face interview it is possible to record more than the verbal responses of the
interviewee, which are often superficial. When human beings communicate directly with each
other much more information is communicated between them. When two people face one
another, the dialogue is conducted on several levels. It goes beyond verbal expression. The
nature of words used, facial expressions and body language all communicate what the other
party means.
Telephone interviews among consumers, are very common in the developed world, these are
conducted with far less frequency in the developing world. The reason is somewhat obvious,
i.e. only a relatively small proportion of the total population has a telephone in the house.
Moreover, telephone owners tend to be urban dwellers and have above average incomes and
are therefore unrepresentative of the population as a whole.
To a greater extent, telephone interviewing has potential in surveys of businesses, government
agencies and other organizations or institutions. Even then, it is still the case that telephone
surveys are rarely without bias. Whilst it is true that many businesses have a telephone, small
businesses and even medium-sized enterprises are far less likely to have access to telephones.
Self-administered questionnaires can be conducted in a number of ways, including individually,
by mail, in group settings, online, and household drop-off. Researchers can present potential
respondents with the questionnaire in a variety of ways, including:
•in person –r the researcher can ask the respondents to deposit completed surveys in a
designated location (a drop-box, for example)
•through the mail (preferably including a pre-addressed, stamped envelope for return) – such
questionnaires can be directly mailed to potential respondents, or picked up by potential
respondents at a specific location;
•online – questionnaire completion can be conducted through email or direction to a particular
website
Care must be taken in identifying the target population when considering a self-administered
questionnaire, as this method requires literacy and potentially computer/online access on the
part of the respondents (FAO Corporation, 2013).
FAO Corporation. (2013). Retrieved from
http://www.fao.org/docrep/W3241E/w3241e06.htm
23
How do environmental factors affect response rates in personal interviews?
How can we overcome these environmental problems?
Environmental factors play a major role in a person’s level of honestly and even their willingness to
answer the questions in the first place. If it is a telephone interview timing a major factor. The call must
be made on a weekend or in the evenings because people work during the week and would be reluctant
to take their time to answer the questions. If it is a personal interview a major factor would be the
environment the interview will take place in and the charisma of the interviewer. For example, in a mall
when a salesmen tries to offer someone a good deal on a new phone, that person is likely to walk right
past that salesmen unless he can engage them in a informal conversation.
Please review attached document and
DISCUSS the Qualitative Research. This
document is chapter 8 of Cooper Text.
♦&νβσπ;Quantitative research attempts precise measurement of something.
– In marketing research, it usually measures consumer behavior, knowledge, opinions, or
attitudes.
– It is used to answer questions related to how much, how often, how many, when, and who.
– The survey is not the only methodology of the quantitative researcher, but it is a dominant
one.
– Is often used for theory testing (Will a $1-off instant coupon generate more sales for Kellogg’s
Special K?), requiring that the researcher maintain a distance from the research so as not to
bias the results.
– The researcher who interprets the data and draws conclusions from it is rarely the data
collector and often has no contact at all with the participant.
– Identical data are desired from all participants, so evolution of methodology is not
acceptable.
24
– Data often consist of participant responses that are coded, categorized, and reduced to
numbers so that these data may be manipulated for statistical analysis.
– One objective is the quantitative tally of events or opinions, called frequency of response.
– Once a quantitative survey, field observation, or experiment is started, it is quickly common
knowledge among a research sponsor’s competitors.
♦&νβσπ;Qualitative research:
– The purpose of qualitative research is based on “researcher immersion in the phenomenon to
be studied, gathering data which provide a detailed description of events, situations and
interaction between people and things, [thus] providing depth and detail.”
– It is sometimes labeled interpretive research because it seeks to develop understanding
through detailed description.
– It often builds theory, but rarely tests it.
– Both the researcher and research sponsor often have significant involvement in collecting and
interpreting data (participant, catalyst, participant observer, or group interview moderator).
Go to the External Link, Go to the EPA site or
click on URL
http://www.epa.gov/ogd/recipient/tips.htm
See the Tips for Writing Grant Proposals and
discuss the Project Summary, Introduction of
the Organization , Problem Statement , Project
25
Objectives, Project Methods or Design, Project
Evaluation, Future Funding, and Project
Budget. If the link is not available, please see
the link below:
http://www.dailywritingtips.com/grant-writingtips/
1. Executive Summary- Usually one page
• Proposed program summary
• Solution- What the program will accomplish
• Program cost
• Organization experience and capacity- Brief statements to establish credibility with similar
programs
2. Statement of Need- Two pages
• Reason(s) proposed program is needed, supported with statistical information
• Reasons the organization is the right candidate to fulfill those need(s)
3. Program Description- Three pages
• Program design and implementation
• Goals and Objectives
• Methods- Steps taken to accomplish program objectives
• Program Evaluation- The methods for reporting program results, by whom and when. How
will you measure success? What are your plans for improvement?
• Plan for sustainability- How will the program continue once funding is gone?
• Program staff
4. Organizational Information- One page
• Mission and History
• Summary of past and former programs
26
• Accomplishments
5. Program Budget- One page
Provide an outline of all program costs and expenses. Be sure to review their guidelines on
what they do not fund.
6. Attachments- Varies
• 501 © 3- Tax exemption letter
• Organization Bylaws and Articles of Incorporation
• List of Board members
• Financial Statements
• Letters of support
Explain the Scientific Method
The scientific method is the best way yet discovered for winnowing the truth from lies and
delusion. The simple version looks something like this:
•1. Observe some aspect of the universe.
•2. Invent a tentative description, called a hypothesis, that is consistent with what you have
observed.
•3. Use the hypothesis to make predictions.
•4. Test those predictions by experiments or further observations and modify the hypothesis in
the light of your results.
•5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 until there are no discrepancies between theory and experiment
and/or observation.
When consistency is obtained the hypothesis becomes a theory and provides a coherent set of
propositions which explain a class of phenomena. A theory is then a framework within which
observations are explained and predictions are made (Physics.ucr, 2013).
Physics.ucr. (2013). Retrieved from
http://physics.ucr.edu/~wudka/Physics7/Notes_www/
node6.html
Session 10
Dr. D is conducting an interview with Amber, who works as a cocktail waitress. Here is an excerpt:
27
Dr. D: What shift do you typically work?
Amber: Night. I come in a around 7:00 p.m. and work until 2:00 a.m.
Dr. D: Cocktail waitressing has a bad reputation. How bad is it to work here?
Amber: Not so bad. Most of our customers are pretty nice guys. They’re
regulars and they don’t drink too much and get out of control. In fact, if
one customer is giving me a hard time, another often steps in and helps out.
Dr. D: As the evening progresses, the men give you more and more problems,
don’t they? What do you do about that?
Amber: I ignore it as long as I can. I get the manager to step in if they don’t
straighten up.
Do you notice any problems with the interviewing technique of Dr. D? Describe the problems you see
in the excerpts and then explain what Dr. D should do differently.
The interviewer is being biased by stating the questions with his/her preconceived opinions
about the interviewees job. If the interviewer had taken a more neutral standpoint the
interviewee may have given different answers, but because the interviewer seemed to casting a
negative judgment on this persons job they may have been subconsciously defending their line
of work instead of providing honest answers. Regardless of whether the answers were honest
or not, it is not polite to address someone about how they earn a living with such a negative
context.
One of the most challenging aspects of conducting historical
research is systematically organizing the hundreds or
thousands of notes that are collected in the course of the
research project. Describe one method for handling this
organizational challenge, including mention of both the
strengths and weaknesses of the approach.
Computer database management can make the writing process much easier and more efficient. If the
information is stored in a computer database, you can begin writing the chapter or article from a first
draft. The History Database program was created for the purpose of research, writing, and cataloging
with historical materials and for recording information to assist in the preservation of historic sites. The
program provides simplified data entry, editing, and searching facilities for use by historians,
researchers, archivists, museum curators, librarians, preservationists, and others whose entries include
28
textual descriptions. The program also helps a beginning computer user make use of a historical
database in the same way that a reference librarian helps a freshman make use of a library. The History
Database program is presently used by a variety of historical researchers and organizations.
The authors of your textbook (Leedy) suggest that sampling
bias is virtually unavoidable and that it is important to disclose
and discuss possible sources of bias in the study report. Do
you agree? Explain your position.
Yes I agree because Bias in surveys is undesirable, but often unavoidable. The major types of
bias that may occur in the sampling process are:
Non-response bias: When individuals or households selected in the survey sample cannot or
will not complete the survey there is the potential for bias to result from this non-response.
Nonresponse bias occurs when the observed value deviates from the population parameter due
to differences between respondents and nonrespondents.
Coverage bias: Coverage bias can occur when population members do not appear in the sample
frame. Coverage bias occurs when the observed value deviates from the population parameter
due to differences between covered and non-covered units. Telephone surveys suffer from a
well known source of coverage bias because they cannot include households without
telephones.
Selection Bias: Selection bias occurs when some units have a differing probability of selection
that is unaccounted for by the researcher.
In writing the cover letter to accompany a mailed survey, novice
researchers often stress the immediacy of their need for the data. Is
this the best approach to take in the cover letter? If not, what do you
recommend instead?
People do not like to feel pressured into taking a survey. Surveys that get mailed out
that have a sense of urgency are often discarded as junk mail. Rather than being pushy
with people it is best to show them respect. People will typically respond positively to a
survey that has some sort of incentive.
Define "VALIDITY". Describe and distinguish between
Internal validity and external validity.
In science and statistics, validity is the extent to which a concept, conclusion or measurement is
well-founded and corresponds accurately to the real world. Internal validity has to do with the
accuracy of the results. Results could be inaccurate if samples are not selected randomly.
External validity has to do with the generalizability of the findings to the population. If the
29
sample selected is only Hispanics under the age of 25, then it would be hard to generalize the
results to the entire US population.
There are unique challenges associated with conducting
research on data that are already in existence (e.g., historical
research). Discuss some of these unique challenges, pointing
out pitfalls the researcher should be careful to avoid.
In historical research there is Negative criticism which refers to establishing the reliability or authenticity
and accuracy of the content of documents and other sources of information. You must determine if the
content in the document or source is accurate; this determination is achieved by using the following three
heuristics:
· Corroboration -- comparing documents to each other to see if they provide the same information and lead to the
same conclusions.
· Sourcing – identifying the author, date of creation, place of creation, or other information that identifies the
source.
· Contextualization – identifying when and where the event took place and the context in which it took place.
Session 11
Go to External Link, read the article "Women At Work .
.."
URL: http://nait.org/jit/Articles/bost1198.pdf
Review the article and respond to the questions on the
Discussion Board.
a. What were the main reasons for this research (significance)?
b. What Methodology was used for this research? e. Elaborate on the
participants (subjects) of this research (who?).
c. Explain the instrument used.
f. What is your understanding of the literature?
g. What do the authors mean by referring to "The actors" in this paper.
h. If you were to conduct this research, how different would you do?
d. Explain the quantitative analysis of this research.
a. What were the main reasons for this research (significance)?
30
To attempt to present the issues of gender equity in the workforce from several points
of view and to provide clues to identify causes for the continued inequities. Also to present
some of the problems for industry and society as a whole if the inequities continue.
b. What Methodology was used for this research? e. Elaborate on the participants (subjects) of
this research (who?).
Quantitative research method was used. The article discussed the amount of money
women earn and the percentage women in the workforce and their earnings in cents compared
men’s dollar.
c. Explain the instrument used.
The author referenced several graphical representations.
f. What is your understanding of the literature?
This was a rather informative article regarding equity among men and women. Some
major reasons discussed in the article as to why equity is so important are that it is fair and
morally correct to give equal pay for equal performance. Second, it is an important waste of
talent when women are diverted from jobs because of their gender. The third reason is that it is
the law that we must comply with nondiscrimination on the basis of gender.
g. What do the authors mean by referring to "The actors" in this paper.
Women in the workforce.
h. If you were to conduct this research, how different would you do?
I like the way the research was performed. The ideas are clearly articulated and are
represented with graphs. If I were to add anything it would be a questionnaire.
Using your Text, Discuss the following Topics.
 Selecting a problem - What are the
characteristics of a reseachable
problem? Give example.
There are two types of research: replications and original work. The purpose of replicative
research is, most importantly, to provide further evidence that the parenting study was true,
and ideally its problem statement should reveal and reference the parenting research. In an
original work, no such references shall be made.
The commonality that links these two types of research is the process and criteria to be met in
the problem selection and the execution of research. When selecting a problem to research,
whether it is a replication or an original work, the researchable problem should be of
31
passionate interest to the researcher, and also build upon what was commonly known to be
true about that particular subject. Also, during the research process these two would share
common techniques and criteria that would apply to all research.
These five strategies are useful in articulating the research problem:
1. State the problem clearly and completely.
2. Think through the feasibility of the project that the problem implies.
3. Say precisely what one means.
4. State the problem in a way that reflects an open mind about its
solution.
5. Edit one’s work (Leedy & Ormrod 2010).
Above all, the development of a reasonable theoretical framework for the study begins with
identifying a good research question and addressing every loose end. Although there are
strategies and criteria that are useful in developing a good study, some of the greatest
researchers are those who present questions that stray our minds to think outside the box,
similarly there methods may have been rather unorthodox. Just as the importance of good
research is to improve what was previously known about a certain subject matter, just maybe
the way research is conducted can also be improved.
Give an Example of a problem statement
Recently, some anti-environmentalists have claimed that the earth is actually in fine shape: global
warming is a myth, the earth and sea are cleaner than ever, the forests are full of trees. But the EPA's
data disproves this: the emissions of greenhouse gases, for example, have increased significantly even in
the last fifteen years. As long as we ignore that, we are living with a false sense of security, and not
taking any of the action we need to take. The earth is in trouble; any efforts to distract the public from
that are made by corporate interests that earn bigger profits by polluting.
http://faculty.virginia.edu/schoolhouse/WP/sampleprobstat.html
What are the reasons for conducting a literature review
There are several reasons why you may conduct a literature review:






to ensure you have a thorough understanding of the topic
to identify potential areas for research
to identify similar work done within the area
identifying knowledge gaps that demand further
investigation
to compare previous findings
to critique existing findings and suggest further studies.
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Why do we generate a hypothesis and give an example of
a good hypothesis
An example of a formalized research hypothesis is "If skin cancer is related to ultraviolet light ,
then people with a high exposure to uv light will have a higher frequency of skin cancer".
A hypothesis is important because it guides the research. An investigator may refer to the
hypothesis to direct his or her thought process toward the solution of the research problem or
subproblems. The hypothesis helps an investigator to collect the right kinds of data needed for
the investigation. Hypotheses are also important because they help an investigator to locate
information needed to resolve the research problem or subproblems (Leedy and Ormrod,
2001).
Often times, an investigator will formulate a hypothesis based on the problem or subproblems
of the research. The hypothesis is driven by the research question.
Most commonly, hypotheses take three formats:
1.) a question, "Does temperature affect fermentation?"
2.) a conditional statement, "Temperature may affect fermentation."
3.) an If, then statement, "If fermentation rate is related to temperature, then increasing the
temperature will increase gas production."
http://people.uwec.edu/piercech/researchmethods/generating%20a%20research%20hypothes
is/generating%20a%20research%20hypothesis%20index.htm
Session 12
Using your Texts and the Internet, Define, Discuss and
provide examples for Generating a hypothesis.
Pick a topic. You don't have to choose a topic that you know a lot about. A hypothesis is the an educated guess
that you plan on investigating--that being said, this topic needs to be testable.
Think about the cause. What is the purpose of investigating this? What are you trying to prove? This is going to be
the first part of your hypothesis the IF statement.
Think about the effect. Decide what you think is going to happen based on that IF statement. This is your THEN
statement.
Double check it. Is your If-then statement testable? Is it specific enough? Is it going to be something that you can
investigate? Is it an original contribution? What does this tell us about the cause of a phenomenon.
A medical researcher is concerned about mistakenly concluding that a new
medication is effective when it really is not. What type of error is the researcher
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concerned about making (Type I or Type II)? Describe what the researcher might do
to decrease the likelihood of making that type of error. Discuss ramifications of
your suggested approach for other types of error in the study.
A Type I error is often represented by the Greek letter alpha (α) and a Type II error by the Greek letter beta (β ). In
choosing a level of probability for a test, you are actually deciding how much you want to risk committing a Type I
error—rejecting the null hypothesis when it is, in fact, true. For this reason, the area in the region of rejection is
sometimes called the alpha level because it represents the likelihood of committing a Type I error.
Type I and Type II errors are inversely related: As one increases, the other decreases. The Type I, or α (alpha), error
rate is usually set in advance by the researcher. The Type II error rate for a given test is harder to know because it
requires estimating the distribution of the alternative hypothesis, which is usually unknown.
Using your Texts and the Internet, Define, Discuss and
provide examples for
Conducting a literature review
"Tour of University Library" Online or Walk in.
A review of the literature is a compilation of the research that has been published on a topic by recognized scholars and
researchers. In writing the literature review, your purpose is to convey to your reader what knowledge and ideas have been
established on a topic, and what their strengths and weaknesses might be.
A literature review should do the following:
A. Be organized around and related to the research question you are developing.
B. Synthesize results into a summary of what is and is not known.
C. Identify gaps or areas of controversy in the literature.
D. Formulate questions that need further research.
Conducting a Review of the Literature:
Step 1. Familiarize yourself with the scholarly journal literature by browsing the Library's E-Journals lists.
Step 2: Identify the keywords and phrases that describe your topic by making a list of possible synonyms.
Step 3: Select and search appropriate databases or search tools.
Things to Keep in Mind:
1.Library databases are different than Web search engines.
2.The information cycle determines where and when certain types of information are published.
3.Most topics are interdisciplinary, so don't limit your search to one field or subject database.
4.Be aware that research is a cyclical, recursive process.
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Using your Texts and the Internet, Define, Discuss and
provide examples for
The problem statement
A problem statement is a concise description of the issues that need to be addressed by a
problem solving team and should be presented to them (or created by them) before they try to
solve the problem. When bringing together a team to achieve a particular purpose provide
them with a problem statement. A good problem statement should answer these questions:
1.What is the problem? This should explain why the team is needed.
2.Who has the problem or who is the client/customer? This should explain who needs the
solution and who will decide the problem has been solved.
3.What form can the resolution be? What is the scope and limitations (in time, money,
resources, technologies) that can be used to solve the problem? Does the client want a white
paper? A web-tool? A new feature for a product? A brainstorming on a topic?
Using your Texts and the Internet, Define, Discuss and
provide examples for
Selecting a problem
Sources of problems
Characteristics of good problems
Selecting a problem
The selected research subject should be practical and realistic, so that the related research material/sources are
easily available within one’s reach.
Some of the other criteria, which must also be considered while selecting a problem, are: importance of the
subject, qualifications and training of the researcher, costs involved, and the time factor. In other words, before
selecting a problem, the researcher must ask himself the following questions:
1.
2. Is he well equipped, concerning his background, to conduct the research?
3. Does the research/study come within the budget he can afford?
4. Can the necessary cooperation be obtained from those who must
participate in the research as subjects?
Sources of problems
There certainly is no shortage of worthy research problems if you know how to hunt. Perhaps the best way to
generate problems is to cultivate the habit of critical reading and listening. This means constantly bringing
questions to mind while you are poring over books and journals and while you witness lectures and discussions.
35
The sorts of questions you pose identify the kinds of problems to investigate. Beyond critical reading and listening,
a further source of topics is that of problems met on the job, either on your own job or someone else's.
Characteristics of good problems
SMART
S-Specific
M-Measurable
A-Attainable/Achievable
R-Realistic
T- Time Conscious
List several steps researchers can take to
optimize the power of their statistical tests.
Statistical power may depend on a number of factors. Some of these factors may be particular
to a specific testing situation, but at a minimum, power nearly always depends on the following
three factors:
-the statistical significance criterion used in the test
-the magnitude of the effect of interest in the population
-the sample size used to detect the effect
In writing the cover letter to accompany a mailed survey,
novice researchers often stress the immediacy of their need
for the data. Is this the best approach to take in the cover
letter? If not, what do you recommend instead?
People do not like to feel pressured into taking a survey. Surveys that get mailed out
that have a sense of urgency are often discarded as junk mail. Rather than being pushy
with people it is best to show them respect. People will typically respond positively to a
survey that has some sort of incentive.
The authors of your textbook suggest that sampling bias is
virtually unavoidable and that it is important to disclose and
discuss possible sources of bias in the study report. Do you
agree? Explain your position.
Yes I agree because Bias in surveys is undesirable, but often unavoidable. The major types of
bias that may occur in the sampling process are:
Non-response bias: When individuals or households selected in the survey sample cannot or
will not complete the survey there is the potential for bias to result from this non-response.
36
Nonresponse bias occurs when the observed value deviates from the population parameter due
to differences between respondents and nonrespondents.
Coverage bias: Coverage bias can occur when population members do not appear in the sample
frame. Coverage bias occurs when the observed value deviates from the population parameter
due to differences between covered and non-covered units. Telephone surveys suffer from a
well known source of coverage bias because they cannot include households without
telephones.
Selection Bias: Selection bias occurs when some units have a differing probability of selection
that is unaccounted for by the researcher.
Session 13
Review and Discuss the criteria for a good grant proposal at:
http://research.microsoft.com/users/simonpj/papers/Proposal.html
Discuss major criteria for writing a good grant
proposal
Here are the major criteria against which your proposal will be judged. Read through your case for
support repeatedly, and ask whether the answers to the questions below are clear, even to a nonexpert.

Does the proposal address a well-formulated problem?

Is it a research problem, or is it just a routine application of known techniques?

Is it an important problem, whose solution will have useful effects?

Is special funding necessary to solve the problem, or to solve it quickly enough, or could it be
solved using the normal resources of a well-found laboratory?

Do the proposers have a good idea on which to base their work? The proposal must explain the
idea in sufficient detail to convince the reader that the idea has some substance, and should
explain why there is reason to believe that it is indeed a good idea. It is absolutely not enough
merely to identify a wish-list of desirable goals (a very common fault). There must be significant
technical substance to the proposal.

Does the proposal explain clearly what work will be done? Does it explain what results are
expected and how they will be evaluated? How would it be possible to judge whether the work
was successful?
37

Is there evidence that the proposers know about the work that others have done on the
problem? This evidence may take the form of a short review as well as representative
references.

Do the proposers have a good track record, both of doing good research and of publishing it? A
representative selection of relevant publications by the proposers should be cited. Absence of a
track record is clearly not a disqualifying characteristic, especially in the case of young
researchers, but a consistent failure to publish raises question marks.
Why should we submit the mini-thesis or grant proposal now?
Starting now is especially ideal for those who are choosing to do a thesis because you have the
opportunity to receive feed back from others, good practice, and if you already know what topic
you will choose for a thesis then you also get a head start.
Visit the U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics, Labor Force
Statistics from the Current Population Survey, Frequently Asked Questions at:
http://www.bls.gov/cps/cps_faq.htm
Read and discuss the following questions on the Discussion Board
Forum 13:
1. Why does the Government collect statistics on the
unemployed?
2. Where do the statistics come from?
3. What are the basic concepts of employment and
unemployment?
4. Who is counted as employed?
5. Who is counted as unemployed?
6. Who is not in the labor force?
Why does the Government collect statistics on the unemployed?
Government statistics tell us about the extent and nature of unemployment. How many people are
unemployed? How did they become unemployed? How long have they been unemployed? Are their
numbers growing or declining? Are they men or women? Are they young or old? Are they white or black
or of Hispanic ethnicity? Are they skilled or unskilled? Are they the sole support of their families, or do
other family members have jobs? Are they more concentrated in one area of the country than another?
After these statistics are obtained, they have to be interpreted properly so they can be used—together
with other economic data—by policymakers in making decisions as to whether measures should be taken
to influence the future course of the economy or to aid those affected by joblessness.
Where do the statistics come from?
Because unemployment insurance records relate only to persons who have applied for such benefits, and
because it is impractical to actually count every unemployed person each month, the Government
38
conducts a monthly sample survey called the Current Population Survey (CPS) to measure the extent of
unemployment in the country. The CPS has been conducted in the United States every month since 1940
when it began as a Work Projects Administration program. It has been expanded and modified several
times since then.
What are the basic concepts of employment and unemployment?
The basic concepts involved in identifying the employed and unemployed are quite simple:
People with jobs are employed.
People who are jobless, looking for jobs, and available for work
are unemployed.
People who are neither employed nor unemployed are not in
the labor force.
Who is counted as employed?
Employed persons consist of:
All persons who did any work for pay or profit during the survey
reference week.
All persons who did at least 15 hours of unpaid work in a
family-owned enterprise operated by someone in their household.
All persons who were temporarily absent from their regular
jobs, whether they were paid or not.
Not all of the wide range of job situations in the American economy fit neatly into a given category. For
example, people are considered employed if they did any work at all for pay or profit during the survey
reference week. This includes all part-time and temporary work, as well as regular full-time, year-round
employment. Persons also are counted as employed if they have a job at which they did not work during
the survey week because they were:
On vacation
Ill
Experiencing child-care problems
Taking care of some other family or personal obligation
On maternity or paternity leave
Involved in an industrial dispute
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Prevented from working by bad weather
Who is counted as unemployed?
Persons are classified as unemployed if they do not have a job, have actively looked for work in the prior
4 weeks, and are currently available for work.
Workers expecting to be recalled from layoff are counted as unemployed, whether or not they have
engaged in a specific jobseeking activity. In all other cases, the individual must have been engaged in at
least one active job search activity in the 4 weeks preceding the interview and be available for work
(except for temporary illness).
Who is not in the labor force?
Persons not in the labor force are those who are not classified as employed or unemployed during the
survey reference week.
Labor force measures are based on the civilian noninstitutional population 16 years old and over.
(Excluded are persons under 16 years of age, all persons confined to institutions such as nursing homes
and prisons, and persons on active duty in the Armed Forces.) The labor force is made up of the
employed and the unemployed. The remainder—those who have no job and are not looking for one—are
counted as "not in the labor force." Many who are not in the labor force are going to school or are
retired. Family responsibilities keep others out of the labor force.
Visit the U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics, Labor Force
Statistics from the Current Population Survey, Frequently Asked Questions at:
http://www.bls.gov/cps/cps_faq.htm
Read and discuss the following questions on the Discussion Board
Forum 13:
1. How large is the labor force?
2. How are seasonal fluctuations taken into
account?
3.
4. What do the unemployment insurance figures
measure?
5. Is there a measure of underemployment?
6. How are the unemployed counted in other
countries?
How large is the labor force?
40
The labor force is not a fixed number of people. It increases with the long-term growth of the population,
it responds to economic forces and social trends, and its size changes with the seasons. On average in
2008, there were roughly 145 million employed and 9 million unemployed making up a labor force of 154
million persons. There were about 80 million persons not in the labor force.
How are seasonal fluctuations taken into account?
The seasonal fluctuations in the number of employed and unemployed persons reflect not only the
normal seasonal weather patterns that tend to be repeated year after year, but also the hiring (and
layoff) patterns that accompany regular events such as the winter holiday season and the summer
vacation season. These variations make it difficult to tell whether month-to-month changes in
employment and unemployment are due to normal seasonal patterns or to changing economic
conditions. To deal with such problems, a statistical technique called seasonal adjustment is used.
When a statistical series has been seasonally adjusted, the normal seasonal fluctuations are smoothed
out and data for any month can be more meaningfully compared with data from any other month or with
an annual average. Many time series that are based on monthly data are seasonally adjusted.
What do the unemployment insurance (UI) figures measure?
The UI figures are not produced by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Statistics on insured unemployment in
the United States are collected as a by-product of UI programs. Workers who lose their jobs and are
covered by these programs typically file claims ("initial claims") that serve as notice that they are
beginning a period of unemployment. Claimants who qualify for benefits are counted in the insured
unemployment figures (as "continued claims"). Data on UI claims are maintained by the Employment and
Training Administration, an agency of the U.S. Department of Labor, and are available on the Internet at:
Is there a measure of underemployment?
Because of the difficulty of developing an objective set of criteria which could be readily used in a
monthly household survey, no official government statistics are available on the total number of persons
who might be viewed as underemployed. Even if many or most could be identified, it would still be
difficult to quantify the loss to the economy of such underemployment.
How are the unemployed counted in other countries?
The sample survey system of counting the unemployed in the United States is also used by many foreign
countries, including Canada, Mexico, Australia, Japan, and all of the countries in the European Economic
Community. More recently, a number of East European nations have instituted labor force surveys as
well. However, some countries collect their official statistics on the unemployed from employment office
41
registrations or unemployment insurance records. Many nations, including the United States, use both
labor force survey data and administrative statistics to analyze unemployment.
The International Labor Comparisons program of the Bureau of Labor Statistics adjusts foreign
unemployment rates to U.S. concepts. Comparative labor force statistics tables showing annual averages
from 1960 onward, as well as monthly estimates of unemployment rates approximating U.S. concepts for
selected countries, are available.
Do you know of any research that has been conducted without a QUESTION or
OBJECTIVE?
How long would it take to conduct a seemingly simple research such as "finding
the reasons for students tardiness?
What do we need to conduct such research? Do we need a questionnaire? Do we
need to pilot test that questionnaire? Do we need to identify a sample? Do we
need enough time to send and receive surveys if needed?
1. Do you know of any research that has been conducted without a QUESTION or
OBJECTIVE?
I think that even if someone was researching solely for the sake of learning they are
doing so because of an initial question or personal objective that spawned their interest.
So to answer the question, no I have never heard of research that is as spontaneous
and ill planned as beginning without even a general goal in mind.
2. How long would it take to conduct a seemingly simple research such as "finding the
reasons for students tardiness?
Depending on the size of the study which was not given in the question this research
could take hours for a small class like ours, months for the entire university, and a year
or more if the study were to be conducted nation-wide. Large studies are followed by
many variables.
3. What do we need to conduct such research? Do we need a questionnaire? Do we
need to pilot test that questionnaire? Do we need to identify a sample? Do we need
enough time to send and receive surveys if needed?
Surveys and quesitonaires would suffice for such research. The allotted time to gather
information using these tools must be considered in early planning.
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