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Introduction to Research Methods in the Social Services 05
- 3. What is it? • It usually involves collecting and converting data into numerical form so that statistical calculations can be made and conclusions drawn.
- 4. Hypotheses and variables • Researchers will have one or more hypotheses. These are the questions that they want to address which include predictions about possible relationships between the things they want to investigate (variables). In order to find answers to these questions, the researchers will also have various instruments and materials and a clearly defined plan of action.
- 5. Data collection and analysis • Data is collected by various means following a strict procedure and prepared for statistical analysis. • The analysis looks at the relationship between two variables, excluding/considering others • Dependent • Independent • Extraneous • Often a focus is on correlation as researchers move closer and closer to proving a causal relationship • Correlation is often described through a P value
- 6. The P value • When looking at results, the P value is important. P stands for probability. It measures the likelihood that a particular finding or observed difference is due to chance. The P value is between 0 and 1. The closer the result is to 0, the less likely it is that the observed difference is due to chance. • Ie – the further away from 1, the more likely that the observed effect is relationational
- 7. TYPES OF STUDY • Studies aimed at quantifying relationships are of two types: descriptive and experimental • In a descriptive study, no attempt is made to change behavior or conditions-- you measure things as they are. In an experimental study you take measurements, try some sort of intervention, then take measurements again to see what happened.
- 8. Descriptive or observational case case series correlational cohort or prospective or longitudinal case-control or retrospective Experimental or longitudinal or repeated-measures without a control group time series crossover with a control group
- 9. Seeing Quantitative Research in Action • The Dunedin Longitudinal Study • Why Am I?
Editor's Notes
- Descriptive studies are also called observational, because you observe the subjects without otherwise intervening. The simplest descriptive study is a case, which reports data on only one subject Descriptive studies of a few cases are called case series. In correlational studies variables of interest in a sample of subjects are examined once and the relationships between them are determined. In prospective or cohort studies, some variables are measured at the start of a study (e.g., dietary habits), then after a period of time the outcomes are determined (e.g., incidence of heart disease). Another label for this kind of study is longitudinal, although this term also applies to experiments. Case-control studies compare cases (subjects with a particular attribute, such as an injury or ability) with controls (subjects without the attribute); comparison is made of the exposure to something suspected of causing the cases. Case-control studies are also called retrospective, because they focus on conditions in the past that might have caused subjects to become cases rather than controls. In the simplest experiment, a time series, one or more measurements are taken on all subjects before and after a treatment. A special case of the time series is the so-called within subject design, in which measurements are taken repeatedly (e.g., 10 times) before and after an intervention on one or a few subjects. Between subject designs use a control group In these designs. All subjects are measured, but only some of them--the experimental group--then receive the treatment. All subjects are then measured again, and the change in the experimental group is compared with the change in the control group. If the subjects are assigned randomly to experimental and control groups or treatments, the design is known as a randomized controlled trial. Random assignment minimizes the chance that either group is not typical of the population. If the subjects are blind (or masked) to the identity of the treatment, the design is a single-blind controlled trial.