THE DESCRIPTIVE METHOD

DEFINITION

Collection of data in order to test hypotheses or to answer questions concerning the current status of the subject of the study

Descriptive

research describes the present

status of people, attitudes, and progress

AIM
To

describe the nature of a

situation as it exists at the time of the study and to explore the causes of particular phenomena.

The basic steps of descriptive research...

An orderly scientific and disciplined process, involving: recognizing and identifying a topic to be studied selecting an appropriate sample of participants collecting valid and reliable data reporting conclusions

TYPES
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.

Case Studies Surveys Developmental Studies Follow-up Studies Documentary Analysis Trend Analysis Co-relational Studies

CASE STUDIES
An

experimental research method

for which the researcher examines the history and behavior of a single person.

Case Studies
Case

studies are usually an examination into one element of a population, e.g., one district, one school, one research class, one person. Case studies are often conducted in social work for diagnosis and recommendation purposes.

Case Studies
Observe

take notes on events and their relationships by their location in time and space. Subjects recall personal documents, diaries, and letters Measures may be physical, sociological, or psychological

Case Studies
Must

be careful about sweeping statement (generalization) Data are limited to one unit Case studies can be qualitative or quantitative

CASE STUDIES
EXAMPLES:

Case of Anna O. by Sigmund Freud HM a person who underwent brain surgery in the 1950s Howard Gardners book, Leading Minds (1995)

SURVEYS
An

objective method of obtaining

information from members of a population.

Surveys

are used to gather extensive amounts of

information for large groups of individuals in short time spans.

Survey Designs
Public opinion Attitudes Achievement

Educational (Literacy) Governmental (Health schemes) Industrial (Marketing) Political (AAP)

Survey Design
A

good survey
Wide scope Accuracy Ease of data collection

bad survey
Superficial Poor return rate Poor survey instruments

Things to Keep in Mind When Creating Surveys

Define

terms Avoid statements with double implications Avoid leading questions Beware of double negatives

Things to Keep in Mind When Creating Surveys

Clearly identify the survey purpose Outline the field of study Avoid overlapping questions Order questions in a logical format

Simple to complex Eliminate confusions Eliminate all grammatical errors

Make sure questions are clear

Pre-code data for computation

Profile of Mood States

Cross-sectional survey

involves collecting data from selected individuals in a single time period however long it takes to collect data from participants

Self-report survey

requires individuals to respond to a series of statements or questions about themselves

Longitudinal survey

involves collecting data at two or more instances in order to measure changes over time

Types of longitudinal surveys...

trend survey cohort survey panel survey follow-up survey

Trend survey

a study where a sample is taken from the general population in order to collect data over time involves different groups and different samples over time

Cohort survey a study where a specific population is examined by sampling different groups within the population over time involves the same group but different samples from that group over time

Panel survey a study where the same group and the same sample are examined over time

Follow-up survey a study undertaken after a panel survey and seeks to examine subsequent development or change

SCOPES OF SURVEYS
1.

Census

2. Sample - Deals only with a portion of the population.

- Covers the entire population of interest.

A Census of Tangibles -covers a small population where the variables are concrete.
1.

4 CATEGORIES OF SURVEYS

2. A Census of Intangibles -deals with constructs based from your indirect measures. 4. A Sample Survey of Intangibles -measurement of psychological/sociological constructs, as well as comparing a large population where the variables are not directly observable.

3. A Sample Survey of Tangibles -obtain information from large groups where the variables are concrete

A Sample Survey of Tangibles

EXAMPLE DISSERTATIONS:

A Comparative Study of the Employment Status of Ayurveda Graduates in Selected Regions of the south India: Its Implications to Ayurveda Education Public Elementary School Teacher-Stayers and Leavers in the NCR: A Comparison by Corazon D. Santiago (1981)

A Sample Survey of Intangibles

EXAMPLE DISSERTATIONS:

Anxiety Levels, Self-Concept, and Emotional States of Pregnant Single Women in Institution Shelters by Daby Friedland (1981) Rorshach Personality Profiles of Some Adolescent Children of Working and Non-Working Mothers in the Manila Area Perceived to Show Positive Parental Behavior by Elizabeth E. Ventura (1981)

Examples of types of survey questions

Open-ended

Has your college experience been satisfying thus far? _________________ _________________ _________________ _________________

Closed-ended

Has your college experience been satisfying thus far?

Partially open-ended

Yes ___ No___

Likert rating scale

I am very satisfied with my college experience. 1__Strongly Disagree 2__Disagree 3__Neutral 4__Agree 5__Strongly Agree

With regard to your college experience, which of the following factors do you find satisfying? Academics Relationships Residence halls Residence life Social life Food service Other ____________

DEVELOPMENTAL STUDIES
May

investigate progression along a

number of dimensions such as intellectual, physical, emotional, or social development

Developmental Studies
Developmental

studies are concerned with changes that take place as a function of time.

DEVELOPMENTAL STUDIES
2 COMPLEMENTARY TECHNIQUES:
1.

Longitudinal Method

2. Cross-Sectional Method

- Studies the same - Studies participants sample of various participants over characteristics at the an extended same point in time. period of time.

Longitudinal Method
EXAMPLES:

Child and Youth Research Center (CYRC) (1963) conducted a longitudinal study among selected 170 Filipino infants in their first year of life in Metro Manila. A comparison of math achievement in public middle schools in the United States in 1990, 1995, and 2000

Cross-Sectional Method
EXAMPLES:

The Sex Knowledge of Filipino Children in a Philippine Barrio by CYRC (1977) A survey of reading achievement at different grade levels in a school system in 2000.

FOLLOW-UP STUDIES
-

investigating the subsequent

development of the participants after a specified treatment or condition.

FOLLOW-UP STUDIES
EXAMPLES:

A 20-year follow-up study of a sample of 50 pairs of twins with neurotic-psychosomatic disorders. By Muhs A, Schepank H, Manz R. (1990)

A 12-month follow-up study of self-management training for people with chronic disease: Are changes maintained over time? By J. H. Barlow*, C. C. Wright, A. P. Turner and G. V. Bancroft School of Health and Social Sciences, Coventry University, UK (2005)

DOCUMENTARY ANALYSIS
-

involves gathering data by

examining records and documents.

DOCUMENTARY ANALYSIS
EXAMPLES:

An Overall Analysis of Money Market Investments in the Philippines from the Time of Inception up to 1976 by Tuazon-Repuyan (1978)

TREND ANALYSIS
-

involves studies that seek future

status.
-

aim to project the demands or

needs of the people in the future.

TREND ANALYSIS
EXAMPLES:

Current Trends Paper: Diversity in Education Management and Student Achievement Gap by: S.Duncan, University of Phoenix (2006) K-12 Professinal Development Plan (2010)

CORRELATIONAL STUDIES
An

empirical research method for which

the researcher takes two or more measurements of characteristics for each participant and then examines the correlation among the variables.

CORRELATIONAL STUDIES
3 POSSIBLE RESULTS:

Positive Correlations: Both variables increase or decrease at the same time. A correlation coefficient close to +1.00 indicates a strong positive correlation. Negative Correlations: Indicates that as the amount of one variable increases, the other decreases (and vice versa). A correlation coefficient close to -1.00 indicates a strong negative correlation. No Correlation: Indicates no relationship between the two variables. A correlation coefficient of 0 indicates no correlation.

CORRELATIONAL STUDIES

EXAMPLES: Decker, W. H. (1987). Managerial humor and subordinate satisfaction A Correlational Study of the Relationship Between Sense of Humor and Positive Psychological Capacities by Larry W. Hughes University of Nebraska at Kearney (2008)

Correlation Between Grade Point Average and Absences by Ignacio Suarez Exploring the Self-Esteem and Depression of Selected Filipino Single Mothers by Mia Betina D. Abad (2011)

METHODOLOGY
A cross-sectional survey was undertaken for the purpose of studying the statistical relationships between sense of humor, and its dimensions, and PsyCap, and its dimensions. Surveys were administered to 92 participants from a wide cross-section of employers. The results were tabulated and descriptive statistics generated for the purpose of exploring linkages between sense of humor, humor orientation and positive psychological capacities.
A Correlational Study of the Relationship Between Sense of Humor and Positive Psychological Capacities by Larry W. Hughes University of Nebraska at Kearney (2008)

REFERENCES

Calderon, Jose F., Methods of Research and Thesis Writing, 2012 (reprint) Hale, J. (2011). The 3 Basic Types of Descriptive Research Methods. Psych Central. Retrieved on June 30, 2013, from http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2011/09/27/th e-3-basic-types-of-descriptive-research-methods/ Jackson,Sherri L.,Research Methods:A Modular Approach,2nd Ed.,2010 Pittenger, David J., Behavioral Research Design and Analysis, 2003 Sevilla, Consuelo G., et. al, Research Methods, 1993

for listening!