The Research Methods Knowledge Base,9780970138590

The Research Methods Knowledge Base

by
Edition: 2nd
ISBN13: 9780970138590
ISBN10: 0970138598
Format: Paperback
Pub. Date: 2001-03-01
Publisher(s): Atomic Dog Pub.
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Table of Contents

Preface vii
Part 1 Foundations 1(38)
Foundations
3(36)
The Language of Research
4(10)
Five Big Words
4(1)
Types of Studies
5(1)
Time in Research
5(1)
Types of Relationships
6(1)
The Nature of a Relationship
6(1)
Patterns of Relationships
6(2)
Variables
8(1)
Hypotheses
9(2)
Types of Data
11(2)
The Unit of Analysis
13(1)
Two Research Fallacies
13(1)
Philosophy of Research
14(9)
Structure of Research
14(1)
Components of a Study
15(2)
Deduction and Induction
17(1)
Positivism and Post-Positivism
18(2)
Introduction to Validity
20(3)
Ethics in Research
23(2)
The Language of Ethics
24(1)
Conceptualizing
25(5)
Problem Formulation
25(1)
Where Research Topics Come From
25(1)
Feasibility
26(1)
The Literature Review
27(1)
Concept Mapping
27(3)
Evaluation Research
30(4)
Introduction to Evaluation
30(1)
Definitions of Evaluation
30(1)
The Goals of Evaluation
31(1)
Evaluation Strategies
31(1)
Types of Evaluation
32(1)
Evaluation Questions and Methods
33(1)
The Planning Evaluation Cycle
34(1)
An Evaluation Culture
34(5)
Part 2 Sampling 39(22)
Sampling
41(20)
External Validity
42(2)
Threats to External Validity
43(1)
Improving External Validity
43(1)
Sampling Terminology
44(1)
Statistical Terms in Sampling
45(5)
The Sampling Distribution
46(1)
Sampling Error
47(1)
The 65, 95, 99 Percent Rule
48(2)
Probability Sampling
50(5)
Some Definitions
50(1)
Simple Random Sampling
50(1)
Stratified Random Sampling
51(2)
Systematic Random Sampling
53(1)
Cluster (Area) Random Sampling
54(1)
Multi-Stage Sampling
55(1)
Nonprobability Sampling
55(3)
Accidental, Haphazard, or Convenience Sampling
56(1)
Purposive Sampling
56(1)
Modal Instance Sampling
56(1)
Expert Sampling
57(1)
Quota Sampling
57(1)
Heterogeneity Sampling
58(1)
Snowball Sampling
58(1)
Summary
58(3)
Part 3 Measurement 61(108)
The Theory of Measurement
63(44)
Construct Validity
64(24)
Measurement Validity Types
65(1)
Translation Validity
66(1)
Criterion-Related Validity
67(2)
Idea of Construct Validity
69(2)
Convergent and Discriminant Validity
71(1)
Convergent Validity
72(1)
Discriminant Validity
72(1)
Putting It All Together
73(2)
Threats to Construct Validity
75(1)
Inadequate Preoperational Explication of Constructs
75(1)
Mono-Operation Bias
75(1)
Mono-Method Bias
75(1)
Interaction of Different Treatments
76(1)
Interaction of Testing and Treatment
76(1)
Restricted Generalizability across Constructs
76(1)
Confounding Constructs and Levels of Constructs
77(1)
The Social Threats to Construct Validity
77(1)
The Nomological Network
78(1)
The Multitrait-Multimethod Matrix
79(2)
Principles of Interpretation
81(2)
Advantages and Disadvantages of MTMM
83(1)
A Modified MTMM--Leaving out the Methods Factor
83(1)
Pattern Matching for Construct Validity
84(1)
The Theory of Pattern Matching
84(2)
Pattern Matching and Construct Validity
86(2)
Advantages and Disadvantages of Pattern Matching
88(1)
Reliability
88(15)
True Score Theory
89(1)
Measurement Error
90(1)
What Is Random Error?
90(1)
What Is Systematic Error?
91(1)
Reducing Measurement Error
91(1)
Theory of Reliability
92(4)
Types of Reliability
96(1)
Inter-Rater or Inter-Observer Reliability
96(1)
Test-Retest Reliability
97(1)
Parallel-Forms Reliability
98(1)
Internal Consistency Reliability
99(2)
Reliability and Validity
101(2)
Levels of Measurement
103(2)
Why Is Level of Measurement Important?
104(1)
Summary
105(2)
Survey Research and Scaling
107(44)
Survey Research
108(24)
Types of Surveys
108(1)
Questionnaires
108(1)
Interviews
109(1)
Selecting the Survey Method
109(1)
Population Issues
109(1)
Sampling Issues
110(1)
Question Issues
111(1)
Content Issues
111(1)
Bias Issues
112(1)
Administrative Issues
112(1)
Constructing the Survey
113(1)
Types of Questions
113(4)
Question Content
117(2)
Response Format
119(3)
Question Wording
122(2)
Question Placement
124(1)
The Golden Rule
125(1)
Interviews
125(1)
The Role of the Interviewer
125(1)
Training the Interviewers
126(1)
The Interviewer's Kit
127(1)
Conducting the Interview
127(5)
Advantages and Disadvantages of Survey Methods
132(1)
Scaling
132(18)
General Issues in Scaling
133(1)
Purposes of Scaling
134(1)
Dimensionality
134(2)
Unidimensional or Multidimensional?
136(1)
The Major Unidimensional Scale Types
136(1)
Thurstone Scaling
136(9)
Likert Scaling
145(2)
Guttman Scaling
147(3)
Summary
150(1)
Qualitative and Unobtrusive Measures
151(18)
Qualitative Measures
152(15)
The Qualitative/Quantitative Debate
154(1)
Qualitative and Quantitative Data
154(1)
All Qualitative Data Can Be Coded Quantitatively
155(2)
All Quantitative Data Is Based on Qualitative Judgment
157(1)
Qualitative and Quantitative Assumptions
158(1)
Qualitative Data
159(1)
Qualitative Approaches
159(1)
Ethnography
159(1)
Phenomenology
159(1)
Field Research
160(1)
Grounded Theory
160(1)
Qualitative Methods
161(1)
Participant Observation
161(1)
Direct Observation
161(1)
Unstructured Interviewing
161(1)
Case Studies
161(1)
Qualitative Validity
162(1)
Credibility
162(1)
Transferability
162(1)
Dependability
162(1)
Confirmability
163(1)
Unobtrusive Measures
164(1)
Indirect Measures
164(1)
Content Analysis
165(1)
Secondary Analysis of Data
166(1)
Summary
167(2)
Part 4 Design 169(86)
Design
171(20)
Internal Validity
172(14)
Establishing Cause and Effect
173(1)
Temporal Precedence
173(1)
Covariation of the Cause and Effect
174(1)
No Plausible Alternative Explanations
174(1)
Single-Group Threats
175(3)
Regression to the Mean
178(4)
Multiple-Group Threats
182(3)
Social Interaction Threats
185(1)
Introduction to Design
186(2)
Types of Designs
188(2)
Summary
190(1)
Experimental Design
191(24)
Introduction to Experimental Design
191(5)
Experimental Designs and Internal Validity
192(1)
Two-Group Experimental Designs
193(2)
Probabilistic Equivalence
195(1)
Random Selection and Assignment
196(1)
Classifying Experimental Designs
196(1)
Factorial Designs
197(8)
The Basic 2 x 2 Factorial Design
198(1)
The Null Outcome
199(1)
The Main Effects
199(1)
Interaction Effects
200(2)
Factorial Design Variations
202(1)
A 2 x 3 Example
202(1)
A Three-Factor Example
203(1)
Incomplete Factorial Design
204(1)
Randomized Block Designs
205(2)
How Blocking Reduces Noise
206(1)
Covariance Designs
207(4)
How Does a Covariate Reduce Noise?
208(3)
Summary
211(1)
Hybrid Experimental Designs
211(3)
The Solomon Four-Group Design
211(2)
Switching-Replications Design
213(1)
Summary
214(1)
Quasi-Experimental Design
215(22)
The Nonequivalent-Groups Design
216(5)
The Basic Design
216(1)
The Bivariate Distribution
217(1)
Possible Outcome 1
217(1)
Possible Outcome 2
218(1)
Possible Outcome 3
219(1)
Possible Outcome 4
220(1)
Possible Outcome 5
220(1)
The Regression-Discontinuity Design
221(7)
The Basic RD Design
222(2)
The Logic of the RD Design
224(2)
The Role of the Comparison Group in RD Designs
226(1)
The Internal Validity of the RD Design
226(2)
The RD Design and Accountability
228(1)
Statistical Power and the RD Design
228(1)
Ethics and the RD Design
228(1)
Other Quasi-Experimental Designs
228(7)
The Proxy Pretest Design
228(1)
The Separate Pre-Post Samples Design
229(1)
The Double-Pretest Design
230(1)
The Switching-Replications Design
231(1)
The Nonequivalent Dependent Variables (NEDV) Design
231(1)
The Pattern-Matching NEDV Design
232(2)
The Regression Point Displacement (RPD) Design
234(1)
Summary
235(2)
Advanced Design Topics
237(18)
Designing Designs for Research
238(10)
Minimizing Threats to Validity
238(2)
Building a Design
240(1)
Basic Design Elements
240(1)
Expanding a Design
241(4)
A Simple Strategy for Design Construction
245(1)
An Example of a Hybrid Design
245(2)
The Nature of Good Design
247(1)
Relationships among Pre-Post Designs
248(2)
Contemporary Issues in Research Design
250(4)
The Role of Judgment
250(1)
The Case for Tailored Designs
251(1)
The Crucial Role of Theory
251(1)
Attention to Program Implementation
252(1)
The Importance of Quality Control
252(1)
The Advantages of Multiple Perspectives
252(1)
Evolution of the Concept of Validity
253(1)
Development of Increasingly Complex Realistic Analytic Models
253(1)
Summary
254(1)
Part 5 Analysis 255(90)
Analysis
257(24)
Conclusion Validity
258(8)
Threats to Conclusion Validity
259(1)
Finding No Relationship When There Is One (or, Missing the Needle in the Haystack)
259(1)
Finding a Relationship When There Is Not One (or Seeing Things That Aren't There)
260(1)
Problems That Can Lead to Either Conclusion Error
261(1)
Statistical Power
262(3)
Improving Conclusion Validity
265(1)
Data Preparation
266(2)
Logging the Data
266(1)
Checking the Data for Accuracy
266(1)
Developing a Database Structure
267(1)
Entering the Data into the Computer
267(1)
Data Transformations
267(1)
Descriptive Statistics
268(11)
The Distribution
269(1)
Central Tendency
270(1)
Dispersion or Variability
271(1)
Correlation
272(1)
Correlation Example
272(3)
Calculating the Correlation
275(2)
Testing the Significance of a Correlation
277(1)
The Correlation Matrix
277(1)
Other Correlations
278(1)
Summary
279(2)
Analysis for Research Design
281(36)
Inferential Statistics
282(1)
General Linear Model
282(5)
The Two-Variable Linear Model
282(2)
Extending the General Linear Model to the General Case
284(1)
Dummy Variables
285(2)
Experimental Analysis
287(7)
The t-Test
287(2)
Statistical Analysis of the t-Test
289(3)
Factorial Design Analysis
292(1)
Randomized Block Analysis
293(1)
Analysis of Covariance
293(1)
Quasi-Experimental Analysis
294(21)
Nonequivalent Groups Analysis
294(1)
A Simulation Example
295(1)
The Problem
296(4)
The Solution
300(3)
The Simulation Revisited
303(1)
Regression-Discontinuity Analysis
304(1)
Assumptions in the Analysis
304(1)
The Curvilinearity Problem
305(1)
Model Specification
306(2)
Analysis Strategy
308(1)
Steps in the Analysis
308(3)
Example Analysis
311(2)
Regression Point Displacement Analysis
313(2)
Summary
315(2)
Write-Up
317(28)
Key Elements
318(2)
Formatting
320(5)
Title Page
321(1)
Abstract
321(1)
Body
321(1)
Introduction
321(1)
Methods
321(1)
Sample
321(1)
Measures
321(1)
Design
322(1)
Procedures
322(1)
Results
322(1)
Conclusions
322(1)
References
323(1)
Reference Citations in the Text of your Paper
323(1)
Reference List in Reference Section
323(2)
Tables
325(1)
Figures
325(1)
Appendices
325(1)
Sample Paper
325(20)
Glossary 345(10)
Index 355

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