I need some help. For a class I need to do the following:
Frame a proper research question and complete the following research processes: tell me your variables, define or conceptualize all you terms and variables, tell me what level of measurement you will use, identify your method you will use, tell me how you will select a sample, and then identify and explain any possible ethical concerns you may have about your project.
How would you like us to help you with this assignment?
Any ideas for research questions and any other area such as possible variables to go along with it...I have done so many papers and assignments in the past week that I am kind of brain dead...lol
Here are a few ideas for research.
Do children who attended preschool, including Head Start, get higher marks in 4th (or whatever) grade?
Which type of restaurant seems to have a higher percentage of overweight customers -- all-you-can-eat buffet or fast food?
What percentage of vehicles come to a full stop at a stop sign?
Sure, I'd be happy to help you with that! Let's break down each element you mentioned and go through the process step by step.
1. Framing a research question:
To frame a proper research question, you should start by identifying a topic of interest. This could be anything related to your field of study or an area you wish to explore further. Once you have a topic, think about what aspect of it you want to investigate. Your research question should be specific, clear, and focused. For example, if your topic is "the effect of exercise on mental health," a research question could be "Does regular aerobic exercise (independent variable) have a positive impact on reducing symptoms of depression (dependent variable) in adults aged 25-40 (population)?" Remember that your research question should be answerable through empirical investigation.
2. Variables:
Variables are the concepts or characteristics that you will be measuring or manipulating in your research. In the example research question above, the independent variable is "regular aerobic exercise," and the dependent variable is "reducing symptoms of depression." It's important to clearly define and conceptualize your variables. For instance, you would need to define what you mean by "regular aerobic exercise" and how you will measure it (e.g., minutes of exercise per week, number of sessions, etc.).
3. Level of measurement:
The level of measurement refers to the scale or type of data you will collect for each variable. Common levels of measurement include nominal, ordinal, interval, and ratio. For the example research question, the level of measurement for "regular aerobic exercise" could be interval or ratio (depending on how you measure it quantitatively), while the level of measurement for "reducing symptoms of depression" could be ordinal (e.g., a Likert scale rating of 1-5).
4. Research method:
The research method refers to the overall approach you will use to conduct your study. It could be experimental, observational, survey-based, qualitative, or a combination of methods. The choice of method will depend on your research question and the availability of resources. In the example, you might choose to conduct an experimental study where participants are randomly assigned to an exercise group and a control group.
5. Sample selection:
Selecting a sample involves deciding how to choose participants or cases that will represent your target population. The method of sampling will depend on your research design, resources, and the size of the population. Common sampling methods include random sampling, stratified sampling, convenience sampling, etc. If your target population is large, you might consider using a sampling method such as random sampling to ensure representativeness.
6. Ethical concerns:
When conducting research, it's essential to consider and address any ethical concerns. These could include issues related to informed consent, confidentiality, privacy, potential harm to participants, and ensuring that your study is conducted ethically and with integrity. You should familiarize yourself with the ethical guidelines and regulations of your institution or field of study and ensure that your research design aligns with these guidelines.
Remember, each research project will have its own unique considerations, so it's important to tailor the above steps to your specific study.