Research Methods Matthew T Jones Homepage的研究方法马修琼斯的主页.pptVIP

Research Methods Contrasting Approaches Inductive vs. Deductive Inductive research comes to a general conclusion through the observation of multiple instances. Example: I have seen many white swans, but never a black swan; therefore, all swans are white. Deductive research tests an existing conclusion through the observation of a specific instance. Example: “All mortal things die. All men are mortal things. All men die.” Contrasting Approaches Administrative vs. Critical Administrative research is performed to increase the efficiency of existing social structures. Example: Research on the effectiveness of magazine advertising. Critical research investigates the fundamental inequities and injustices of the existing social structure. Example: Research on sexist imagery themes in network television programs. Contrasting Approaches Quantitative vs. Qualitative Quantitative research reduces all phenomena to numbers to enable management and comparison of data. Techniques: Experimentation, Field Observation, Survey, Content Analysis. Example: Men outnumber women on television by a margin of 3:1. Contrasting Approaches Quantitative vs. Qualitative Qualitative research attempts to uncover a deep understanding of phenomenon through the first-hand involvement and interaction of the researcher. Techniques: Ethnography and Participant Observation, Open Interview, Textual Analysis. Example: “Many people that I spoke to saw no conflict between their religious beliefs and their behavior at Mardi Gras.” Quantitative Research Experiments Experiments measure the effect of one or more independent variables on one or more dependent variables under controlled conditions. Components: Independent Variable (IV): The variable that is manipulated to produce change in the Dependent Variable (DV). Dependent Variable (DV): The variable being measured in response to the effects of the Independent Variable. Confounding Variable: Any additional variable which might influence the DV but