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1
Student Guide
to the
CHERMUG Quantitative and Qualitative Games
2
Contents The CHERMUG quantitative and qualitative games ................................................................................. 3
The CHERMUG videos…………………………………………………………………..……………………………………………………..3
What is research? ..................................................................................................................................... 4
The research methods cycle ..................................................................................................................... 4
Qualitative and quantitative approaches to research .............................................................................. 6
The qualitative and quantitative games ................................................................................................... 7
The CHERMUG qualitative game .............................................................................................................. 9
Introduction to the qualitative game .................................................................................................... 9
Level 1: being prepared for the qualitative test ....................................................................................... 9
Mini-game 1: Qualitative or quantitative data? ................................................................................... 9
Mini-game 2: Contrasting qualitative and quantitative approaches .................................................. 10
Mini-game 3: Qualitative and quantitative scenarios ......................................................................... 10
Level 2: Passing the qualitative test ........................................................................................................ 10
Mini-game 1: Study design ................................................................................................................. 11
Mini-game 2: Coding qualitative data ................................................................................................. 12
Level 3: Dealing with Qualitative Analysis .............................................................................................. 14
The CHERMUG quantitative game .......................................................................................................... 15
Introduction to the quantitative game ............................................................................................... 15
The sequence of activities in the quantitative game .............................................................................. 16
Study Design: correlational and experimental methods ........................................................................ 17
Operationalising and measuring your variables ..................................................................................... 18
Formulating the hypothesis .................................................................................................................... 20
Acknowledgements ..................................................................................................................................... 21
References…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….21
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The CHERMUG quantitative and qualitative games
The CHERMUG (Continuing/Higher Education in Research Methods Using Games) quantitative and
qualitative games are two online digital games which have been designed to provide activities to
support students as they learn about research methods and statistics. The quantitative game is a web-
based game which you can access at http://playgen.com/chermug. You will find the qualitative game
loaded onto the desktop of your computer in the folder qualitative. The two separate CHERMUG games
reflect the two main approaches (quantitative and qualitative) which have been developed to carrying
out research. The games have been designed to help you to acquire research skills in a fun way by
simulating some of the activities carried out by researchers as they tackle research methods problems.
The games guide you through different stages in research from formulating a hypothesis to analysing
and interpreting data, allowing you to practice some of the basic skills that students typically find
difficult. The games are designed to complement introductory modules on research methods and
statistics and can be played in any order. Each game can also be played on its own.
The CHERMUG videos
In addition to this student guide, four videos have been prepared which describe the CHERMUG games
and explain how they might be used for learning about research methods and statistics. The links are as
follows:
1. CHERMUG Games Introduction http://youtu.be/BDc1bUEjHbc
2. What are CHERMUG games? http://youtu.be/cB-JS4wntd0
3. Why CHERMUG games? http://youtu.be/NntlobanHLk
4. How to use CHERMUG games http://youtu.be/GVbO2zqnm0w
Game content The content for both the qualitative and the quantitative games focuses on obesity and
related issues. This topic has been chosen to be of relevance and interest to most people. During the
20th century obesity became a major global social and health problem and was recognized as a global
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epidemic in 1997 by the World Health Organization (WHO) (Caballero, 2007). By 2005 WHO estimated
that at least 400 million adults across the world were obese. There are many factors which impact on
obesity and the games provide an opportunity to examine how research methods and statistics can help
to provide more rigorous approaches to understanding these.
However it is important to realise that, although you are acquiring skills in the content area of obesity,
once you have acquired these qualitative and quantitative research skills you can apply them regardless
of the content area of the problem. These skills truly are transferable to other content areas.
Before we look at the games in more detail we will briefly consider what research is and describe the
research methods cycle which underpins both games. We will then also consider in more detail
differences between the qualitative and quantitative approaches to research.
What is research?
Research provides a method for tackling problems and developing knowledge which is more rigorous
and systematic than other less formal approaches such as asking friends or relying on the media.
Research is a systematic method of inquiry which uses a ‘scientific’ approach. The scientific method
provides a well-established approach to investigating phenomena, developing new knowledge or
advancing and modifying previous knowledge. It is based on the collection of empirical evidence to
advance or support an argument. Both qualitative and quantitative approaches to research collect
empirical evidence but they differ in the kinds of evidence that they collect.
The research methods cycle
The process of carrying out research can be depicted as a cyclical problem solving activity with different
activities and tasks which are carried out at different stages in the cycle. Authors differ in the number of
stages that they suggest but the basic stages are the research question, data collection, data analysis,
and discussion & conclusion (Couchman and Dawson, 1990).
The research question All research begins with an area that is being investigated and a more specific
idea, question or problem about that area. In new areas of research, ideas might emerge from
observations of phenomena, through discussions with colleagues or increasingly through the media.
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Very often there would be a perception that a pattern of behaviour or characteristics is emerging which
requires further investigation. In more established areas of research it is likely that some research has
already been carried out. A first step in developing your research idea would be to carry out a literature
review to track down previous high quality research in the literature which is relevant to your proposed
research idea or question.
In our case the research area under investigation is obesity. In order to make progress in investigating
obesity researchers would select a more specific issue that they are interested. For example they might
be interested in what determines the food preferences and choices of obese (and non-obese)
individuals, how effective different kinds of diet or exercise class are in supporting weight reduction, or
links between body image and obesity. In the game we will follow up some of these questions.
Developing the research question Having identified a research question the next stage is to refine this
question. There are many issues which need to be considered in developing your research question:
your aims and objectives in carrying out the study What do you want the study to achieve.
your research design In developing a research question one of the first questions to emerge
concerns the design of the study. The research design refers to the plan or structure that guides
the research process and determines what kind of data will be collected and how that data will
be collected and analysed. Research designs can take many forms and depend on the idea,
question or problem the researcher is studying. The most fundamental design decision is
whether you will adopt a qualitative or quantitative approach to research.
data collection method Whether you choose a qualitative or quantitative design, you will need
to consider an appropriate information-gathering methodology, where you will gather your data
and who from.
formulating your hypothesis If you are carrying out a quantitative study, you should develop a
hypothesis or hypotheses to test. A hypothesis is a statement predicting a relationship between
two or more variables.
links between these issues
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Data collection At the data collection phase you will collect the qualitative or quantitative data which
has been specified at the design stage.
Data analysis Once the data is collected, data analysis will take place. While data analysis can be
complex, it should be clear from the earlier stages of the study design how you will analyse your data.
Discussion Having analysed the data as specified, the results of the data analysis need to be interpreted.
You will need to examine whether the results provide evidence to support the hypothesis or research
question.
It is important to realise that the initial stages of developing a research question and designing your
study to address this research question are the most important since all the other stages follow from
that. If this stage is not carried out correctly the value of the research will be questionable.
Qualitative and quantitative approaches to research
The CHERMUG quantitative and the qualitative games recognise the fundamental distinction between
these two different approaches to carrying out research and in this section we will consider these
differences in more detail. The qualitative and the quantitative approaches to research provide the two
main ways in which scientists and social scientists investigate phenomena in a more systematic way.
Different research disciplines may emphasise one method over another. Both are used frequently in
health and social research.
Qualitative and quantitative approaches differ in terms of their epistemological and theoretical
underpinnings, research design, the kind of data collected and data analysis. Quantitative research
adopts the traditional experimental approach typically associated with science, sometimes called the
hypothetico-deductive approach. The researcher starts with something he or she knows a little about
and wants to explore further. Quantitative researchers make predictions about relationships between
variables in the form of hypotheses which they test by collecting relevant empirical data. In contrast
qualitative research adopts an inductive approach, gathering experimental evidence in an attempt to
generate broad conclusions. Qualitative research has a broader theoretical base than quantitative
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research and is based on a variety of underlying philosophies and traditions from a variety of different
disciplines.
It has been suggested that quantitative research is concerned with the identification and explanation of
facts while qualitative research is concerned with people's interpretation of those facts. Given these
distinctions, a qualitative approach is frequently often more suitable as an exploratory approach used at
the start of an investigation when not much is known about that phenomenon and where a researcher
is trying to identify issues and variables which might be important, while a quantitative approach would
be more useful once the researcher has an idea about variables which might be relevant to test. The
qualitative approach is used to capture expressive information which is not conveyed in quantitative
data about individuals’ subjective experiences, feelings, beliefs and perceptions of a phenomenon or
situation. For example a qualitative study might help us to understand the everyday experiences and
perceptions of an obese person. Qualitative research is more concerned with theory building while
quantitative research is concerned with theory testing (Morse & Field, 1985). With quantitative research
it is important that the researcher remains detached from the participants who are being studied, but in
qualitative research the researcher might get to know the participants well.
Both quantitative and qualitative approaches require the systematic collection of evidence but they
differ in terms of what kind of evidence they collect. Quantitative research adopts an objective approach
to collecting numerical data. Quantitative research collects numerical data, asking questions such as
how much? how many? how often? to what extent? The qualitative approach deals with participants’
verbal descriptions and accounts of phenomena and experiences asking questions such as why? how? in
what way? Qualitative researchers might also study pictures, images or films as data. Findings gained
from qualitative research are subjective. They only apply to the specific set of circumstances under
investigation and typically cannot be generalised in the same way as you might do with the results of
quantitative research studies.
The qualitative and quantitative games
Both the quantitative and qualitative games can be viewed from the perspective of the research
methods cycle which characterises the research process as a cyclical problem solving process with
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different activities and tasks which are carried out at different stages in the cycle. Each game highlights
specific aspects of the cycle. The qualitative game focuses on the differences between qualitative and
quantitative approaches, choosing an appropriate method and sample to address the research question
and carrying out qualitative coding. The quantitative game focuses on the many inter-connected issues
related to formulating and testing a hypothesis, including operationalizing variables, specifying the study
design, summarising and analysing data and interpreting results.
9
The CHERMUG qualitative game
You will find the CHERMUG qualitative game loaded onto your computer under the folder CHERMUG
qualitative game. There are three levels of the qualitative game, Level 1, Level 2 and Level 3 which you
will see in that folder. The games should be played in order. To open each game click on the appropriate
level (e. g. Level 1). You will see 3 files: “jre”, “Qualitative-Level1v03” and “Run game”. Click on “Run
game”. There will be a short delay before the game opens up.
Introduction to the qualitative game
The CHERMUG qualitative game includes a narrative which explains that the aim of the game is for you
to become a successful member of a research team carrying out qualitative research on obesity and
that, to do this, you will have to acquire and demonstrate your expertise in qualitative research. You will
then see a few screenshots showing evidence from different sources about the global obesity epidemic,
including official statistics from the World Health Organisation (WHO) as well as stories about obesity in
popular newspapers.
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Level 1: being prepared for the qualitative test
Level 1 of the qualitative game will help you to develop and demonstrate your understanding of the
main differences between quantitative and qualitative approaches to research with respect to
philosophical underpinnings, methods and approaches, kinds of data and data analysis. There are three
mini-games at level 1.
Mini-game 1: Qualitative or quantitative data?
Mini-game 2: Contrasting qualitative and quantitative research
Mini-game 3: Qualitative or quantitative scenarios
Mini-game 1: Qualitative or quantitative data?
In the first mini-game you will be presented with examples of raw data in different formats (see Figure
1) and your task is simply to decide whether a specific data-set is qualitative or quantitative.
Figure 1: example of a qualitative data set
Mini-game 2: Contrasting qualitative and quantitative approaches
The next mini-game is a matching drag and drop game which allows you to demonstrate your
understanding of the differences between qualitative and quantitative approaches to research in four
different areas: general characteristics, theoretical underpinnings, kinds of data and data analysis. You
are presented with characteristics which are typical of either the qualitative or quantitative approach
and you have to match the characteristics to the correct research approach. When you are finished
matching the characteristics, you can check the accuracy of your responses. Characteristics which have
been categorised correctly will turn green, while those which are incorrect will turn red and flash. You
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cannot continue playing the game until all characteristics have been matched correctly (i. e. all have
turned green).
Mini-game 3: Qualitative and quantitative scenarios
In this mini-game you will be presented with a number of scenarios which provide short descriptions of
the background to a research study. Your task is to decide whether each scenario suggests that a
qualitative or quantitative approach would be more suitable in tackling the scenario described.
Level 2: Passing the qualitative test
At level 2 of the qualitative game you will experience some of the important steps that you need to
follow in designing a qualitative study and performing qualitative analysis. The game opens with a
specific research question and a short scenario describing the background to the research question. The
level 2 game is based on a paper by Holsten et al (2012) which is a qualitative study of factors which
influence children’s choices of food in the home environment. There are two mini-games at level 2:
Mini-game 1: Study design
Mini-game 2: Coding qualitative data
Mini-game 1: Study design
Selecting the method of data collection The first issue you need to think about in designing a game is the
method of data collection that you will use. Data collection methods most frequently encountered in
qualitative research are questionnaires, interviews, observation and focus groups, although electronic
methods such as online surveys and wikis are increasingly popular too. The method you chose will
depend on what your research question is as well as practical issues about feasibility. For example if the
research question concerns very sensitive material, personal interview would be best, while surveys are
good for collecting a lot of data quickly. All methods have advantages and disadvantages. Figure 2 shows
a screenshot showing the possible methods of data collection which a player can choose in the game.
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Figure 2: Options available in selecting an appropriate method to gather data
Selecting the participants – Where? The next issue you need to think about is where you will go to
collect your data. This will determine the people who you will invite to participate in the study. For
example in investigating food choices and obesity, would you only want to look at obese people’s
perceptions of why they chose the foods they eat or would you want to look at people of normal weight
too?
Selecting the participants – Who and how many? The next issue that you will be asked to think about is
how many participants you will need to take part in your study and who exactly they would be.
Feedback at level 2: In each of the three design activities described above, you select from among a set
of possible choices (as illustrated in figure 2). Following each selection, you will receive feedback about
how appropriate your choice of method and participants is. If you select the optimal solution, positive
feedback will be provided and the game will continue. If you select a sub-optimal but correct solution
the feedback will indicate why selecting this option might present problems but the game continues. If
you select an incorrect option you will be given feedback about the problems encountered. The game
does not continue and you will be asked to select another option.
Mini-game 2: Coding qualitative data
Coding of data is a key activity in qualitative analysis. Qualitative data typically comprise statements that
people make about their views, perceptions and experiences of the topic under consideration. In basic
qualitative studies, such as those adopting a descriptive or exploratory approach, participants’
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statements are used simply to illustrate specific opinions or experiences. More rigorous qualitative
approaches, such as thematic analysis, aim to extract common, broader themes from the data. The
statements that study participants make are read, their meaning is carefully considered and they are
coded with respect to broader themes or higher level categories that they address.
It is this kind of coding activity that you will carry out in this mini-game. You will be provided with data
taken from a journal article in the form of participants’ verbal statements about a specific topic (in this
case food preferences) and a number of pre-defined thematic categories. Your goal is to correctly
classify each statement according to the appropriate higher level thematic category. Figure 3 shows an
example item of data to be coded at the bottom of the screen, along with the higher level thematic
categories (child, parent, food and context of time) to which you have to assign each item of data at the
top of the screen. You are given eight data items to code and there are eight separate coding categories.
Each item can be coded under several higher level categories but when all eight items are considered
together each item has an optimal coding under a specific category. The items vary in difficulty and
some include an element of ambiguity. This reflects the difficulties which can arise in real life qualitative
coding. You can change your coding as you go through the exercise by cancelling your initial choice and
selecting a new choice. Once you have coded all eight data items, you can check the accuracy of your
coding. Correctly coded items turn green, while incorrectly coded items turn red. If you have coded an
item under, for example, three different higher level categories this will show up as incorrect since,
although the item might fit under the different categories, there is an optimal coding for each item. This
could of course lead to discussion out of the game about how to code ambiguous items. You are
required to code all data items correctly before you can advance in the game. On completion of the
coding exercise, players are given feedback about their scores for all level 2 activities.
Figure 3: Screenshot showing a data item and coding categories for the level 2 qualitative game
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Level 3: Dealing with Qualitative Analysis
Level 3 includes the same two design and coding mini-games as level 2 and follows a similar sequence of
activities. Again you are presented with a research question and a short background to a study and you
are required to choose an appropriate data collection method and suitable sample from the choices
provided as well as carrying out qualitative coding. However level 3 differs from level 2 in that there is
less support at the different stages and level 3 is more exploratory and game-like. For example, rather
than being presented with choices about the method, place and participants in a specific order, you
have to choose the order in which you want to tackle these yourself. If you choose to carry out data
analysis before you specify your study design, you will be informed that you have no data yet! You are
not provided with feedback until you have completed the study design and coding mini-games. In this
sense level 3 reproduces the process of sending a paper to a journal (or carrying out a student project)
where feedback is not provided at the different stages. The level 3 game is based on a paper by McCabe
et al (2007) which is a qualitative study of statements made by mothers about their children’s diet and
exercise habits and appearance which might influence children’s body image.
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The CHERMUG quantitative game
Introduction to the quantitative game
The quantitative game reflects the traditional experimental approach typically associated with science,
sometimes called the hypothetico-deductive approach. The researcher starts with something he or she
knows a little about and wants to explore further. Quantitative researchers aim to collect, organize and
summarise numerical data, use it to describe or examine relationships between variables and to
establish cause and effect relationships between variables.
There are many different issues which need to be considered in carrying out a quantitative study but,
since the central focus of quantitative research is on hypothesis testing, the CHERMUG quantitative
game centres around hypothesis testing. In the game you will be presented with a series of examples
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each focusing on a different research question related to obesity, such as food preferences, the
effectiveness of different diets and body image.
Figure 4: A scenario from one of the quantitative examples
The sequence of activities in the quantitative game
Each example starts with a short scenario which sets the scene for the proposed study providing a
rationale for the study and background information, such as information about the relevant variables
and how they were measured and information about the study participants (see figure 4).
The game then takes you through a sequence of activities which will help you to address the inter-
related issues that you need to consider in carrying out a quantitative study, such as operationalising the
variables, formulating the hypothesis, selecting and interpreting appropriate graphical representations
of data and relevant statistical tests. These activities reflect the sequence of operations required in
carrying out a research project. The activities are always presented in the same order with slight
variations in the question asked at each stage.
Read the scenario: First of all you should read the scenario describing the background to the
study. The scenario remains available to be accessed at any point while you are doing that
example, by clicking on “ready” so that players do not have to rely on memory.
Identification of variables: On the basis of the information presented in the study scenario, you
identify the key variables for the study from a number of possible options presented.
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Identification of independent and dependent variables: For the t-test examples, you will
identify firstly the independent and then the dependent variables, again from a number of
possible options presented.
Levels of variables: For the chi-square examples, you will state the levels of each variable from a
number of possible options presented.
Level of measurement (see section below on operationalising and measuring your variables):
You will decide which level of measurement is appropriate for each variable. For one variable
this decision is implemented through a hangman game. For the other variable this is
implemented via a multiple choice question.
Select design (see section below on design): You have to decide whether the design suggested
in the study is experimental or correlational, via a multiple choice question.
Formulate the null hypothesis (see section below on the null hypothesis): In this drag and drop
exercise you have to formulate the null hypothesis for the study by selecting three separate
clauses to make a sentence, such as (There is no difference) (between males and females) (in
foods selected).
Identify the correct raw data set: From a choice of two possible data-sets, you have to select
the data-set which is most appropriate to test the hypothesis. Each of the data-sets contains a
representative sample of 10 data-points.
Identify correct data summaries: You are required to select which tabular or graphical
representation is most appropriate for summarising and representing the data for that example.
Interpret graphs, tables and SPSS output: In the chi-square examples, you are presented with a
contingency table and nine true/false questions relating to the interpretation of that
contingency table. In the t-test examples, the nine Tic Tac Toe questions are more varied and
refer to histograms, box plots and SPSS output.
Identify/interpret correct statistical test: In the chi-square examples, players are given a
number of exercises to do interpreting the SPSS output.
Study Design: correlational and experimental methods
In selecting a quantitative design you will be dealing with numerical data. Different study designs are
used in quantitative research depending on the research question which is asked, but there is a
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fundamental distinction between correlational and experimental approaches. Correlational methods
examine what naturally happens in the real world without interfering with it, while with the
experimental design some aspect of the real world is manipulated and the effect of this manipulation of
another variable is examined.
Both correlational and experimental methods have a number of similarities: both aim to address the
research question in an objective way; empirical data is collected with both; both measure the variables
that are being studied and both seek to ensure that the results are replicable. However there is a
fundamental difference between the two approaches. With a correlational design the aim is to examine
pre-existing relationships (correlations) between two variables. In experimental research, rather than
simply examining the variables under study, the researcher manipulates variables in order to achieve an
explanation of cause and effect. The variable which is manipulated is called the independent variable (or
variables) and the outcome variable or dependent variable is the variable which is measured to assess
the effect of this manipulation.
Operationalising and measuring your variables
Formulating and testing hypotheses is at the heart of quantitative methodology, but there are a number
of issues which must be considered before you get to this stage. Operationalising and measuring your
variables is a very important aspect of study design. Operationalizing a variable means stating exactly
what the variable is and deciding how you will quantify and measure it, or finding a way to manipulate a
variable.
Variables have different characteristics and can be categorised according to how they should be
measured in terms of four different kinds of measurement scale: nominal, ordinal, interval or ratio.
Measurement scales are hierarchical in that data types higher in the tree assume all the properties of
types lower than them. Knowledge of levels of measurement is basic statistical knowledge which
underlies subsequent choices of appropriate graphical representations and statistical tests.
Nominal data With nominal data the variable which is being measured falls into distinct categories or
groups and for that reason nominal data is also called categorical data. Gender is a categorical variable
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since people are either male or female. This variable has two levels, male and female. Another example
of nominal data is your response to the question: “Did you eat chocolate last week?”.
The response to this would typically be either yes or no and this would be a nominal level of
measurement. The responses: “yes” or “no” are called the levels of the variable. Nominal data is also
called categorical because the variable which is being measured falls into distinct categories or groups.
An example of a nominal variable which has more than two levels is nationality.
Ordinal data Like nominal data, ordinal data can also be categorised but have the further property of
having an implicit order or rank. An example would be the position of 10 runners running a race as first,
second, third, fourth etc. where clearly it is better to be first than tenth. Ordinal measurements do not
imply differences in magnitude between two measurement points.
The Likert scale is a measure frequently used in research where attitudes are measured on a 1-5 scale
where 1 means that an individual strongly agrees and 5 means that they strongly disagree. This is an
example of interval data. Thinking again about how we might measure liking for chocolate, we might ask
participants to indicate their agreement to the statement: “I like eating chocolate.”. With children
attitudes can be measured using the graphical scale as below.
Interval data Interval data inherits the characteristics of the other two levels of measurement but also
has the property that the differences in values on the measurement scale have meaning and consist of a
series of equal intervals. An example would be inches on a ruler. An interval scale also has an arbitrary
zero point. An example is temperature.
Ratio data The last scale, the ratio scale, is similar to the interval scale but has no arbitrary zero point.
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Another way of measuring liking for chocolate would be to ask: “How much chocolate did you eat last
week?”. The answer might be provided in terms of the number of bars of chocolate you ate last week
(or the number of squares if you were less hungry!)
This would be a ratio level of measurement. Interval and ratio measures are frequently considered
together as scale measures.
It is important to realise that in terms of experimental design these different types of measurement will
lead you to very different kinds of descriptive and inferential statistics. Asking “Did you eat chocolate
last week?” leads to a yes or no answer and nominal data. The Likert scale question asking participants
to indicate their agreement with the statement “I like eating chocolate.” produces ordinal data.
Asking “How much chocolate did you eat last week?” will lead to a quantity of chocolate in terms of
number of bars and this is a ratio measure. If you are not familiar with the concepts of nominal, ordinal,
interval and ratio variables now is a good time to learn about it. Use this link to external resource (e.g.
http://www.socialresearchmethods.net/kb/measlevl.php)
Formulating the hypothesis
Formulating and testing a hypothesis is central to the progress of quantitative research. Operationalising
your variables and choosing an appropriate design are very closely linked to formulating your
hypothesis. A hypothesis is a statement of the relationship between two variables or differences in
outcome between two groups. We can think of a hypothesis as being composed of three separate
clauses of a sentence. The first part states either that “There is a no relationship” or “There is no
difference”. The hypothesis is always stated in terms of the NULL hypothesis which states that there is
no relationship or no difference. The next part of the sentence describes the different levels of the
independent variable and would state for example “between boys and girls”. The final part of the
sentence describes the dependent variable for example BMI. In this drag and drop exercise you need to
“construct” the null hypothesis from these separate clauses, e. g. “There is no difference between boys
and girls in BMI.”. If you want to find out more about testing the null-hypothesis follow this link:
http://www.alleydog.com/glossary/definition.php?term=Null%20Hypothesis
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Acknowledgements The development of the CHERMUG project is partially supported by the European Community under the
Lifelong Learning Programme project nr. 519023-LLP-1-2011-1-UK-KA3-KA3MP. This document does
not represent the opinion of the European Community, and the European Community is not responsible
for any use that might be made of its content.
References Caballero, B. (2007). "The global epidemic of obesity: An overview". Epidemiol Rev 29: 1–5.
Couchman, W. & Dawson, J. 1990. Nursing and Health-Care Research: The Use and Applications of
Research For Nurses and Other Health Care Professionals. Scutari, London.
Holsten, J. E., Deatrick, J. A., Kumanyika, S., Pinto-Martin, J., & Compher, & C. W. (2012). Children’s food
choice process in the home environment. A qualitative descriptive study. Appetite, 58, 64–73.
Morse, J. M., Field, P. A. (1996.) Nursing Research: The application of qualitative approaches. Chapman
and Hall, London.
McCabe, M. P., Ricciardelli, L. A., Stanford, J., Holt, K., Keegan, S., and Louise Miller, L. (2007). Where Is
All the Pressure Coming From? Messages From Mothers and Teachers About Preschool Children’s
Appearance, Diet and Exercise. European Eating Disorders Review, 15, 221–230.