- 1] Can I give feedback on the class or a particular lesson?
- 2] Choosing a model article
- 1. What sort of article do we need to find for the group project? How is this different to finding references for an essay?
- 2. Does the article we find need to have both a survey and a qualitative data collection? Can it just be an article that is on a ‘topic’ we are interested in?
- 3. Can we choose two articles, instead of just one?
- 3] Videos of Seminars (Echo360) - For weeks 1 to 3
- 4] What is the suggested timeline for the project
- 5] Reduced requirements for project: What are the requirements for the project now?
- 6] What is class structure with Covid-19 pandemic?
- 7] Example of Proposed Research Topic
- 8] What should the interview schedule for the qualiative interview look like?
- 9] Informed Consent: Is there a template for the informed consent?
- 10] Covid-19 and Data Collection: Can we interview in person during covid-19 outbreak? NO!
- 11] Can I organise a video call or phone call with you about my project?
- 12] What to do after my project topic/question/hypothesis/article is approved?
- 13] Do you have an example of interview schedule for the qualitative interview
- 14a] How much feedback can I get on messenger chats? How do I get more detailed feedback?
- 14b] How do I get more in depth feedback or discussions?
- 15] Is it beneficial to do more than one interview per person for the ‘Pilot Study’?
- 16] What are we doing about our literature review? Because there is no assessment task called a ‘literature review’.
- 17] How do we get a signature on our consent form electronically?
- 18] What is the mid-term exam based on? Is it going to require locating exact word for word text?
- 19] Is there a rough amount of questions we should ask for the qualitative questions?
- 20] Is there a template informed consent form?
- 21] Which lectures/seminars are relevant to which assessments (projects, quizes)?
- 22] Can we please have practice tests?
- 23] Will seminars be live on Zoom at the normal time? Yes.
- 24] What is happening to lectures on Good Friday and Easter Monday?
- 25] How do i link Google Scholar to MQ Library?
- 26] How do I find the videos of all the lectures?
- 27] My script/talk is too long. How do I shorten it?
- 28] My groupmate is not doing their work.
1] Can I give feedback on the class or a particular lesson?
Yes, just follow this link:
2] Choosing a model article
1. What sort of article do we need to find for the group project? How is this different to finding references for an essay?
In the instructions for the group project it says:
- Replicate Journal Article. This study must be based on a small-scale/partial replication of a social science study which you find in a peer-reviewed academic journal article.
The idea is that you do a similar study for the group project to the one done in the article you find.
So, for example, the article you find might be a might analyse a large public opinion survey of 2000 Americans asking about what types of people support democracy, and what types of people don’t. It might find that men and older people don’t like democracy as much as women and younger people.
You would then design and carry out two small scale studies on the same topic.
- For the ‘pilot study’, due in week 8, you would interview 12 people for 10 to 30 minutes, and might ask about their attitudes to democracy and analyse that
- For the final report you would survey 50 people with an online survey, and the survey would have up to 10 questions. You might ask for gender, age, income, nationality, and also attitudes to democracy. You woukd then do some tables and basic statistical analysis to show any patterns in the data
2. Does the article we find need to have both a survey and a qualitative data collection? Can it just be an article that is on a ‘topic’ we are interested in?
The research article you find doesn’t need to involve both interviews and survey data. But it would help if it at least involves one or the other.
The closer the article is to something you can copy, the easier it will be for you. You will be able to use the articles as a model for each step of the process - designing your questions, doing your analysis, presenting your results, integrating with the literature, and writing the abstract, intro and conclusion.
It will be hard to find an article that it is possible to exactly replicate. However, the closer the article is to what you will do, the easier it will be for you to use the article as a model and as a guide during the research process.
In short, I won’t ban you from choosing an article that is on a topic you are interested in, but involves little data collection, or which involves very different data collection to what we will do in this class. However, I would strongly advise against picking such an article.
You might want, as a compromise, to find an article on the topic/theory you are interested in, and then another article that uses the same methods (of data collection and analysis as we use in SOCI2000), but on a completely different topic. This way you can use the first article as a model for the argument/theory, and the second article as a model for the data collection, analysis, and linking of theory to evidence.
3. Can we choose two articles, instead of just one?
I would say it is going to be easier for you if you pick one article. It will make a more straight forward and simple model for your own group project.
However, I know that there are not going to be perfectly identical articles on topics you are interested in.
You might want, as a compromise, to find an article on the topic/theory you are interested in, and then another article that uses the same methods (of data collection and analysis as we use in SOCI2000), but on a completely different topic. This way you can use the first article as a model for the argument/theory, and the second article as a model for the data collection, analysis, and linking of theory to evidence.
Again, I recommend just finding one article that is as close as possible to what you want to do for your group project. But I’m not going to force you do this.
3] Videos of Seminars (Echo360) - For weeks 1 to 3
Note that this information only applies to lectures from Week 1 to 3 (prior to coronavirus shutdown)
I can’t see the videos of the lectures on Echo360. I get a message “Looks like no content has been added to this class yet.”
To access the videos of lectures of this class, scroll down and look in the right hand side bar of the iLearn page for SOCI2000.
- /> Click on ‘Echo360’.
- /> Ignore the statement “Looks like no content has been added to this class yet.”
- /> Click on the date of the lecture on the right side of screen
- /> Click it again
- /> The video should play
4] What is the suggested timeline for the project
SUGGESTED TIMELINE FOR PROJECT
- Week 3 (end): Confirm topic and article with Nick
- Covid-19 break/shutdown (two weeks)
- Week 4 (end): Design interview + get ethics approval + finish ethics training
- Week 5+6: Interviews + write field notes (1 per person in group, with minimum 4 in total)
- Week 6+7: Analysis + Write up Qualitative Report + Design Quantitative Survey
- Week 8 (no class): Present Qualitative Report + Draft Survey
- Week 9-10: Collect Surveys (8 per person in group, minimum 30 in total)
- Week 11-12: Analysis + Write up
- Week 13 (no class): Present final report (no classes)
5] Reduced requirements for project: What are the requirements for the project now?
OLD REQUIREMENTS:
"For ‘Pilot Study’ (Due Week 8)
- Collect and analyse qualitative interviews (12 per group in total)
- Interviews must be 10 to 30 mins in length, with fieldnotes and NO RECORDING.
For ‘Final Report’ (Due Week 13)
- Collect and analyse quantitative surveys (50 respondents per group in total)
- Surveys must be no more than 10 questions and 5 minutes in length.
- Surveys must be done on Qualtrics, and analysed with SPSS."
NEW REQUIREMENTS:
"For ‘Pilot Study’ (Due Week 8)
- Collect and analyse qualitative interviews (1 per person in group, with minimum of 4 per group in total)
- Interviews must be 10 to 30 mins in length, with fieldnotes and NO RECORDING.
For ‘Final Report’ (Due Week 13)
- Collect and analyse quantitative surveys (8 per person in group, with minimum of 30 respondents per group in total)
- Surveys must be no more than 10 questions and 5 minutes in length.
- Surveys must be done on Qualtrics, and analysed with SPSS.
6] What is class structure with Covid-19 pandemic?
- CLASS STRUCTURE GOING FORWARD
- RECORDED LECTURE: I will post 2 hour recorded lecture each week, with a link on iLearn and methods101.com. I will put them on YouTube as in the past students have found these easier to download, listen to, and also speed up replay.
It will be released in time to watch at 9am at the usual Monday lecture slot.
- ZOOM Q&A: I will also hold 1 hour zoom Q&A each Monday and Friday, where students can ask questions about the lecture material. These will be in the last hour of the scheduled class, so 11am Monday (starting Week 5 - Mon 6th April); and 3pm Friday (starting Week 4 - Friday 3rd April).
I will take questions for the Zoom Q&A via those who join the call live, or those who send me questions in their Facebook messenger/WhatsApp chat.
- DATES OF ASSESSMENTS
MID SEMESTER EXAM: 30 minute online quiz on iLearn. Opens: 5pm Fri 17th April (end week 7) - Closes 5pm Sun 19th April)
PILOT STUDY: Due in marking consultation in Week 8 (week starting 27th April). You will book these in on an online booking sheet, and present via Skype/Zoom/Jitsi
FINAL REPORT: Due in marking consultation in Week 13 (week starting 1st June). You will book these in on an online booking sheet, and present via Skype/Zoom/Jitsi
FINAL EXAM: 30 minute online quiz on iLearn. Opens: 5pm Fri 12th June (end week 14) - Closes 5pm Sun 14th June)
7] Example of Proposed Research Topic
- Can you give an example of a proposed research topic?
EXAMPLE OF PROPOSED RESEARCH TOPIC
1. Topic
Social media has become an area of growing research interest because of its addictive properties, and correlation with low self esteem and narcissism.
2. Research question
Does addition to social media correlate with low self-esteem and narcissism?
3. Hypothesis or theory/s
People who use social media more will display greater narcissistic personality styles and lower self-esteem.
4. Model Article
8] What should the interview schedule for the qualiative interview look like?
Try to keep interview, qualitative, to 10-20 mins
for this I would recommend 3-5 main questions,
But then have a whole lot of probes (questions to prompt them to provide more detail), such as:
- Can you give me an example?
- What made you think that?
- How did you know that?
- What exactly did they say?
- How did that make you feel?
- Why did you decide to do that?
- And other questions specific to your topic
9] Informed Consent: Is there a template for the informed consent?
Yes. Here:
10] Covid-19 and Data Collection: Can we interview in person during covid-19 outbreak? NO!
For the safety of participants and researchers during the Covid-19 (coronavirus) pandemic, all interview and data collection must be conducted via phone, video conferencing (e.g. Skype, Zoom), or similar electronic communication. It must not be conducted in person.
11] Can I organise a video call or phone call with you about my project?
Yes. Please just message me on the Facebook messenger chat, or whatsapp chat for your group.
If it is urgent, or you have not heard from me, please feel free to call me on 0490 911 666 during office hours on weekdays.
12] What to do after my project topic/question/hypothesis/article is approved?
Next steps:
- Write your Interview Schedule + Informed Consent
- Send to Nick for approval
- Nick will approve (or not)
- Do your qualitative interview/s (1/person, minimum 4/group) via skype/zoom/video and write up your field notes
- Share your field notes with your group
- Get together on skype/facebook/zoom meeting with your group and:
- discuss the field notes and what the main patterns are;
- identify 5 or so themes that answer your research question;
- identify 1 or 2 quotes (excerpts) per theme to provide exemplary quotes.
- Write this up as a 1200-1600 word script and a power point slide
- Informed by your findings of your qualitatie study, design your quantitative survey and informed consent
- Present your slides, script, and survey to nick on zoom or similar in week 8.
- you can start the survey straight after the presentation in week 8
13] Do you have an example of interview schedule for the qualitative interview
Yes. Take a look at this [excellent example from University of Hawaii.(https://www.hawaii.edu/mauispeech/pdf/interviewschedule.pdf)
Notice this is much too long, but a schedule. Yours should only have about 3-5 main questions, and then also a series of probes, such as:
- Can you give me an example?
- What exactly did they say?
- How do you know that?
- So can I just clarify, did x, or y happen first?
14a] How much feedback can I get on messenger chats? How do I get more detailed feedback?
To manage my workload, I would prefer if questions on the Facebook/WhatsApp chats were either:
- Formal review for ethics approval (so send me the documents for approval - yes or revise),
- Or specific questions you have.
But I can’t really answer general questions for comments an editing advice.
So this type of questions is not really one I can answer:
“Can you look at my survey and give comments.”
or
“Here is a page or two of brainstormed ideas for our projects. Can you tell us which is best?”
14b] How do I get more in depth feedback or discussions?
I am open to more in depth discussions, but I would prefer you to book a phonecall or zoom chat, so we can schedule the time and talk it through.
15] Is it beneficial to do more than one interview per person for the ‘Pilot Study’?
Yes. It is always good to have more data.
You are not going to be marked down if you meet the minimum requirements. You can do very well just meeting those minimum requirements.
But in terms of getting good and interesting results, and also getting value for money out of this class: if you can collect more data, go for it. It will be worthwhile.
You will also often find that your second, third, and fourth interviews will get a lot better. You will get a lot more competent after your first interview.
16] What are we doing about our literature review? Because there is no assessment task called a ‘literature review’.
The literature review is supposed to be about 2 minutes of your presentation, which is about 200-300 words of your script for the talk.
That doesn’t sound like much, but it is enough to show that you have done the literature review.
It doesn’t need to be an incredibly comprehensive literature review.
The ideal situation would be that you identified one or two really important papers that were about the theories or explanations you are testing, and then have about six papers you can relate to that.
You DON’T what to give me a description of those papers. Remember we talked about about literature reviews being a thematic analysis of the different explanations, or different theories, or different accounts of what it is that I am studying. And your job is to briefly show the debate between these perspectives/explanations. And then you cite some articles that argue each of these perspectives.
Look at the Hairifying Truth video for a bit of an example of this. They do a little literature review, though they probably don’t do enough of one. They mainly just outline the theories of extrinsic vs intrinsic motivation.
17] How do we get a signature on our consent form electronically?
You don’t need a signature, and I encourage you to only get verbal informed consent. All your studies should be very low risk. And any signature is likely to be the only link between their stories/data and themselves (as we are not recording).
All I require is you to:
- do verbal informed consent: read the informed consent form to the participants over the phone or Skype or Zoom, and
- to also send them an electronic copy of the form for them to keep for their own records.
18] What is the mid-term exam based on? Is it going to require locating exact word for word text?
It will be conceptual questions. There is no exact word for word text.
The promise I give you is that it will only test those concepts listed at the beginning of each class.
All you need to do is be familiar with the written text on methods101.com up to week 7.
You can also watch the videos and read the textbook chapters. They will be relevant.
The study cramming advice will be to read the lecture notes on Methods101.com - the fully written out lectures, which are what the slides for the lectures are based on.
19] Is there a rough amount of questions we should ask for the qualitative questions?
If you look at [13] in FAQ, you can see:
- what an interview schedule should look like. There is a link to a very long interview schedule from University of Hawaii. You don’t need to do all the things in this Hawaii interview schedule, but it is useful and you can use it is a bit of a template.
- yours is supposed to only be 3-5 important questions that will take only 10 to 20 minutes in the interview, and then have a series of probes.
20] Is there a template informed consent form?
Yes. See answer to FAQ [9]. There are links to a template for informed consent.
21] Which lectures/seminars are relevant to which assessments (projects, quizes)?
Mid-term exam: All lectures Weeks 1 to 7. Final exam: All lectures Weeks 1 to 13. Pilot Study: Lectures Weeks 1 to 3, 5, 7. (not Weeks 4 and 6 on Quantitative Data Collection + Experiments) Final Project: All lectures, particularly weeks 4, 6, and 9-12 (on Quantitative methods).
22] Can we please have practice tests?
Yes I will make some available on methods101.com
23] Will seminars be live on Zoom at the normal time? Yes.
Due to feedback from students across the classes, I NOT going to pre-record anymore seminars (Only Week 4 will be pre-recorded).
Instead, all seminars will be LIVE on Zoom, at the normal times (9am-12pm Mon, or 1pm-4pm Fri).
The seminars are NOT compulsory. If you want to watch at another time, they will be available to watch via YouTube, and links will be provided on iLearn.
These are the meeting links for all Zoom seminars this semester:
Mon (all welcome) 9am -12pm class + 12pm-1pm consult : https://macquarie.zoom.us/j/850066428
Friday (all welcome) 1pm - 4pm seminar + 4pm-5pm consult: https://macquarie.zoom.us/j/605530518
24] What is happening to lectures on Good Friday and Easter Monday?
Because of Covid-19, we now have lectures schedules for Good Friday and Easter Monday.
Because we already have no classes in Week 8 and 13 (presentations), and because we have a lot of content to get through, I will be holding lectures on Good Friday and Easter Monday live on Zoom.
Note that these are NOT compulsory, and you are welcome to attend the other class that week, and also all seminars (including these) will be uploaded to YouTube for latter viewing (link on iLearn).
25] How do i link Google Scholar to MQ Library?
- In Google search for “Google Scholar @MQ”.
- The first link in the search results will take you to this page: https://www.mq.edu.au/about/campus-services-and-facilities/library
- Click on the link “Google Scholar @MQ” below the MultiSearch search box
Figure 1: Finding link to Google Scholar @ MQ
- Use Google Scholar to search as per normal.
- You can access the PDF by clicking on one of the links on the right side.
- You can also see other websites that have the PDF by clicking on the link “All XX versions”
Figure 2: Different ways to get the PDF of an article
26] How do I find the videos of all the lectures?
Go to iLearn, and I will update the first set of links with links to ALL the videos for the semester.
Figure 3: Where to find links to videos on iLearn
27] My script/talk is too long. How do I shorten it?
My advice for cutting down is this.
Ask yourself:
- What the one sentence summary of the paper?
- What is the point?
- What is your research question?
- What is your answer?
- How can you express this so that the listener will remember it tonight over dinner, when they are tired.
Then subordinate the entire presentation to making this argument.
The literature review shows that there are different answers to your research question in the existing literature.
The hypotheses tests between these different answers
The results show whether the hypothesis is true or not
End by discussing implications.
28] My groupmate is not doing their work.
Problem: One of our group members has been ‘missing in action’ (MIA), and they:
- have had lots of family stuff, emergencies, etc. and/or
- are not replying on the chat group, and/or
- they haven’t done their work.
Solution:
- Make sure you send them a message asking “Are you ok”, and explaining that you need their work (name it), with a date. Don’t be threatening. Be kind and assume the best. You don’t need to have a long conversation or be their social support or parent. Try to be friendly, professional, and matter of fact.
- With the rest of the group make a plan to divide up their work, and if they don’t get back by the deadline, simply divide up the work and do it.
In general, the principle is: Behave like you are at in the workplace, and this is an important presentation. One of your team members is not doing their bit, or they had a personal trajedy, or similar. Make sure you document that you asked them to do work with a message/email. But if they don’t do their work, then you need to cover for them and deliver the presentation to the client.
The grades will be sorted out when you do peer evaluation.