Experience-sharing on social science researchFocusing on quantitative research

Min ZawM.B,B.S (Institute of Medicine 1)

Dip.Med.Sc (General Medicine)MPH/MBA (James Cook University)

Research and skill hierarchy of learning

Literature review critically

A new hypothesis

Proof of the new hypothesis

Mention/list

Discuss/describe

Apply/relate

Explain/summarize

Construct/develop

Appraise/judge

Basic research Vs Applied research

Basic research Applied research

↔ knowledge ↑ understanding

Universal principle Solution to problem

A Research process…

Formulate a research topic

Critically review the literature

Research approach & design

Considering ethical issues

Collection of data

Data analysis and interpretation

What you intend to do?

Why it is important?What has been done so far?

How you are going to do it?

1. Formulation of a research topic

Your Interest

Problems

Question: NOT too broad and/or narrow

MUST be SMART

S: Specific

M: Measurable

A: Attainable

R: Realistic

T: Time-bound

My research topic

InterestEmployee productivity

Time and motion

Problem Declining output/employee despite increasing employee number, annual bonus and target based incentive scheme, ↓ job satisfaction

Research Question

Intrinsic motivation

If giving autonomy on working hours to schedule including personal needs, career development, ↑ or↓ output?

Organization structure & behavior

Is the RQ too broad/narrow?

A: How can adult children of alcoholics interact most positively with their alcoholic parents?

B: How do adult children of alcoholics interact with their alcoholic parents?

C: What is the major emotional reaction of adult children of alcoholics to their alcoholic parents?

Too broad Too narrow The best choice

A

B

C

2. Critically review the literature

Why do you want to do research for this problem?

What other articles say about it?

What are the gaps between existing findings and your problem?

How do other authors look for your problem?

Which one do you (not) agree with?

2. Literature review

General level about your topic

Brief overview of key ideas/themes

Summarize/compare/contrast of research of key authors

Narrow down to highlight previous research relevant to your problem

Provide a detailed account of the previous research and how relate

Highlight where/how your research provide a new insight

1. Background to problem/literature review

2. Literature Review

• Delegated organizational structure vs flexible working time arrangement

• Delegated organizational structure vs positive organizational climate

• Flexible working time arrangement and productivity

Example of how to synthesize a literature review

Employee Productivity

Delegated organizational

structure

Positive organizational climate

Flexible working-time arrangement

Indirect or indirect influence but no coherent theory(Kelly et al., as cited in Golden, 2012, p.2)

Direct positive correlation(Ngo et al., 2009, p.10)

Direct positive correlation(Ngo et al., 2009,p.10)

Direct positive correlation(Altman & Golden, 2004 as cited in Golden, 2012, p.10; Oldham & Hackman, 1981)

Explicit support(Kane-Urrabazo, 2006,p.188; Hill et al., 2008, p.158)

Example of how to synthesize a literature review

2. How to do literature review

Literature search

A Research process…

Formulate a research topic

Critically review the literature

Research approach & design

Considering ethical issues

Collection of data

Data analysis and interpretation

√

Research philosophy to research strategy

Knowledge is objective Knowledge is subjective

Hard data & can be measuredSocial actions are meaningful and rely on interpretation

Natural world = social world Natural world ≠ Social world

Philosophy

Hypothesis/deduction Build a theory based on collected data

Testing the hypothesis via Survey, experiment

Constructing a theory via Case study, Ethnography, narrative, phenomenology

QualitativeStrategyQuantitative

Cross-sectional/longitudinal Cross-sectional/longitudinalTime horizon

Quantitative Vs Qualitative methods

Looking for:IndependentVariables

DependentVariables

X Y Y

Central phenomenon

Purpose of the study: Compare, relate, measuring or provide hypothesis, impact, causes

Understand, describe, discover, Develop, explore, identify

Observation, interview, documentAudio-visual materials

Observation, interview, questionnaireExperiment,

Collection of data:

Process: Text →segment of info →Coding → themes

data → calculation →inference

Quantitative Qualitative

Types of research methods: Quantitative strategy

Low HighEvidence of effectiveness

Synthesis of results from multiple studies

Experiment & control groups by using random assignment

Intervention vs non-Interventionby using non-random assignment

Relationship between two or more variables

Numerical descriptionFrequency/distribution

Time horizon: Cross sectional vs Longitudinal

When strongly rooted in theoryThat examine concrete constructs

When temporal nature of phenomenaWhen alternative explanations

A Research process…

Formulate a research topic

Critically review the literature

Research approach & design

Considering ethical issues

Collection of data

Data analysis and interpretation

√

Collection of data: Data

Primary Secondary

Fresh, original in character Collected by someone else

Observation Survey Published Unpublished

Participant Non-part Questionnaire Interview

Survey methods

Questionnaire Interview

Group Mail Drop-off Personal Phone

Visual presentation? Yes Yes Yes Yes No

Privacy No Yes No Yes ???

Flexible No No No Yes Yes

Open-ended question No No No Yes Yes

Judging quality of response Yes No ??? Yes ???

High response rate likely to be Yes No Yes Yes No

Low cost Yes Yes No No No

Low needs of staff/facilities Yes Yes No No No

Feasibility of long survey No No No Yes No

Emile Durkheim (1858-1917)

First social researcher

Notable sociologists of 20th century

Exploring the differing suicide rates

among societies

Durkheim’s study

Sociology Known little/readily available data

Why ↑ in suicide?

What factors associated with suicide?

Durkheim established that…

Suicide rates are:

>

Single Married>

Soldiers Civilians>

Scandinavian countries Others>

In the time of peace In the time of war>

↑Individuation

↑society needs>individual needs

↓morality

↑oppressive societies

Durkheim chose

• Survey (questionnaire/interview)

• Analysis of existing resources

• Observational study

• Experimentation

√ Why?

Durkheim found suicidal causes:

• Egoistic

• Anomic

• Altruistic

• Fatalistic

Weak tie

Strong tie

No rules Many rules

Critiquing a research article

Critiquing a research article (quantitative)

Elements influencing the believability of the research

Writing style: Well organized, concise, grammatically correct

Author(s): Qualification/title/position

√

√Report title: Clear/accurate/unambiguous

√

√Abstract: Clear overview of the study including research problem, sample, methodology, finding, recommendation

Critiquing a research article (quantitative)

Elements influencing robustness of the research

Literature review: Logically organized/balanced critical analysis/mainly from primary source

Sample: Representativeness of sample/size

Methodology: design Experimental >>> Non-experimental

Data collection Interview/Questionnaires/attitude scales

Critiquing a research article (quantitative)

Elements influencing robustness of the research

Validity & Reliability: Degree to which the research has reliability/validity

Operational definitions: Concepts & terms – clearly defined

Ethical consideration: Autonomy/Beneficence/Justice

Reliability and Validity of a research

Reliability: degree of consistency of measurement

Validity: degree of accuracy of measurement (truth of falsity?)

Internal validity External validity

Validity

Single group threat

Maturation threat

Testing threat

Morality threat

Multiple group threat

Selection maturation threat

Selection testing threat

Selection morality threat

Program = outcome observed Ability to generalize the results

Thanks for your attention!