Drafting Methods Section
Now that you have decided what you will do for your field research, it is time to write the methods section to your revised research plan (this will also be the methods section for your final paper, so it is important that you write in past tense). As we have gone over in class, you will present your methods in as much detail as possible. The goal is for your research to be replicable--this means that another researcher can easily repeat the steps of your research (remember the details from the methodology sections of student papers that we deemed as more successful). You should be able to describe and justify every step of your research methodology. Explain what you did, what you asked, and why.
Remember, these steps are flexible. You will likely need to make adjustments based on what is necessary for your research area and methodology. With that said, these steps are a great jumping off point for writing an effective and detailed methodology section that is replicable and viable for your final project.
Here are some steps to follow:
1. What type of study (interview, survey, observation/focus group) did you conduct, and what was its purpose? {notice that this question along with the others is in past tense, and I want your response to be in past tense too- this will save you a load of time in the end because you will not have to go back and make everything past tense}
Start with: I conducted a _______________ in order to __________________.
2.Where/with whom was your study conducted? Why did you pick this group?
Start with: I studied/observed/surveyed ______ # of people (adults/students) in __________ because ____________.
3.How did you chose your participants?
Example: My participants were chosen based on their willingness to participate in my study and under the criteria that they had taken the FCAT Writes exam and Composition I at UCF. I chose this criteria because _______________.
4.What were you looking for in your study, or what types of questions did you ask your participants?
Start with: In my ___________ I asked questions regarding ____________. These questions were important because___________.
OR: I conducted a study that required my participants to ___________ because _____________.
5. Provide examples of your questions, and explain why these examples are important.
Start with: For example, I asked the question ______________ because ____________. Also, I asked ___________ because ____________.
6. If you asked additional questions or elaborated on any part of your study, insert the phrase in parenthesis: (See Appendix A for a list of all survey/interview/study questions).
7. What did you want to find out by conducting this study?
Start with: By conducting this study, I wanted to find out ____________________.
Example:
I conducted a survey in order to trace the factors that cause Composition students to experience writer's block when writing their papers for Composition class. I surveyed 60 Composition II students at UCF who experience writer's block because these students had written papers in Composition class and had experienced factors preventing them from writing. My participants were chosen based on the criteria that they had written papers for Composition class, and they claimed to experience writer's block on a frequent basis.
In my survey, I asked questions regarding the students' writing habits and fears about writing, in order to trace any similarities that may cause writer's block for these students in their composition classes. These questions were important because they allowed me to study both the circumstances from which these students were being blocked from writing, as well as the assignments that may have caused this anxiety. For example, I asked the question, "What are you worried about before you start writing your composition papers?" because I wanted to see the fears students had in relation to writing. I also asked, "what types of writing assignments do you find most stressful for you?" because I wanted to see if similar assignments caused students to experience writer's block within their composition courses (See Appendix A for a list of all survey questions). By conducting this survey, I wanted to explore the factors contributing to the writer's block experienced by composition students, in order to see if and how these stresses can be potentially addressed.
Review a Peer's Posting (it is critical that you review the posting of a peer that doesn't currently have a review because I want everyone to get a review)
1. If you had to follow the steps presented, what would you need clarified?
2. Do you have a clear idea of the research questions explored in this paper? How could they be clarified? What else do you need to know?
3. Does it make sense? Is anything overly redundant or not specific enough?
4. Provide additional suggestions you might find helpful.
The original posting for this blog is due before 11:59pm on Monday, March 25th. A response to a peer is due before 11:59pm on Wednesday, March 27th.
If you have any questions about this blog posting, please send me an email.
Francois J. Turner
ReplyDeleteWeek 12 Blog
March 21, 2013
I conducted several interviews with fitness professionals, a research study involving four participants and a focus group with those same individuals from the case study. Now the personal fitness trainers I chose as interview subjects for were chosen on the basis of their credentials, education, specialization and partly their individual philosophy. The two research subjects were individuals I became acquainted with seeing in the gym whenever I did my workout and from seeing them workout I noticed their individual enthusiasm and drive which is a great fit for the study. The third subject is a friend I chose to include by default however they still fit the requirements I was looking for such as a current workout plan and their willingness to follow the guidelines of the study. The last portion of the methodology is a focus group which involves the same three persons including myself as the four research subject and group participant. The purpose behind using these three methods as my methodology and research approach is partly due to the effectiveness of the mentioned components as well as consideration of my time constraints. The reason behind interviewing the fitness professionals is to identify and chart the various coaching techniques currently being used and seeing whether or not these individuals utilize mental coaching in addition to the physical component of any fitness program. Knowing from my reading that ‘’mental training is a part of physical exercise and maybe be used in adjunct or as a supplement’’, the questions I asked were aimed at them giving information that is consistent with this idea. Simply put, I focused on them revealing the emphasis of their coaching styles.
Questions included: How would you describe your training style, what is your focus, what do you emphasize mostly when training clients? What would you suppose are the benefits of training a client how to have mental focus and strength that will jointly attribute to their physical capabilities and or limitations (seeing that this mental imagery worked for you in your personal training)?
You will find in the appendix of the paper the interview transcript along with the responses from the interviewed personal trainers; provided as a form of documentation and summary of the research procedures.
The case study on the other hand involved the participants keeping a journal log which was used in the identification of the uses of various cognitive techniques before, during and or after exercise. It included the noting of their use of ‘’mental imagery or visualization’’ and a summary of their workout schedule and immediate goals. The information I received was used in answering an important question regarding the efficacy of the various techniques that were employed as well as the effectiveness of their use of ‘’mental imagery or visualization’’ in their training.
Specifically, the case study outlines the following statements: Your voluntary participation involves a consistent exercise, training, or workout schedule. During your time spent exercising at the gym or elsewhere, you will consciously think about the preparation you use before, during and or after your exercise. This will be recorded, making a note of how you deal with finishing a difficult set or routine, and what methods of focus, relaxation or arousal are used in going through your exercise regimen. You may also include a description of your goals for that specific session, noting whether or not they were met and if not, why. You will be asked to participant in a focus group concluding the study to share with the researcher and other participants any relevant findings of translations discovered from going over your journal or note pad.
ReplyDeleteAgain, samples of the research participants’ journal entries can be viewed in the appendix section of the paper. The journal entries that were chosen for reproduction within the paper itself and included in the appendix served as vivid examples of the uses, efficacy, redundancy and purpose of mental imagery within the individuals’ workout regimen.
The focus group was to simply reiterate the information the subjects noted in their personal journal logs and discussing the individual observations that were made by each person. They were also encouraged to discuss whether or not the journal and use of mental imagery was a boon as oppose to a burden. I have also included a summary of the focus group discussion in the appendix for further documentation of what procedures were followed. The inclusion of the procedures in the appendix serves the purpose of promoting reproduction of the study. Whether as a means of evaluation, analysis, critique and or discourse continuation it will be able to be achieved by the finely detailed methods and procedures.
By conducting this research and putting together a research paper that follows the discourse of the psyche’s effect on performance using the efficacy of mental imagery as focus, I was able to identify the usefulness of this cognitive technique as a training initiative for fitness professionals, a performance enhancing technique for enthusiastic gym goers and anyone in general looking to better their physical performance and adjoining results.
This is very well written. You gave intricate details to your methods and gave reason so it came off as very well plan out.I notice that one of your subject is well known to you so i hope that you can still find objectivity in his answer. You might want to watch out for grammatical error and spelling as well. This method sections shows you have interest in what you are studying and you are prepared to research it thoroughly.It is also good that you reference your literature review, it shows that you are adding to the conversation which you have join and creating your own niche as well. Good luck on your research.
DeleteI conducted my study by providing my test subjects with a questionnaire in order to gain outside opinions on my topic of slasher films (see introduction for definition of slasher films). I surveyed four people, 2 males and 2 females, 2 adults and 2 students. 1 male and 1 female adult over the age of 30 and 1 male and 1 female under the age of 30 because I wanted to get the opinions of males and females but of different age groups. My participants were chosen based on the fact that they were willing to participate in watching the slasher films I chose, Halloween, Halloween H20, and Scream. I chose this criteria because my participants had to take time out of their day to watch the select clips from the movies and then answer the questions I provided. I also chose the participants on the fact that they enjoy slasher films. I wanted my participants to have some interest in the movies I chose because otherwise the study would not be worth it. In my questionnaire I asked questions regarding gender roles in slasher films and asked my participants to provide their opinions on how they felt these gender roles played out. One question I asked is “Are violent acts directed more toward women in slasher films?” I want to know if my test subjects can distinguish violent acts between men and women and which happens more often. Another question I asked is “Are females portrayed as victims more often than males in slasher films?” This question is asked to determine the gender roles played out in these films. These questions were important because I not only wanted them to simply answer my questions but also to provide me with their own opinions. This way I would gain more knowledge about how society views these gender roles played in slasher films. I asked questions based on the “male monster” and the “final girl” in these movies. The male monster is the killer of these films; he is the one going after the victims. The final girl is the female lead victim; she is the one who will outlast all of the others in the movies. I chose to ask questions based on these two characters because they are the two main gender roles that are played out in these movies. They are the roles that I have been looking at in my study. By conducting this study, I wanted to find out how society views gender roles in slasher films to see if they view these roles the same as the authors of my literature review.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading your methods section I liked what I had read, but here were a couple areas that needed improving. First, I like your explanation of your participants but I think “student” is not the right word for the under 30-year-old category. Also some of the grammar was incorrect, such as the movie titles being in regular font. I am sure this would be fixed over time. While reading the example questions you presented, I think they are a little biased because they lead the participant to have a predetermined thought. I do believe that the questions you have are good because they can bring in a lot of information and they are easy to follow. Over all, this methods section is almost there except that there are multiple parts that show a researcher bias; there is a time and place for your opinion but this is not the section. I believe the methods section is just to explain your method of gathering your research, while the conclusion/discussion section is for your comments. I understand what you are trying to accomplish and with a little extra work you have a lot of potential. I really like your topic although I am scared very easily.
DeleteJake Rosenberg
ReplyDelete3/25/13
Longhany
Week 12 blog
I conducted a written survey in order to obtain information about BIRGing in a written fashion to ultimately be able compare my data to Cialdini’s initial experiment of using phone interviews to determine BIRGing. I wanted to be as similar as possible to Cialdini’s experiment so I wanted to survey approximately 150 college students. Since Cialdini surveyed 176 students, my goal participant number of 150 students was a similar enough number to be able to compare data, although in actuality I believed if I was to get around 50 participants I would have been happy. The participants in my study were chosen because of their interest in sports. There was not a formal pre-evaluation for potential participant because of the fact that my time was limited and I wanted as big as a pool of participants as possible. Because I needed a broad spectrum of participants and not only one type of fan, die-hard or fair-weather, I included any one who was able to fall under the criteria of being what they considered as a sports fan. Ultimately this did create a gap in my experiment because there were barely any qualifications to participate in my study. After all, my study is about identification with a sports team, so if they swore allegiance to a team, they were asked to participate.
In my study on written BIRGing, I asked my research participants to explain a game in which their team of choice won because I wanted to see if participants would use the pronoun “we” in their written account of the game as much as they did in Cialdini’s study over the phone. This question was in written form, not multiple choice, because I was gathering the amount of the times the pronoun “we” was used, just as Cialdini did. This question was not the only question in the survey but it was the main comparison point that I used with Cialdini’s experiment. Overall, I had other questions as both information gathering questions and questions that would not be recorded in my research (The survey is located in appendix A.) For example, one of the information gathering questions was a scale for the participants to be able to rate the severity to which they thought of themselves as a fan as well as a question for me to be able to also determine the participant’s level of “fan-ness”. Since it was obvious that the only question that was written response format was important, I also added similar but opposite questions, such as “describe a time when your favorite team was unable to win” in order to hopefully draw as much participation out of the contributor as I possibly could. My survey took about 10 minutes to complete on average.
By conducting this study, my main goal was to be able to compare my results to Cialdini’s results in his telephone interview experiment in 1976. I was aiming to see if there was a difference in verbal BIRGing and written BIRGing. By comparing the amount of times the pronoun “we” was used in certain questions of my survey I was able to compare my results with Cialdini to be able to conclude by research.
All in all I think this was a clever method section.Will the term BIRGing be more clarified before this methods section? Also, I don't think that you should include that you only got 50 fans to participate. But other than those two things I think you have a strong section and everything seems clear, precise and easy to follow.
DeleteIn order to see why people are so attached to Apple products I conducted interviews with my test subjects. I decided to interview people who have owned at least three Apple products over the course of their life. I did not want to interview people with less than three products because they could have just been gifts or impulse purchases. I believed people who have owned three or more Apple products much have some sort of attachment to the products and would able to explain why. I approached people who I have either seen with an Apple product or know from past history that they have owned a product. I then asked these people if they had owned at least three Apple products over the course of their life. If their response was yes I then asked them if they would be willing to participate in my survey.
ReplyDeleteIn my survey I asked participants about their history with Apple’s products. I first wanted to gain insight into their level of satisfaction with the products they had purchased. I asked questions such as how long they have had the products they currently own, why they purchased that Apple product over a potentially cheaper product, and if they would buy that same product if theirs was lost or damaged. For those who were not pleased with their Apple products I asked follow up questions such as if they would throw it away now and get a new phone or wait till their contract expired, did they recently become displeased with their product or did it start around the time them purchased it. This survey is designed to show me the level of attachment and pleasure people have with their Apple products if any at all.
1. If I had to follow the steps presented the only thing i would need clarified is the age range of your participants and how many subjects you surveyed.
Delete2. I have a clear idea of the research questions explored in this paper. I think think the 1st half of the methods section did a very clear job of explaining that.
3. everything makes sense to me the only suggestion I would make just to make the reading a little bit easier is when you list the questions you asked them maybe either list a couple less questions or maybe even list them in bullet form.
4. Overall, it is a very clear and well put together methods section in my opinion the only thing i would want to know is for those who were dissatisfied with their apple products why did they continue to buy them?
Merley Michel
ReplyDeleteMethod Section
I conducted an interview with general observation in order to research how gender role identification effect communication within intimate relationships.I interviewed and observed 3 set of couples; straight, gay, and lesbian. I chose this set of couples because it will show how gender role effect communication in various relationships. My participants were chosen based on their willingness to participate in my study and under the criteria that they had been in a relationship for at least one year and they have known and accepted their sexual orientation for at least one year. I chose these criteria because it helps the participant answer my question easier if they know their partner and know themselves. Everyone must agree to take this study seriously and accept and understand that there will be no compensation expect for my gratitude. Each couple will be given a consent form and a set of questionnaire to answer. The consent form will state that they agree to be recorded in both audio and video. They also understand that no one else beside myself will see these taping and audio and the only evidence of that will be left of the session is an anonymous transcript, everything else will be destroyed after the study. They are also told all information is confidential on both the questionnaire and the recorded session. They are made to understand that I have no license or degree in any psychological study and that this is just a research to help me inquire further in my studies.In my group interview with general observation I asked a set of questions regarding. These questions were important because they consisted of demographic and attitudinal items including a 25 question instrument to measure their relationship satisfaction.For example, In the videotaped interview I asked three open-ended questions: What is the best part of your relationship together? How has your communication changed, if at all, over the years you have been together? What area(s) would you like to see improve in your relationship? These questions were important because it allowed free flow of conversation that would help judge both verbal and nonverbal communications cues such as interruptions, talk overs, encourages, eye contact touches and body position. The questionnaire can be seen in appendix A.By conducting this study I was able to research both verbal and nonverbal interaction between all the couple and ascertain a pattern and see how gender role identification affects communication.
Overall, your methods section is well done. It's very detailed. I only found a few issues. In the first sentence, you explain why you conducted the interviews. In the third sentence, you started to explain what criteria you used to choose the subjects, but you ended up repeating the first sentence. After that, you actually do explain the criteria by which you chose your subjects so it seems like the third sentence should just be deleted. There is also a sentence about two-thirds of the way through that ends abruptly: "In my group interview with general observation I asked a set of questions regarding." I think you just forgot to finish this one. Lastly, there were a few places where you forgot to change the verbs to past tense, like "They also understand...", "They are made to understand...", and "They are also told...". Just be careful of that. You did a great job explaining your entire process.
DeleteI conducted a survey in order to assess young women’s perceptions of themselves compared to thin and plus size models. I surveyed all of my female Facebook friends under 30, as well as the people they sent the survey to, by sending them a Facebook message with a link to an online survey. This was the best way I could get a large amount of participants. I thought that these participants would feel more obligated to complete the survey to the best of their ability because it was being sent to them from a source they knew, trusted, and respected. I chose women under 30 because, after looking around online, there is a general consensus that “young womanhood” stops around age 30.
ReplyDeleteIn my survey, I asked questions regarding how women viewed themselves, as well as how they viewed the models. I asked them personal questions about height and weight in order to calculate their BMI. This is important because it allowed me to assess their actual stature compared to what they thought about their body. I also asked questions that evaluated levels of internalization. Internalization is the degree to which an individual “takes to heart” what they visualize and the assumptions they make. These questions were pivotal, as they allowed me to separate the data into two categories: women that are affected by the ads and women that aren’t. The data from the women that are unaffected was not relevant to this study. For example, I showed the participants numbered images of women ranging from very thin to very large and asked the question “Which image do you think most represents your body type?” I also asked specific questions about parts of the body. I showed the participants the same images of women with numbered arrows drawn to different parts of their bodies and asked questions like, “Which of these areas is a waist?” My goal with this was to analyze how women view different types of bodies. By conducting this study, I wanted to find out how young women view their bodies compared to thin and plus size models. I wanted to also look at how well women understand their bodies and if that understanding is dependent on the type of body they possess.
I think your methods section is very precise. You tell what you did and to what lengths you went to make sure the information you received from your survey was compatible with your topic in particular. I would be interested to see what women over the age of 30 thought about body image depicted in the media, but that's probably for another research paper.
DeleteI conducted research to see if the success of a child in a second language was affected by the way they were taught the second language. I used 3 families in Miami Florida with bilingual children to conduct my research. My participants were chosen based on the criteria that these families had children and that these children were in fact taught a second language.
ReplyDeleteMy research started off by conversing with the parents of these families and asking them how the process of teaching their children a second language was like. I started off first asking them in general to tell me about what processes and procedures they went through while teaching their child the second language. Then I started asking them more specific questions based on the research I had previously done. This research calls to attention important thing a parent should do for their child while teaching them a second language like making sure the child is in a bilingual learning environment. For example, I asked them questions like “Was your child raised in a bilingual environment”. I then gave the children in these families an exam in their second language to see in fact how good they were in this second language that was taught to them. I gave them both a writing exam (according to their age and grade level of course) and an oral exam and then scored them. By conducting this experiment I wanted to see if the way parents educate a child in a second language really has any affect on how well the child is able to learn the language.
1. If you had to follow the steps presented, what would you need clarified?
Delete-I would want to know what the test entail, specific questions from each of the test given to the subjects.
2. Do you have a clear idea of the research questions explored in this paper? How could they be clarified? What else do you need to know?
- I would like to know more questions being asked because as a reader I feel kind of in the dark. And the grading scale that will be used for exams such as the oral exam.
3. Does it make sense? Is anything overly redundant or not specific enough?
- I feel it makes sense but still maybe slightly general
4. Provide additional suggestions you might find helpful.
- I would be a little more specific by adding examples from each of the test and by explaining the dynamic of each family being tested. For example how many kids in each, and how old the parents are and from where all the parents come from. Besides being more specific, its a great idea !
Haley Wood
ReplyDeleteMethods Section
I conducted an interview of my peers in order to gather information on whether or not college students use social networks and medias for anything other than to be social. I interviewed 10 college students at the University of Central Florida because this is the group that my study consists of. Mostly for the reason that since I am a college student myself, and am surrounded by a plethora of others, they are the most attainable group for my research. Also, my research is based on the social habits of young adults and the effect on their academics. College students are the only demographic that fit the criteria. My participants were selected by their willingness to respond to my questions and their location. I chose these criteria because I needed people who are accessible. Therefore I selected people who live near me and who had the time to answer a sequence of several questions. In my interview with the participants, I asked questions regarding their uses of social network (i.e. approximately how many hours a week do you access social media). Depending on their responses, there were follow- up questions (i.e. have you ever had a group formed on Facebook for a club, sporting event, or other academic- like activity?) See Appendix A for full transcript of the interview. By conducting this study I wanted to find out of the social networks have been reaching college students for any other reason besides sharing ideas and pictures through the Internet. Researchers have gone to many lengths to promote the use of social networks with academics and this study was done primarily to see if college students could adapt to this new approach to learning.
Hey I think the structure and information in this is good, however I think it would provide a more valid standing if you explained a little further in. You did a really good job describing how your participants were chosen but you didn't put in as much information for how you interviewed them. Try adding things like wether it was recorded, video taped, and aspects that describe the actual interview and the procedure for how it was done.
DeleteI conducted an experiment in order to test the extent to which music can alter an individual’s feeling of happiness, sadness, and suspense when dealing with a visual stimulus. I then used the same experiment to test if any of the three given emotions could be altered significantly greater than the rest. I surveyed 15 individuals including both adults and students from both Miami and Orlando. Before starting the actual experiment each of the fifteen individuals was asked to complete a thirty question yes or no questionnaire online that tested their emotional stability. This questionnaire, found online at the Personality Test Center, included questions such as: “Do daily insignificant problems annoy you?”. Fifteen individuals were left to conduct my experiment. My participants were chosen based on their willingness to participate in my study and under the criteria that they had passed the emotional stability test previously given.
ReplyDeleteIn my experiment, subjects were split into three groups. The first group, acting as the control group, was asked to watch three separate unfamiliar visual stimuli each portraying a separate emotion (happiness, sadness, and suspense) and then asked to rate on a scale from one to ten how much of the asked emotion was felt while watching it. The scale from one to ten had examples of what each of the numbers would correlated to. For example, under the number one had the example “Did not feel the desired emotion at all”. The second group was asked to watch the same visual stimuli except in this group music was added with the intent to heighten the desired emotion. Subjects were then asked to rate the extent of which they felt the emotion from one to ten as well. Lastly, the third group was asked to watch the same three visual stimuli as the last two groups as well. When dealing with the third group however, music was added to the visual stimuli with the intent to lessen the desired emotion. Each subject was then asked to rate the extent to which they felt the given emotion from a scale of one to ten. After having all the results turned in, I then proceeded to compare each emotion from each group testing the differences in levels each individual felt from simply adding or subtracting matching/mismatching music. After having compared those results, I then went on to compare each emotion to the other to see if there was any obvious information saying that one emotion was significantly easier to alter compared to the rest.
1. I really like this experiment, but how does one "pass" the emotional stability test? Is a passing grade just an average, emotionally stable person?
Delete2. I think having three groups of five participants can provide a credible result, so this was a good option to go with.
3. All in all, I'm excited to see the results on people's mood changes based on the music they hear whilst watching a clip of a video.
Oh I forgot to right that but yes the testing gives a grade and if one scores 20 or higher they are considered emotionally stable and "normal" anything under is too emotional or not emotional enough
DeleteI conducted a survey/questionnaire in order to understand what is more important to a listener in terms of song preferences. This includes melody, lyrics, popularity of the song, frequency of song played on the radio, etc. I surveyed fifteen friends and neighbors that listened to the radio at least once a day because the survey is intended for any general music lover/listener. I chose my participants by simply asking if they would be interested in taking part in my research project. I chose to analyze my participants with a survey because I could compare answers easily and find correlated topics within their responses.
ReplyDeleteIn my survey, I asked questions regarding pop music and the radio, such as “What station do you generally listen to?” This is extremely important because if they were to only listen to one country radio station, they would be more likely to skew my results. To clear up confusion, I listed 3 popular radio stations and had them choose which one they were more likely to listen to. I also asked my participants to list in order of importance what they found to be a significant part of listening to a song (melody, lyrics, tone, popularity). These questions were important to my study because I was hoping to find that lyrics would be considered not as important as they used to be.
For example, I asked whether a participant listened to the radio on a daily basis because they should have been familiar with pop music in order to have taken the survey. I also asked whether or not they listened to a song/artist based on peer influence.
By conducting this study, I wanted to find out whether lyrics in a song were appreciated or drowned out. Is the song more likely to be considered popular because of catch phrases or because of more poetic and metaphoric phrases?
Everything in this methods section is very precise and clear. You do a great job providing a well thought out step by step process. However, I think it might be a good idea to broaden your criteria for your participants. Maybe incorporating a different genre of music could really show a variety of results. Maybe different genres spark different reactions for each type of music. For example, when listening to country music, I prefer the lyrics, When I listen to another genre, typically one more upbeat, I prefer the music. This could also raise the question of which genre affects people different ways.
DeleteI conducted an interview in order to find how parenting styles differ from generation to generation, specifically relating to the women’s movement. I studied five sets of parents in their home in order to discover their parenting styles as well as the styles their parents implemented on them, so I can see if there is any correlation. I will also choose parents based on if the mother, as well as her mother, has/had a job or not, so I can see whether that has any effect on their type of parenting. I chose people based on their willingness to participate, as well as if they are parents and if the mother, as well as her mother, has/had a job or not. I chose this criteria so I can see whether having a job or not has any effect on their type of parenting.
ReplyDeleteIn my interview I asked questions regarding their current parenting habits, specifically, “how is your parenting style different or similar than that of your own parents?” in order to find out if there is a connection. I also asked the mother “do you have a job and if so, how has that impacted being a parent?” so I can find out how the women’s movement is changing life at home. I asked them how much time on average they spend with their children, if the father is taking on more of the typical female roles, as well as if their mother had a job and how that impacted things at home. By conducting this study, I wanted to find out if the growing trend for women to have a job is affecting parenting styles from one generation to another.
From you methods section, I derived the thought that your main focus was parenting styles depending on the lifestyle of the mother in particular. The explanation seems thorough but it does lack variation on the types of questions asked. Also, you may want to mention the diversity of the research group. Cultural differences could change parenting styles more than a maternal career. Simply stating that the research group is not biased or narrow would be beneficial to repeating the process. In comparison to others', your's seem to be lacking in the length category so you may want to expand it. Elaboration is always helpful in research, just don't veer towards repetition.
DeleteI conducted interviews and surveys in order to acquire information about the influences that motivate people to choose and or change their college major and to what extent do they influence them compared to others. I studied these (50) students of all ages who are attending or are going to attend college because of the correlation with college students and their majors; all students have made a decision to register for an academic major and those who are entering college will soon do the same. The ones who were interviewed were used to critically analyze the psychological or overlooked aspects of influence that were not or could not have been covered by the survey.
ReplyDeleteMy participants were chosen based on the multiple factors of their willingness to participate in my study and fulfillment of the requirements of either perusing a college degree or planning to do so. I chose this criterion because the people who are currently pursuing a major have a stronger understanding of the influences than the people who are not. The study group was chosen not necessarily at random but because I verified that I had a varied amount of people from all ages and ethnicities, the results were not biased. For example I interviewed my class because it was a strong mix of all types of students of the entire criterion I was looking for. The people who I chose to interview were simply chosen because of the accessibility to interview them and because I had prior knowledge that they were questioning their decisions in their academic career. I felt that this would be more practical because of the chronological relevance of the factors that I am studying.
After creating my survey which was based on the Likert 1-5 scale and multiple potential factors on influence that could motivate an individual to make a decision, I confirmed the willingness of my participants and explained the process and meaning of the survey to them. The subjects that they were rating were based on current, large scale factors and also individualistic and personal attributes. For example, I included gender, ethnicity, parental influence and cognitive or major specific abilities to gather how much their personal life impacted this choice. Also, I directed some factors at monetary value or potential of pursuing a particular major, the positive or negative points of changing, the stereotype that in attached to certain groups of people and the difficulty of the academic major to collect ratings on the larger scale elements that influence all as a whole. It was important to encompass all aspects on a person’s life because if certain aspects were over looked, the results could be skewed or become biased.
By conducting this study I wanted to discover not only what are the underlying influences that cause individuals to make these decisions, but also, how large of an impact are certain factors compared to others.
Brianne Addison
ReplyDeleteI conducted a study on myself to see if I saw similar results in the mind sets which were comparable to the ones I read in the scholarly articles. I thought that it would be more beneficial for me to conduct a study on myself because none of the articles I read had a self study, and I think that a self study is one of the best ways to get inside of an athlete’s mind. In my study, I focused on recording my thoughts and feelings during my erging workouts, workouts on the water, and my mind in a racing setting. I recorded my mindset based on external factors such as my coaches and team mates cheering me on, or based on if I had a bad day the day before. Then I practiced self-talk techniques such as saying to myself “I can do this, I was recruited on this team to make a difference” or “I am strong, I have been training for this. Don’t give up now.” I also used breathing techniques to settle my nerves and to find my “inner peace.” These are important self talk statements because they are based on the ones from the articles that I read in which athletes commonly used, so I wanted to try them out on myself too. By conducting this study, I wanted to find out if self talk statements, breathing exercises and outside sources helped or altered keeping the positive state of mind during activity of an athlete.
Francois J. Turner
DeleteWeek 12 Blog
Peer Review
1. Since you’re making a note of your positive state of mind and what affects it, it would benefit you to describe what that positive mood or state entails. Describing what exactly does it mean to have a positive state of mind. This will ensure that the reader can identify any changes in that state of mind.
2. From the little detail you did provide I was able to get what your research question was about. However, you need to clarify your methodology and what the information from those results will bring, linking its contribution to your question.
3. What’s missing or not specific enough is how you intend to gauge whether or not there was a change in your mind set. Meaning, have a baseline for what a positive state of mind is. It might seem silly because it’s easy to identify a change in mood and feelings, however, your readers won’t have that frame of reference hence an ‘’operational definition’’ for ‘a positive state of mind’.
Revised Research Part 2
ReplyDeleteThe type of study I conducted for my research was a survey in order to to find out how media portrays sharks and if it effects our viewpoint. I surveyed 15 people in different age groups because I wanted to get a bigger age diversity, so my research wouldn’t be from one point of view. My participants were chosen because of their willingness to take the survey on Facebook. I chose this criteria because I am friends with people of all different ages on this website and on my survey they chose the age group they are in, so I knew how to analyze their results.
In my survey, I asked questions regarding how media portrays sharks, and if it is effecting our views on them. These questions were important because when doing my research, I found a gap in all my articles. They are all studies performed on the content of newspapers and televisions, not the opinions people actually have. For example, I asked the question, “what kind of image do you think the media gives sharks?” and “what kinds of news stories are sharks involved in most?”. I asked the questions worded like that so I would not be biased. If I had asked “does the media give sharks a negative image?”, I would already have implied that the media does give sharks a negative image, swaying their responses. (See Appendix A for a list of all survey questions) By conducting this survey, I wanted to find out if the negative image the media sends out to their viewers really has an effect on their viewpoints and if it is having a long term effect on the interest people have on shark conservations.
I conducted a survey in order to find out what type of films aspiring filmmakers are interested in making, as well as why they are interested in making them. I also conducted a separate survey in order to find out what types of films moviegoers are interested in watching. I surveyed 25 students around campus because it was perfect to find both groups of aspiring filmmakers and moviegoers. My participants were chosen based on their willingness to participate in my survey and under the criteria that they were either an aspiring filmmaker or a regular moviegoer. I chose this criteria because it would give me a great range of diversity. The participants ranged in ages from 18-24. I conducted a survey that required my participants to rate different films, ranging from low budget independents to big budget summer blockbusters because it would give me a better understanding of what films appeal to them. I also asked personal questions to get a better understanding of each participant. For example, I asked the question “What was the first film that impacted you as a child?” because I want to better understand what types of films they were first interested in. By conducting this study, I wanted to find out what are the motives of making films in today’s generation, and how it has changed from past generations. Also, I wanted to find out if the motives of making films were forced to evolve because of moviegoers’ interests changing in the past years.
ReplyDeleteCatherine Rucker
ReplyDeleteWeek 12 Blog
I conducted an interview in order to understand the opinions of those who are familiar with the literature of Emily Bronte’s novel, Wuthering Heights, and also consult those who are acquainted with psychoanalytical disorders in order to further my own analysis on the main character, Heathcliff.
I conducted a textual analysis of Wuthering Heights in order to find numerous examples metaphors, symbolisms, and conversation that coincide with my wish of diagnosing the main character with borderline personality disorder. He shows many of the same symptoms in the story that are accord with the criteria used to evaluate or create a diagnosis on an individual in using the fourth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV). I chose to analyze the text in this way because I feel that it would be very helpful to read through the literature closely to try and logically understand the main character without relying so closely on my former preconceived notions about the text from previous readings for pleasure. In my analysis of the text I asked how the main character’s actions and beliefs were influenced by others in the novel that would give cause for me to prove that he could possibly be diagnosed with a particular disorder when analyzed with a clinical model. I looked at the behaviors and thoughts of those affiliated with Heathcliff as well as direct quotations from the characters himself in order to further my research. Also analyzing metaphors, speeches, conversation was important while trying to connect borderline personality disorder to Heathcliff. In regards to the clinical model (DSM-IV) I basically reviewed what the criteria was for people who can be pinpointed into a particular disorder, and applied it to all I’d learnt about Heathcliff while re-reading the novel.
By conducting this study, I wanted to find out if I can successfully take the research found on the novel and use it to further my own pursuit in explaining the main characters endeavors and his emotional state.
I think that you have a really good research study topic, not to many readers dig into what the novel is actually trying to say or what is going on beyond the naked eye. However I would like to know who you interviewed, how many people you interviewed and more specific questions that were asked. Overall I think that your methods section is clear on what you hope to achieve with this study. It does need to be a bit more specific. Also I would like to be provided with a definition of a psychoanalytical disorder, not everyone is going to know what that type of disorder is.
DeleteKahfi Sims
ReplyDeleteWeek 12 Blog
In order to observe reactions to possible nationalism in America, I conducted a survey study. I surveyed 30 people, both adults and students at UCF. I chose to survey this location because of the university’s wide range of ages and backgrounds.
I chose to analyze George Bush’s state of the union address after the 9/11 events to observe people’s reactions to his words, actions etc. The variety of research subjects will hopefully eliminate bias in the results. In my observation, I required my participants to watch Bush’s speech after 9/11. After each subject watched the speech he/she was asked to describe the speech in one or two words and rate the speech from 1-10, 10 being most radical/extreme, in how they felt his speech was expressed. If they were willing, the subject also included his/her age and religion. These factors may be a major element in their answers.
I asked the subjects to rate the intensity of the video because this video could be an example of nationalism after a traffic event. The description of the video in two words or less is a descriptive impulse of the subjects’ experience while watching the video.
By conducting this study, I wanted to find out if there is in fact a change in one’s national pride after a tragic event. And if so, is it apparent to multiple people and how they react to it.
The steps you take in order to attain your information are thorough enough to be pretty easily replicated. The idea of the research question you provide is pretty clear, although it may be more helpful and enable you to acquire more information by asking more than simply a one or two word reaction to a video based on a scale from 1-10. It could prove to be more helpful to ask various questions regarding certain segments of the video or specific aspects of nationalism seen in the video, in addition to their response. Your methodology section is clear and seems to effectively represent what your intentions are through your research. I like the idea of what your researching, the group you are surveying, and the procedure your utilizing to evaluate opinions from each individual. Also the diversity aspect your focusing on will generally broaden your results, providing good incite from each possible individual outlook.
DeleteI conducted a questionnaire survey in order to determine the most popular motive for food choice amongst college students. I surveyed 20 adults, half male and half female, in a college setting because I would like to gauge various food choice motives and their relation to the average college student mindset. My participants were chosen based off an equal number of males and females to attain results that could represent a general population. In addition, my participants varied in personal lifestyle habits and ethnicity in order to further broaden my representation of the college population. In my survey I asked questions based off the established Food Choice Questionnaire (FCQ) regarding some of the more prevalent food choice motives i.e. price, mood, sensory appeal, weight control, natural content, convenience, and ethnic influences. Using a very similar version of the FCQ, I utilized a scale ranging from one to four, one indicating virtually no influence and four indicating major influence. These questions were important because in order to determine which motive played the biggest determinant, it was necessary to address a multitude of factors. I conducted this study that required my participants to answer questions related to their personal choices because I am trying to construct my results around the survey group’s responses. For example I asked the question, “How often does mood play into your food based decisions?”, this question is relevant in that mood is a main psychological influence on food choice motives and given the circumstances of many college students, stress is often present and definitely factors heavily into our food based decisions. Another question I asked is, “How often will convenience play into choosing what to eat?” this question addresses another important factor, especially related to the college lifestyle because often time is a large determinant on where and what we choose to eat. By conducting this study, I wanted to find out which food choice motive serves as the major determinant amongst college students in their eating habits.
ReplyDeleteI think that your methods of research are very well thought out and that the questions your asking are very precise, however you might consider enlarging your scale from one to four to something larger so that you can gauge the results in a more broader sense.
DeleteI conducted a focus group in order to test how having a diet, containing specific foods and nutrients, effects one’s mood and behavior. I observed four students, two girls and two boys, during a six-day period.
ReplyDeleteMy participants were chosen based off variables that they had in common and ones that differed. These students all lived in dorms at the University of Central Florida (UCF) and had an unlimited meal plan; therefore they consumed the same food products. Each person was eighteen and was a member of the group Out of State Student Mentoring (OSSM). Each volunteer also was a member of at least one group or activity at UCF. However, factors such as majors, exercise, and gender differed.
My study was done over a six-day period but was divided into two parts. During the first three days of my experiment each participant was able to eat whatever he or she wanted. They recorded each meal, the portion size, and the time of day. Throughout the day they answered several different questions based on their energy level, stress level, and their mood and behavior. After those three days the participants followed a written diet containing specific foods. They recorded the same information as they did for the three days prior. It was important to have all this information recorded because it was important to know how long after, eating certain food products, one’s mood changed and how long after it lasted for.
Questions were based off topics pertaining to changes in mood and behavior because the overall purpose of this experiment was to learn if consuming food products in a specific diet could replace antidepressants. Also I asked their average stress level to know if it was increased or decreased based off this experiment.
By conducting this experiment I wanted to learn if there are alternative therapies for depression and anxiety. My alternative therapy was based on the consumption of food products that increase the production of neurotransmitters and serotonin.
In my opinion, you presented the steps of your research really well. When I first read this line: “My participants were chosen based off variables that they had in common and ones that differed”, I immediately was wondering what were the variables, and then you answered my question. You did a very good job at explaining how you chose the participants. You made your research question very clear and easy to understand. Overall, I think you were very specific.
DeleteAlexis Dickison
ReplyDeleteMethods
For my study, I chose to take the approach of an interview. The way I did this was a combination of email interviews, Facebook message interviews, and phone call interviews. I sent out questionnaires via email and Facebook and waited for responses. It hard to get a hold of people via phone these days so I figured that this would be the most effective way to do so. It also turns out that I liked this way better because I had all of the answers to all the questions already typed it and written. The downside to not being able to do phone conversations with some people was that it was hard to get deep into the interview and bounce stories off of one another in conversation.
There were two different groups of people that I interviewed. The subjects that were involved in the first interviews were biracial participants. These biracial participants were mixed with African-American and Caucasian. I sent out 5 questionnaires on Facebook, sent out 3 e-mails, and phone interviewed 3 people. The second group of participants that I interviewed was some of the parents of the biracial participants. I wanted to see if the parents raised their children under a certain stereotype. I wanted to know if they were raised as a “black” child or as a “white” child or I wanted to see if their parents let them choose.
My participants were chosen a couple of different ways. Of course I had some people pre-planned for this in my head before I even began to find participants. I just needed to make sure that they were willing to participate. After I made sure that they were willing, I continued to search for other biracial people. This is when I opened my high school yearbook and started turning through the pages. After I got a few names down, I searched for them on Facebook and sent them messages. Surprisingly, I was friends with a lot more people on Facebook than I had thought. As soon as those questionnaires went out, I made the phone calls I was able to make to the few participants I could get a hold of to actually talk to.
In my study, I was looking for answers that varied. I really wanted to have different opinions from people who came from different surroundings growing up. I felt as though that would make for a very interesting paper and interesting knowledge nonetheless. I began with some very generic questions that involved finding out their name, age, and hometown. I then needed to know which parent was white and which one was black. Even a question that simple has a lot of depth to it. My friend Lisa is a biracial female that was adopted by two white parents and that in fact has affected her growing up. I wanted to know if they had faced any racial hatred from either the white or black community. These were just a few of the things I needed to figure out.
By conducting this study, I hoped to find the answers to questions I haven’t even been able to answer myself as a biracial individual. I wanted to know the process of what they went through in life to get to where they are and how they identified in society now. I am very happy with the results.
Overall I think your research methods were very clear and precise. I liked how you varied your ways of researching between Facebook, emails, and phone interviews. The way you explained was very specific, and left me with no questions about your methods. I like that what your researching is important to you which will make your paper that much better. It is a interesting topic and something that probably isn’t researched very much. I think you did a great job!
DeleteMatt Barnes
ReplyDeletePr. Longhany
3/26/2013
I conducted a focus group in order to better understand the fans interpretation of an illegal hit in football. I observed 12 people in a focus group because it was the easiest to get feedback from video clips I plan to show displaying some illegal NFL hits to the head. My participants were chosen based on their willingness and under the criteria that they were fairly knowledgeable fans of the NFL. I chose this criteria because it is necessary for an understanding of the rules of football and also what you find entertaining about the sport. In my focus group I asked questions regarding what they thought about illegal hits to the head these questions were important because they help show how fans feel about these hits. I asked the question do you enjoy watching big hits in football because it gauges the intended targets for the study. Also, I asked what do you think about helmet to helmet hits because that is the play most likely to cause a concussion. By conducting this study I wanted to find out if football fans understand what illegal helmet to helmet contact looks like and also if the fan enjoys these hits or are fearful of the injuries they cause.
The idea of asking your perticipants to watch a video is a good one, that way you can not only ask them about their feeling about the hits but you can also montier their reaction. Why did only only interview people who frequently watch football? We see the helmet to helmet hits so often we might not consider something as vicious as someone who doesn't watch football would. I would interview a few people who maybe do not watch football that often and get their opinion on the hits as well.
DeleteGinni Correa
ReplyDeleteENC 1102
I conducted interviews and read published literature in order to gain more knowledge on my research topic. I interviewed experts in the field of animal-assisted therapy including dog owners and psychologists. I visited the owners of dogs involved in therapy as well as the counseling center on campus. My participants were chosen based on their expertise on the subject and willingness to be interviewed. The participants in my project were either professionals with degrees or have somehow had their life affected in a positive way because of dogs in their lives. In my interviews I asked questions regarding dog assisted therapy. The history of animal assisted therapy, the process of dog therapy, and the different results they've seen. These questions were important because they allowed me to learn about the topic first hand rather than just reading a text. For example, I asked the question "Is there a specific reason you chose to work with dogs?" because I chose to focus on dogs rather than animals in general for this project. Also, I asked "What made you decide to work with dogs?" because I am interested in people's motives behind their profession. See Appendix A for a list of all the interview questions. By conducting these interviews I wanted to find out the process of becoming involved in dog therapy, how dogs helped people with depression and why dog therapy is a successful alternative option for people living with depression.