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FYA

Research Design

 

In this module we discuss different kinds of research designs, such as experiments, field studies, observation and simulations.

We also take up a number of abstract issues that arise in doing research, such as issues of validity, reliability, causality, generalizability and ethics.

  

 

Topics

  • Types of studies
    - Experiments, quasi experiments, simulations, field studies,  archival research
    - longitudinal/cross-sectional
    - qualitative/quantitative

  • Issues
    - Validity of studies, especially inferring causality
    - Ethics

  • Sampling

  • Roles of quantitative and qualitative

Handouts

  • Borgatti
    - design elements [html]
    - types of validity [html]
    - inference validity [html]
    - notes on simulation [html]

  • Trochim.
    - Language of research [php]
    - Design [php]
    - Ethics in research [php]
    - Validity and reliability [php]
    - Sampling [php]

  • Horan. Threats to validity [html]

  • Borgatti. What is qda? [html]

  • Neill. Qual vs Quant. [html]

  • Siva. Simulation [doc]

  • Burton. Simulation [doc]

  • Morris. Notes on archival data. [pdf]

  • Borgatti. Notes on Sutton and Rafaeli paper. [html]

Optional

  • Kendall. Hiawatha designs an experiment [pdf]

  • Research Methods in the Social and Natural Sciences - an interactive tutorial on five basic research strategies in science: experiments, correlation, surveys, naturalistic observation, and case studies [html]

  

Articles

  • Sutton, R.I. and A. Rafaeli. 1988. "Untangling the relationship between displayed emotions and organizational sales: The case of convenience stores." Academy of Management Journal. 31(3):461-487. [pdf] // read & reflect on role of qualitative research

  • Johnson, J. C. 1998. "Research design and research strategies," in Handbook of Methods in Cultural Anthropology. Edited by H. R. Bernard, pp. 131-171. Walnut Creek, CA: AltaMira. [pdf]

  • Reynolds, P.C. (1991). "Bloody Stumps" in Stealing Fire:  The Atomic Bomb as Symbolic Body. Palo Alto, CA: Iconic  Anthropology Press.  [pdf] // read & reflect on research validity

Exercises

Related Modules

Links

  • U of Kentucky IRB

  • Kendall. Hiawatha designs an experiment [pdf]

  • Research Methods in the Social and Natural Sciences - an interactive tutorial on five basic research strategies in science: experiments, correlation, surveys, naturalistic observation, and case studies [html]

     

 

 

Bibliography

Design Overviews

  • Dean, J. S., G. J. Gummerman, J. M. Epstein, R. L. Axtell, A. C. Swedlund, M. T. Parker, and S. McCarroll. 2000. "Understanding Anasazi culture change through agent-based modeling," in Dynamics in human and primate societies: Agent-based modeling of social and spatial processes. Edited by T. A. Kohler and G. J. Gummerman, pp. 179-205. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
  • Brim, J. A., and D. H. Spain. 1974. Research design in anthropology: Paradigms and pragmatics in the testing of hypotheses. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston.
  • Marianne W. Lewis and Andrew J. Grimes. Metatriangulation: Building Theory from Multiple Paradigms.  The Academy of Management Review, Vol. 24, No. 4 (Oct., 1999), pp. 672-690 [^pdf]
  • Johnson, J. C. 1998. "Research design and research strategies," in Handbook of Methods in Cultural Anthropology. Edited by H. R. Bernard, pp. 131-171. Walnut Creek, CA: AltaMira.

Experiments

  • Shadish, W. R., T. D. Cook, and D. T. Campbell. 2002. Ch. 1 (p. 1-32), "Experiments and generalized causal inference," Experimental and quasi-experimental designs for generalized causal inference. New York: Houghton Mifflin Co.
  • Campbell, D. T., and J. C. Stanley. 1966. Experimental and quasi-experimental designs for research. Chicago: Rand McNally College Publishing Company.

Simulation

Alternative

  • Aunger, R. 2004. Chapter 5 (p. 94-115), "Reflexive realism: A new way of doing ethnography,"Reflexive ethnographic science. Walnut Creek, CA: AltaMira Press.

Classics

  • Emile Durkheim. Suicide.

Questionable Research

  • Reynolds, P.C. (1991). Stealing Fire:  The Atomic Bomb as Symbolic Body. Palo Alto, CA: Iconic  Anthropology Press.
    • chapter: "Galileo" [pdf]
    • chapter: "Bloody Stumps" [pdf]

Ethics

  • Borgatti, S.P. and Molina, J-L. 2003. Ethical and strategic issues in organizational network analysis. Journal of Applied Behavioral Science. 39(3): 337-350. [pdf]

Exemplars of four kinds of studies (courtesy of Martina Morris)

 

Archival research Participant Observation Survey Research Experimental research
Salem Possessed by Paul Boyer and Stephen Nissenbaum

The Cocaine Kids by Terence Williams

 

In Search of Respect by Philippe Bourgois

 To Dwell Among Friends by Claude Fischer Obedience to Authority, by Stanley Milgram

                                        

 

 

Send mail to sborgatti@uky.edu with questions or comments about this web site. Copyright © 2008 by Steve Borgatti. Last modified: 09/05/09.

 

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