The last lesson

This day is a last lesson of Social research method. We have a discussion and exchange of experiences in studying process. I have an opportunity to interview Eric and know more about his process of choosing the topic and research method.
His topic is:”線上遊戲玩家知識分享與自找概念形成資研究”. He wants to know more about the differences between the life in game online and real life. He believes that most of the gamers feel the life in game is very free, and the real life in society is not attractive. The research method that he uses is qualitative method, observation and interview are used in this study. Otherwise, he also wants to know the influences of the game online on the real life in society. I think this is an interested topic, I have heard about troubles that caused by game online in our life and I also want to know how the results of research will be.
The second topic in last class is also an enjoyable subject. This time, I am interviewed by Big wolf. He asks me about five theories in research method that I understand best and five theories that I do not understand. This is really a chance for me to share my studying with other classmates. I can talk something about problems that I have not yet understood clearly in research method. In addition, I am moved by Bigwolf’s questions about difficulties in my studying in Taiwan. In a moment, I feel there is a person who wants to share those difficulties with me. Thanks for Bigwolf’s questions.

REVIEWING THE SCHOLARLY LITERATURE

Introduction of literature review
- A literature review is based on the assumption that knowledge accumulates and that people learn from and built on what others have done.
-Some studies may be especially important and individual researchers may come become famous, however e specific research project is just a tiny part of the overall process of creating knowledge.
-Scientific research is a collective effort of many researchers who share their results with one another as a community.
Goals of a literature review:
- To demonstrate a familiarity with a body of knowledge and establish credibility.
- To show the path of prior research and how a current project is link to it.
- To integrate and summarize what is known in an area.
- To learn from others and stimulate new ideal.
Types of review:
-Self-study reviews increase the reader’s confidence. A review that only demonstrates familiarity with an area is often part of an educational program.
-Context reviews place a specific project in the big picture. Context reviews create links to developing body of knowledge. It is usually appears at the beginning of a report article.
-Historical reviews trace the development of an issue over time. The researchers conduct historical reviews on the most important idea in the field.
-Theoretical reviews compare how different theories address an issue. It presents different theories to explain same topic.
-Integrate reviews summarize what is known at a point in time. It presents the current state of knowledge where contact with researcher’s topic.
-Methodological reviews point out methodology varies by studies.

NONREACTIVE RESEARCH

I. Nonreactive measurement :
Both of the experiment and survey are reactive. This mean the people who are being studied are aware of that fact. On the contrary, in nonreactive, those are being studied are not aware that they are a part of a research project. Nonreactive is also called unobtrusive measures.
After observing, the researchers will have a result and they rule out a reason. The example of nonreactive measure:
Physical trace: If the toy has been used in a long time, this leads to worn-out toys.
ð Erosion: wear suggests greater use.
II. Content analysis:
- Content analysis is a technique for gathering and analyzing the content of text.
- The researcher can probe and discover the content in a different way from the ordinary way of reading a book or watching a television program.
- They compare content across many texts and analyze it.
Topic appropriate for content analysis:
- Researchers have used content analysis for many purposes.
- Content analysis cannot determine the truthfulness of an assertion the quality of literature.
- Content analysis is useful for three types of research problem:
+ For problem in a large volume of a text, for example, years of newspaper article.
+When a topic must be studied at a distance, for example, researcher can use historical documents whose authors have died, or broadcasts in a hostile foreign country.
+Content analysis can reveal messages in a text that are difficult to see with a casual observation.
III.Existing statistic/document and secondary analysis
Primary information: researchers investigate directly or test, then collect data. This is primary data or direct data.
Secondary information: after editing information from other sources, it is called secondary data.
Types of secondary document:
- From the analysis of government.
- From public or private organization, they gather many type of information.
- From independent researchers (they present publicly their results)
Appropriate topic:
- Information is collected over a long time period.
- Research in a long time
- Research is extended in many countries.
IV.The issues of inference and theory testing:
The limitation of nonreactive data:
- It is difficult to establish temporal order and eliminate alternative explanations.
- Unlike the survey research, a researcher can ask respondents direct question.
Ethical concern:
- Ethical concern is the privacy and confidentially.
- Another one is that official statistics are social and political products.
- Political and social values influence decisions about which existing statistics to collect.

SURVEY RESEARCH

SURVEY RESEARCH

I.Introduction survey research
Survey research is often called correlational. Survey researchers select a lot of the same answers in a problem. They measure many variables, test multiple hypotheses, and infer temporal order from questions about past behavior, experiences or characteristics.
II.How can a survey be constructed ?
- Have a good theoretical framework
- Avoid using the terms and abbreviations
- Avoid using of ambiguous words
- Avoid leading questions
Steps in conducting a survey:
- Develop hypotheses
- Design layout
- Decide sampling frame
- Conduct interviews
- Arrange and analyze data
- Write findings
III.Types of survey:
1. Mail and self-administered
Researchers can mail questionnaire to respondents who read introduction and question, then record their answers. This type can be conducted by a single researcher. The respondent can complete the questionnaire and check personal record.
However, respondent cannot complete and return questionnaire, this causes a low response rate. They also cannot control the conditions under which a mail questionnaire is complete.
2. Telephone interviews:
This type is a popular survey method. The research can call many respondents and can finish the survey in some days. The rate of response can reach 90%.
3. Face to face interviews:
This type has the highest response rate and permits the longest questionnaire. They can observe the surroundings and communicate directly. Furthermore, a well trained interviewer can ask all kind of questions and complex questions. On the other hand, this type has high cost. The training, travel or personnel cost can be high. This is also a biggest disadvantage.

EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH

Reviewing the previous lessons
The research method includes:
- Theory
- The literature review
- The basic concept of research
- Collect data
- Analysis data (qualitative and quantitative)
- Writing
The difference between hypothesis and assumption:
- Hypothesis: A proposition provisionally adopted to explain certain facts, and to guide in the investigation of others.
- Assumption: a supposition which researcher offer in their study to make clear their point
EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH
The basic cognition of experiment:
There are three things research should do in experiments: begin with a hypothesis, modify something in situation, and compare outcomes with and without the modification.
The important concepts:
- Treatment (or independent variable) is what the researcher modifies.
- Dependent variable is the physical conditions, social behaviors, attitudes, feelings or beliefs of subjects that change in response to a treatment.
- Pretest is the measurement of the dependent variable after the treatment has been introduced into the experimental situation.
- Posttest experimental group is the group that receives the treatment or in which the treatment is present.
- Control group is the group that does not receives the treatment.
- Random assignment is a method for assigning cases to groups for the purpose of making comparisons.
Types of experimental design: the comparison of the classical experimental design with major design.

Social research method

A framework for design :
A framework is needed to combine the elements of philosophical ideas, strategies, methods into three approaches to research. These are three approaches to research, namely; qualitative approaches, quantitative approaches and mixed methods approaches.
To design a perfect framework, the researcher has to answer three main questions :
1. What knowledge claim are made by researcher ?
2. What strategies of inquiry will be choosen by researcher?
3. What methods of data collection will be used?
If researcher choose the topic thesis, they have to emperical experiences in this field. An important step is draft structure of thesis have to design.
These are some questions for learning research method :
Is it helpful for reading other’s thesis in learning research method?
Is research method suitable for scholar research?
How many different kinds of reseach method?
Does research method in study have any dificulties?
Scientific knowledge is product research result, or scientific research try to produce scientific knoledge. Through the lesson, Wu teacher show to students the way which everyone can collect and label the specific words into three groups:
- Philosophical scientific research
- Basic concept reseach
- Theory of society
Social research :
Social research have been used almost fields. It can be used to raise children, decrease crime rate, improve public health, business. Social research involves learning something new about the social word, a researcher need to think logically folow rules and repeat step over and over.
Scienctific community is an idealism. It is a collection of people and a set of norm, behaviors, and attitudes that bind them together. The Scienctific community includes both the natural and social sciences.
The norm of scientific community :
- Universalism
- Organized skepticism
- Disinterestedness
- Communalism
- Honesty