Session 8
Today
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Handouts—
Review of last week topics
Content validity and reliability
Survey construction
– Two research questions
 Leadership development activity – Pre post
 Perception about Teaching -- pre -post
 Next SPSS Activity --To the Lab
Components of Chapter 1
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Introduction to chapter
Background of the study
Problem statement
Significance of study
Overview of methodology
Delimitations of study
Definitions of key terms
Conclusion (optional)
Characteristics of
Components in Chapter 1
 Introduction – 1 paragraph – 3 pages
– Gets attention - gradually
– Brief vs. reflective opening
 Background – 2-5 pages
– History of problem, etc.
– Professional vs. practical use
– Be careful of personal intrusions
Characteristics of Components in
Chapter 1
 Problem Statement – ½ page
– States problem as clearly as possible
 Significance of study – 1 pgh. to 1 page
– Answers: “Why did you bother to conduct the
study?”
– Be careful of promising too much
Ways to Convey
Significance
 Problem has intrinsic importance, affecting
organizations or people
 Previous studies have produced mixed
results
 Your study examines problem in different
setting
 Meaningful results can be used by
practitioners
 Unique population
 Different methods used
Characteristics of
Components
 Delimitations – as needed
– Not flaws
– Establishes the boundaries – can study be
generalized?
– Consider:
 sample
 Setting
 time period
 methods
Key Terms
 Use for new terms in profession (cognitive
processing skills)
 Give preciseness to ambiguous term (learner)
 General term used in special way (learning style)
 Writing definition
– State term
– Give broad class to which term belongs
– Specify how term is used that differs
 Conclusion – not always used
– Summarizes if necessary
– Tells reader what to expect
Survey Construction
 Parts:
– Title
– Directions introduction to survey
 Scales
– Items (a list of statements or questions)
 Usually with a scale of some type
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Rating
Ranking
Semantic differential
Likert type scale
 Demographical info
Likert type scale
 Ice cream is good for breakfast
– Strongly disagree
– Disagree
– Neither agree nor disagree
– Agree
– Strongly agree
Rating
 Scale of 1 to 5
or 1 to 7 , etc….
– ? 1 = Best or highest
– ? 5 = Best or highest
 Even number of items or odd?
– Forced choice – no fence sitting
– Middle – allows a middle ground response
– Might allow for not opinion, (NA or NO)
Semantic differential
The end !