On a Roll this Morning...

I awoke at 3:15 this morning (yes, a Saturday morning) and the research problems were right there in my head.  So I got up to take advantage of that moment of "brilliance."  Now I need to write my null hypotheses.  

Thought the lost-socks-due-to-alien-burglary anecdote was cute (see previous post), I need a little more instruction.  Dr. S explained that a null hypothesis is:  "there is no difference between X and Y."  I found this on ehow.com - How to Write a Null Hypothesis.  

"A null hypothesis is defined as a statement of no change.  That is, a null hypothesis describes an outcome in which there is no statistical difference between the groups you are comparing [Dr. S's no difference between X and Y].  More specifically, if a null hypothesis is fulfilled, your original hypothesis is rejected."

Summarized:

1. Write the hypothesis (i.e., what I believe to be true).  Let's say my belief is the old adage:  You can't teach an old dog new tricks.
2. Turn this into a statement that indicates no difference between experimental groups:  Old dogs and younger dogs can (or can't) learn new tricks.

Entering the 21st Century

The article that Dr. Z sent me (mentioned in the previous post - "Writing Tips for PhD Students," Cochrane, U of Chicago) has this statement on the title page:

It's the 21st century - get a web page.

Because setting up this blog on Google was so simple, I looked to see if Google also hosted web pages.  It does.  sites.google.com.  So now I have a web page.

What the web page is for is a way to submit articles, papers, links, etc. to the people you're working with - especially your thesis adviser.  I won't post what that web page is as Google allows you to tighten the access permissions.  As it is just a listing of articles requested by Dr. Z (see my Back to the Research Problems post), it's not very exciting any way.  Think of it as a remote parking lot with just a couple of cars in it.

This weekend, I'll be revising parts 1 through 3 of the proposal:

• Title of Study
• Purpose of Study
• Research Problems/Questions

Work has been a zoo.  And this is supposed to be the "light" season!

Back to the Research Problems

I spoke with Dr. Z this morning.  (And yes, he speaks English quite well!)  I really think I will enjoy working with him. 

He referred me to an article entitled "Writing Tips for PhD Students" by John H. Cochrane (University of Chicago) found at this link.  It's a nice guide - written in plain language (and is somewhat light and comical).

I have two things to do:

1. Send Dr. Z the top three (or two or four) articles - published in top journals - that are the closest that I want to do.
2. Meanwhile, using the Cochrane article, revise the proposal and the main research question/problem.

We are both concluding that it will be quite difficult - if not impossible - to find the primary data around what I'd like to do.  But Dr. Z said, "First things, first."  Let's get the main research problem out there, then we'll both find what data we can find.  Just take it one day at a time.

Like I said, I really think I will enjoy working with him.  

Dr. Z!

No, Heather, that's not you (not yet, anyway).  Dr. Z is the prof that has agreed to work with me on the next version of the proposal.

I have found him on this video.  I assume he speaks English - as I certainly don't speak Portuguese - else, I'm in a heap of trouble!

Research Problems REDUX

In reviewing Practical Research by Leedy and Ormrod (2005, 9th edition), I think (hope!) I see some light regarding the research problems.

1. The main research problem is in the Purpose of the Study statement.
2. The other four research problems are simply subproblems of the main problem.

Leedy and Ormrod say this about subproblems (pages 51 and 52).  Each subproblem:

1. Should be a completely researchable unit (hence, why a subproblem is really a research problem).
2. Must be clearly tied to the interpretation of the data.

Further,

1. The subproblems must add up to the totality of the problem.
2. Subproblems should be small in number (as per the requirements of the proposal, no more than four).

Leedy and Ormrod also suggest the use of "Brainstorming Software" to identify subproblems.  They have an illustration of output on page 72.  There, the software they use is something called Inspiration.  I found it here:  http://www.inspiration.com/Inspiration

It's pretty cool - and inexpensive (US$40).  I downloaded it this morning.  My weekend plans are set, apparently.

Missing Socks and Alien Burglary - Null Hypotheses

In the May 14 conversation with Dr. S, he pointed out that my hypotheses weren't written in a consistent form.  He said that I needed "null" hypotheses.  Oddly (or maybe, fortuitously), I found a website called www.null-hypotheses.co.uk by a group called the Journal of Unlikely Science.  In it, the null hypothesis is explained in comical terms:  What is a Null Hypothesis?  The example is:  the loss of my socks is nothing to do with alien burglary.

So two things to do this long Memorial Day weekend:

1. Rewrite my research problems (tightening up the scope of the ones I've written previously), and
2. Write new hypotheses - ensuring that they are null hypotheses.

The Process is Working...

Got a note from Dr. S this morning.  He found a recently published article from McKinsey & Company on my topic.  So, he really understands what I've proposed.

Better news is that though consultants and professionals are thinking about what I'm thinking about, the academics are remaining silent...that means that my dissertation will appropriately add to the body of knowledge on the topic (what a dissertation is supposed to do).  It also means that the business world is leaning in the direction I think it should.  So, good dissertation topic.  The process is working.