2. General Tools of Research
•A research tool is an aid used to help for research tasks such as collect,
manipulate, or interpret data.
•It doesn’t equal methodology as research methodology is the general approach
to carry out the research project.
•Chapter outline: General tools of research:
1.The library and its resources
1.Links to research studies
2.You own stored library
3.Templates for research activities
4.Links to information resources
2.The computer and its software
3.Measurement & Statistical analysis
4.Facility with language
5.The human mind
Chapter 2 Outline
•The library and resources
•Links to research studies
•(papers; dissertations) indexes; catalogues;
•Your own library (stored papers; texts; dissertations)
•Templates for research activities
•(surveys; dissertations; chapters; summaries; tables; figures …..
•Links to info resources
•(data ex governmental & scientific ex indexes)
•Computer & software
•Writing, Communication & presentation; Citation; Statistical & graph;
Math & Qualitative... etc; Data gathering & Management;
•Measurement & Statistical analysis
•Facility with language
•The human mind
3. Links to research studies
•Create an account in www.ekb.eg to access Arabic & foreign languages research
studies.
•Use: https://scholar.google.com/
•Do not forget google.com
•Create an account and use https://www.researchgate.net/
•Many other shared resources available on the web here is some shared ones
Your own library
•Have your own stored papers; texts; dissertations, for example:
•Have an organized store of research papers for your research
•Research Texts;
•General References;
•Dissertations;
•Templates for research (Proposal; Questionnaire; Pilot studies; extracted
materials from studies)
•Forms & reports
Links to information resources Links & Data ex governmental & scientific &
indexes …etc
•Economic Data & Indicators: World Bank; GAFI; Global Indexes; Stock Exchange
…etc.
•Links to Share knowledge, information & resources such as publishing in journals;
sharing SCOPUS journals lists; review processes; …etc.
•Face Book (FB) research groups
4. Using Physical libraries
•Physical repositories of research articles; dissertations; books; information resources …etc.
•Use online catalogs (card catalogs of the past); indexes and abstracts of the reference section
usually electronic; the reference librarian; and the library shelves books stacks, periodical
sections.
The computer and its software
•Use your University Online application: MS365 (including Word processing;
spreadsheet; LMS, MS Forms; email …etc.
•Statistical Software
•SPSS resources: upload & Video to activate; books to learn in Arabic &
English: Youtupe videos for learning SPSS; questionnaire analysis; sampling;
mobile app for sampling; SEM ; SPSS AMOS; SPSS programming; Neural
SPSS; Quantitative analysis using SPSS; CFA …etc.
•Endnote
•Math; Graphics; Operations Research
Measurement & Statistical analysis
•Measurement – is limiting the data of any phenomenon – substantial or
insubstantial – so that those data may be interpreted and compared to an
acceptable qualitative or quantitative standard.
•Limiting – e.g., setting a unit of analysis
•Substantial – physical world measurement
•Insubstantial – intangible entities measurement (e.g., concepts, ideas,
feelings, opinions)
•Interpretation – transforming data into new units of discovery, revelation,
enlightenment, insights.
•Comparing to standards – some points of orientation, limitation, &/or
ideology, either of the originators or related others(e.g., averages, norms,
statistical distributions, goodness of fit).
5. Four Scales of Measurement
•Nominal –
Divides data into discrete name-categories that can be compared to each other
(e.g., gender type: M/F ). A few statistics are appropriate: e.g., mode,
percentages, chi-square.
•Ordinal –
compares pieces of data in terms of being greater or less than another (e.g.,
students grades). In addition to the statistics that can be used for the nominal
type, we can determine: the median, spearman’s rank order correlation.
•Interval –
has 2 features: (a) has equal units of measurement, & (b) has an arbitrarily
established zero point (e.g., Celsius scales of temperature). In addition to the
above types of scales, any statistics that are calculated using addition or
subtraction can be used.
•Ratio –
has 2 features: (a) has equal units of measurement, & (b) an absolute zero point
(e.g., distance. They are rare outside the physical world). In addition to the above
types of scales, any statistics that are calculated using multiples & fractional parts.
6. Validity & Reliability of Measurement Instruments
•They influence the extent to which you can:
(a) learn something about the phenomenon being studied;
(b) obtain statistical significance in your data analysis; and
(c) draw meaningful conclusions from your data
•Validity is the extent to which the instrument measures what is supposed to be
measured.
•Big problem in insubstantial phenomena: e.g., survey questions might have
different meanings to different persons; also how truthful the responder to
survey questions.
•Reliability is the consistency with which a measuring instrument yield a certain
result when the entity being measured hasn’t changed.
•Big problem (again) in insubstantial phenomena: e.g., survey questions
might have different meanings every time you respond to it.
Statistics
•Powerful tools to summarize and interpret data. However they are not the end of your
research. WHY?
•Descriptive statistics – summarizes the general nature of the data abstained
•Inferential statistics – summarizes and help make decisions about data especially in
experiments and comparisons between two groups
•Why Summarizing? –
(a) human mind has limited capacity of working memory;
(b) help find patterns & relationships; &
(c) help comprehend disparate data as an organized whole.
7. The Human Mind
•Statistics cannot interpret data and arrive at a logical conclusion as to their
meaning. Only the mind of the researcher can do that.
•Key cognitive tools: deductive logic; inductive reasoning; the scientific method &
critical thinking.
•Deductive logic – begins with (a) premise(s) (self evident truths) and proceeds
logically toward conclusions. Valuable in generating hypothesis (i.e., from the
theory) & testing theories.
•Inductive reasoning – begins with an observations not pre-established truth or
assumptions. Observing a sample & then drawing a conclusion (also develop a
hypothesis) about a population. Using instances to draw conclusion about entire
classes of objects or events.
•The scientific method – is a means whereby insight into the unknown is sought
by:
(a) identifying a problem;
(b) positing a hypothesis;
(c) gathering data relevant to the hypothesis; &
(d) analyzing & interpreting data to resolve the problem
•Critical thinking – involves evaluating information or arguments in terms of their
accuracy & worth. Suggested forms of critical thinking:
•Verbal reasoning – evaluating techniques found in oral & written
languages
•Argument analysis – evaluating reasons that support conclusions
•Decision making – identifying & and judging alternatives for decisions.
•Critical analysis of prior research – scrutinizing for faulty assumptions,
questionable logic, weakness in methodology, improper statistical analysis,
& unwarranted conclusions
8. Facility with language
•Languages allow us to communicate and think more effectively in several ways:
•They reduce the world’s complexity
•They facilitate generalization and inference drawing in new situations
•They allow abstraction of the environment
•They enhance the power of thought
•Learning the specialized terminology of your field is indispensable to conducting
a research study.
•Having a reading competency in one or two languages could be very important in
your research field.
•Writing competency is another important skill in research. All research must be
presented in written documents. Moreover, writing can be a very productive form
of thinking.
Translation resources
•Translation Books: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1bKtSy8tprOG63T8-
2iwibsp4DZQhtFsu?fbclid=IwAR2hmEugx3CpCnZsFHH5xnJYYurOVq8CFoQBIb3b-
iCxmQqjUguVLM8fgQI
•Translation FB group (available on all social media sites)
https://www.facebook.com/Torjoman-Al-Arab-106736005101635/
•Google translate
