Pre-master research practical
Contents
Week 1 – Introduction ................................................................................................................... 2
Scientific writing .............................................................................................................................. 2
Apa citations ................................................................................................................................... 2
Week 1 – Scientific Reporting ........................................................................................................ 2
Structure of a scientific report .......................................................................................................... 2
Fundamentals of your approach ................................................................................................... 3
Introduction ................................................................................................................................. 3
Methods ...................................................................................................................................... 4
Week 2 – Scale Analysis ................................................................................................................ 8
What is a scale? .............................................................................................................................. 8
Summating rating scales .............................................................................................................. 9
How do we construct a test? ......................................................................................................... 9
Item construction ........................................................................................................................ 9
Test construction ....................................................................................................................... 10
Scale construction ..................................................................................................................... 10
Week 2 – Factor Analysis .............................................................................................................. 12
Classical test theory................................................................................................................... 12
Items analysis ................................................................................................................................12
Beware of .................................................................................................................................. 12
Factor analysis ...............................................................................................................................13
Two types of factor analysis ........................................................................................................ 13
Beware of: ................................................................................................................................. 13
Eigenvalues of a factor ............................................................................................................... 14
Factor rotation ........................................................................................................................... 14
Interpreting factor loading in factor analysis ................................................................................ 15
Week 3 – Peer Feedback ............................................................................................................... 15
Purpose of feedback .......................................................................................................................15
EFective feedback ..........................................................................................................................15
How to use feedback? ....................................................................................................................16
Why peer feedback? .......................................................................................................................16
Giving verbal feedback ....................................................................................................................16
Week 5 – general feedback ........................................................................................................... 17
Week 6 – Qualitative Research ..................................................................................................... 17
Extra ........................................................................................................................................... 18
DiFerences EFA and CFA ................................................................................................................18
,Exam........................................................................................................................................... 19
Writing scientific reports .................................................................................................................19
Scale design and evaluation ............................................................................................................19
Qualitative methods .......................................................................................................................19
Week 1 – Introduction
Reliability: consistency of a measure (whether the results can be reproduced under the
same conditions)
Validity: accuracy of a measure (whether the results really do represent what they
supposed to measure)
Scientific writing
- Clarity is primary (demonstrate that you understand)
- Maintain professional distance: academics don’t want your (non-evidence
based) opinions
- Use simple words here where possible
- Avoid (too many) long sentences
- Write out full words (“it is” instead of “it’s”)
Apa citations
- To substantiate (back up) your claims
- To reflect the scope of your work
- To give credit where credit is due
- To prevent plagiarism
- To guide readers who want to know more
- A nice visual explainer: plagiarism infographic
Week 1 – Scientific Reporting
Structure of a scientific report
Structure of a scientific report can be seen as an hourglass structure
- Introduction: what do you examine in the paper? Work towards the goal and
research question.
- Methods: how did you conduct the study? Describe your study in such detail that
others can replicate it and judge the validity of it.
2
, o Participant
o Material
o Procedures
o Data analysis
- Results: what have you found?
- Discussion: what do your findings mean?
- Conclusion
Fundamentals of your approach
- Clarity and concision over complexity
o Writing in an engaging, but not hyperbolic way
- Write a thesis:
o A statement or theory that is put forwards as a premise to be maintained
or proved
o In other words, write a single coherent argument
- You will need multiple drafts to write a good report
Introduction
The introduction is a funnel within the hourglass
Step 1 (the current situation):
- Introduce the topic
- Describe what has been done and detail the research
Step 2 (the niche):
- Demonstrate the relevance for new knowledge by showing gaps or
inconsistencies in current literature
Step 3 (the goal):
- What is your goal? What is your contribution?
- Research question/hypotheses
An alternate approach:
Build from your research design
What is you DV/ outcome variable
- Likely this will link to your societal relevance
What are your IV/ predictor variables
- Likely this will link to your niche
Advantage of this approach is it helps you keep focussed
- Writing about something not related to your outcome/predictor variables? à cut
it!
Summary and tips:
- Imagine your reader being your grandma – would she understand?
- Say only what needs to be said
- Outline the introduction before writing it: heading, subheading, one topic per
paragraph
- Phrase bank - http://www.phrasebank.manchester.ac.uk/
- Reference check - http://reciteworks.com
- Consider using a reference manager- https://www.zotero.org/
3
Contents
Week 1 – Introduction ................................................................................................................... 2
Scientific writing .............................................................................................................................. 2
Apa citations ................................................................................................................................... 2
Week 1 – Scientific Reporting ........................................................................................................ 2
Structure of a scientific report .......................................................................................................... 2
Fundamentals of your approach ................................................................................................... 3
Introduction ................................................................................................................................. 3
Methods ...................................................................................................................................... 4
Week 2 – Scale Analysis ................................................................................................................ 8
What is a scale? .............................................................................................................................. 8
Summating rating scales .............................................................................................................. 9
How do we construct a test? ......................................................................................................... 9
Item construction ........................................................................................................................ 9
Test construction ....................................................................................................................... 10
Scale construction ..................................................................................................................... 10
Week 2 – Factor Analysis .............................................................................................................. 12
Classical test theory................................................................................................................... 12
Items analysis ................................................................................................................................12
Beware of .................................................................................................................................. 12
Factor analysis ...............................................................................................................................13
Two types of factor analysis ........................................................................................................ 13
Beware of: ................................................................................................................................. 13
Eigenvalues of a factor ............................................................................................................... 14
Factor rotation ........................................................................................................................... 14
Interpreting factor loading in factor analysis ................................................................................ 15
Week 3 – Peer Feedback ............................................................................................................... 15
Purpose of feedback .......................................................................................................................15
EFective feedback ..........................................................................................................................15
How to use feedback? ....................................................................................................................16
Why peer feedback? .......................................................................................................................16
Giving verbal feedback ....................................................................................................................16
Week 5 – general feedback ........................................................................................................... 17
Week 6 – Qualitative Research ..................................................................................................... 17
Extra ........................................................................................................................................... 18
DiFerences EFA and CFA ................................................................................................................18
,Exam........................................................................................................................................... 19
Writing scientific reports .................................................................................................................19
Scale design and evaluation ............................................................................................................19
Qualitative methods .......................................................................................................................19
Week 1 – Introduction
Reliability: consistency of a measure (whether the results can be reproduced under the
same conditions)
Validity: accuracy of a measure (whether the results really do represent what they
supposed to measure)
Scientific writing
- Clarity is primary (demonstrate that you understand)
- Maintain professional distance: academics don’t want your (non-evidence
based) opinions
- Use simple words here where possible
- Avoid (too many) long sentences
- Write out full words (“it is” instead of “it’s”)
Apa citations
- To substantiate (back up) your claims
- To reflect the scope of your work
- To give credit where credit is due
- To prevent plagiarism
- To guide readers who want to know more
- A nice visual explainer: plagiarism infographic
Week 1 – Scientific Reporting
Structure of a scientific report
Structure of a scientific report can be seen as an hourglass structure
- Introduction: what do you examine in the paper? Work towards the goal and
research question.
- Methods: how did you conduct the study? Describe your study in such detail that
others can replicate it and judge the validity of it.
2
, o Participant
o Material
o Procedures
o Data analysis
- Results: what have you found?
- Discussion: what do your findings mean?
- Conclusion
Fundamentals of your approach
- Clarity and concision over complexity
o Writing in an engaging, but not hyperbolic way
- Write a thesis:
o A statement or theory that is put forwards as a premise to be maintained
or proved
o In other words, write a single coherent argument
- You will need multiple drafts to write a good report
Introduction
The introduction is a funnel within the hourglass
Step 1 (the current situation):
- Introduce the topic
- Describe what has been done and detail the research
Step 2 (the niche):
- Demonstrate the relevance for new knowledge by showing gaps or
inconsistencies in current literature
Step 3 (the goal):
- What is your goal? What is your contribution?
- Research question/hypotheses
An alternate approach:
Build from your research design
What is you DV/ outcome variable
- Likely this will link to your societal relevance
What are your IV/ predictor variables
- Likely this will link to your niche
Advantage of this approach is it helps you keep focussed
- Writing about something not related to your outcome/predictor variables? à cut
it!
Summary and tips:
- Imagine your reader being your grandma – would she understand?
- Say only what needs to be said
- Outline the introduction before writing it: heading, subheading, one topic per
paragraph
- Phrase bank - http://www.phrasebank.manchester.ac.uk/
- Reference check - http://reciteworks.com
- Consider using a reference manager- https://www.zotero.org/
3
