Research ProfessorResearch Professor

Psychological ResearchPsychological Research

Psychological ResearchPsychological Research

Science/Engineering Science/Engineering ResearchResearch

Medical ResearchMedical Research

Medical ResearchMedical Research

So What is Research?So What is Research?

Pose a question.Pose a question.

Develop an experiment to Develop an experiment to answer the question.answer the question.

Conduct the experiment and Conduct the experiment and collect factual data.collect factual data.

So What is Research?So What is Research?

Rationally interpret the data.Rationally interpret the data.

Use your interpretations to Use your interpretations to predict other similar events.predict other similar events.

Topics of Interest

Defining the

Problem

Designing the

Experiment

Observations and Analysis

Conclusion

So How Do I Get Started?So How Do I Get Started?

Idea Generating PhaseIdea Generating Phase

Pick an area of interest and Pick an area of interest and think of questions .think of questions .

Why does Bob wink at Judy Why does Bob wink at Judy all the time? Why does Bob all the time? Why does Bob exist? Why do we all exist?exist? Why do we all exist?

Idea Generating PhaseIdea Generating Phase

Ideas can be generated from Ideas can be generated from reading a book, walking down reading a book, walking down the street, eating chicken.the street, eating chicken.

Example: why is the sky blue, Example: why is the sky blue, what does a chicken not have what does a chicken not have lips.lips.

Where to Get IdeasWhere to Get Ideas

If you have trouble thinking of If you have trouble thinking of an idea to research, try this an idea to research, try this website: website:

http://www.sciencebuddies.org/http://www.sciencebuddies.org/

Organizing Your IdeasOrganizing Your Ideas

Identify a topic of interest to study.Identify a topic of interest to study.

Refine a vague question into a Refine a vague question into a precise question to study.precise question to study.

Decide on specific procedures to use Decide on specific procedures to use to collect and analyze data.to collect and analyze data.

Organizing Your IdeasOrganizing Your Ideas

Perform the procedures.Perform the procedures.

Graphically and statistically analyze Graphically and statistically analyze the data.the data.

Compare your results to your Compare your results to your hypothesis.hypothesis.

Compile your research into a report.Compile your research into a report.

Defining the ProblemDefining the Problem

Most scientific research is based on Most scientific research is based on previous studies.previous studies.

Step 1: Pick a topic of interest.Step 1: Pick a topic of interest.

Step 2: Research that topic.Step 2: Research that topic.

Step 3: Find a specific study that was Step 3: Find a specific study that was done and look for a way to build on done and look for a way to build on the results of that study.the results of that study.

Defining the ProblemDefining the Problem

A big part of your project will be to A big part of your project will be to research the topic to learn as much as you research the topic to learn as much as you can about it. I will not be teaching you can about it. I will not be teaching you about the subject. Therefore, if you do about the subject. Therefore, if you do only cursory research on the topic, how only cursory research on the topic, how will you be able to analyze your research will you be able to analyze your research results?results?

Designing your ExperimentDesigning your Experiment

What observations and data will you What observations and data will you collect.collect.

Under what conditions will you Under what conditions will you perform your tests.perform your tests.

How will you select the experimental How will you select the experimental sample to represent the population of sample to represent the population of interest.interest.

Designing your ExperimentDesigning your Experiment

What controlled conditions will you What controlled conditions will you compare your tests to.compare your tests to.

How will you analyze your data.How will you analyze your data.

What do the results mean.What do the results mean.

Common MistakesCommon Mistakes

If you don’t analyze the data each If you don’t analyze the data each day as your experiment proceeds, day as your experiment proceeds, how do you not if: 1) your data has how do you not if: 1) your data has errors, 2) your data will prove or errors, 2) your data will prove or disprove your hypothesis, 3) your disprove your hypothesis, 3) your data are biased or skewed. data are biased or skewed.

Common MistakesCommon Mistakes

The beginning of your experiment will The beginning of your experiment will be trial and error to see if you designed be trial and error to see if you designed it adequately. You must review the it adequately. You must review the data ASAP to determine whether you data ASAP to determine whether you are collecting the correct data under the are collecting the correct data under the right conditions and if you need right conditions and if you need additional data you never considered. additional data you never considered.

Common MistakesCommon Mistakes

If you don’t select an analysis method, If you don’t select an analysis method, how do you know if: 1) you can how do you know if: 1) you can interpret the results you get, 2) what the interpret the results you get, 2) what the results mean.results mean.

Example: if the mean of the population Example: if the mean of the population is 5 g and you measure 10 g for your is 5 g and you measure 10 g for your sample, is this significant? sample, is this significant?

ObservationsObservations

While collecting data you must make While collecting data you must make critical observations about the test critical observations about the test subjects and make an educated guess subjects and make an educated guess about what causes the subjects to about what causes the subjects to respond as you observed. Based on respond as you observed. Based on this information you may wish to this information you may wish to modify the experiment. Observations modify the experiment. Observations assist in the analysis of your results. assist in the analysis of your results.

Data AnalysisData Analysis

Graphical methods are used to visually Graphical methods are used to visually look for relationships and trends in the look for relationships and trends in the data.data.

Statistical methods are used to Statistical methods are used to quantifyquantify your results. Example: I am 95% your results. Example: I am 95% confident John will significantly beat confident John will significantly beat the average test score in Physics. the average test score in Physics.

ConclusionConclusion

Conclusion includes two parts:Conclusion includes two parts:

1) A summary of the findings, and1) A summary of the findings, and

2) Suggestions for improvements and 2) Suggestions for improvements and future research.future research.

ConclusionConclusion

A summary of the findings should A summary of the findings should include the following:include the following:

1) How do the results prove or 1) How do the results prove or disprove the hypothesis.disprove the hypothesis.

2) A summary of the important facts 2) A summary of the important facts and observations you made.and observations you made.

ConclusionConclusion

3) What is the importance of the 3) What is the importance of the findings to the field of study (i.e., what findings to the field of study (i.e., what did you prove).did you prove).

4) What questions were you unable to 4) What questions were you unable to prove and why.prove and why.

5) What errors or testing procedures 5) What errors or testing procedures limited the accuracy of your results.limited the accuracy of your results.

ConclusionConclusion

Suggestions for improvements and Suggestions for improvements and future research should include:future research should include:

1) What other experiments could you 1) What other experiments could you do in the future to resolve the unproven do in the future to resolve the unproven questions or to fine tune your tests (i.e., questions or to fine tune your tests (i.e., how could you modify your how could you modify your experiment).experiment).

ConclusionConclusion

2) What were the limitations of your 2) What were the limitations of your experiment and how can you expand on experiment and how can you expand on your research (i.e., your results are your research (i.e., your results are limited to high school students within limited to high school students within the Oakland, NJ region). What could the Oakland, NJ region). What could future studies look at using the results future studies look at using the results of your research?of your research?