05/08/23 Copyright Ed Lipinski and Mesa Community College, 2003-2009. All rights reserved.

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Research MethodsSummer 2009

Making Systematic Observations

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Agenda

• General Housekeeping• Assignments• Lesson Objective• Ed’s Overview / Discussion• Questions.

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Objective

• “... to review how to make systematic observations”

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Ed’s Overview

• I. Deciding What To Observe• II. Choosing Variables• III. Choosing Measures• IV. Choosing Opportunities• V. Automation• VI. Dealing With Problems.

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I. Deciding What To Observe

• Focus• What Specific Observations• What Variables To Observe• Operational Definitions• How Will Behaviors Be Measured• What Will Be Manipulated.

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II. Choosing Variables

• A. Research Tradition.• What Has Been Done Before• Same or Different

• B. Theory.• Variables Important To You

• C. Techniques.• New Equipment• Computerized Manipulation• Availability of Equipment.

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III. Choosing Measures

• A. Reliability of a Measure• B. Accuracy of a Measure• C. Validity of a Measure• D. Scales of Measure

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III. Choosing Measures

• A. Reliability of a Measure• Produces Similar Results When

Repeated• Physical Measures• Population Estimates• Judgments By Observers• Psychological Tests• Test – Retest.

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III. Choosing Measures

• B. Accuracy of a Measure• Produces Results That Agree With a

Known Standard• Precision Questions• What Is Considered Deviant• Going Against The Standard.

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III. Choosing Measures

• C. Validity of a Measure• Measures What You Intend To Measure• Face Validity• Content Validity• Criterion-related validity• Concurrent Validity• Predictive Validity• Construct Validity• Acceptance.

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III. Choosing Measures

• D. Scales of Measure• Nominal Scales• Ordinal Scales• Interval Scales• Ratio Scales• Choosing a Scale of Measurement

• Information Yielded• Statistical Tests• Ecological Validity.

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IV. Choosing Opportunities

• A. Timing• B. Resources• C. Alternatives• D. Working With Human Subjects• E. The Role of the Experimenter.

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V. Automation

• A. Can Save Time• B. Tend To Be More Accurate• C. Can Miss Details• D. Videos, Timers, Computers.

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VI. Dealing With Problems

• A. Pilot Study• Can Help Determine Details• Reliability and Validity• But, Still Take Time and Resources

• B. Manipulation Checks• Tests The I.V.• Perceptions of Subjects.

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Recap

• I. Deciding What To Observe• II. Choosing Variables• III. Choosing Measures• IV. Choosing Opportunities• V. Automation• VI. Dealing With Problems.

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Making ObservationsQuestions