Step One: Developing Your Research Question and Choosing a Design
Workshop Description: Research design is the process of asking questions effectively. Often, we ask questions for the purposes of finding particular answers. While we have very little control over the answers that we will find, we can exercise control in a variety of ways to ensure that our questions are asked appropriately. In science, questions are answered using a specific method. By designing and asking questions effectively, a researcher can ensure that their project will be compatible with the scientific method, so that subsequent interpretation, analysis, and testing become straightforward.
This workshop has been designed to foster an appreciation and understanding of the science of question-asking, research independence, and best practices when designing research projects. By the end of this workshop, you should be able to:
- Develop and operationalize research questions.
- Consider the following concepts when designing your own study: causality, setting and validity, types of research control, measurement choices.
- Weigh the pros and cons of different types of research designs.
Audience: Faculty researchers seeking a refresher in the foundation of research design, graduate students or staff beginners.
Format: A one-hour workshop will be delivered live via Zoom; a longer-form video will be available online after the live workshop has been delivered.
Date and Time: Two times are offered: Tuesday, September 1, 2020 from 2-3pm or Wednesday, September, 2, 2020 from 10-11am.