Consultation Guide Form

Research Design & Data Analysis Consultation

Janelle Gagnon (, Reese 220)is available to provide consulting support related to Independent Research and Honorsprojects. Please read this document carefully to ensure that you understand the guidelines prior to scheduling your first appointment.

Focus of Consultation

To provide the most meaningful experience to you during consultation, it is essential that you have a clear conceptual understanding of your research aims. Prior to meeting with the consultant, please be sure that you have discussed the questions outlined on the Consultation Guide Formwith your faculty advisor. Please email this completed form to Janelle prior to your first meeting.

If you are unable to respond to any of the questions on this form, that is fine, but you must discuss these questions with your faculty advisorprior to your appointment.This form is meant to guide both the consultation and to ensure that your faculty advisor is aware of the information that you will share with the consultant.

Assumptions

It will be assumed that you have reviewed your text and notes regarding your past study of statistics and research methods prior to the appointment. Further, it is assumedthat you have had an introduction to the use of computer-based statistical analysis software, such as SPSS or R.This is especially important if you intend on conducting quantitative or mixed methods research. If you have not had experience with statistical analysis software, then please discuss this with your faculty advisor. You may bring questions about computersoftware to the consultation; however, it is essential that your advisor is aware of your experience in this area.

Scheduling of Appointments

Email Janelle Gagnon () at least 24 hours in advance to schedule an appointment. In the email, please specify the description of the issue(s) for which you are seeking adviceand attach this completed form to the email. Again, be sure that prior to your first appointment with her, that you have met with your faculty advisor and completed the Consultation Guide Form to the best of your ability.

**If you are in an independent research group, please note consultation should occur by appointment with all members of your group present. To be clear, meetings will only be scheduled when all members of the group can be present. This helps to reduce redundancy of appointments and to ensure that all members of the group are benefiting from the consultation.

1. Please state your research question(s) in one or two concise sentences.

2. Please identify how you will be collecting your data. Be clear in your description. For example, will you be using Likertscale questions, observational counts, interviews, open-ended survey questions, or something else?

3. Your research question informs the type of data collection and data analysis that you will be performing. It sets the foundation for your entire study. A poorly-formed research question will yield poor results. Check with your faculty advisor to ensure that your research question aligns with the way that you are planning to collectyour data.

In the space below, please explain why you believe the structure of your research question warrants the type of data collection strategy that you intend to employ.

4. If you are conducting quantitativeresearch, please articulate your research hypothesis below, then identify the statistical test that you will be using to test whether your hypothesis is supported (e.g., t-test, repeated measures ANOVA). If you are conducting a mixed methods study, please explain the quantitative aspect of it below.

5. If you are conducting qualitativeresearch,please state the method of analysis thatyou will be using (e.g., grounded theory, thematic analysis, phenomenology, case study) AND state why you believe this method is appropriate.If you are conducting a mixed methods study, please explain the qualitative aspect of it below.

6. In the space below please describe the issue for which you are seeking consultation. Feel free to continue on another sheet of paper, if necessary.

**Consultations will begin only after you have discussed these questions with your faculty advisor.**