Research Design Questions

Module 1 Assignment 3: Research Design Questions

Psychological Statistics | PSY210 A03

Argosy University Online

Research Design Questions

What is your research question?

What is your hypothesis (both alternate and null)?

• Which one of the course-delivery format (face-to-face, blended, or online) leads to a psychological statistics class best performance?

Alternate Hypothesis:

Null hypothesis:

• If the three course- delivery formats produce equal performance then there are no differences.

Quantitative Design Research:

• If the three course- delivery formats produce at least one format performance that are different from the others then there are differences.

Experimental Research Design;

• This is a quantitative design study based on the type of variables. This is true because quantitative design uses numeric variables, and the researchers will be studying the numeric averages of students for this course-delivery format. According to Creswell quantitative methods involve the processes of collecting, analyzing, interpreting, and writing the results of a study. Specific methods exist in both surveys and experimental research (2013).

This research study design would be classified as an experimental design. This is true because an experimental research can help researchers compare or evaluate this type of group of students. This design allows a researcher to draw a conclusions about the causal relationships among the student and the variables (Heiman, 2015, p. 7).

Nominal scale:

Ordinal Scale:

• For instance, the levels of instruction in a face to face class (independent variable) “Gender is nominal, but to “measure” your gender we have to classify you as either male or female, so we are using a nominal scale” (Heiman, 2015, p. 13).

Interval Scale:

• For instance, the best 1, 2, 3, and so on scores comparison in an online class (the independent variable) are ordinal. The ranking order of the class students. If an experiment compares 1st graders to 2nd graders, then this independent variable involves an ordinal scale (Heiman, 2015, p. 13).

Ratio Scale:

• For instance, the scores in an online class student get 100 scores and 90 scores on a test is the same difference as between a 90 scores and 80 scores (the independent variable reflects) are interval scale. The grades and scores on the tests. Or, if we create conditions based on whether participants are in a positive, negative, or neutral mood, then this independent variable reflects an interval scale (Heiman, 2015, p. 14).

Inferential Statistics:

• For instance, comparing the age of the student in an online class consisting of 10, 15, or 20 a day (the independent variable) are ratio scale. The age of the students. However, 0 truly means that none of the variable is present. Therefore, the key is that you cannot have negative numbers, because you cannot have less than nothing. Also, only with a true zero can we make “ratio” statements, such as “4 is twice as much as 2.” (So for ratio, think ratio!) We used ratio scales in our previous examples when measuring the number of errors and the number of hours studied (Heiman, 2015, p. 14).

Grouped Frequency Distribution:

• Researcher uses inferential statistics to collect this type of data. This is true because inferential statistics help researcher analyze this type of data, and apply a conclusion to a more general population beyond the immediate data.

• Assuming that we have 10 students in each course delivery format for 40. For instance, this would be a grouped frequency distribution for test scores of the 40 students that are in the class.

References:

Creswell, J. W. (2013). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches. Sage publications.

Heiman, G. (2015). Behavioral Sciences STAT, 1e. Wadsworth, 01/2015. VitalBook file.

Gradebook

Unit 1  >  M1 Assignment 3 | INBOX

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Assignment 3: Research Design Questions

Suppose you were going to create your own study to examine what course-delivery format (online, blended, or face-to-face) leads to the best performance in a psychological statistics class. In a paper identify the following for your study:

What is your research question?

What is your hypothesis (both null and alternate)?

Is this a qualitative or quantitative design (based on type of variable collected) and why?

Is this a descriptive, correlational or experimental design and why?

What would be an example of a variable for this study that could be measured on a nominal scale? Ordinal scale? Interval scale? Ratio scale?

Once you have collected your data, would you use inferential or descriptive statistics and why?

Create a sample frequency distribution for one of the variables. Choose either a simple or grouped frequency distribution and explain your choice.

By Monday, February 23, 2015, deliver your assignment to the M1: Assignment 3 Dropbox.