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Workshop Outline
Overview of purposes for conducting
quantitative research
Role(s) served by research questions
Attributes of useful RQs
Group activity on evaluating RQs
Exercise on constructing RQs
CET
LWorkshop,July10,2012
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Pretest
CET
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All quantitative studies include
one or more research
questions.
CET
LWorkshop,July10,2012
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False
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Research questions and
research hypotheses are the
same thing.
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False
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Research questions should
foreshadow the data
analyses.
CETLWorkshop,July10,2012
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True
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Research questions should be
posed after data are collected.
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False
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Research questions should be
written using non-specificlanguage to allow flexibility in
designing the study.
CETLWorkshop,July10,2012
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False
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All of the following are types of
variables that might beincluded in research questions:
dependent, moderator,
mediator, extraneous,
independentCETLWorkshop,July10,2012
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True
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Writing quantitative research
questions requires knowledge
of statistics.
CETLWorkshop,July10,2012
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True
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What are the major purposes
for conducting quantitative
research?
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As youre constructing your
research questions, keep in
mind the overriding purpose ofquantitative research is to
understand differences CETLWorkshop,July10,2012
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What role do research
questions play in designingquantitative research?
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What information should
research questions include? Indicate the target population
Identify the variables/constructs and what we
want to know about them
Foreshadow the type of data analysis (andsometimes the research design)
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What characterizes a good
research question? Clearly conveys the variables/constructs and the nature of
their relationships
Includes independent, dependent, moderator, and mediator
variables (where applicable)
Must be answerable based on data from the study RQs should not be rhetorical or require a value judgment to
answer
RQs should match the research design
Should be worth investigating
A good RQ does not address a trivial issue; so what?
Answers to RQs should further the researchers understanding of
the phenomenon
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It is better to have anapproximate answer to the
right question than an exact
answer to the wrong one.John Tukey
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Types of variables that might
appear in research questions Dependent
Independent
Extraneous
Moderator
Mediator
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Methods,Hutchinson
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Dependent variable(s)
The dependent variable is a phenomenon one isattempting to explain or predict
Also referred to as the outcome or criterion variable
In a survey study, often this is the variable or
construct of primary interest to the researcher It is something which the researcher wishes to
understand more fully
For many researchers conducting nonexperimental
research this is the starting point in planning a study
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627SurveyResearch
Methods,Hutchinson
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Independent variable(s)
In an experimental or quasi-experimental design,an independent variable would be themanipulated or treatment variable in your study
In a survey or other type of nonexperimental
study, where no variables are manipulated,independent variables are the factors used toexplain or predict the DV
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Extraneous variables
Extraneous variables are also called nuisancevariables
These are variables which are not usually ofprimary interest but are believed to be relatedto the independent and/or dependent variables
Their effects need to be controlled in order toobtain meaningful results
Extraneous variables are of two broad types: dispositional and situational
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Illustration of controlling for
extraneous variables
salaryjob
satisfaction
A researcher is interested in examining the relationship
between salary and job satisfaction. However, theresearcher suspects that factors other than salary (such
as job autonomy) are also responsible for an
employees level of job satisfaction.
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salaryjobsatisfaction
job
autonomy
Relationship with job autonomy" taken
into account or controlled
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Methods,Hutchinson
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Moderator variable(s)
A moderator variable influences the strength ofthe relationship between the primaryindependent variable and the dependent variable
Usually a moderator variable is of secondary interest
A moderator variable would be the variable thatinteracts with the independent variable
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Illustration of moderator effect
Computer skills/comfort
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Mediator variable
Also referred to as an intervening variable
A mediator (or mediating) variable is someconstruct through which the independentvariable indirectly affects the dependent variable
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Methods,Hutchinson
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Illustration of mediator
variable
Parents
educational
level
Achieve-
ment
motivation
Performance
on standard-ized tests
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Examples of less than ideal RQs
What are psychologists perceptions of professional
development?
Are university faculty depressed?
What is the relationship between self-esteem and happiness?
How many undergraduate students dropped out of college in
2011?
What factors predict job satisfaction?
How are exercise and blood pressure related?
Is there a difference between gender and depression?
What is the impact of test anxiety on test performance?
Is religion good for society?
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Wh t h l i t ti f
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What are psychologists perceptions of
professional development?
What is the researcher hoping to learn?
What are the variables/constructs in the RQ?
What is the target population?
How might this RQ be improved?
Which aspects of professional development do
psychologists rate most versus least positively? CETLWorkshop,July10,201
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Or, instead of posing a
descriptive question about aparticular construct, consider
rewording so that you canexplain differences on the
construct.CE
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Are university faculty depressed?
What are the independent and dependent
variables?
What assumption about university faculty is
implied by the research question? What are possible revisions?
Does level of depression among university
faculty differ based on their gender,
departmental affiliation, and tenure status?
CE
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Are university faculty depressed?
What are the independent and dependentvariables?
What assumption about university faculty isimplied by the research question?
What are possible revisions?
Does level of depression among university
faculty differ based on their gender,departmental affiliation, and tenure status, aftercontrolling for marital status and lifesatisfaction?
CE
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Hypothetical depression scores
CE
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For complex constructs that
are likely to be multiplydetermined, you should
attempt to control forpotentially extraneous
variables.CE
TLWorkshop,July10,201
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What is the relationship between self
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What is the relationship between self-
esteem and happiness?
What do you think the researcher wants to
know?
How might the question be revised to more
clearly convey the type of information sought?
What is the strength of relationship between
self-esteem and happiness?
Is self-esteem linearly related to happiness
among college-educated adults?
CE
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How many undergraduate students
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How many undergraduate students
dropped out of college in 2011?
What is wrong with this question?
How might it be improved in order to provide
more useful information?
Which of the following variables predicted
undergraduate college student dropout in 2011?
(grade point average, perceived social support,
.)CE
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What factors predict job satisfaction?
What are the independent and dependent
variables?
What is the target population?
How might you reword this RQ so that itprovides a clearer focus the researcher?
To what extent do salary, autonomy, .predict job satisfaction among full-time employees?
CE
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How are exercise and blood pressure
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How are exercise and blood pressure
related?
What is the independent and dependent
variable?
Target population?
How would you reword this RQ if you had reasonto believe gender could be a moderator
variable?
Does the strength of relation between amount of
daily aerobic exercise and blood pressure differ
for male and female adults?
CE
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Is there a difference between gender and
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Is there a difference between gender and
depression?
What flaw do you notice in this RQ?
What do you think the researcher actually wants
to know?
What is a possible revision?
CE
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What is the impact of test anxiety on test
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What is the impact of test anxiety on test
performance?
Assuming the researcher plans to collect data via
survey, what part of this RQ needs to be
reworded and why?
How might you revise this item if you wanted todetermine if study strategies was a mediator
variable?
Do study strategies mediate the relationship
between test anxiety and test performance
among doctoral level social science majors?
CE
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Is religion good for society?
Why is this not a suitable research question?
How could you revise the question so that it is
suitable?
Are rates of violent crimes lower in communities
with higher attendance at formal religious
services?CE
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O h id i h
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Other considerations when
writing RQs Be careful about your choice of words
Verbs such as improve, impact, affect, and predict
imply certain types of research designs
Think about how you plan to answer yourresearch questions as you write them
Consider the research design, measurement, and
data analysisCETLWorkshop,July10,201
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Templates contd
Does [name of construct] differ by [variable]?
Does level of participation in Greeley Parks &
Recreation Center classes differ by age,educational level, gender, or ethnic group?
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Templates contd
To what extent does a set of variables explain (or
predict) a given outcome variable?
To what extent do salary, working conditions,and types of job tasks predict job satisfaction?
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Templates contd
Is there a relationship between [variable] and
[variable]?
Is there a relationship between teachers jobsatisfaction and perceived level of administrative
support?
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Templates contd
Is the relationship between [variable] and
[variable] the same for [names of groups]?
Is the relationship between teachers jobsatisfaction and perceived level of
administrative support the same for novice
versus experienced teachers?CETLWorkshop,July10,2012
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Templates contd
Does a given explanatory variable (or set of
variables) explain a criterion, after taking into
account one or more extraneous variables?
Does childs achievement motivation explain
performance on statewide standardized tests,
after controlling for parents SES and academic
self-concept? CETLWorkshop,July10,2012
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Templates contd
Does [dependent variable] change [or improve
or decline] across time among [population of
interest]?
Does reading level improve during a two-
month summer intensive reading program for
elementary school English language learners?CETLWorkshop,July10,2012
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Templates contd
Is the pattern of change [or improvement or
decline] on [name of dependent variable] the
same for [names of groups]?
Is the rate of improvement in reading level the
same for males and females?
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