scholarly journals Towards simpler and more transparent quantitative research reports

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jan Vanhove
Keyword(s):  
Quantitative Research ◽  
Quantitative Methods ◽  
Applied Linguistics ◽  
Research Report ◽  
Years Of Experience ◽  
Significance Tests ◽  
Hypothesis Tests ◽  
Round Numbers ◽  
Secondary Analyses

Abstract The average quantitative research report in applied linguistics is needlessly complicated. Articles with over fifty hypothesis tests are no exception, but despite such an onslaught of numbers, the patterns in the data often remain opaque to readers well-versed in quantitative methods, not to mention to colleagues, students, and non-academics without years of experience in navigating results sections. I offer five suggestions for increasing both the transparency and the simplicity of quantitative research reports: (1) round numbers, (2) draw more graphs, (3) run and report fewer significance tests, (4) report simple rather than complex analyses when they yield essentially the same results, and (5) use online appendices liberally to document secondary analyses and share code and data.

scholarly journals A qualitative analysis of perceptions of fluency in second language French

2016 ◽  
Vol 54 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yvonne Préfontaine ◽  
Judit Kormos
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Adult Learners ◽  
Qualitative Analysis ◽  
Quantitative Research ◽  
Qualitative Methodology ◽  
Quantitative Methods ◽  
Native Speaker ◽  
Cognitive Demand ◽  
Word Choice ◽  
Speech Features

AbstractIn the field of second language (L2) fluency, there is a common adherence to quantitative methods to examine characteristics and features of speech. This study extends the field by reporting on an investigation that analyzed native-speaker listeners’ perceptions of L2 fluency in French from a qualitative perspective. Three untrained judges rated students’ performance on speech tasks varying in cognitive demand and provided justifications for their perceptions of fluency. The goal of the research was to examine the factors that affect raters’ evaluations of fluency in response to three oral performances from 40 adult learners of French of varying proficiency. Qualitative analysis revealed that the main speech features that influenced native listeners’ perceptions of L2 fluency were speed, rhythm, pause phenomena, self-correction and efficiency/effortlessness in word choice, but also in target-like rhythm and prosody. The results of using such qualitative methodology highlights the important role that rhythm plays in fluency judgements in syllable-timed languages such as French, a factor which has not always been given much prominence in previous L2 fluency quantitative research.

UNDERSTANDING RESEARCH PARADIGMS: TRENDS IN SCIENCE EDUCATION RESEARCH

2012 ◽  
Vol 43 (1) ◽  
pp. 110-118
Author(s):  
Sebastian Szyjka
Keyword(s):  
Science Education ◽  
Education Research ◽  
Quantitative Research ◽  
Quantitative Methods ◽  
Social Science Research ◽  
Science Research ◽  
Science Education Research ◽  
Collective Interest ◽  
Qualitative And Quantitative Methods ◽  
The Masses

This essay offers several insights regarding the principles of qualitative and quantitative methods, defining how they shape the empirical process as well as knowledge acquisition in social science research. A comprehensive discussion includes comparing the assumptions and techniques of each paradigm, as well as a description of their respective strengths and weaknesses in research. These paradigms are examined in terms of past trends in science education research, indicating that over the last several decades a shift in approach from the quantitative to qualitative has occurred. The central thesis of the essay contends that methodological decisions should be based in pragmatism, rather than a pre-existent set of philosophies or beliefs irrespective of context. Implications for research are discussed in terms of the findings of several science education content analysis studies, conveying that research methods often coincide with the collective interest of the masses, policy, educational reform or program developments. Key words: paradigm decisions, qualitative research, quantitative research, science education, trends.

scholarly journals The Other Half of the Story: Effect Size Analysis in Quantitative Research

2013 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 345-351 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jessica Middlemis Maher ◽  
Jonathan C. Markey ◽  
Diane Ebert-May
Keyword(s):  
Educational Research ◽  
Effect Size ◽  
Quantitative Research ◽  
Statistical Significance ◽  
The Other ◽  
Practical Significance ◽  
Significance Testing ◽  
Size Analysis ◽  
Significance Tests ◽  
Statistical Significance Testing

Statistical significance testing is the cornerstone of quantitative research, but studies that fail to report measures of effect size are potentially missing a robust part of the analysis. We provide a rationale for why effect size measures should be included in quantitative discipline-based education research. Examples from both biological and educational research demonstrate the utility of effect size for evaluating practical significance. We also provide details about some effect size indices that are paired with common statistical significance tests used in educational research and offer general suggestions for interpreting effect size measures. Finally, we discuss some inherent limitations of effect size measures and provide further recommendations about reporting confidence intervals.

scholarly journals Damaging the Case for Improving Social Science Methodology through Misrepresentation: Re-Asserting Confidence in Hypothesis Testing as a Valid Scientific Process

2016 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. 136-147 ◽  
Author(s):  
James Nicholson ◽  
Sean Mccusker
Keyword(s):  
Social Science ◽  
Hypothesis Testing ◽  
Sociological Research ◽  
Significance Tests ◽  
Hypothesis Tests ◽  
Strong Statement ◽  
Per Se ◽  
Science Methodology ◽  
Social Science Methodology ◽  
Reasonable Model

This paper is a response to Gorard's article, ‘Damaging real lives through obstinacy: re-emphasising why significance testing is wrong’ in Sociological Research Online 21(1). For many years Gorard has criticised the way hypothesis tests are used in social science, but recently he has gone much further and argued that the logical basis for hypothesis testing is flawed: that hypothesis testing does not work, even when used properly. We have sympathy with the view that hypothesis testing is often carried out in social science contexts when it should not be, and that outcomes are often described in inappropriate terms, but this does not mean the theory of hypothesis testing, or its use, is flawed per se. There needs to be evidence to support such a contention. Gorard claims that: ‘Anyone knowing the problems, as described over one hundred years, who continues to teach, use or publish significance tests is acting unethically, and knowingly risking the damage that ensues.’ This is a very strong statement which impugns the integrity, not just the competence, of a large number of highly respected academics. We argue that the evidence he puts forward in this paper does not stand up to scrutiny: that the paper misrepresents what hypothesis tests claim to do, and uses a sample size which is far too small to discriminate properly a 10% difference in means in a simulation he constructs. He then claims that this simulates emotive contexts in which a 10% difference would be important to detect, implicitly misrepresenting the simulation as a reasonable model of those contexts.

A Tale of Two Sociologies: Analyzing Versus Critique in UK Sociology

2017 ◽  
Vol 22 (4) ◽  
pp. 132-151 ◽  
Author(s):  
Malcolm Williams ◽  
Luke Sloan ◽  
Charlotte Brookfield
Keyword(s):  
United Kingdom ◽  
Student Attitudes ◽  
Quantitative Research ◽  
Quantitative Methods ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
The Future

Several studies, in recent years, have demonstrated what has become known as the ‘quantitative deficit’ in UK sociology. This deficit is primarily manifested through negative student attitudes towards quantitative methods, a lack of ability in that area and a paucity of quantitative research and publication in the discipline that utilises quantitative methods. While we acknowledge the existence of that deficit, we argue in this article, and present some initial evidence in support of this argument, that the issue is not simply just about a ‘crisis of number’ but the kind of sociology taught and practised in the United Kingdom. We suggest here that there are two broad categories of sociology that do not necessarily divide along quantitative–qualitative lines, which we term ‘analytic’ and ‘critique’. Much of UK sociology takes a ‘critique’ approach, which may well be a quite legitimate way to do sociology, but is not a sufficient basis on which quantitative sociology can be done and has implications for the future of the discipline.

scholarly journals Community participation based on social capital to enhance tourist visit at Lake Toba Parapat North Sumatera

2018 ◽  
Vol 52 ◽  
pp. 00015
Author(s):  
Erika Revida ◽  
Sukarman Purba
Keyword(s):  
Social Capital ◽  
Community Participation ◽  
Quantitative Research ◽  
Quantitative Methods ◽  
Data Organization ◽  
Community Based ◽  
Qualitative And Quantitative ◽  
Qualitative And Quantitative Methods ◽  
Analysis Technique ◽  
North Sumatra

The The purpose of this research was to analyze the participation of community based on social capital to enhance tourist visit at Lake Toba Parapat North Sumatera. The study utililized both qualitative and quantitative methods. 80 respondents (head of family) were interviewed at Lake Toba Parapat North Sumatera. Thte analysis technique of data used quantitative research used descriptive statistics, and multiple regression analysis, whereas qualitative research started from the data organization, reduction and interpretation of data and took conclusion on the results of research. The results of the research showed that the hypothesis of research that there was a positive and significant influence between social capital on the community participation to enhance tourist visits in Lake Toba Parapat North Sumatra was accepted. Participation of community based on social capital to enhance tourist visit was in moderat and it can be further improved by social activities including communication, information sharing and education on the importance of community participation based on social capital such as cohesiveness, altruism, networking, coorperation, unselfish feeling, and trust.

Development and Application of a Concept Test on the Subject of Stars

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ebru EZBERCI-CEVIK ◽  
Mehmet Altan KURNAZ
Keyword(s):  
Quantitative Research ◽  
Quantitative Methods ◽  
Model Analysis ◽  
Validity And Reliability ◽  
Multiple Choice Questions ◽  
Schools Of Education ◽  
Test Items ◽  
Alpha Reliability ◽  
The Subject ◽  
The Mean

The aim of this study is to develop a concept test on the subject of stars that is suitable for model analysis and to evaluate the conformity of this model. The study was performed using a screening model, which is a type of quantitative research method. The study also tried to fill the gap in the existing literature regarding the use of quantitative methods. To develop the test, existing studies on stars were first examined; interviews with candidates who were teachers were conducted; and finally, necessary amendments to test items were made after referring to experts’ opinions. To assure its validity and reliability, the test was applied to a total of 175 candidates who were studying at schools of education in the departments of science teaching of three different universities to become teachers; all candidates took astronomy courses and were educated on the subject matter. The final form of the test comprised of 26 multiple-choice questions, each with 5 possible answers. The Cronbach’s alpha reliability coefficient of the test was calculated to be 0.735. In addition, the mean strength of the test was found to be 0.370 and the distinctiveness was found to be 0.390. Statistical analyses revealed that the concept test developed in this study is a valid and reliable test that conforms to the model analysis.

Boosting L2 Listening Comprehension Through Web-Based Listening Activities on Reduced Forms

2021 ◽  
pp. 105-123
Author(s):  
Kaine Gulozer
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Qualitative Analysis ◽  
Quantitative Research ◽  
Listening Comprehension ◽  
Qualitative Methodology ◽  
Quantitative Methods ◽  
Web Based ◽  
L2 Listening ◽  
L2 Perception ◽  
Reduced Forms

In the field of second language (L2) perception, there is a common adherence to quantitative methods to examine reduced forms (RFs). This chapter extends the field by reporting on an investigation that analyzed L2 listeners' perceptions of RFs in English from a qualitative perspective. RFs instruction through web-based activities was delivered to a total of 80 learners of English of varying proficiency for five weeks. Twenty participants reflected on their performance on RFs listening tasks and provided justifications for their perceptions of the target RFs. Qualitative analysis revealed that the RFs that influenced L2 learners' perceptions of RFs were linking, pause phenomena, and assimilation. The results of using such qualitative methodology highlights the important role that RFs plays in perception judgements in syllable-timed languages such as Turkish, a factor which has not always been given much prominence in previous L2 fluency quantitative research.

Qualitative research

2003 ◽  
pp. 377-384
Author(s):  
Joanna Murray
Keyword(s):  
Qualitative Research ◽  
Older People ◽  
Qualitative Methods ◽  
Quantitative Research ◽  
Quantitative Methods ◽  
Personal Characteristics ◽  
Epidemiological Studies ◽  
Illness Behaviour ◽  
Qualitative And Quantitative Methods ◽  
Complex Phenomena

Qualitative research is an increasingly popular method of enquiry in biomedical, clinical and behavioural research. Once regarded as the preserve of social scientists and psychologists, qualitative methods have entered the mainstream of epidemiology and clinical research, as evidenced by the publication of a series of papers in the British Medical Journal (Britten 1995; Mays and Pope 1995; Pope and Mays 1995; Pope et al. 2000). The qualitative methods to be described in this chapter offer a scientific approach to understanding and explaining the experiences, beliefs, and behaviour of defined groups of people. The contrasting features and the complementary roles of qualitative and quantitative methods of enquiry will be described. While the majority of chapters in the present volume are concerned with research methods designed to answer questions such as ‘how many?’ or ‘how frequently?’, qualitative methods enable us to explore the ‘why?’, ‘what?’, and ‘how?’ of human behaviour. Since the aim is to understand the meaning of the phenomena under study from the perspective of the individuals concerned, the direction of enquiry is guided more by respondent than researcher. This approach is particularly appropriate to complex phenomena such as the range of beliefs that underlie illness behaviour and the aspects of health care that matter to different service users. Qualitative enquiry would focus on identifying beliefs and describing the circumstances that surround particular behaviours, while quantitative research would focus on measurable characteristics of the sample and the frequency and outcome of their behaviour. An example of the contribution of the two methodological approaches is the study of variations in treatment of depression in older people. Epidemiological studies in the community and in primary care settings have found that the prevalence of depression in older adults far exceeds the prevalence of the disorder among those consulting their general practitioners. To identify the factors associated with this disparity, qualitative researchers would set out to explore the reasons why older people with depression do and do not present their symptoms to the GP. The aim would be to describe the range of beliefs about depression among attenders and non-attenders. The quantitative approach would involve establishing the strength of associations between personal characteristics, external factors, and behaviour of older people with depression. It is clear from this example that both approaches are complementary in identifying the nature of the disparity. Qualitative research is based on the premise that each individual's experience is unique and the beliefs that underlie illness behaviour can only be measured once identified and described from a variety of individual perspectives. When information of this type is combined with data on prevalence and variable risk, more appropriate services and outcome measures can be developed.

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