1. PPA 415 – Statistical Methods in Public Administration Lecture 1c – Research Design Summary

2. Research Questions Research questions can be descriptive. Research questions can be descriptive. –What is happening to a variable currently or what will happen in the future? Research questions can be causal. Research questions can be causal. –What factors are causing a variable to change? –What factors influence the key variables in the research question?

3. Variables Concepts, variables, indicators. Concepts, variables, indicators. Causal direction. Causal direction. –Independent variables (causes). –Dependent variables (effects).

4. Hypotheses Hypotheses can be descriptive. Hypotheses can be descriptive. –Are arrests for DUI increasing over time? Hypotheses can also be causal. Hypotheses can also be causal. –Do increases in DUI arrests reduce deaths in motor vehicle accidents? –Does nearness to a presidential election increase the likelihood of granting a major disaster declaration?

5. Sampling Population (states, counties, IAEM members). Population (states, counties, IAEM members). Random samples (simple, systematic, cluster, random digit dialing). Random samples (simple, systematic, cluster, random digit dialing). Snowball sampling Snowball sampling Purposive or haphazard sampling. Purposive or haphazard sampling.

6. Data Collection Procedures Surveys. Surveys. Agency records and primary documents. Agency records and primary documents. Direct observation. Direct observation. Existing data sets (Census, BLS, ICPSR, etc.). www.fedstats.gov. Existing data sets (Census, BLS, ICPSR, etc.). www.fedstats.gov.www.fedstats.gov Participant observation. Participant observation. Focus groups. Focus groups. Literature review. Literature review.

7. Data Analysis Procedures – Quantitative (What, Where, When) Descriptive statistics (mean, median, mode, standard deviation). Descriptive statistics (mean, median, mode, standard deviation). Inferential statistics. Inferential statistics. –T-tests, analyses of variance, chi-square, cross tabulation. Measures of association. Measures of association. –Bivariate. –Regression-based analysis. Multivariate analysis. Multivariate analysis. –Multiple regression, analysis of covariance, logistic regression. –Data reduction (factor analysis, scaling).

8. Data Analysis Procedures – Qualitative (Why, How). Focus group summaries. Focus group summaries. Interview summaries. Interview summaries. Historical analysis. Historical analysis. Content analysis. Content analysis. Case studies. Case studies. Ethnography. Ethnography. Participant observation. Participant observation.

9. Interpretation, Conclusions Looking for answers to research questions. Looking for answers to research questions. Quantitative research often asks what, where, and when. Focuses on common elements across subjects. Makes inferences to whole population. Quantitative research often asks what, where, and when. Focuses on common elements across subjects. Makes inferences to whole population. Qualitative research asks why and how. Focuses on what is unique across subjects. Makes in-depth analysis of complexities of choice. Qualitative research asks why and how. Focuses on what is unique across subjects. Makes in-depth analysis of complexities of choice.