REC 710 Class Outline, 2/3/05

For homework see end of page.

Research Definitions

See handout

Mixed Methods Research Design

Quantitative

Qualitative

Mixed Methods

 

Errors in Personal Human Inquiry

What are they?

 

Science Vs. Casual Inquiry

Scientific Inquiry differs from casual inquiry in two important ways:

Science is a conscious activity

Scientific inquiry is more careful, more concerns about making mistakes and uses more special precautions to avoid errors.

Three Elements Essential To Science

1. Theory- An organized body of concepts and principles around one topic.

Ex: Einstein's Theory of Relativity

Deals with what is, not what should be. Scientific theory can not settle debates on VALUE.

Social Theory – aims to determine logical and persistent patterns of regularity in social life, or changes in these

Elements of Science

2. Research Methods – Carefully defined observational activity and the analysis of data.

Objective

Repeatable

Minimizes chance of errors

Elements of Science

3. Statistics- A device for comparing what is logically expected from what is observed.

Used in quantitative research

In qualitative research, methods and analysis procedures become most important since statistics can not be generated.

Purposes of Research

Four most common purposes of social research:

1. Exploration – provide a beginning of understanding with a topic.

Strength: Can yield new insights.

Weakness: seldom provides satisfactory answer. May lack representativeness.

Less useful for decision makers

Purpose

2. Description- describe situations and events. Observe then describes.

Examples: US Census Bureau; voter preferences

Strength: Less time and cost needed

Weakness: Does not say WHY situation occurs

Purpose

3. Explanation- To explain things.

Ex: Why voters voted that way. Why crime rates are higher in that city

Strengths: Goes beyond just description, so can be more useful in changing situation.

Weakness: More complex, larger sample needed, careful analysis required.

Purpose

4. Advocacy- Creswell states that often traditional research does not address marginalized individuals or issues of social justice. In this case research needs to be intertwined with politics.

Strengths: Focused on bringing about change

Concern: Must be careful to conduct research in a methodologically defensible manner

Selecting and Stating the Research Topic/Problem

Research Topic- an issue in need of investigation. Spells out the ideas to be studied.

For qualitative research it is appropriate to start with only a general topic statement or area. The researcher then forms a narrower topic after initial observations and literature search.

For quantitative research the researcher spells out a narrowly defined problem statement, hypothesis related to the topic and strategies for conducting the study.

Research topics come from three major areas

Theories- principles and concepts from previous empirical research.

Personal experience

Replications- Repeat of study in the same or a new setting

Homework for 2/10

Research Topic Assignment

List 3 research questions or topics related to leisure/recreation of interest to you.

Ask yourself if these questions seem to be of major importance/interest to the profession, researchers or students.

Describe how research could be used to contribute to each of these topics. If you conducted a study on these topics how would your findings be helpful? To whom?

Complete for next class

Typed, 1-2 pages