Research Design Essay: Evaluation of the Design of an Experiment

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Research Design Essay: Evaluation of the Design of an Experiment
The ability to describe and critically assess a design of any research trial can be beneficial in many various aspects. Firstly, it can assist in maintaining current knowledge through reading other empirical researches, developing critical and analytical thinking skills and to practice the research process in order to carry out further studies (Christensen et al., 2014). In the current trial, similar techniques will be employed to critically describe and assess the design in terms of raising any issues related to the experimental design. The present trial consists of an environmental psychologist hired to assess a data entry company’s employees work stations. The psychologist recommended ergonomic computer keyboards and ergonomic chairs to increase productivity and decrease negative physical symptoms. An experimental research was subsequently carried out to help the employer choose which ergonomic aid is more effective. This essay will attempt to critically assess the research design and suggest any possible improvements.
The independent variables observed are Ergonomic Aids and Work Teams. Both the variables are categorical and the method of manipulation is individual differences. They are tested between groups and each variable has two levels of IV: Ergonomic aid: Chair/Keyboard; Work Teams: Main Data Entry Team/Rush Order Entry Team. The Ergonomic Keyboard was operationalized by the ability to record the speed of data entry over a fixed period. Ergonomic chair was operationalized by completing a questionnaire recording how many work-related health symptoms they had experienced since the last assessment. The Work Teams were operationalized by ensuring that partic...

... middle of paper ...

... of the extraneous variables have a great chance on confounding the study, which could have provided alternative explanations for the results.

References
Berg, K.E. & Latin, R.W. (2008). Essentials of Resarch Methods in Health, Physical Education, Exercise Science, and Recreation. Baltimore, MD: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
Christensen, L., Johnson, R., & Turner, L. (2014). Resarch Methods, Design and Analaysis: Compiled for PYB210 Research Design and Data Analysis. New South Wales, NSW: Pearson Australia.
Ghilani, C.D. (2010). Adjustment Computations: Spatial Data Analysis. New Jersey, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.
Salkind, N.J. (2010). Encyclopedia of Resarch Design [Adobe Digital Editions version]. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.4135/978142861288.n174
Weseley, A.J. & McEntarffer, R. (2010). Barron’s AP Psychology. New York, NY: Barron’s Educational Series.

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