Quoting Paul Smith <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>:
The second report
requires them to make comparisons between two groups. They have to do
a means table, and write a comparison of the means of the two groups
for some variable, and to do two crosstabulation tables with
percentages, and compare the percentages of the two groups that have
some characteristic. Here about 15-20% of students hit the wall. I
believe that the problem has to do with the understanding of
variables. If we take those student responses at face value, the
students are showing that they don't know the difference between a
group of people and a variable...
YES! I just gave the research methods exam that separates the adults from the
children (nonsexist version of men from the boys). Its the one where I give a
very brief description of a study and students have to pick out the
independent
variable and give a conceptual definition and an operational
definition, stating
levels; and the dependent variable, both conceptually and operationally. The
scenario is often so short (4-6 sentences) that the students have to make some
inferences and any logically reasonable inference is acceptable to me. About
40% just don't get it despite numerous homework assignments and class
discussions. Of course, 60% do get it, so that's OK, but 40% is a large amount
who just don't get it. I get all kinds of wild answers for the IV and the DV,
including, for either variable, descriptions of participants, descriptions of
ONE level of the IV as if it IS the IV, etc. I'm glad to see that only about
20% of Paul's students hit the wall here.
The problem is that they "studied so hard" and "did so good on the multiple
choice" that something must be wrong with this part of the test :(
Annette
Annette Kujawski Taylor, Ph. D.
Department of Psychology
University of San Diego
5998 Alcala Park
San Diego, CA 92110
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
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