5. Research Design Jin-Wan Seo, Professor Dept. of Public Administration, University of Incheon

5. Research Design 5. Research Design 1  Exploration  Much of social research is conducted to __________ a topic, that is, to start to familiarize a researcher with that topic.  This approach typically occurs when a researcher examines a new interest or when the subject of study itself is relatively new. As a result, they seldom provide satisfactory answers to research questions.  Description  Major purpose is to __________ situations and events.  Researcher observes and then describes what was observed.  Explanation  The third purpose is to __________ things.  Descriptive studies answer questions of what, where, when, and how; explanatory questions, of why. Three Purposes of Research

5. Research Design 5. Research Design 1  Criteria for nomothetic causality 1.The variables must be correlated, 2.The cause takes place before the effect, 3.And the variables are _____________.  Correlation  Unless some actual relationship – correlation is found between two variables, we can’t say that a causal relationship exists.  Time order  We can’t say a causal relationship exists unless the cause precedes the effect in time. Logic of Nomothetic Explanation (Why?)

5. Research Design 5. Research Design 1  Nonspurious 1.The third requirement for a causal relationship is that the effect cannot be explained in terms of some third variable. 2.A coincidental statistical correlation between two variables, shown to be caused by some third precedes the effect in time. Observed Correlation: Positive (direct) correlation Bigger shoe size is associated with greater math skill, and vice versa. Shoe size Math Skill Actual causal relationships Neither shoe size nor math skill is a cause of the other. Shoe size Math Skill Shoe size Math Skill Shoe size Math Skill Age The underlying variable of age causes both bigger shoe size and greater math skill, thus explaining the observed correlation. Spurious causal relationships

5. Research Design 5. Research Design 1 When they say that one variable causes another, they do not necessarily mean to suggest complete causation, to accout for exceptional cases, or to claim that the causation exists in a majority of cases.  Complete Causation  A nomothetic explanation is probabilistic and usually incomplete.  Exceptional Cases  Exceptions do not disprove a causal relationship or the overall causal pattern.  Majority Cases  Causal relationship can be true even if they don’t apply in a majority of cases. False Criteria for Nomothethic Causality

5. Research Design 5. Research Design 1  In social research, there is virtually no limit to what or whom can be studied, or the unit of analysis.  Individuals, groups, organizations, etc. Unit of Analysis

5. Research Design 5. Research Design 1 1.Getting started (Interest- Idea-Theory) 2.Conceptualization 3.Choice of Research Method 4.____________________ 5.Population & Sampling 6.Observations 7.Data Processing 8.Analysis 9.Application How to Design a Research Project

5. Research Design 5. Research Design 1  Problem or Objective  Problems and background  Process of seeking dependent variable  Research Orientation  Literature Review  Process of seeking independent variables  Research Methods  Measurement  Data-Collection Methods  Analysis  Applications - Research & Policy Implications Research Proposal – Its Elements

5. Research Design 5. Research Design 1  The purpose of the study = ___________________  What exactly do you want to study? (What to do?)  Why is it worth studying? What is important?  Does the proposed study have practical significance?  Does it contribute to the construction of social theories?  The question of “Why?”  Three elements of problems 1._______________ Researcher’s capability; Availability of data collection; Political sensitivity; time and cost, etc. 2.Creativenenss 3.Significance 1. Problems

5. Research Design 5. Research Design 1  Literature Review  The basis of research  Setting research direction & orientation  Seeking independent variables  Related questions  What have others said about this topic?  What theories address it and what do they say?  What previous research exists?  Are there consistent findings, or do past studies disagree?  Are there flaws in the body of existing research that you think you can 2. Research Orientation

5. Research Design 5. Research Design 1  Measurement  What are the key variables in your study?  How will you define and measure them?  Do your definitions and measurement methods duplicate or differ from those of previous research on this topic?  Data-Collection Methods  How will you actually collect the data for your study?  Will you conduct an experiment or a survey?  Will you undertake field research or will you focus on the reanalysis of statistics already created by others? 3. Research Methods

5. Research Design 5. Research Design 1  The First stage  Once the collected data are in a suitable form, you are ready to interpret them for the purpose of drawing conclusions that reflect the interests, ideas, and theories that initiated the inquiry.  Analyzing data and drawing conclusions  Spell out the purpose and logic of your analysis.  Are you interested in precise description?  Do you intend to explain to account for variations in some quality: for example, why some students are more liberal than others?  What possible explanatory variables will your analysis consider, and how will you know if you’ve explained variations adequately? 4. Analysis

5. Research Design 5. Research Design 1  Reporting results and assessing their implications  Discuss what you have learned about what you analyzed. (Meaning? So What?)  What is implications of what you have learned? (Theoretical Contribution & Practical Implications)  Suggest further research on your subject (Future Direction & Next?) 5. Research & Policy Implications

5. Research Design 5. Research Design 1  If you lose your train of thought, you need to have an overall organizational structure to fall back upon. Note: all speeches should follow the following organizational structure (even if one of the sections is only a few seconds long!) 1.INTRODUCTION 2.TITLE 3.OBJECTIVE 4.OVERVIEW 5.The BIG PICTURE 6.BODY - This is where you make your argument. 7.SUMMARY 8.QUESTIONS 9.CONCLUSION Presentation Skills - Organization Structure

5. Research Design 5. Research Design 1  If you lose your train of thought, you need to have an overall organizational structure to fall back upon. Note: all speeches should follow the following organizational structure (even if one of the sections is only a few seconds long!) 1.INTRODUCTION  Grab the audience's attention.  Establish your credibility.  Use a story, a joke, and a quote.  Present provocative statistical information, a problem, or a mental image 2.TITLE  Have a great title ready to engage your audience even further 3.OBJECTIVE  State your thesis; Tell the audience members what you are going to tell them. 4.OVERVIEW  A simple short agenda detailing the main points you will make.  Introduce important source material. Presentation Skills - Organization Structure

5. Research Design 5. Research Design 1 5. The BIG PICTURE  Provide a synopsis of the subject or field 6. BODY - This is where you make your argument. 7. SUMMARY  Summarize your five main points, relating them to your main theme.  Your summary should reflect your organizational structure. 8. QUESTIONS - Questions from the audience 9. CONCLUSION  Address any ideas that may have confused your audience  re-emphasize your one main theme  allow your audience to view your support materials or to contact you in the future to give you feedback or ask questions.

5. Research Design 5. Research Design 1  TOPICAL STRUCTURE  Build up to a larger picture by looking at various aspects of one topic.  _______________________________  Follow a timeline.  SPATIAL STRUCTURE  Create a mental map to relate your ideas, perhaps assisted by a visual aid.  THE 5 QUESTIONS  Who? What? Where? Why? & When?  ORDER OF IMPORTANCE  Move from the least to the most important details, or vice versa. Presentation Skills – Body Structure

5. Research Design 5. Research Design 1  CAUSE-EFFECTS  Good for persuasive speeches.  Show a result, then explain the process from cause to effect.  __________________  Remove all alternatives until there is only one remaining option: Yours!  PROBLEM-SOLUTION  Pose a problem and then offer a solution.  THESIS-ANTITHESIS  Describe one possible thesis, and then argue the opposite (the antithesis).  LOGICAL STRUCTURE  1+1=2.  Connect several details to make a larger point.  YARDSTICK  Lay out a set of criteria that you can use to evaluate your topic. Presentation Skills – Body Structure

5. Research Design 5. Research Design 1  MOTIVATIONAL STRUCTUTRE  Establish a need for your audience, and then satisfy that need.  cf. Selected Good Samples of Body Structures  CICERO'S ________________________________  Start with an introduction  State the facts  Show areas of disagreements or decisions  Offer support for a point of view  Eliminate opposing arguments  And conclude.  __________________________________  Introduce an issue of concern  Offer a new point of view  Back it up with evidence  Offer a resolution  And suggest the next step to take. Presentation Skills – Body Structure