Methods in Research

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Methods in Research

Question 1

The term operationalization refers to the process of defining a factor or a concept into a measurable variable. Usually, operationalizing is crucial to a research study because it assists in the creation of research methodology. Once variables are operationalized in the study, the researcher can easily examine the relationship between them and define whether and how variation in one of the variables of interest may result in variation in the other.

A variable refers to something that has the potential to have more than one value or meaning, such as a number. For instance, age can be expressed in different years or months. There are two main different types of variables: independent and dependent variables. The most important difference between these two variables is that an independent variable’s value or presence defines the value of other variables, while the dependent variable’s values are determined by an independent variable’s value or presence. In a study examining the impact of virtual learning on student academic performance during the COVID-19 pandemic, the independent variable is virtual learning, while the dependent variable is academic performance. In this example, a student’s academic performance is determined by the adoption of virtual learning.

Question 2

Subjects, also referred to as participants or samples, are the individuals who participate in the study. To select a sample for a study, sampling is performed. Sampling is the procedure of selecting who to take part in the study and is determined by the nature of the research questions and variables in the study. The sampling frame or population is a group of people from whom the researcher selects their study sample. Sampling may take two forms, probability/random sampling and non-probability/purposeful sampling. The main difference between non-probability and probability sampling is that probability sampling gives all subjects in the sampling frame an equal chance of being selected to participate in the study since participants are chosen at random and without researcher bias. On the contrary, in non-probability sampling, all subjects in a sampling frame do not have equal chances of being selected to participate in the study, which is associated with researcher bias. Probability sampling is considered to be more scientifically valid compared to non-probability sampling. An example of random sampling is whereby if the researcher wants to choose ten people out of 100, the researcher will select the 10th person in every group of 10. On the other hand, an example of non-probability sampling is where a researcher chooses only individuals who engage in physical exercises, such as people who go to the gym, when examining the impact of physical exercise on mental health.

Question 3

My currently proposed research question examines how narcissism contributes to antisocial behavior in men. This proposed research question looks at the relationship between narcissism and antisocial behaviors among men. It also has both dependent and independent variables. In this research question, the independent variable is narcissism, while the dependent variable is antisocial behavior.

Question 4

In my currently proposed research question, which examines how narcissism contributes to antisocial behavior in men, I think the subject is to collect data from would-be male students in a US-based university who are above the age of 18 years. The sample frame that I might use to select to solicit these subjects from would be public universities in the US. I believe it will be more realistic to conduct a non-probability sampling for my proposed study because public universities have more male and female students, as well as male students below the age of 18 who would have wanted to participate in this study. Thus, using non-probability sampling will eliminate the chances of selecting these subjects.