Summary test 1 Research Methodology and Descriptive Statistics - Premaster Business Administration 2024/2025 - University of Twente

School year
2024/2025

, Research Methodology and
Descriptive Statistics Pre-master
Business Administration
University of Twente
Summary for test 1




SUMMARY FOR UNITS: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 26
WRITTEN BY: JULIAN




1
Summary RMDS Test 1

,Table of contents
Unit 1: What is empirical research?................................................................................................................ 4
Learning objectives...............................................................................................................................................4
Information from Babbie / Video’s / PPT’s / Assignments...................................................................................4

Unit 2 - What are clear research questions?.................................................................................................... 6
Learning objectives...............................................................................................................................................7
Information from Babbie / Video’s / PPT’s / Assignments...................................................................................7

Unit 3 - What are data?.................................................................................................................................. 8
Learning objectives...............................................................................................................................................9
Information from Babbie / Video’s / PPT’s / Assignments...................................................................................9

Unit 4 - Handling data with software - R....................................................................................................... 11
Learning objectives.............................................................................................................................................12
Information from Babbie / Video’s / PPT’s / Assignments.................................................................................12

Unit 5 - Conceptualizing constructs............................................................................................................... 12
Learning objectives.............................................................................................................................................13
Information from Babbie / Video’s / PPT’s / Assignments.................................................................................13

Unit 6 - Operationalization and data collection............................................................................................. 15
Learning objectives.............................................................................................................................................16
Information from Babbie / Video’s / PPT’s / Assignments.................................................................................16

Unit 7 - Measuring constructs using content analysis....................................................................................18
Learning objectives.............................................................................................................................................18
Information from Babbie / Video’s / PPT’s / Assignments.................................................................................18

Unit 8 - Two aspects of data quality.............................................................................................................. 21
Learning objectives.............................................................................................................................................21
Information from Babbie / Video’s / PPT’s / Assignments.................................................................................21

Unit 9 - Displaying univariate data in R......................................................................................................... 24
Learning objectives.............................................................................................................................................24
Information from Babbie / Video’s / PPT’s / Assignments.................................................................................24

Unit 10 - Summarizing ratio variables........................................................................................................... 25
Learning objectives.............................................................................................................................................25
Information from Babbie / Video’s / PPT’s / Assignments.................................................................................25

Unit 11 - Distributions and Z-scores in R....................................................................................................... 28


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Summary RMDS Test 1

, Learning objectives.............................................................................................................................................28
Information from Babbie / Video’s / PPT’s / Assignments.................................................................................28

Unit 26 - Data collection methods and measurement...................................................................................30
Learning objectives.............................................................................................................................................30
Information from Babbie / Video’s / PPT’s / Assignments.................................................................................30




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Summary RMDS Test 1

,Unit 1: What is empirical research?

Learning objectives
- You can explain what is meant with empirical research and which steps can be taken
according to the wheel of science.
- You are able to differentiate between induction and deduction.
- You can recognize and explain the steps that can be taken in the decision-making process.
- You can explain the relationship between systematic decision making and systematically
answering empirical questions.
- You can formulate a relevant research question in the context of a specific phase in a
decision-making process.
- You can recognize and mention examples of confirmation bias.
- You can explain how systematic empirical research helps avoiding the confirmation bias.

Information from Babbie / Video’s / PPT’s / Assignments

Empirical research: systematically answering empirical questions.
- Systematically: Excluding the possibility that other answers are better than the answer we
give.
- Empirical: About things we can observe.




Empirical research is about answering questions. We start with a question and arrive at an answer,
while also examining how we arrive at that answer. To reach this answer, we can rely on various
methods, such as:
- Asking experts
- Listening to your parents
- Throwing dice
- Clear thinking

However, empirical research focuses on questions that can only be answered through observations.
We restrict ourselves to thinking and observing in the process.

We focus on the procedure to get from a question to an answer that can be divide in several steps.
The steps on the left represent the steps on the right.




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Summary RMDS Test 1

, Example:




We normally
don’t present
them as a set
of steps but in
the form of a cycle. This cycle is called the wheel of science, as
shown on the right. The wheel of science contains six phases:

1. Question: What influences student performance?
2. Theory: Motivation affects academic success.
3. Research Design: Survey students on study habits
4. Data Collection: Gather test scores and survey
responses.
5. Data Analysis: Correlate study time with performance
6. Answer: More study time improves grades.



Deduction is a method where we start with thinking (theory), often forming general ideas or theories
about why things happen. These general ideas are then made more specific to fit a particular topic,
and the specific expectations are tested using data.

Induction, on the other hand, begins with observing (data collection) specific phenomena. By
comparing these observations with other similar cases, we arrive at a general idea or theory about
why things happen based on the patterns we observe. A reason for induction can be that we have no
clear starting point for thinking or, with so much data available, it's more efficient to let the computer
identify patterns.




The decision-making
cycle




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Summary RMDS Test 1