Lab Assignment 2: Methods
Lab Assignment 2: Methods
Purpose
The purpose of this assignment is to help you design an instrument that will allow you to collect data to answer your research question. We will provide you with feedback that should help you improve your instrument, so we ask that you do not begin collecting data before receiving your feedback and grade.
Due Date
Friday, March 14th, 2014
Submission
All assignments should be submitted to the d2l dropbox by 10:00 pm on the due date. We encourage you to submit early in case problems arise due to your computer, internet access, or the d2l site. If you are unable to submit due to one of these problems, you MUST email your TA the assignment by 10:00 pm on the due date.
Only one person in each group needs to submit the assignment and the TAs will only grade one assignment per group. Please be sure to include the names of all group members so that everyone receives credit.
Format
Your assignment should be no more than 1-2 double spaced pages. Please note the 1-2 pages does not include your instrument. Feel free to use more space to create a well-designed instrument. You must type all assignments and make full use of spell check/grammar check features. We will not waste time trying to interpret poor grammar. All assignments must be in APA format. We do not require cover sheets, but you must use appropriate section headings and references when appropriate.
Grading
The assignment is worth 25 points. You will be graded on the description and appropriateness of your methodological approach, design, sample, and procedure. We will also be grading on how well your instrument matches your research question and allows you to collect quality data that will help you to answer your research question. As always, grammar, editing, and the general ease of reading your assignment are important.
Directions
For this assignment, you will be asked to prepare for data collection. You should plan on collecting data from 10-15 people if you are doing a survey and 3-6 people if you are doing an interview. If you plan on making observations, plan a minimum of 3 observations at least 5-10 minutes in length, but feel free to make more or longer observations as well. Just keep in mind that you will have to code your observations for emerging themes, so it is important to only collect as much information as you think you can handle.
Your assignment must include:
· Revised research question and hypothesis
· Your paper must begin with your research question and hypothesis.
· Revise the research question and hypothesis if necessary according to your TA’s feedback.
· Please note: You are not resubmitting your entire Assignment 2. We are only asking you to revise your research question and hypothesis if necessary.
· Description of your methodological approach and design
· State whether your method is quantitative, qualitative, or mixed methods.
· Be sure to demonstrate correct understanding of this approach.
· Explain why you have chosen this method.
· Indicate your chosen design (e.g., descriptive, correlational, experimental, case study, interview, focus group, ethnography).
· Be sure to demonstrate correct understanding of this design.
· Identify your independent and dependent variables.
· Explain why this design is appropriate to answering your research question.
· Description of your sample
· Describe who will be in your sample (e.g., gender, age, race/ethnicity, profession)
· Describe where you will locate your sample.
· Describe how you will recruit people to be included. This is separate from where you will locate them.
· Explain why this sample is appropriate to answering your research question and tell us why you are interested in this specific population.
· Create Your Instrument
· Create the instrument you plan on using for your study. Do not simply describe it. Be sure that it will elicit quality data that will help you answer your research question. In addition, pay attention to how your instrument is formatted. It should be well organized and easily interpreted.
· If you are doing a survey, include the survey you will be using.
· Surveys should include 5-15 items.
· If you are doing interviews, include your interview questions.
· Interviews should include 5-10 questions.
· If you are doing observations, include an example of what your field notes will look like.
· Field notes should include a description of the location of the observation, the time of day, the number of people, and what they are doing. You must include all relevant information from the setting that you think will help address your research question. Be sure to include your thoughts about your observations.
· If you are doing an experiment, include the procedure and describe how you will measure your variables.
· Be sure to define your independent and dependent variables.
· Procedures must include step-by-step instructions for conducting the experiment.
*Note: Do not complete this assignment using bullet points. This assignment needs to be conducted in an essay format. In addition, please attempt to keep your writing organized. Every paragraph should have a clear purpose. You may want to think of every black bullet point as its own paragraph if it helps you to keep your writing focused.
