Session 1 - Resaerch question, theory and hypotheses development

Question 1

The scientific method

Answer 1

process of systematically collecting and evaluating evidence to test ideas and answer questions

Question 2

3 features of science

Answer 2

• systematic empiricism
• empirical question
• public knowledge

Question 3

2 approaches and their differences

Answer 3

1. Quantitative: making phenomena measurable and evaluating them statistically, deductive, rather linear, standardized Interview and regression analysis (Testing theories)
2. Qualitative: Reconstruct pheneomena, inductive, rather interative, non-standradized interview, qualitative content analysis (generating theories)

Question 4

The research process

Answer 4

• finding a topic
• reviewing the literature
• refining your resaerch question
• generating a hypothesis
• designing and conducting a study
• analyzing the data
• coming to clonclusions
• reporting the results

Question 5

Sources of inspriration (for resaerch topic)

Answer 5

• informal observation
• practical problems
• previous research

Question 6

What is a theory?

Answer 6

a theory is a plausibale or scientific acceptable general principle or body of principles offered to explain phenomena
- describes and explains principles and effects between constructs to be able to make predictions

Question 7

theoretical model

Answer 7

one develops not just one hypothesis, but a set of hypotheses
- good way to generate interesting research questions is derive hypotheses from existing theories

Question 8

What is a hypothesis?

Answer 8

a hypothesis is a specific prediction about a new phenomenon that should be observed if a particular theory is correct (What will happen in our study?)
- if- then relationship ( if - theory, then - hypothesis)

Question 9

Evaluating research questions - what is interesting?

Answer 9

• answer fills a gap in the resaerch literature and has important theoretical implications
• answer has important practical implications

Question 10

What seems to be X is not really X

Answer 10

• Generalization
• Stabilization
• Evaluation
• Causation

Question 11

Developing a “that’s interesting - theoretical model

Answer 11

• important to enter and contribute to the current discussion (about a topic)
• theoretical model should extent our theoretical understanding of human behavior, then our theoretical model is interesting

Question 12

name three of the most credible journals

Answer 12

• academic of management journal (AMJ)
• academy of management review (AMR)
• journal of applied psychology (JAP)