To access articles in the Library for this class and others,
please refer to the instructions on the Syllabus and in Case 1.
For this assignment, you will use one of the scholarly
research articles you chose for the SLP in this module.
Look at the subheadings below and make sure you choose an
article that will have enough information to complete the
assignment. You will not earn points by stating that the article
did not include all of the information required to answer each part
of the assignment.
It is your responsibility to find an article that does
contain the information.
Note: This assignment asks for more information than you
provided in the previous module, so please be sure to read the
instructions.
Before you begin writing, review the subheadings again and
make sure the article you chose has all of the information needed
to
complete the assignment. If it does not, you should search
again for a suitable article. If you are unsure of how to proceed,
please
ask for clarification before you start your paper.
Write a 2-page summary of the article, using the exact same
subheadings listed below, in the exact same order, and following
the
instructions below. You only have to write a couple of
sentences under each subheading.
Your summary must be written in your own words. I already
know that the authors of the article can identify their purpose,
hypothesis,
etc. so copying the information from the article will not
show me what you understand. Do not copy/paste or simply
paraphrase. Explain
each section to me so I can see what you learned from reading
the article.
The purpose of this assignment is to show that you can
identify these sections of a research article. This is an exercise
in critical
thinking — it is never ok to simply copy or paraphrase the
article’s abstract.
Introduction: Write a couple of sentences to introduce the
topic you chose.
Reference: This should be so accurate that the reader can go
directly from the abstract to the original article. Give a complete
APA
style reference.
Kind of research: Identify the kind of research, i.e.,
experimental, quasi-experimental, observational (descriptive, case
study,
historical, etc.). Although the article may not be a clear
example of one of these, it can usually be classified under one of
these.
Purpose: Sometimes the purpose is stated as an aim, an
objective, or a goal. At other times, it is incorporated in a
statement of a
problem, leaving the reader to infer the purpose has a stated
problem, a purpose, or both. In case the purpose is inferred, you
may
state it in your own words.
Design: If the article is an experimental or
quasi-experimental research, it is usually possible to identify the
design of the study.
Descriptive and historical research articles may or may not
have a design that can be categorized. Try to identify the design
for each
article. Comment if you are unable to determine the design,
and explain why.
Participants: The term “participant” refers to the sample
studied. Under this heading you should include a description of
ages, sexes,
socio-economic status, school grade, mental level, number,
and/or any other demographic characteristics given in the article
to
describe the particular sample used in the study.
Procedure: Sometimes the procedure is referred to as the
“method” and includes a description of control techniques,
measuring devices,
materials used and ways of proceeding, in attempting to
achieve the purpose or purposes of the study. Are measures of
validity and
reliability reported by the author? If so, what measures were
used? When such are not reported it should be so stated.
Variables: Identify the variables in the study. Identify the
independent and dependent variables. The independent variables are
usually
the cause, stimulus, antecedent treatment or the identified
groups (males-females; young couples, middle aged couples, mature
couples;
Baptist, Catholics, Methodists, Mormans; upper class, middle
class, lower class; etc.) whereas the dependent variable is usually
the
effect, response, or consequence.
Level of Measurement (data): Although this is often unclear,
you should try to identify the level of measurement such as
nominal,
ordinal, interval, and/or ratio.
Instrumentation: The names of the instruments (if any) used
in the study should be listed. This would include such things as:
The
Maryland Parent Attitude Survey (MPAS), the Locke-Wallas
Marital Adjustment Test (MAT), the Taylor-Johnson Temperament Test
(TJTT), or
other tests named in the article.
Sample: Sample refers to whether the sample(s) is related
(dependent) or non-related (independent). Related sample usually
means that
the different scores represent the same individuals or
logically connected individuals (spouses, daughters, sons, mothers,
fathers,
etc.) whereas independent samples refer to different groups.
Sampling Technique: Sampling technique refers to such things
as random sampling, cluster sampling, selected sampling, stratified
sampling, time sampling, volunteers, solicited, snowball
sampling, intact groups, etc.
Statistical Tests: List the statistical tests used in the
article; examples might be chi square (x2), t-test, f-test,
Mann-Whitney,
etc.
Results or Findings: These should be confined to actual data
reported by the author.
Conclusions: Conclusions are the generalizations that the
author believes the results or findings justify. These should be
expressed in
the language of the author.
Critique: Up until now, you have been telling me about what
the authors of the article described. In this part of the paper,
please
give your own opinion about the study (not about the topic,
but about the way the study was done). Please comment on the
study’s
strengths and any possible weaknesses or limitations.
ASSIGNMENT EXPECTATIONS: Please read before completing
assignments.
Copy the actual assignment from this page onto the cover page
of your paper (do this for all papers in all courses).
Assignment should be 1 – 2 pages in length (double-spaced).
You are not restricted to a certain number of words, as you would
be if you
were preparing an abstract for publication.
Please use major sections corresponding to the major points
of the assignment, and where appropriate use sub-sections (with
headings).
Remember to write in a scientific manner (try to avoid using
the first person except when describing a relevant personal
experience).
Quoted material should not exceed 10% of the total paper
(since the focus of these assignments is on independent thinking
and critical
analysis). Use your own words and build on the ideas of
others.
When material is copied verbatim from external sources, it
MUST be properly cited. This means that material copied verbatim
must be
enclosed in quotes and the reference should be cited either
within the text or with a footnote.
Use of peer-reviewed articles is required. Websites as
references are not acceptable for this assignment. Part I
METHODS OF DATA COLLECTION & THEIR STRENGTHS AND
WEAKNESSES
The ongoing struggle to avoid BIAS:
In every part of the enterprise of performing research in
health science, a researcher needs to take great pains to avoid the
dreaded
possibility of BIAS.
BIAS, or error, can come about in any number of ways during
the process of defining the question, collecting the data and
analyzing it.
It can also happen from random causes; what I like to refer
to the “stuff happens” effect. But this is by definition beyond
the researcher’s control.
In every way that can possibly be anticipated, there is a
need to control for known sources of bias. If the data is BIASED
towards a
certain outcome that does not reflect reality, then a
meaningful or useful answer to the original question has not been
obtained.
Once the researcher has defined the question, the next step
will be to find a way to obtain subjects that minimizes the
potential for
creating bias through the selection procedure.
Obtaining subjects for study – data collection methods:
Data is the word we use for the information that we collect
in order to do our research (the singular for this word is datum
but we
rarely use it.)
(Click here for a Presentation on Types of Data)
Data collection is also known as sampling. It might not seem
obvious, but HOW you go about obtaining your subjects can be as
crucial to
the validity of your outcome as the question you ask and the
type of statistical procedure you decide to use to analyze your
data.
There are two broad categories of data collection in
research:
Probability sampling
Non-probability sampling
Probability sampling is also called random sampling and is
considered to be the most powerful and desirable method because
theoretically each member of the larger population from which
the sample is drawn had an equal chance of being chosen.
Of course, it may occur to you that this can be very easy to
imagine, but very hard to execute. Even if you have complete
control over
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