R. G. Bias | School of Information | SZB 562BB | Phone: 512 471 7046 | rbias@ischool.utexas.edu 1

i

R. G. Bias | School of Information | SZB 562BB | Phone: 512 471 7046 | rbias@ischool.utexas.edu 2

iINF 397C

Introduction to Research in Library and Information Science

Fall, 2003

Randolph G. Bias, Ph.D., CHFP rbias@ischool.utexas.edu

cell: 512-657-3924

R. G. Bias | School of Information | SZB 562BB | Phone: 512 471 7046 | rbias@ischool.utexas.edu 3

i• There are three kinds of lies: lies,

damned lies, and statistics.– Benjamin Disraeli (1804 – 1881), British

politician

R. G. Bias | School of Information | SZB 562BB | Phone: 512 471 7046 | rbias@ischool.utexas.edu 4

i

• Statistics are like a bikini. What they reveal is suggestive, but what they conceal is vital. – Aaron Levenstein, U.S. politician

R. G. Bias | School of Information | SZB 562BB | Phone: 512 471 7046 | rbias@ischool.utexas.edu 5

i• The statistics on sanity are that one out

of every four Americans is suffering from some form of mental illness. Think of your three best friends. If they're okay, then it's you. – Rita Mae Brown, U.S. author

R. G. Bias | School of Information | SZB 562BB | Phone: 512 471 7046 | rbias@ischool.utexas.edu 6

iFirst . . .

• There are two components of this and any class: Instruction and Evaluation.

• Let’s get the evaluation out of the way, early.

• Need one volunteer.

R. G. Bias | School of Information | SZB 562BB | Phone: 512 471 7046 | rbias@ischool.utexas.edu 7

i“Research shows . . .”

• Finger length is a good (and quick!) indicator of intelligence.

• One volunteer – measure your finger length in cm.

R. G. Bias | School of Information | SZB 562BB | Phone: 512 471 7046 | rbias@ischool.utexas.edu 8

iHmmmm . . .

• Everyone in the class will get a grade of “C”

• But still, we can continue with the “instruction” part of the course.

R. G. Bias | School of Information | SZB 562BB | Phone: 512 471 7046 | rbias@ischool.utexas.edu 9

iOh, so maybe . . .

• Just THIS person isn’t too smart.

• OK, everyone measure your right index finger.

• From the top (last) crease in your hand, to the tip of the finger.

• Write down the length, in cm.

R. G. Bias | School of Information | SZB 562BB | Phone: 512 471 7046 | rbias@ischool.utexas.edu 10

iHow to measure

R. G. Bias | School of Information | SZB 562BB | Phone: 512 471 7046 | rbias@ischool.utexas.edu 11

iBettin’ Time!

• I’ll give everyone one penny.

• You HAVE to wager it:– Turn it heads UP on your desk if you think

that two people in this classroom share a birthday, and heads DOWN if you think that no two people share a birthday.

R. G. Bias | School of Information | SZB 562BB | Phone: 512 471 7046 | rbias@ischool.utexas.edu 12

iQuestionnaire

• Please write down your answer to this question:

“I approach this class with confidence and enthusiasm.”1 – Strongly disagree2 – Disagree3 – Neutral4 – Agree5 – Strongly agree

R. G. Bias | School of Information | SZB 562BB | Phone: 512 471 7046 | rbias@ischool.utexas.edu 13

iPlease go to the board . . .

• . . . And complete the following columns:– Your first name and last initial.– Your birth month and day (I don’t care about the

year).– The length of your finger, in cm.– The number of Major League Baseball games

you’ve seen, in person.– Your answer (the number) to the questionnaire

question.– One favorite hobby.

R. G. Bias | School of Information | SZB 562BB | Phone: 512 471 7046 | rbias@ischool.utexas.edu 14

iNow, an experiment

• I will hand you each a slip of paper. Please read it an do NOT let anyone else read it.– Women receive a pink slip of paper.– Men receive a blue slip of paper.

• After everyone has read his/her slip of paper and refolded it, I’ll show some letters of the alphabet, one at a time, for one second each.

• After the last one, I’ll say “Go,” and ask you to write down the letters, in order.

• Any questions?

R. G. Bias | School of Information | SZB 562BB | Phone: 512 471 7046 | rbias@ischool.utexas.edu 15

iOK, pencils down!JFMAMJJASOND

R. G. Bias | School of Information | SZB 562BB | Phone: 512 471 7046 | rbias@ischool.utexas.edu 16

iWrite down the letters.

• In order!

R. G. Bias | School of Information | SZB 562BB | Phone: 512 471 7046 | rbias@ischool.utexas.edu 17

iAnswersJFMAMJJASOND

R. G. Bias | School of Information | SZB 562BB | Phone: 512 471 7046 | rbias@ischool.utexas.edu 18

iExp. 1 -- Data

All correct Not all correct

Total

Men

Women

Total

R. G. Bias | School of Information | SZB 562BB | Phone: 512 471 7046 | rbias@ischool.utexas.edu 19

iWho among you . . .

• . . . is a statistical wizard?

• . . . has experience conducting research?

R. G. Bias | School of Information | SZB 562BB | Phone: 512 471 7046 | rbias@ischool.utexas.edu 20

iWhat are some things that you know?

R. G. Bias | School of Information | SZB 562BB | Phone: 512 471 7046 | rbias@ischool.utexas.edu 21

iMany ways to learn new things

• Method of Authority– trusted authority tells you something

• Method of Reason – follow basic logical laws from philosophy

• Modeling• Trial-and-error• Intuition • Scientific Method

– belief on the basis of experience

R. G. Bias | School of Information | SZB 562BB | Phone: 512 471 7046 | rbias@ischool.utexas.edu 22

iWhat are some decisions you made today?

R. G. Bias | School of Information | SZB 562BB | Phone: 512 471 7046 | rbias@ischool.utexas.edu 23

iAfter this class . . .

• You’ll know something about how scientists (information scientists) gather new information.

• AND you’ll be good at evaluating information others offer you.

R. G. Bias | School of Information | SZB 562BB | Phone: 512 471 7046 | rbias@ischool.utexas.edu 24

iThree Paths to “Belief”

1 – Naïve acceptance.

2 – Cynicism.

3 – Critical skepticism.

R. G. Bias | School of Information | SZB 562BB | Phone: 512 471 7046 | rbias@ischool.utexas.edu 25

iCritical Skepticism!

• Rabbit pie story.

R. G. Bias | School of Information | SZB 562BB | Phone: 512 471 7046 | rbias@ischool.utexas.edu 26

iWhat you’ll learn:

• Validity. (Finger length a good indicator of intelligence?)

• Reliability. (“Oh, just measure it however.”)

• Sampling – picking a representative sample and then generalizing to a larger population

• Why larger samples are better

R. G. Bias | School of Information | SZB 562BB | Phone: 512 471 7046 | rbias@ischool.utexas.edu 27

iWhat you’ll learn (cont’d.):

• How to represent a group of numbers, meaningfully. – Frequency distributions– Measures of central tendency– Measures of dispersion (spread)– Graphing data

• Operationalizing variables (“intelligence”)• Probability• Correlation

R. G. Bias | School of Information | SZB 562BB | Phone: 512 471 7046 | rbias@ischool.utexas.edu 28

iWhat you’ll learn (cont’d.):

• Different measurement scales

• What makes a good research question?

• Experimental design– Independent and dependent variables– Controls, counterbalancing, and confounds– Hypothesis testing– Inferential statistics (is THAT number really

bigger than THIS number?)

R. G. Bias | School of Information | SZB 562BB | Phone: 512 471 7046 | rbias@ischool.utexas.edu 29

iProfessional History

•B.S. in psych from FSU•Ph.D. in cognitive psych from UT-Austin•Bell Labs for 3 years•IBM-Austin for 11 years•BMC Software for 5 years•Co-founded Austin Usability 3 years ago•Previously adjunct faculty member at UT; Have taught at UT, Rutgers, Huston-Tillotson, SWTSU•Newly an assoc. prof. in the UT School of Information

R. G. Bias | School of Information | SZB 562BB | Phone: 512 471 7046 | rbias@ischool.utexas.edu 30

iObjectivesTo arm you with a scientist’s skepticism, and a

scientist’s tools to conduct research and evaluate others’ research. The student who successfully completes this course will understand:

1 – descriptive statistics, and how to represent a collection of numbers

2 – how to design a good experiment (and evaluate if someone else has)

3 – inferential statistics and hypothesis testing

4 – other techniques human beings use to gain new information, such as qualitative methods.

R. G. Bias | School of Information | SZB 562BB | Phone: 512 471 7046 | rbias@ischool.utexas.edu 31

iReview syllabus

R. G. Bias | School of Information | SZB 562BB | Phone: 512 471 7046 | rbias@ischool.utexas.edu 32

iWhat’s up with “Psychology”?

R. G. Bias | School of Information | SZB 562BB | Phone: 512 471 7046 | rbias@ischool.utexas.edu 33

iHomework

• Bring in one claim that you hear in the next week. On the news, in your reading, in an ad, wherever.

• Buy books. (Co-op says they’re in.)

• No office hours next Tuesday.

See you next week.