Descriptive Statistics and Research Design
Conducting research, whether it is quantitative or qualitative, must exhibit the researcher investigator's passion, commitment and enthusiasm for the phenomenon, event, or occurrence being explored and scrutinized. Research of any type is a scientific endeavor that is defined, organized, and subjected to critical scrutiny and, above all, requires a scientific approach (Senter, 1969). Research is not simply a collection of random thoughts or data reduced to paper (Van Dalen, 1966) and must follow a best-fit practice research format in order to achieve the desired research results. The remainder of this paper will focus on establishing a prudent research format V one that is deemed quantitative in design and how quantitative research is brought about. Specific reference will be made to the following research components: research cycle, samples and population, frequency data distributions variable identification, and a combination thereof. Research Cycle. As stipulated earlier quantitative research is not merely a hodgepodge collection of data. Research is a highly sophisticated process wherein the first step in the attainment of a research goal is the establishment of developing a scientific approach toward that whi
The second step in the research investigation cycle is that of being able to grasp the relationship that exists between a research problem, design, and methodology. Herein lies the task of the research investigator to think relationally, structurally, and architectonically. When a research question purports to seek differences, relationships, and or effects on, between, or amongst events, things, occurrences, people, conditions, or situations the research investigator must be extremely cognizant of what the study hopes to show. To this end the research investigator must be knowledgeable with respect to what type of statistical data analysis process will evidence relationship question, effects question, and differences questions. Choosing the most appropriate statistical data analysis technique is the third phase of the research cycle. 9.Report the investigative findings based upon testable hypotheses. Once the research investigator has accumulated the measurement data and assigned a data presentation visual medium the data can then be looked as to the data's distribution landscape. The landscape of the frequency distribution is described as being representative of a certain "kurtosis" or the degree of "peakedness" of the data, namely, mesokurtic, platykurtic or leptokurtic. The graphs presented below are pictorial presentations of the different types of histograms with respect to the landscape of a set of measurement data. What must be understood as well, and often forgotten by most research investigators, is that the kurtosis of a distribution is representative of the variability of the measurement data and that this variability can significantly impact upon the results of a study if not properly dealt with by way of proper statistical tool choice. 8.Statistically analyze the testable data. Descriptive statistics, as the word implies, is a means whereby measurement data can be described. The tools of descriptive statistics include measurement data frequencies, modes, medians, means and variances. For the quantitative research investigator these measures only present a "picture' of what the data looks like. However, to the qualitative research investigator these measures represent something more, namely individual trends, opinions, feelings, behaviors, thoughts and attitudes about that which is being investigated. However, the purpose of this report is not to engage in a debate as to the efficacy of using descriptive statistics in quantitative or qualitative studies, rather to give meaning to their form. 6
Some common words found in the essay are:
Research Cycle, Van Dalen, Introduction Conducting, statistically significant, quantitative research, statistically significant impact, exist statistically significant, research cycle, significant impact, exist statistically, research format, research question, juvenile delinquent, scientific approach,
Approximate Word count = 1709
Approximate Pages = 7 (250 words per page double spaced)
|
