Why should you take this class

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Why should you take this class?

• Consumer
• Evaluate information in
• lay publications on health, diet, etc.
• lay research publications in chosen profession
  for application
• use of research in public policy decisions

• Producer
• Program evaluation
• Theory Application
• Theory Development
• Theory Revision

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Why should you take this class?

• As a consumer and/or producer of research, you
  need
• Thorough understanding of knowledge base and
  research methods
• Appreciate the practicality and relevance of all
  research

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Introduction to the Research Process
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Topics to be Covered

• Nature of Research
• Methods of Problem Solving
• Types of Research

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Topics to be Covered

• Nature of Research
• What is research?
• Who is a good researcher?

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What is research?

• The collection of information about a particular
  subject to
• Discover and interpret facts for application or
  development of theory
• Revise accepted theories in light of new facts
• Practically apply theories

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Who is a good researcher?

• Self-directed effort!!
• Being taught is passive. Learning is active.
  The unmotivated person will not learn in spite of
  the best teaching. The person who wants to will
  learn in spite of the worst teaching.

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Who is a good researcher?

• When a person begins to seek answers because of
  a desire to know rather than because of a desire
  to pass a test, pass a course, get a job
  promotion, etc., then that person has crossed the
  boundary into research.

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Who is a good researcher?

• Independent learner
• Highly curious
• Playfulness
• Not afraid to be wrong
• Not afraid to risk success

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Topics to be Covered

• Nature of Research
• Methods of Problem Solving
• Types of Research

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Unscientific Methods

• Tenacity
• Intuition
• Authority
• Rationalism

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Rationalism (logic)

• Derive knowledge through reasoning
• Deductive
• Inductive

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Deductive reasoning
Comparison with reality
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Inductive reasoning
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Unscientific methods of problem solving

• Tenacity
• Intuition
• Authority
• Rationalism

• Empiricism

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The Scientific Method

• What is science?
• What are the goals of science?
• Description
• Prediction
• Causation
• Explanation

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The Scientific Method

• Develop the problem
• Develop a theoretical solution to the problem
• Formulate the hypothesis or question
• Formulate the research plan (methods)
• Collect and analyze the data
• Interpret the results and form conclusions
• Refine the theory

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The Nature of Good Research

• Systematic
• What to study (questions) must precede how to
  study it (methodology)!!
• Logical
• Empirical
• Reductive
• Replicable

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Topics to be Covered

• Nature of Research
• Methods of Problem Solving
• Types of Research

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Types of Research

• Based on research perspective (paradigm)
• Positivistic
• Naturalistic

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Research Perspectives (Paradigms)

• Positivistic
• rationalistic

• Naturalistic
• interpretive,
• phenomenological
• constructivistic
• qualitative
• ethnographic

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Basic Tenets of the Paradigms

• Positivistic
• Realist
• Objective

• Naturalistic
• Relativistic
• Subjective

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Research Perspectives (Paradigms)

• Criticisms of Positivism
• Objectivity is a myth
• Not truly systematic
• Lacks external validity

• Criticisms of Naturalism
• Superficial
• Lacks rigor
• Unscientific (unsystematic)
• Subjective
• Lacks internal validity

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Criticisms of Naturalism

• Superficial
• Lacks rigor
• Unscientific (unsystematic)
• Subjective
• Lacks internal validity

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Types of Research

• Based on research perspective (paradigm)
• Positivistic
• Naturalistic
• Based on guiding system
• Theory-driven (Basic)
• Problem-driven (Applied)

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Theory

• Explanation of the origins, development,
  consequences, etc., of a construct or observable
  phenomenon
• Establishes cause and effect relationships
• Provide hypotheses for additional research
• Provides a structure for research

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Construct

• Abstract dimension
• Invented (constructed) label
• Cannot see or directly measure
• Examples intelligence, self-esteem, motivation

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Theory-Driven Research

• Also called basic, pure, or fundamental
• Basic aim To discover knowledge To explain
  constructs/observable phenomena
• Motivation Intellectual curiosity and interest
  in a specific problem area
• Result Broad generalizations and principles
  (theory)

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Theory-Driven Research

• Deals with theoretical problems (see next slide)
• Uses the laboratory
• Uses animals or humans as subjects
• Maximum control of conditions
• Results have no or limited direct application

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Examples

• A study to determine the effect of social values
  conflict and interpersonal values conflict in
  recreation
• A study to determine the effect of various
  compounds on ventilation during normoxia and
  hypoxia
• A study to test the dynamic systems theory that
  infants learn motor skills through exploration
  and selection of adaptive responses

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Problem-Driven Research

• Basic aim Improve products and processes test
  theoretical concepts
• Motivation To solve an immediate problem
• Result Universal population application
• Uses real world settings
• Uses human subjects
• Has limited control over research setting
• Results are of direct value to practitioner

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Examples

• Application of theory of self-efficacy to
  recreation supervisors years of experience and
  number of employees supervised
• A study to determine the effect of an
  adventure-based recreation program on development
  of resiliency in low income minority youth

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Action Research

• Basic aim Improve products and processes
• Motivation To solve an immediate problem
• Result Local population application
• Very pragmatic and objective
• on the job research
• Least control (thus scientific approach critical)

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Examples

• An investigation of various marketing techniques
  on the participation of females at the UI SRC
• Citizen reaction to the environmental and
  recreational impact of a proposed highway in
  Indiana

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Program Evaluation

• Basic aim Assess the merit or value of programs
  (methods, materials, organizations, teachers,
  administrators, students)

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Evaluation Research

• Formative evaluation purpose is to improve
  specific aspects of program (materials, method of
  delivery, assessment procedures) program
  development
• Summative evaluation purpose is to summarize
  the overall success of a program

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Example

• An evaluation of therapeutic horseback riding
  programs for adults with physical impairments

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Research Continuum
Problem Driven
Theory Driven
Internal validity
External validity
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Types of Research (cont.)

• Based on methodology
• Quantitative
• Qualitative
• Based on setting
• Field
• Laboratory

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Types of Research (cont.)

• Based on of subjects
• Single subject
• Group
• Based on purpose
• Non-Experimental
• Experimental

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Summary

• Research is a process
• Good research is a systematic process
• Goals and methods vary
• External internal validity are the cornerstones
• Systematic is the key