Advanced

Research Methods
Seminar 2

March 17th, 2014

Seminar overview
1. Your research topics

2. Define research aims and objectives

3. Purpose of research
4. Research designs

5. Exercises
6. Working in teams: write your research purpose, design, aim &
objectives

2. Research aims vs. objectives (1)

2. Research aims vs. objectives (2)

Research aims
The overall purpose of the study
Emphasize what is to be accomplished
Address long-term project outcomes

2. Research aims vs. objectives (5)

Objectives
Summarize what is to be achieved by the study
Should be closely related to the research problem
(problem statement) and address the various
research questions.
They outline the scope of research and give a
picture of how to perform the investigation.

2. Research aims vs. objectives (6)

Objectives
Clear
Realistic
Use action verbs: to determine, to compare, to verify, to
calculate, to evaluate, to describe, to establish); avoid to
use vague verbs such as: to appreciate, to understand,
or to study.
To suit the needs of your study, but also to be clear and
visible for those evaluating your proposal
Keep in mind that a project is evaluated based on the
extent to which it was able to meet its objectives

2. Research aims vs. objectives (11)

Exercise
Write your own research aim and objectives

3. Purpose of research (1)

Exploratory = brings new insights into a topic of

research; generates new theories.
Descriptive = describes situations and events; can
answers to questions such as What? Where?
When? How?
Explanatory = explains attitudes and behaviors;
can determine causal relationships; answers to the
Why? question
Determine the purpose of YOUR research

4. Research designs Types (1)

Nonexperimental
Crosssectional
Longitudinal
Trend studies
Cohort
Panel studies

Experimental

RTCs

Quasiexperimental

Quasiexperiments
Times series
Non-equivalent
control group

Multiple time
series design

4. Research design Nonexperimental

Nonexperimental
Crosssectional

Observations conducted at a single point in time

Longitudinal

Observations conducted at multiple points in time

Trend studies

Examine changes within a population over time (census,

preferences over the course of a campaign)

Cohort studies

How specific subpopulations (cohorts) change over time

(data can be collected from different subjects)

Panel studies

Data is collected from the same sets of people at several

points in time

4. Research design - Experimental

Complete control over the independent variable

and outside sources; has 4 key elements :
1) well defined dependent variable and
independent variable (stimulus)
2) pretesting and post-testing any difference
between pre and posttest data can be attributed to
the independent variable
3) experimental and control group (similar
individuals in each group)
4) Randomization => randomized control trials PRISM

4. Research design Quasiexperiment (evaluation research)

Quasiexperimental
Quasiexperiments

Experiments with no complete control over all the variables (no

random assignment, no pretest - posttest)

Times series

Involves measurements over some period of time (no. of

accidents before and after the lowering the speed limit)

Non-equivalent
control group

Has a control group that is similar with the experimental group,

but is not created by randomly assignment

Multiple time
series design

The use of more than one sets of data that were collected over
time (compare accident rates over time in different cities)

5. Exercise determine research

designs

Study 1 conducted in 2011 measures childrens exposure

to in-home second-hand smoke
Study 2 conducted in 2004, 2008, 2012 measures smoking
behaviors in populations different subjects over time (GATS,
GYTS)
Study 3 assesses the impact of the STOP Smoking national
campaign; multiple pre-and post surveys at the population
level
Study 4 study evaluates the outcomes of a professional
program implemented in the Cluj county. Multiple
measurements are undertaken in Cluj, Bihor, Timis, and Arad
counties (for comparison)

6. Exercise

Decide on a research design for your proposal

Finalize your research aim, objectives, purpose and

design