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Methodology

Avoiding the Traps of Questionnaire Design and Analysis in Your Dissertation

Cronbach's alpha, Data analysis, Methodology, Recent references / By

In preparation for our upcoming webinar on Avoiding the Traps of Questionnaire Design and Analysis in Your Dissertation at 6 pm (GMT+2:00) on 19th September, I’m writing about an issue of reliability that is often problematic for students. An old bathroom scale explains the concept of reliability of the measurement instrument in your dissertation. Here …

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Reliability and Dependability in Your Dissertation

Methodology, Reliability / By

  The reliability and dependability of a beloved other is a privilege. In a dissertation, these qualities are required. Quantitative dissertations require you to describe reliability and qualitative dissertations require you to speak of dependability. There are two types of reliability. The first type is the reliability of the overall study; the other type is the …

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How Strong are Your Statistical Results? The Concept of Effect Size

Data analysis, Methodology, Recent references, Statistics / By

In a previous post, I spoke about what a statistically significant result means and doesn’t mean. A significant result may mean very little, not necessarily anything to inspire you to throw a party or make a supportive parent proud. A significant result does not tell you how strong – or meaningful – your result is. …

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Does Your Dissertation Answer Your Research Question?

Methodology, Methods, Results, Sample, Writing / By

This week, I reviewed a dissertation that was well researched, well conceptualised, and well designed but did not answer its main research question. The student had described its design, delimitations, and sampling method incorrectly which made the conclusions incorrect. Luckily it was fixable. Let me tell you about the study, with its details all changed …

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Lessons from an old bathroom scale on measurement reliability

Cronbach's alpha, Methodology, Misusing Cronbach's alpha, Reliability / By

If you use an old bathroom scale to weigh yourself and step on and off it a few times, you’ll probably get different readings, even within seconds. These measurements of your weight (more correctly, your mass, but I’ll stay with weight) vary randomly. But they shouldn’t. Unfortunately, old bathroom scales produce weights that are not …

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Effect size: How strong are your statistical results, even your significant ones?

Methodology, Methods, Results, Statistics, Tables / By

  Effect size: How strong are your statistical results, even your significant ones? In a previous post, I spoke about what a significant result means and doesn’t mean. A significant result may mean very little, not necessarily anything to inspire you to throw a party or make a supportive parent proud. What it doesn’t tell …

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5 tips when your sample is smaller than you intended and your results are mostly not significant

Data analysis, Recent references, Results, Sample / By

Sometimes, despite all your efforts, the sample size of your quantitative study turns out to be smaller than you planned. Maybe you received a low response rate to your online survey, your database search for patient records returned many unusable or missing records, or you found yourself in another scenario with a similar outcome. And …

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Does Google Forms offer too much? And if so, when does one just have to say ‘No’?

1 Comment / Methodology, Results, Tables, Tables / By

Google Forms is very useful for conducting surveys. It’s reliable, works beautifully, and now has added formatting options. And, importantly, it’s free which makes it perfect for students conducting surveys – more appealing than its paid rivals with attractive but nonessential extras. But there’s a problem here. As the responses come in, Google Forms provides …

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How strong is the Golden Thread of your thesis?

Methodology, Methods, Recent references, Writing / By

Imagine a golden thread that runs through your thesis, from start to finish. It weaves your argument through theory and literature, linking your research questions, your conceptual framework, your methodology and analytic framework, and finally, your skilful answers to the research questions. This is the coveted golden thread of your thesis. Let’s think more about …

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