Research Tools of the Trade

     

Introduction

Every profession and professional activity has tools that help improve techniques and assure a quality product.  Research is no exception.  The tools of the trade are often classified into three categories: hardware, software, and methods or knowledge.  Hardware tools may include hammers, copy machines, trucks, computers, or cell phones.  Software tools relate to computer programs such as word processing or data base programs, and changeable forms such as written tests, worksheets, or rubrics.  The methods of a profession refer to knowledge and understanding of the procedures involved.  For example, when a medical professional performs a CAT scan on a patient, the machine they use is considered hardware, the computer program used to collect and analyze the data is the software, and the use of the machine and software as well as the interpretation of results and application to treatment is the methods.  All three types of tools are typically necessary to every profession, with research being no exception.

Hardware Tools of Research

The most commonly used hardware tool in research is the computer.  We use this device in order to run software, to measure changes in the autonomic nervous system, and to detect brain damage and other physical problems.  Other instruments that might be seen in social science research might include a device to measure reflexes or muscle strength, or the hardware, such as blocks and puzzles, associated with an intelligence test.  Hardware provides us with a means to interact with our subjects and therefore gather information on their performance.

Software Tools of Research

The software tools of research are typically more abundant than hardware tools in the social sciences.  Software is usually thought of to mean computer programs that tell the hardware what to do, but any tool not related to a physical device can be considered software.  Included in this category is statistical software, consent forms, published tests, questionnaires, observation forms, and, to a lesser degree, the interview.

Statistical Software.  Simple statistical problems, such as determining the mean or the median of a small data set, can easily be done with a calculator.  Most formulas that will be used in a research report, however, are a lot more complex.  While a calculator will work, a statistical program can reduce the computation time by hours, days, or even weeks.  Imagine trying to determine the mean, standard deviation, t-score, and z-score conversions of twelve data sets each containing 300 subjects.  Even the best statistician will spend many hours on this project that could be done by a computer in a matter of minutes once the data is entered.

The most widely used statistical software used for social science research is the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) and is relatively easy to use if you have basic computer knowledge.  SPSS can perform hundreds of statistical computations and even graph your data.  Another program, SAS, also performs these functions and is gaining popularity with many researchers.  Both, however, can be expensive to purchase so it would be wise to use your school’s software or look into a student version.

Consent Forms.  The consent form is a necessity for anyone doing research with human subjects (see Figure 3.1).  The purpose of the consent form is to provide information to the potential subject regarding the experiment or study and to answer questions regarding their participation.  Consent forms should always include both potential benefits and harm that may result from participation as well as the option to quit the study at any time without repercussions.  

Table 3.1 lists ten important areas that should be included in a consent form.  The title of the study, purpose, and researchers’ names and affiliation are often included toward the top of the form.  Contact information, such as phone numbers, should also be included.  The bulk of the consent form involves the specific procedures that will be used, how the information gathered during the study will be used, and the expected experience that the subject will endure if he or she agrees to participate.

Procedures and Requirements.  Before a potential subject can consent to any study, especially those involving invasive techniques, he or she must be made aware of the process that will take place.  The procedures and requirements section explains to the subject what he or she will experience during the study.  If a survey is involved, this section might inform the subject that they will be asked to respond to questions related to their past work experience or their college grades, for example.