Improving Learning (Thread 3)

Describe how you went about identifying the characteristics of a high quality problem statement.
~~~
I started by looking through the research reference books that I have at home. I began my book search with:

Graziano, A. & Raulin, M. (2000). Research Methods: A Process of Inquiry, 4th ed. Massachusetts: Allyn and Bacon.
and
Cohen, L., Manion, L., & Morrison, K. (2000). Research methods in education, 5th ed. London: RoutledgeFalmer.

According to p. 178 of Graziano & Raulin, there are three main characteristics to look for with a quality problem statement:
- states what the expected relationship is between variables
- is stated as a question
- must imply the possibility of being empirically tested

I was unable to find helpful information in the Cohen, Manion, & Morrison textbook. I'm sure they have helpful information, I just wasn't able to find it! After striking out there, I went to Google for some help. I found a helpful page from http://www.tele.sunyit.edu/Thesis-statement.html. That page said that a problem statement should be:
- specific
- restrictive
- unified

At this point, I took a break to let this stuff sink in and to brainstorm with my husband.

The next day, I was starting to get an idea as to what I feel makes a quality problem statement, and I came up with what is in my other post!

Principles and Processes of Research (Thread 2)

What are the characteristics of a high quality problem statement?
(Support your answer with examples and references from your literature review)

The characteristics of a high quality problem statement are:
- the problem statement is succinct and specific
- the problem statement is a question which can be answered through empirical testing
- the problem can be answered in one study
- the problem statement sets the focus for the paper/article/presentation

The best example I have is from an article by Poock and LeFond "How college-bound prospects perceive university web sites: Findings, Implications, and turning browsers into applicants" from College and University Washington: Summer 2001. One of their problem statements is "what elements of a college/university web page do prospective students find engaging?". This statement lets you know what Poock and LeFond will be discussing in this article (sets the focus); tells you exactly who and what they will be looking at (specific and succinct); shows that the authors will be observing prospective students (ability to be empirically tested); and, because they will be observing prospective students, the problem will be addressed with one study (though more than one method were used in the study).

My Research Process

Thread II: Principles and Processes of Research

1. Finalize your research process and post it.
~~~~~~~~~

Here are the steps of my Research Process, broken into 7 areas:
The Problem
Identify a general topic
Identify a problem
Identify purposes for the research
Identify the audience for my findings
Consider the functions of research
Define my problem statement
Hypothesis
Understand my research approach
Create research question(s)
Formulate hypotheses
Design
Identify constraints
Consider ethical implications
Choose a research design
Review applicable analysis techniques
Determine budget
Consider time frame
Determine resources required
Design the data collection strategy
Choose a sample
Consider reliability and validity
Write a Research Proposal
Submit my Proposal
Get IRB approval (if necessary)
Collect Data
Arrange the research setting
Set up a time to gather the data
Contact and gather my sample
Administer the data collection strategy
Thank my sample
Analyze Data
Train others to help with data entry (if necessary and if in budget)
Data entry
Use applicable analysis technique on the data
Interpret Findings
Interpret significant findings in the context of my field
Draw conclusions about my hypothesis
Consider implications of findings
Communicate My Findings With Others
Write a paper or article
Choose appropriate outlet/audience for the paper/article
Celebrate!

I have a more detailed chart for my Research Process, which includes Resources and the theme of each of the 7 areas, but I'm not sure how to post it as an attachment!

Thoughts for Week 2 (Thread 3)

The question for this entry is:

How am I gaining new knowledge and skills in research principles and processes?
~~~~~~
Mainly, I am improving through trial and error. To begin with I have an idea of what I think I need to be doing (such as searching Griffin for applicable articles). Then, while performing that task, I adapt based on the results I am getting (such as changing the key words I am using to search, or trying a different Database to search from). Next, I go to one or two people with what I am doing as a way to check that I am on the right track (right now those people are the reference librarians and my husband). After bouncing my ideas off of other people, I continue with what I was doing, usually resulting in more findings. Finally, I do my blog entry to review what I have been working on, brain storm what I can do or ways I can change, and make note of things I can do to further my work.

Along with searching the library, I am also reviewing the books I have on conducting research to help me learn more about the research process. I want to look for more resources on what the Research Process involves and what, exactly, a Research Proposal is! If I can see an actual research proposal, then I will know what I am working towards with this class.

Right now I'm pretty confused by what I need to do for this class, and I'm fairly frustrated because I'm in the second week of being a graduate student and I feel like I jumped into the middle of a topic that I have limited previous knowledge about. I am VERY lucky to have my husband to help me through the process, as he has already done a Master's thesis and understands the process. I am truly hoping that my confusion and frustrating diminish in the next few weeks.

Starting the Lit Review (Thread 1)

1. Begin an in-depth literature review (and observation, inflection).
(documenting what you are finding is required, posting/sharing it is optional)
~~~~~~~~
I continued my work from last week by going to Holland Library. I started searching Griffin with key words such as "student selection decisions" "web" and "college choice". I quickly found that you have to be careful with using "college selection" together with "web" because you get College Football bowl game information rather than college selection related items! I did find a couple of journal articles that are related to my subject area. As I searched I also realized that I need to figure out what areas I want to focus on during this research.

After doing some researching on my own I spoke with one of the Reference Librarians to ask for tips on conducting this research. I was pleasantly surprised to hear that the way I was going about doing this research was exactly how he suggested I go about it. I was also given some helpful tips on using the library's search page to better find appropriate sources. Of particular help was the Subject Resources page that he pointed me towards:
http://www.wsulibs.wsu.edu/general/subjects.html

The Griffin Article Indexes/E-Journal Databases that I have tried thus far include:
ERIC
FirstSearch
Lexis-Nexis
ProQuest Direct
WilsonWeb

I have also searched by specific journal:
The Chronicle of Higher Education
College & University (the journal of AACRAO)

I am finding articles most related to the web and college choice from ProQuest, College & University, and The Chronicle. I have not found any books on this specific topic yet...that is something I need to search for.

Along with articles on web & college choice, I have also found a few related to the process students use for choosing colleges...more generic than specifically related to the web. I think those might be helpful to me later on.

Overall, searching for articles is quite exhausting! I am amazed at how completely wiped out I am after sitting at a computer and searching for useful material. It's not nearly as easy as you might imagine. I am not comfortable with the literature review process yet. I have found many interesting articles, but I'm not sure that they will be helpful or that they are what I need to be finding. I need to do some reading about the Lit Review process so that I can feel more comfortable with it and so that I can verify that I'm on the right track.

Introduction

Hello!

I'd like to start my blog by giving you an introduction of who I am. My name is Jaclyn. I am a first-semester grad student at WSU in the M.Ed. Higher Ed Administration program. I am also in my fifth year of working at UI as the Administrative Assistant for the Math Department. I live in Pullman with my husband of three years and our pug puppy. (you can see photos of the recent years of our life on our website: www.geocities.com/cheyo.geo) My husband and I graduated from Virginia Tech (go Hokies!) in 2001 and then moved to Idaho so that he could work on his master's at UI. After I finish my master's we will both begin looking for new jobs, most likely on the east coast. We enjoy travelling and we have more trips in mind that we would like to take before we think of starting a family. I am excited to be going back to school, but also a bit nervous about it.

Jaclyn

Thread 3

After thinking through this process I'm beginning to feel a bit more comfortable with it and I think I understand what we're supposed to be doing.

In this entry I will discuss what I learned in class and what I have learned since class. I will make sure to touch on the following: Summarize the problem/question at issue; Present your own perspective, hypothesis or position; Consider the context for the issue; State conclusions, implications, and consequences

What did you learn in class?
In our first Research Methods class I learned that I am at a similar starting point as many of my classmates in terms of understanding the research process. I felt uncertain as I drafted my concept of the research process. As we brainstormed our ideas as a class I discovered that I have a fairly good understanding of the basics of the research process. I am confident that by the end of this semester I will have a firm grasp of the research process, and will be proud of my progress from new student to developer of a research proposal.


What have you learned since class (related to research)?
I have learned where to go in the library to find journal information and, as a result, I have begun to refine my journal article searching skills, including what key words are helpful in looking for articles related to my research area. This is a crucial step in putting together my research proposal, as I need to put together a sound literature review on my subject area. I have also learned that people that I work with and am around on a daily basis are a great source of research information, as many of them have already gone through the master's thesis process.

Thread 1 - What do I want to study?

In this, my first real journal entry, I will respond to the question:
What do I want to study? Why?
I will touch on the following while trying to answer those questions: summarize the problem/question at issue; present my own perspective, hypothesis, or position; identify and discuss my assumptions; and state conclusions, implications, and consequences.

I would like to learn more about how web-based communications effect students' decisions to attend a college or university. I know that web-based communications effect students' decisions, I'm just not sure in what ways or to what degree. Those are the things that I would like to learn more about! The basic question at hand is "How do web-based communications (such as blogs, instant messaging, emails, and web pages) affect how a student views a school? Do these web-based tools help lure students to a school? "

I believe that web-based communication tools are becoming a necessary tool for universities and colleges to use to reach out to prospective students, educate them about their school, and convince them that their school is the right one. If a university/college does not use web-based communications tools they will miss out on a large proportion of the prospective student population.

I assume that the more web-based communication tools that are readily available and accesible for prospective students, the more inquiries a university/college will receive and the higher proportion of initial applicants they will receive. I also assume that students may immediately stop considering a school if they cannot easily find web-based tools to learn more about the school.

The web has become an integral part of our world, including the college/university selection process for students. Universities/colleges will need to put more time, funding, and energy into web-based tools and IT offices so that they can stay visible on the web.