Showing papers on "Unobtrusive research published in 2010"

Mixed Method Research: Fundamental Issues of Design, Validity, and Reliability in Construction Research

Abstract: The fact that people play key roles in nearly all aspects of construction suggests that effective construction research requires proper application of social science research methods. This is particularly true for researchers studying topics that involve human actions or behavior in construction processes, such as leadership, innovation, and planning. In social science research, no single method of data collection survey, experiment, participant observation, or unobtrusive research is ideal. Each method has inherent strengths and weak- nesses. Careful attention to the methodological ABCs of the design process, as discussed here, can enhance the validity and reliability of a given study. Combining quantitative and qualitative approaches in research design and data collection, however, should be considered whenever possible. Such mixed-methods research is more expensive than a single method approach, in terms of time, money, and energy, but improves the validity and reliability of the resulting data and strengthens causal inferences by providing the opportunity to observe data convergence or divergence in hypothesis testing. DOI: 10.1061/ASCECO.1943-7862.0000026 CE Database subject headings: Research; Methodology; Measurement; Data analysis; Construction management. Author keywords: Research methods; Mixed methods; Social science; Concept measurement; Data analysis.

Quantitative Analysis of Science and Chemistry Textbooks for Indicators of Reform: A complementary perspective

Abstract: In this study, multiple thematically based and quantitative analysis procedures were utilized to explore the effectiveness of Turkish chemistry and science textbooks in terms of their reflection of reform. The themes gender equity, questioning level, science vocabulary load, and readability level provided the conceptual framework for the analyses. An unobtrusive research method, content analysis, was used by coding the manifest content and counting the frequency of words, photographs, drawings, and questions by cognitive level. The context was an undergraduate chemistry teacher preparation program at a large public university in a metropolitan area in northwestern Turkey. Forty preservice chemistry teachers were guided to analyze 10 middle school science and 10 high school chemistry textbooks. Overall, the textbooks included unfair gender representations, a considerably higher number of input and processing than output level questions, and high load of science terminology. The textbooks failed to provide ...

Collaboration Among e-Research Projects in the UK: An Analysis Using Online Research Methods

Abstract: In this chapter, we investigate the use of web-based data for mapping the collaboration dynamics of e-research at the project level. We focus on the web presences of projects that were part of the UK e-Science and e-Social Science programmes, cyberinfrastructure-like efforts that aimed to foster the development of collaboration infrastructure, initially in the sciences and latterly in the social sciences. We explore two different analytic approaches for mapping levels and orientation towards collaboration amongst projects that constitute the UK e-Science and e-Social Science programmes: Content Analysis and Hyperlink Analysis. In addition to presenting results of these analyses, we also discuss the effectiveness of unobtrusive research techniques such as web content analysis and hyperlink analysis for mapping collaboration dynamics, not only at the project level but also in terms of sensitivity to broader contexts e.g., institutional. We compare these approaches with obtrusive research techniques such as surveys of individuals participating in e-Research