Mind map

Quantitative steps and challenges

Niall Dunne English

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Research
- analysing data
  - increase understanding
    - to discover new information
- orginates with a question
  - research requires clear statement of the problem
    - statement direct and precise
      - without this may meander
  - requires a specific plan and design
    - well signposted
      - research method well planned and logically designed
        data directly relevant to research problem
        different methods depending on nature of problem
    - divided into managable subtopics
      - sequence each problem will be addressed
      - specific research problem or hypothesis
        each hypothesis can be investigated
        tested rejected or accepted.
        address each subproblem
        A hypothesis tends to be accepted or rejected
        rather than proven
        research accepts critical assumptions
        make clear assumptions
        identify other research
        based upon
        difference between hypothesis and assumptions
        hypothesis is a conjecture
        data collected to accept or reject
        hypothesis not true forever
        most likely scenario
        until new evidence
        requires collection and interpretation of data
        collect data appropriate
        different approaches to collect data
        scientific research
        observation
        specific coinditions
        repeatable
        difficulties collecting data in social research
        questioning rather than observation
        to gain insight
        are answers true
        is the question understood
        how is it interpretated
        is it the real answer
        if ask question later will we get same answer
        ask different group will we get different answers
        results connected to who we study
        trying to identify the truth for a population
        research is cyclical
        ongoing
        need further questions
        questions analysed
        hypotheses
        accepted rejected
- by function
  - causal
    - cause and effect
      - one or more variables
        one or more outcomes
        if one variable may cause another to change
    - descriptive
      - depict what already exists in a population
        ie lifestyle for a particular subsection of population
        do not measure change they only describe
      - relational research
        between two or more variables
        already present
deductive and inductive
- deductive
  - scientific research
    - data collected
      - findings established
        hypothesis confirmed or rejected
        original theory
        accepted or rejected
    - systematic
      - controlled
        emprical
        critical
        investigation
        hypothectial proposition
        validity
        reliability
        repeatability
        measure what is claimed to be measured
        objectivity of investigator
        accuracy of measurement
        exhausive nautre of investigation
- inductive
  - social
    - commercial
      - researcher observes
        patterns
        then form theory
        theory is the outcome of the process
        truth is more easily defined in science
      - gathering information about the market
        progress sales
        maintaining objectivity
        accuracy in measurement
        exhaustive investigations
        specify research objectives
        prepare a list of needed information
        design the data collection point
        select a sample type
        determine sample size
        organise and carry out field work
        analyse the collected data
        conculsions and report findings
        findings can be acted on
        effects can be measured
        problems
        investigator involved
        imprecise measuring device
        influence of measurement process on results
        time pressures of results
        difficult in using experiments to test hypotheses
        greater complexity of subjects and inter- relationships
    - measuring
      - describing
        explaining
        predicting
        social and economic phenomena
        policy development
        implementation and delivery
        estimation of impacts and outcomes
    - explores
      - economic
        social
        structures
        social attitudes
        values
        behaviours
        factors that
        motivate
        constrain
      - collects data
        social research
        social surveys
        focus groups
        indepth interviews
        case studies
        analyse
        interpret data
        feed into policy process
        relationship
        economists
        statisticians
        operational researchers
        policy and delivery
        informs
        development
        implementation
        evaluation
        gov policy
        social research
        crucial in evidence policy making
        important factors
        different
        more complex
        issues
        than social science
        epistemology
        philosophy of knowledge
        how we come to know anything , the world
        what is acceptable knowledge
        methodology
        more practicle
        specific ways or methods to understand something
        how we attain knowledge
        positivist
        goals of knowlege
        describe
        the phenomena
        we experience
        a positivist
        science to stick to what we can observe
        knowledge beyond this is impossible
        positivists
        natural science method
        social research
        deductive reasoning
        to form theories
        empiricism
        observation
        and measurement
        core of all research
        objective reality
        exists
        outside human mind
        uncovering the truth
        build knowledge of reality beyond human mind
        independent reality
        foundation of human knowledge
        post positivist
        scientific reasoning
        and common sense
        essentially the same
        critical realism
        that there is a reality
        independent of our thinking about it
        science can study
        all observations if fallible
        all theory is reversable
        critical of our ability
        to know reality for certain
        goal of getting it right
        about reality
        even though we may never achieve that goal
        all measurement is fallible
        post positivist
        importance of multiple measures
        all observations theory laden
        scientists are inherently biased by their cultural experiences
        interpretivist
        absolute knowledge does not exist
        in any setting
        knowledge only constructed
        through actual life experiences
        knowledge they obtain
        reflects their particular goals
        Culture
        experience
        make sence of world through their framework
        knowledge through social construct
        must allow for subjective meaning of actions and responses
        rather than objective facts
        ontology
        nature of social entity
        organisations
        objectivists
        is the organisation seperate from the people
        researchers ontology will affect research
        emphasis formal structure
        Constructionists
        organisation is the people
        emphasis the entity in context of individuals and members and interactions
    - must account for epistemology and ontology
Deductive approach
- emphasises testing theories
  - quantification at all times
    - positivist epistemology
      - objective in ontological approach
        number logic and objective
        left side of brain
        traditional technique is
        survey questionnaire
        administered to stratified
        or random poplulation
        inference for whole population
        from a smaller number
        emphasis on breath and
        representation
        confidence levels
        significance tests
        algorithms
        size of sample needed
        to achieve certain level of accuracy
- borrows statistical techniques from physical science
  - to collect data on natural or physical objects
    - advantages
      - strength speed and efficiency
        data gathering
        well established steps
        tools for analysis
        researcher is independent
        facts are unbiats
    - disvantages
      - cannot measure complexity of human behaviour
        cannot provide for attitudes and motivations and behaviours
        not good a describing specific situations in detail
        human behaviour
        perceptions
        future behaviour
        involvement with a product or service
        humans comlplex
        cannot grasp this
follow same steps
- develop theory
  - state hypothesis
    - select research design
      - devise measure
        to measure variable interest
        select site and sample
        collect data
        analyse data
        accept or reject original hypothesis
        method refers to data collection phase
        questionnaries
        indepth interviews
        focus groups
        structured observation
        typical
        qualatative
      - framework for the analysis and data collection
        experimental
        cross sectional
        longitudinal
        case study
        comparative
        same methods
        to compare two or more cases
        similar cases common ground
        detailed intensive of a single case study
        empirical inquiry
        investigates in real life context
        quantative evidence
        qualatative
        not for larger population
        understanding of specific case
        critical instance
        prospective case studies
        narrative case studies
        one or more groups over several points in time
        same participants observed
        data compared
        over time interval
        intra and inter individual change
        describe pattern of change
        challenges
        participation attrition
        once they leave they cannot be replaced
        costly
        larger number of personnel
        to collect and analyse data
        intrepretation from researchers wil vary over time
        often difficult to define why change occured
        measures at beginning may be replace by measure at end
        if changed may not be comparable
        single point in time
        number of respondents
        ie on same day
        especially if subject matter will change over time
        opinion polls
        same day
        other events may happen
        typically social survey research
        questionnaire
        random sample
        data analysed
        identify pattern
        between variables
        or estimate frequency
        advantage fastest design of all
        easy to estimate funding required
        dont need to worry about future findings
        census
        extreme
        maintain control over all facts
        may affect outcome of experiment
        experimental group and control; group
        difference between two groups
        may be complexiities
        if treatment group is healthier
        to ensure that both groups are identical
        ie have to use paired samples
        does the research effect the result the placebo effect
        different types
        factorial design
        number of different treatments measured
        easure pre and post
        common in quantative
reality is objective
- singular
  - exists seperate from the researcher
    - researcher is independent of research
      - research is deductive
        cause and effect

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Description: Mind Map on Quantitative steps and challenges, created by Niall Dunne on 26/03/2016.
Created by: Niall Dunne
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Quantitative steps and challenges

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