Methodology of your Research Project (10%)
This assignment encourages you to learn and demonstrate your skills in description.Answer the questions below to describe the method you will use to test your hypothesis in your research project. You should have read some method sections of peer-reviewed journal articles to use as examples for this assignment.
1. Where will you collect your data? What will be your sample size? You must have at least 50 data points. Describe some key demographic characteristics of your sample. Describe your sample them in sufficient detail so that somebody can replicate your study, however, do not identify your sample in so much detail as to reveal their identities.
For example, Approximately 100 Undergraduates (40% Male, 60% Female) in a large mid-western University is a sufficient description whereas Graduate students from the Research Methods Class at the University of Torontois too detailed a description because it compromises participant anonymity.
2. Describe the specific instruments that you will use to collect data from your sample. Ensure you use only those instruments tested and validated by previous academic research. Cite the sources of your measures. Any deviations from previously validated instruments (e.g., if you devise your own measures) needs adequate written justification using previous research.If gathering data from human participants, describe each instrument in sufficient detail so that somebody who does not have access to your questionnaire has a good idea of what your participants answered.
For example, Low, Radhakrishnan, Schneider & Rounds (in press) describe one measure they used as follows: We assessed respondents’ satisfaction with their work and with their co-workers with the relevant subscales of the Job Descriptive Index (JDI; Smith, Kendall, & Hulin, 1969). Participants respond “Yes,” “No,” or “?” to a series of adjectives describing relevant characteristics of their work and co-workers…The JDI is one of the most frequently used measures of job satisfaction (Spector, 1997) and numerous studies have demonstrated the reliability and validity of its subscales (for a review, see Balzer, Kilm, Smith, Irwin, Bachiochi, Robie et al, 1997).
c. If collecting data from human participants, include the final version of the document (e.g., questionnaire) you will present to them. Include all relevant demographic characteristics you hope to request from your participants. Ensure you ask only relevant and sufficientinformation of your participants so that it does not result in their fatigue and/or decreased compliance.
3. What procedures will you use to gather the data from your sample? If gathering data from human participants (e.g., using questionnaires, or observing behaviors), include consent and debriefing forms. Standard consent and debriefing forms are on the class website for you to modify. The consent form should not compromise your data collection (i.e., it should not prompt participants to support or counter your hypothesis) yet it should provide sufficient information so that participants can make an informed choice about the risks and benefits of participating in your study.
Potential Sources for measures (all available on reserve)
Fields, D.L. (2002). Taking the Measure of Work. Thousand Oaks, California: Sage Publications
Cook, J. et al (1981). The Experience of Work: A Compendium and Review of 249 Measures andtheir Use. Toronto, ON: Academic Press
Price, J. L. (1997). TheHandbook of Organizational Measurement. MCB Press.
Robinson, J. P. Shaver, P. R. & Wrightsman, L. S. (1991). Measures of personality and social psychological attitudes. San Diego,CA: Academic Press.
Rogelberg, S. (2002). Handbook of Research Methods in Industrial and Organizational Psychology. Malden, MA: Blackwell
Thomas, J. C. & Hersen, M. (2004). The Comprehensive Handbook of Psychological Assessment, Vol 4: Industrial and Organizational Assessment. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons