Research Designs/Lit Research Designs/Lit ReviewsReviews

Experimental Methods-AdvantagesExperimental Methods-Advantages

Allow the researcher control over the Allow the researcher control over the situationsituation

Allows for more certainty of measurementAllows for more certainty of measurement

Allow for stronger causal inferences- High Allow for stronger causal inferences- High Internal ValidityInternal Validity Control of extraneous factorsControl of extraneous factors

Experimental Methods-Experimental Methods-DisadvantageDisadvantage

Limits to External ValidityLimits to External Validity Subject PopulationSubject Population Reality of SituationReality of Situation Cannot create some circumstancesCannot create some circumstances Demand EffectsDemand Effects

Cannot manipulate all factorsCannot manipulate all factors PersonalityPersonality Ethical ConsiderationsEthical Considerations

Somewhat weak relationship between attitudes Somewhat weak relationship between attitudes and behaviors? and behaviors?

Experiments- When AppropriateExperiments- When Appropriate

When feasibleWhen feasible

When ethicalWhen ethical

When factors of interest are controllableWhen factors of interest are controllable

Public Opinion ChangePublic Opinion Change

Media StudiesMedia Studies

Time SeriesTime Series

Look at cases at multiple timesLook at cases at multiple times

Panel Study- Re-interview same cases at Panel Study- Re-interview same cases at set pointsset points

Presidential ApprovalPresidential Approval Track from 50s to presentTrack from 50s to present Look at Approval rating of president as Look at Approval rating of president as

Dependent VariableDependent Variable Look at fluctuations in other factorsLook at fluctuations in other factors

Time Series- AdvantagesTime Series- Advantages

Causality- follows temporal patternsCausality- follows temporal patterns

Gives best insight into over time changeGives best insight into over time change

Panels- good for understanding changePanels- good for understanding change

Time Series- DisadvantagesTime Series- Disadvantages

Must have data over timeMust have data over time

Consistency of measures over timeConsistency of measures over time

Causality- confusion?Causality- confusion?

Challenge- empirical generalizationChallenge- empirical generalization

PanelsPanels Drop outsDrop outs Systematic bias in sampleSystematic bias in sample LearningLearning

Time Series- When AppropriateTime Series- When Appropriate

When looking at change over timeWhen looking at change over time

When looking at historical eventsWhen looking at historical events

When looking at development processesWhen looking at development processes

When looking at factors that cannot be When looking at factors that cannot be easily manipulated in lab or do not vary easily manipulated in lab or do not vary cross-sectionallycross-sectionally

Cross SectionalCross Sectional

One timeOne time

Look at multiple casesLook at multiple cases

Cases should have variationCases should have variation

Example- National Election StudyExample- National Election Study

Cross Sectional Studies- SurveyCross Sectional Studies- Survey

Random sample of population of interestRandom sample of population of interest

Ideal Sample greater than 500Ideal Sample greater than 500

Fixed questionnaire Fixed questionnaire

Ask all at roughly same timeAsk all at roughly same time

Ideal for public opinion/voting behaviorIdeal for public opinion/voting behavior

Cross Sectional Designs-Cross Sectional Designs-AdvantagesAdvantages

Does not require as much advanced Does not require as much advanced planningplanning

Good for comparing groups of thingsGood for comparing groups of things

SnapshotSnapshot

Cross Sectional Design- Cross Sectional Design- DisadvantagesDisadvantages

Does not work for certain types of Does not work for certain types of phenomenaphenomena

Limited ability to make causal connectionsLimited ability to make causal connections Temporal issuesTemporal issues

Limited number of casesLimited number of cases

Case StudyCase Study

Focus intense study on one caseFocus intense study on one case

Often qualitativeOften qualitative

Challenge- generalityChallenge- generality

SurveysSurveys

More a tool than a design More a tool than a design Randomly select large number of peopleRandomly select large number of peopleAdminister same questionnaireAdminister same questionnaireMay be cross sectional or time seriesMay be cross sectional or time seriesAllows rich data collectionAllows rich data collectionOften most generalizableOften most generalizableExpensiveExpensiveNot socialNot socialInflexibleInflexible

Focus GroupsFocus Groups

4-10 people together 4-10 people together

Have them discussHave them discuss

Relatively unstructuredRelatively unstructured

Advantage- study more social phenomenaAdvantage- study more social phenomena

Generate new ideasGenerate new ideas

Concern- generalizabilityConcern- generalizability

InterpretationInterpretation

Literature ReviewsLiterature Reviews

Survey what has been previously written Survey what has been previously written on your topicon your topicPresent a summaryPresent a summaryUse to generate ideasUse to generate ideasUse to identify gapsUse to identify gapsUse to define conceptsUse to define conceptsUse to generate hypothesesUse to generate hypothesesUse to build your caseUse to build your case

Appropriate SourcesAppropriate Sources

Generally Not Newspaper/Magazine Generally Not Newspaper/Magazine ArticlesArticles

BooksBooks

Scholarly JournalsScholarly Journals

Internet?Internet?

Research StrategiesResearch Strategies

Identify keywordsIdentify keywords Be ConcreteBe Concrete

Use search engineUse search engine Library CatalogLibrary Catalog Academic UniverseAcademic Universe Lexis/NexisLexis/Nexis JstorJstor GoogleGoogle

Research StrategiesResearch Strategies

Search titles/AbstractsSearch titles/Abstracts

Search KeywordsSearch Keywords

Search Full TextSearch Full Text

Link termsLink terms

Exclude termsExclude terms

Pyramid StrategyPyramid Strategy

Identify initial sourcesIdentify initial sources

Look to their literature reviewsLook to their literature reviews

Look up bibliographic citationsLook up bibliographic citations

Read those sourcesRead those sources

Lather, rinse, repeatLather, rinse, repeat

Organizing SourcesOrganizing Sources

Record all information you would need for Record all information you would need for a bibliographic citationa bibliographic citation

End Note/web based programEnd Note/web based program

Keep notes on gist of sourceKeep notes on gist of source

Balance detail with conciseness Balance detail with conciseness

AbstractAbstract

Identify the followingIdentify the following

Hypothesis/research questionHypothesis/research question

Method usedMethod used

Results Results

SignificanceSignificance

Questions it raises/critiquesQuestions it raises/critiques

Organizing For PaperOrganizing For Paper

Make an outlineMake an outline

Plug in sources where relevantPlug in sources where relevant

Use to support caseUse to support case

Make a clear argumentMake a clear argument

Build up to HypothesesBuild up to Hypotheses

Upcoming StuffUpcoming Stuff

Read Chapter 6 Prior to March 8Read Chapter 6 Prior to March 8thth

Revised topic due March 8Revised topic due March 8thth

Study Guide via email prior to March 8thStudy Guide via email prior to March 8th

Midterm March 10Midterm March 10thth