...is evident that monetary performance bonuses (moderating variable) provide employees with an initiative to produce more goods/services. This initiative creates efficient and effective production within the relationship thus aiding in overall increased productivity. Dependent Variable Intervening Variable Monetary performance bonus Independent Variable Moderating Variable Work design and remuneration and non-remuneration benefits Productivity levels QUESTION 2 2.1 Why is it important to spend time formulating and clarifying your research topic? Formulating your research topic is the first step taken at achieving success in your research. It is important that a good amount of time is provided to formulate this topic, and that enough research is done. Sufficient information is essential when formulating you research topic. When formulating your topic it is essential that you take into account the requirements of the research, in...
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...method and the fundamentals of |Mon, 11/18/2013 |10 | |Research Paper |research. Address each of the following in your paper: |11:59 PM MST | | | | | | | | |Define the scientific method. How does it relate to human services research? | | | | | | | | | |What are the steps in the process of scientific inquiry? Why must each of these steps be | | | | |included to support the scientific method? Provide a human services research example of the | | | | |scientific method and identify each step within your example. | | | | | | | | | |Define quantitative research and qualitative research. Explain how they differ and relate | | ...
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...Reliability and Validity Walter Boothe BSHS/382 April 23, 2012 Staci Lowe Reliability and Validity In human services, research and testing is conducted in order to provide the most effective program possible. Testing methods should have both reliability and validity. They should be both consistent and specific. This paper will discuss two types of reliability and two types of validity and provide examples of how each can be applied to human services research. Additionally, this paper will discuss methods of gathering data in human services, and why it is vital that these methods have reliability and validity. Reliability Reliability refers to the consistency of a measure. A test is considered reliable if we get the same result repeatedly (Cherry, 2010).Regardless of the reason for testing administering a test , in order for it to be reliable , the results should be approximately the same each time it is administered. Unfortunately, it is impossible to calculate reliability exactly, but it can be estimated in a number of different ways (Cherry, 2010). Two specific types of reliability are inter –rater reliability and internal consistency reliability. Inter –rater reliability is assessed by having two or more independent judges score the test (Cherry, 2010). The scores are compared to determine the consistency of the rater’s estimates. One way to test inter-rater reliability is to have each rater assign each test item a score (Cherry, 2010). Next, test administrators...
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...Webquest Handout Task 1: 1. The research methods knowledge database is a database of generalized topics about performing social research. These vary from how to collect data, who to collect data from, where to collect the data, etc. a. What is the difference between qualitative data and quantitative data? How do you determine what type of data to collect? Can your topic be represented by solid numbers, or is it based on opinion? 2. Quantitative because the data given is concrete and generalizations like mean and mode can easily be identified. 3. Quantitative data is easily compiled into something meaningful because it is based on concrete data. On the other hand, qualitative data is presented in a raw form and needs to be categorized to be meaningful. Quantitative data is better at summarizing large amounts of data, like statistics, whereas qualitative data is better at telling the opinion of the participant, and is richer in details. 4. The three different types of ways to collect qualitative data are in-depth interviews, direct observation and written documents. Interviews can be conducted on an individual basis as well as a group interview and can be recorded in a multitude of ways. In an interview, the participant is being asked questions by the interviewer. This is where direct observation and interviews differ, because in the case of observation, the interviewer does not ask questions from the participant. Instead, the interviewer just stands...
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...question into more specific ones is called the _____. research question management-research-question hierarchy management dilemma management question investigative question Question 2 Which of the following statements is false regarding the evaluation of alternatives? The selection of alternatives is determined by the decision variable chosen and the decision rule used Each alternative must be explicitly stated A decision variable is defined by an outcome that may be measured A decision rule is determined by which outcomes may be compared all of the above are true Question 3 Apple plans to survey every customer who has purchased an Apple computer in the last 5 years. Apple plans to use a _____. convenience sample snowball sample systematic sample census random sample Question 4 Ensuring consistency among respondents, locating omissions, and reducing errors in recording are all benefits of data collection data editing sampling coding data analysis Question 5 Reducing data to a manageable size, developing summaries, and applying statistical techniques are all aspects of sampling data collection pilot testing data analysis data transformation Question 6 A synopsis of the problem, findings, and recommendations are provided in the ____ section of a research report. executive summary abstract overview implementation technical appendix Question 7 Which section of a research report contains all the materials necessary to replicate...
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...PART I WHAT IS RESEARCH DESIGN? 1 THE CONTEXT OF DESIGN Before examining types of research designs it is important to be clear about the role and purpose of research design. We need to understand what research design is and what it is not. We need to know where design ®ts into the whole research process from framing a question to ®nally analysing and reporting data. This is the purpose of this chapter. Description and explanation Social researchers ask two fundamental types of research questions: 1 2 What is going on (descriptive research)? Why is it going on (explanatory research)? Descriptive research Although some people dismiss descriptive research as `mere description', good description is fundamental to the research enterprise and it has added immeasurably to our knowledge of the shape and nature of our society. Descriptive research encompasses much government sponsored research including the population census, the collection of a wide range of social indicators and economic information such as household expenditure patterns, time use studies, employment and crime statistics and the like. Descriptions can be concrete or abstract. A relatively concrete description might describe the ethnic mix of a community, the changing age pro®le of a population or the gender mix of a workplace. Alternatively 2 WHAT IS RESEARCH DESIGN? the description might ask more abstract questions such as `Is the level of social inequality increasing or declining?', `How secular is society...
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...and Research Questions Our educational system continues to add more and more high stakes testing on our teachers and students. The trend in America show that with more of adoptions of educational reforms such as No Child Left Behind and new standards such as Common Core, educators have been asked to teach more material at a higher level than ever before. Despite all these new standards and new high stakes testing students in America continue to show gaps in achievement. The fact is that some students simply do not test well. Many students are affected by test anxiety or do not show their learning well on a standardized test, resulting in inaccurately lower scores. Many students do...
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...Qualitative research is a different approach to problem solving than quantitative research. The primary difference is in how a problem is approached. In the qualitative realm the method is primarily exploratory in nature. The researcher gradually delves deeper into the subject until reaching a core of information that can be used to implement problem solving. Qualitative research often depends on in depth interviews with small groups of individuals where quantitative method can take vast amounts of information, sometimes from millions of people and quantify it into trends that can improve medical practices over the norm. The purpose of Qualitative research is to gain an understanding of underlying reasons and motivations as well as to provide insights into the setting of a problem, generating ideas and/or hypotheses for later quantitative research and to uncover prevalent trends in thought and opinion. The advantage includes testing and validating already constructed theories about how and why phenomena occur, testing hypotheses that are constructed before the data are collected. It is used to generalize research findings when the data are based on random samples of sufficient size and generalize a research finding when it has been replicated on many different populations and subpopulations. It is useful for obtaining data that allow quantitative predictions to be made. Data collection using some quantitative methods is relatively quick (e.g., telephone interviews). It...
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...Qualitative research is a different approach to problem solving than quantitative research. The primary difference is in how a problem is approached. In the qualitative realm the method is primarily exploratory in nature. The researcher gradually delves deeper into the subject until reaching a core of information that can be used to implement problem solving. Qualitative research often depends on in depth interviews with small groups of individuals where quantitative method can take vast amounts of information, sometimes from millions of people and quantify it into trends that can improve medical practices over the norm. The purpose of Qualitative research is to gain an understanding of underlying reasons and motivations as well as to provide insights into the setting of a problem, generating ideas and/or hypotheses for later quantitative research and to uncover prevalent trends in thought and opinion. The advantage includes testing and validating already constructed theories about how and why phenomena occur, testing hypotheses that are constructed before the data are collected. It is used to generalize research findings when the data are based on random samples of sufficient size and generalize a research finding when it has been replicated on many different populations and subpopulations. It is useful for obtaining data that allow quantitative predictions to be made. Data collection using some quantitative methods is relatively quick (e.g., telephone interviews). It...
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...UNIT #5 DISCUSSION DQ #1: Data collection is one of the most challenging steps that prevent learners from completing their dissertation. What challenges do you foresee in collecting your data? What are some strategies you’ll deploy to overcome these challenges? a) Challenges in collecting data Reliability and validity In data collection, reliability and validity of the data are important considerations, which a researcher should pay attention to. Reliability, in this case, can be described as the degree to which the data collection process is consistent. On the other hand, validity arises when variables measure what they were intended to measure. And, this, usually, happens when the data collection process has been reliable. Data collection form Construction of a data collection form is one of the important considerations that every researcher should consider, before the inception of the data collection process. Designing the form requires that a researcher pay a lot of attention to all the established variables, from the topic. If all variables in the research are not covered in the form, it might not be possible to get complete information to enable well informed conclusions from the data analysis. The wording of the form is also very important. If the form is not carefully worded, it might bias the participants’ responses. The questions should also be impersonal to encourage open and honest responses. In the absence of this, it is likely that the full story would...
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...Standardized Survey Tools for Assessment in Archives and Special Collections Yakel, E., & Tibbo, H. (2010). Standardized survey tools for assessment in archives and special collections. Performance Measurement and Metrics, 11(2), 211-222. Retrieved March 11, 2013, from the Emerald database. Abstract: User-based evaluation in archives and special collections is in its fancy, and this paper aims to discuss the conceptualization, development, and testing of Archival Metrics Toolkits. The development and adoption of standardized metrics to support the management of both analog and digital collections is a critical need in archives and manuscript collections. The Archival Metrics Toolkits were created, and comprised five user-based evaluation instruments for archives and special collections in colleges and universities such as researcher, archival web sites, online finding aids, student researchers, and teaching support. The Archival Metrics Toolkits, as developed, represent a first step toward standardized evaluation created specifically for archives. Now it is up to the community to adopt these tools and report their use. These are the first standardized questionnaires to target archives and special collections and take into consideration the unique environment of primary sources and the specific dynamics involved in connecting researches with archival and manuscript collections. Keywords: Archiving, Collections management, Software tools Summary Over the past five years...
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...statistics 351, we have reviewed various aspects of testing a research hypothesis. Team C has also reviewed how to compare means of two or more groups and calculate the correlation between two variables. Team C has discussed some concepts that the team has struggled with and fully understood. Team C has also come to understand how this concept can be beneficial to their careers and how they may apply to improve productivity. The steps in testing a research hypothesis "Hypothesis testing starts with a statement, or assumption, about a population parameter - such as the population mean." (Lind, 2011). The purpose of testing the hypothesis is to determine whether to reject or not reject the hypothesis. The hypothesis itself is an assumption. That is; you are determining what the outcome will be given your current knowledge and understanding prior to testing it and obtaining results from those tests. Initially, one will state the null and alternative hypothesis. The null hypothesis, in this case, represents a statement about the value of a population parameter developed for the purpose of testing numerical evidence. The alternative hypothesis is then accepted if the sample data has enough evidence to show that the null hypothesis is false. The next step is to state the level of significance or the probability of rejecting the null hypothesis when it is true. It is important to determine the level of significance before testing. The smaller level of significance selected, the more...
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...Fundamentals of Research in Human Services Yolanda M. Long BSHS/382 Research and Statistics for the Social Sciences March 17, 2014 Michael A. Keitler, MA Fundamentals of Research in Human Services This paper will define the term scientific method and how it relates to research in human services. The process to evaluate the research must incorporate steps needed to identify the problem, analysis the data, and finally form a conclusion. The paper will further explore and define the differences between quantitative and qualitative research in the human services field and the scientific method behind the research. An example depicting a quantitative research, qualitative research, and mixed method research will be covered as well as how scientifically sound research can support the functions of a human service professional. Scientific Method and how it Relates to Human Services Research The Institute Innovation in Health and Human Services at James Madison University defines Scientific Method as the collection of quantitative and/or qualitative date for studies that incorporate logical design and are replicable. The measures, procedures, and analysis are informed by best practices in the field, and the findings are interpreted within the context of the extant research literature (para. 5). Scientific method is important to the field of human services as professionals try to assist clients through reliable data previously captured. If a client is dealing with abuse issues...
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...Article Critique: Stress and Coping Responses to Proficiency Testing in School-Age Children Brea Brewer Indiana University Since the inception of the “No Child Left Behind” Act, proficiency testing of school children has increased greatly. This type of testing helps determine educational outcomes in students, evaluate teachers’ performance, as well as rate schools’ performance. Due to an increased pressure to achieve a certain academic level, students often exhibit stress-related biophysical symptoms especially when their coping strategies are inadequate. The article, Stress and Coping Responses to Proficiency Testing in School-Age Children by Theresa Skybo and Jacalyn Buck, assesses 53 forth grade students’ appraisals of their specific proficiency tests and concurrent stressors, as well as their stress symptoms and coping strategies used. Nurses frequently encounter school-age children both in the school setting as well as the clinical setting. Therefore, knowledge obtained from this study, could be used to help nurses educate parents and teachers how to identify students with test anxiety, and how to help them improve their coping strategies. The purpose of this study was very well defined, easily identifiable, and also met. When trying to decide the type of research leveling, I first looked for the type of design. This study falls within the quasi-experimental design description, and more specifically the time-series design. Since this study was conducted...
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...6 Research Instrument Measurement of items before initiating the study’s main data collection and information gathering is important, it ensures the results are valid and reliable, as well as ensuring the data not being artifacts of instruments used for measuring (Hair, 2012). The guiding concept in developing the questionnaire was used in measurements as well to scale whether it was validated by previous research. The used of variables and measurements from previous studies is always recommended, rather than creating new variables. Existing variables have already been tested empirically, rendering the process of determining their empirical validity easier and simpler. This also provides stability amongst different variables in different samples and how they affect dependent variables, in different words, determining their relative importance to the research. The questionnaire consists of four main sections: Part A to Part D. Part A gathers demographic data of the respondent and his/ her organisation and the status of ABC in organisations; Part B focused on the factors ( Top management support , Training , Non accounting ownership, Information technology , and Organisational...
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