Transcript Research questions/hypotheses

Research Questions
& Hypotheses
1
Research questions/hypotheses
Viewed within the context of
logical structure and
objectives
2

Research
Questions
(descriptive
objectives)


Hypotheses
(comparison
objectives)
Apply to a sample
not population (or
census).
3
Research Questions





Detail the problem statement
Further describe and refine the issue
under study
Add focus to the problem statement
Guide data collection and analysis
Sets context
4
Problem Statement Sample

Information literacy is a prevalent topic in the literature of library and
information science (LIS), and most writings on the topic focus on methods for
engaging faculty to work together with librarians to integrate information
literacy into the overall curriculum. Attention from the regional accreditation
organizations to information literacy, especially as it is defined by ACRL,
implies both a responsibility for librarians to participate actively in student
learning outcomes through a program of study in information literacy, and
serves as an opportunity for librarians to become true partners in student
learning. Nevertheless, no study has examined the extent to which
discussion of the accreditation organizations, their guidelines, and related
documents appear in the scholarly communications of LIS. The purpose of
this study is to fill that void by determining the extent to which particular
accreditation documents are explicitly addressed, and by identifying any
patterns as to the particular documents, or themes within those documents,
which comprise the focus of these writings. In particular, this study analyzes
the conversation librarians are having about information literacy, and the
extent to which these discussions reach outside of the library profession and
reference the six regional accreditation organizations’ statements on
information literacy.
5
Related Research Questions


This study specifically covers two questions:
Which regional accreditation organizations are cited in United States
LIS writings on information literacy, and how extensively are they
mentioned?


Are only the accreditation organizations mentioned, or are specific
documents and publications identified?
Are the aspects and themes from Developing Research and
Communication Skills and or Figure 1 prevalent in the LIS writings?
Do they relate to:



Responsibilities and Collaboration: dispersal of lead responsibilities and
partnerships between librarians and teaching faculty in some aspect of
information literacy instruction, from designing assignments, having
librarians guest lecture, or team teaching.
Assessment of student learning outcomes: defined in terms of
demonstrated gains in student learning throughout a program of study.[i]
Critical thinking: bringing students beyond the mere access of information
to being able to evaluate information and apply it to a specific purpose
information effectively, ethically, and legally.
6
Hypotheses



Set up an experiment or situation to
test
Suggest relationships (or lack thereof)
between and among variables
Predict causes and relationships prior
to testing.
7
Variables


A variable is “any property of a person,
thing, event, setting, and so on that is not
fixed.”
In a casual relationship


The variable first identified in an hypothesis is
usually the independent variable. This is the
variable that determines, influences, or produces
the change in the other main variable
The other variable is usually the dependent
variable or the subject variable. This variable is
dependent on or influenced by th4e independent
variable(s)
8
Hypotheses (Some Types)




Null
Alternative
Directional
Other
9
Null Hypothesis


The absence of a relationship or
difference in the results; any
relationship or difference is due to
chance or sampling error
Example: There is no statistically
significance difference between _____
and ____ regarding ______.
10
Alternative/Directional


Expresses a
relationship
between the
variables under
study
Alternative: points
a direction and
requires
“assumption” that is
specified and
objective


Expresses a
relationship
between the
variables under
study
Directional: points
a direction and
requires evidence
via literature
11
Hypotheses


Support
Not supported

Not: prove, accept,
rejection (a finality
to such verbs)
12
Qualifications


Significance testing takes a rich set of
information you get from a dataset
and reduces it to a series of binary,
accept/reject statements. Thus, some
prefer to use qualitative data collection
A key question is: “Can the findings be
explained any other way?” Is there a
good possible alternative explanation?
13
Some Criteria





Briefly, clearly, and explicitly stated
States the relationship between
variables
“Testable” and has explanatory power
Value neutral
Basis for selecting a hypothesis and
being able to support it (supported by
and consistent with theory and
previous research)
14
Problem Statement Sample

Research shows that, although libraries generally
acknowledge the necessity and benefit of marketing
their services, most engage in promotional activities
without the guidance of a formal marketing plan.
Librarians and library administrators often identify
lack of funding, lack of staff, and lack of time as the
main barriers to developing and implementing a full
marketing plan. However, no study has examined
those libraries which do have marketing plans and
those which do not to compare their relative levels
of budget and staff in order to discover what, if any,
connection exists between these factors and
marketing planning.
15
Related Hypothesis

Null


Alternative


No relationship exists between levels of funding
and staffing and the existence of a formal
marketing plan.
Formal marketing plans exist in institutions with
greater levels of funding and staffing.
Directional

Lower funding and staffing results in lower levels
of marketing planning.
16
Satisfaction


Emotional
response (sense of
contentment that
arises from an
actual experience
in relation to an
expected
experience)
Frames willingness
to revisit and
customer loyalty



Complementary to
service quality
Applies to all or
certain library
service area
Focuses overall or
on specific
transactions
17
Hernon & Altman, Assessing Service Quality



Extensive list of questions
Reprint Guidelines for Customer
Satisfaction Surveys
Provide sample data collection
instrument
18
Listening to Customer’s Voice

Passive Approach



Casual comments
Comment cards
Compliant analysis

Proactive Approach


Satisfaction
surveys*
Focus group
interviews
*Diagnostic tools (like
taking the
temperature―a
general reading) 19
Customer satisfaction surveys are a form
of “feedback” from those who have
received services
20
Examples: Satisfaction of
users





What: Are customers satisfied with our
current circulation loan periods?
Who: Random sample of current
cardholders who have borrowed within
the last year.
Where: Our public library
When: Data collected over four months
How: Survey
21
Example: User Satisfaction

Research
Questions

Hypotheses
22