Format of a Research Article

Read Chapter one of Reading Statistics and Research Ed: 6th: Schuyler W. Huck

Format of A Research Paper

1. Abstract 2. Introduction 3. Literature Review 4. Conceptual Framework
Background Statement of Purpose Hypotheses Participants Measures Procedures Statistical Plan

5. Methodology
6. Result 7. Discussion /Conclusion 8. References

Abstract
What is the Purpose of Abstract?
Summarizes the entire research Length is about 150 words

Abstract Contains Statement of the purpose Research Participants Research Design Summary of Important Findings

Introduction
Introduction contains Background of the Study Statement of the Purpose Hypotheses

Introduction / Background
Background Reason for Study Connection with the Other Studies

Introduction/Statement of the Purpose

Goal of the Research
Example Purpose This study attempts to broaden our understanding of the association between these relational outcomes and doctors interaction behaviors: listening, explaining and perceived competence. It helps to evaluate the research.

Literature Review
Background of the Study
Link with the Previous Researches Different Related theories are discussed

Provide the base for the Reserach

Sources of Literature Review

Some Definitions
Data

Set of Values
A measure which can have more than one value Example
Gender, Age, Address,

Variable

Height, Marks, Quantity Purchased

Hypothesis

It is a claim about the whole population It is an empirically testable proposition Example

Pakistani

spend more on entertainment than on education

Types of Variables
Types

of Variable on the Basis of Measurement Scale

Identification Comparison Differenc e Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Origin

Type Nominal Ordinal Interval Ratio

Qualitative

Nominal

Ordinal

Variable
Quantitative

Interval
Ratio

Examples of Variables

Introduction/Hypotheses
Presented after the Statement of the Purpose
It helps to give meaning to the results A study without hypotheses give result but

meanings are given by the people

Hypotheses
Descriptiv e Describe a Population Either in Terms of Mean or Proportion

Relational

Describe a Relation between two Variables

One Variable is Said to be the Cause of Other Variable

Causal

Hypotheses
Descriptiv e Average of Marks of Stats Class is Less than 80

Majority of the Students are non-smokers

Result depends on Gender Time Given to Study & marks are Positively related Student Speaking Time and his understanding are associated

Caus al

Relational

Pollution is the cause of increased illness

Questionnaire or Research Instrument

It

provides the data for Statisticians to analyze Hypotheses So Hypotheses will determine what questions to include Symbolically

Hypotheses H1 H2 H3 H4 ..

Questionnaire Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 ..

Data For H1 H2 H3 H4 ..

Hypotheses To Questionnaire
In

one hospital patients are continuously complaining about the service quality To study the Problem Administrator has come up with these claims or Hypotheses
1. 2. 3. 4.

Patients are not satisfied with the cleaning in the hospital Patients are not satisfied with the Communication of Nurses Females are more dissatisfied than males Elderly people are more dissatisfied than younger people

Wards

Listening Communicatio n Speaking Smile & other

Cleanin g

Washroom s

Noise

Questionnaire & Code Book

Questionnaire

helps you collect the data Code book help you to feed the data into the SPSS An Example on the basis of the hypotheses is coming

Some Hypotheses
H1. Doctors listening behavior is positively related to patients relationship satisfaction. H2. Doctors listening behavior is positively related to patients confidence in the doctor. H3. Doctors explaining behavior is positively related to patients relationship satisfaction. H4. Doctors explaining behavior is positively related to patients confidence in the doctor.

Conceptual Framework:
Variables & Hypotheses

Overcoming Inability To Answer Can the Respondent Remember?

How many gallons of soft drinks did you consume during the last four weeks? (Incorrect)

How often do you consume soft drinks in a typical week? (Correct) 1. ___ Less than once a week 2. ___ 1 to 3 times per week 3. ___ 4 to 6 times per week 4. ___ 7 or more times per week

Method
How the study was conducted Participants / Sample Plan Measures Procedures Statistical Plan

Sample
Since the study is set in the context of a doctorpatient relationship, the population consisted of all patients who have visited the same doctor more than three times a year in selected clinics in the city of Mumbai in India. Specialist doctors who require more than one visit from a patient over a period of time were considered ideal for the study.

Sampling Design
A total of 340 completed questionnaires were obtained. These 340 responses were from 188 female and 152 male participants, most of who were aged between 20 and 45 years. More than 55 percent of respondents worked in the service sector. Almost all the respondents possessed a graduate or postgraduate level qualification. In total, 20 responses were omitted due to incomplete information being supplied for many questions, and consequently a total of 320 completed questionnaires could be used for analysis.

Material/Research Instrument
Observation Form
Questionnaire Experiment (Experiment Creates data which

is then either observed or interviewed) Quality of Research Instrument

Validity Reliablity

Analysis Design
How the data was processed to get the result Descriptive Analysis Inferential Analysis Hypotheses are the key for the selection of the Procedures. (How?)

Result
Styles Words Tables Graphs
Technical and Statistical Jargons A bit difficult to understand

Discussion / Conclusion
Gives answer to the Statement of Purpose
Discusses why Results turnout that way Discusses how the research findings are

useful for others Discusses further areas for research

References
From where the research took help
Necessary to avoid the blame of Plagiarism Helps the reader to go into detail

Helps the Researcher to Verify whether the

research was properly done Harvard Referencing Method will be discussed in this course