Research Tools and Techniques The Research Process: Step 6 (Research Design – Elements 3,4, 6 and 8) Lecture 12

Lecture Topics Covered Previously in the Last Lecture Four Types of Research According to the Purpose of Study Type of Investigation: Causal Versus Correlational

What we are going to Cover in this Lecture Extent of Researcher Interference Study Setting: Contrived Vs. Non Contrived Unit of Analysis Time Horizon of Study

THE RESEARCH PROCESS Observation (4). Theoretical Framework (7). (6).   THE RESEARCH PROCESS (1). Observation  The Broad Problem Area   (2). Preliminary Data Gathering Interviews and Library Search (3). Problem Definition  (4). Theoretical Framework Variables Identification (5) Generation of Hypothesis (6). Scientific Research Design (7). Data Collection and Analysis (8) Deduction (9). Report Writing (10). Report Presentation (11). Managerial Decision Making  

THE ELEMENTS OF RESEARCH DESIGN 2. Type of Investigation Establishing: Causal Relationship or Co-relational 1. Purpose of Study Exploratory Descriptive Hypothesis Testing Case Study 3. Extent of Researcher Interference Minimal Moderate Excessive 4. Study Setting Contrived Non-Contrived 10. Test Application Feel for Data Goodness of Data Hypotheses 6.Unit of Analysis (Population to be studied) Individuals Dyads Groups Organizations Machines etc. 7. Sampling Design Probability Non-probability Sample Size (n) 8. Time Horizon One-Shot (Cross-Sectional) Longitudinal 9. Data Collection Method Observation Interview Questionnaire Physical Measurement 5. Measurement & Measures Operational Definition Scaling Categorizing Coding Problem Statement

EXTENT OF RESEARCHER INTERFERENCE Correlational study  natural environment (Minimum interference) Causal study  researcher manipulates independent variable and controls exogenous variables i.e. effects of penicillin on mice etc. Minimal interference: A hospital administrator Emotional support nurses receive  stress level Days off Moderate interference: More emotional support causes  lesser stress level Ward 1: lady doctors, male staff and ayyas Ward 2: lady doctors Ward 3: no caring staff Excessive interference: Three wards are created with same level of stress

STUDY SETTING: CONTRIVED/NON-CONTRIVED NATURAL ENVIRONMENTNON CONTRIVED FIELD STUDY FIELD EXPERIMENT LAB EXPERIMENT Urea Plant Growth

UNIT OF ANALYSIS The unit of analysis refers to the level of aggregation of the data collected during the subsequent data analysis stage Our research question determines the unit of analysis S INDIVIDUAL S DYADS S GROUPS S DIVISIONS S INDUSTRY S COUNTRIES

Individual as Unit of Analysis Level of Motivation Productivity/hour Ali 9 20 Asim 21 Farhan 8 19 Uzma 7 16 Majeed 18 Arshad 6 10 Aftab 4 5 Sohail 22 Effan 15

Dyads as Unit of Analysis Husband’s Choice Wife’s Choice Mean Toy Bought? Pair 1 7 6 6.5 No Pair 2 9 Yes Pair 3 4 10 Pair 4 Pair 5 5 4.5

Groups as Unit of Analysis Productivity Group 1(Night Shift) 3.4 2.8 6.7 4.3 5.6 Mean=4.56 t-value = 2.87 Group 2 (Morning Shift) 3.3 4.7 6.3 6.6 6.2 Mean=5.42

Summary Extent of Researcher Interference Study Setting: Contrived Vs. Non Contrived Unit of Analysis Time Horizon of Study