Research Study Design Proposal

a. Rationale – a description for the need of the study you are proposing. In a rationale you should address what is known about the topic (from your sources) and what is unknown and necessary to be studied. A good rationale will demonstrate why the study is important and necessary to contribute new knowledge to the topic.

b. – a description and explanation for the design that you will use (Naturalistic observation, systematic observation, content analysis, correlational design, experimental, quasi-experimental). Research design:

observational design: watch and describe the naturalistic systematic content analysis

-correctional design: ,measure, relate and predict survey, interview, archival;, observation

-experimental design: manipulate for cause and effect experiment quasi-experiment Experimental design -manipulation of one variable(independent/manipulated) to see effects on other variable(dependent/outcome) -control: experimental group or control group -random assignment Correction design: -measure 2 variables(or more) and see if they are related; use one variable to predict the another -used for prediction -cannot determine cause and effect -no manipulation Naturalistic observation -natural settings: an extended period of time -observe complex setting and behaviors -researcher a part of situation Systematic observation -careful observation of few specific behaviors in a particular setting -observations are qualitifiable(countable) -coding system

-categories of behaviors and then count up how many times each category of behavior occurs)

-should be sample and easy to do

c. Participants – a description and explanation for the participants you would include, sampling method. Sampling method refers to the way that observations are selected from a population to be in the sample for a sample survey. Sampling methods: ​Simple Random Sampling, cluster sampling, stratified sampling,  systematic random sampling   

  d. Variables/Measures – a description and explanation for how you will measure  your variables, including conceptual and operational definitions of all variables in your  study. Issues of reliability and construct validity should be addressed.  Dependent variable(DV): outcome Independent variable(IV): which group are you in Variables: anything that “varies” changes

-situational variables -behavioral/responose variables -individual characteristic -medicating variable: 3rd variable ifluence the relationship between 2nd variable -confounding variable: variable that is uncounted for, new know cohat would

happen Capturing variables: qualitative or qualitative

-qualitative: observed in only a few people -describe behavior in a naturalistic setting -detailed and in-depth description -few cases or setting(samll samples) -interpret themes and patterns

Quantitative -simple behavior: easily observed(counted) -large sample -uses statistics

Relationship between 2 variables: -positive: when 2 variables changes in a situation -negative: opposite direction; one increase, one decrease -curvilinear: change the direction in some change, negative to positive; positive to negative -no relationship Variables: -conceptual definition: sleep--state of rest -operational definition: sleep--eyes close, depth breathing Ways to measure variables -physiological response -observation of behavior -ask: survey/interview/assessment Research validity -construct: accuracy of measures used -internal: ability to determine cause and effect(control)

-experiement are strong in internal validity -external: ability to generalize beyond the study -conclusion: an accurate conclusion based on results concurrent validity: ex: To demonstrate a measure’s concurrent validity, researcher compares children’s score on her measure of helpful behavior to rating of how the child is linked in the classroom

    e. Procedures – very detailed description of how the study will be conducted. The  procedures should be detailed enough for someone else to follow and be able to  conduct the study (like a recipe). The more appropriate methodological ideas that you  include from class the better your grade.    methodological issues:  -equipment  -reactivity 

-concealment can overcome reactiveity  -conceal with one way mirror, hidden microphone, hidden camera  -allow time for people to get use to eqipment and observtion  

-reliablity  -need 2 or more coders and should be in aggreement more than 80% of time 

-sampling   

  f. Analysis – a description of what statistical analyses would be used to analyze  your study.