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Technologist · Chapter 24 · English

Chapter 24 — Applied research methods

Open, free learning for anyone who wants to protect people and technology. No account is required to read this text or its worked answers.

Chapter 24 — Applied research methods

Lesson map

Lesson 24 published. Map, example, EX070.

flowchart TD
  N0["Learning outcomes"]
  N1["24.1 A practical question"]
  N2["24.2 Ethical collection"]
  N3["Lab — Reporting rates before and after the message"]
  N4["24.3 Analysis and presentation"]
  N5["Synthesis"]
  N0 --> N1 --> N2 --> N3 --> N4 --> N5
  N5 --> EX["Worked example"]
  EX --> Q["Exercise EX070"]

Logical drawing

flowchart LR
  N0["Learning outcomes"]
  N1["24.1 A practical question"]
  N2["24.2 Ethical collection"]
  N3["Lab — Reporting rates before and after the message"]
  N4["24.3 Analysis and presentation"]
  N5["Synthesis"]
  N0 --> N1 --> N2 --> N3 --> N4 --> N5 --> Q["EX070"]

[Learning outcomes]
    |
    v
[24.1 A practical question]
    |
    v
[24.2 Ethical collection]
    |
    v
[Lab — Reporting rates before and after the message]
    |
    v
[24.3 Analysis and presentation]
    |
    v
[Synthesis]
    |
    v
[Worked example] --> [Exercise EX070]

Learning outcomes

You will (1) pose a small applied research question; (2) collect data ethically at a workplace; (3) analyse and present results simply.

24.1 A practical question

Ruth asks each student to answer one applied question with data. Tomás asks: does a two-minute message on handhelds at shift start reduce the number of unreported lost devices? Brightwater records lost handhelds and when they are reported. He plans to compare the eight weeks before the message with the eight weeks after. The question is small, answerable and useful. He notes the weakness of a before-and-after design: other changes over the same period could explain any difference. He writes the question in one sentence and has Ruth approve it.

24.2 Ethical collection

Tomás uses only counts of lost and reported devices per week, with no names. Sam and the operations manager approve, and staff are told through the shift notice that anonymous counts are used for a student project. Ruth checks the plan against the polytechnic's ethics guidance. Tomás stores the counts on the polytechnic's system and will delete them after assessment. Even simple workplace studies need consent from the organisation, transparency with staff and minimal data. He writes the plan as a one-page form signed by Sam and filed with Ruth, so the approval can be shown if anyone asks later.

Lab — Reporting rates before and after the message

# Share of lost handhelds reported within one hour, before and after the shift message (synthetic).
before = [1] * 9 + [0] * 11
after = [1] * 17 + [0] * 4
for name, xs in (("before", before), ("after", after)):
    print(f"{name}: {sum(xs)}/{len(xs)} reported within 1 hour = {sum(xs)/len(xs):.0%}")
print(f"difference: {sum(after)/len(after) - sum(before)/len(before):+.0%} points")

Run with python3 lab_reports.py. Verified output:

before: 9/20 reported within 1 hour = 45%
after: 17/21 reported within 1 hour = 81%
difference: +36% points

24.3 Analysis and presentation

The lab compares the share of lost devices reported within one hour. Before the message, nine of twenty lost handhelds were reported promptly; after it, seventeen of twenty-one. Tomás presents the result as a simple table with a sentence of caution: the improvement is large, but the design cannot rule out other causes, such as the new remote wipe process making reporting feel worthwhile. He recommends keeping the message, since it costs almost nothing, and checking the figure again after peak season.

Worked example

Tomás asks whether a shift message improves prompt reporting of lost handhelds, collects anonymous counts with approval and presents a cautious result.

Synthetic case. Counts are synthetic.

Errors and limits

Before-and-after designs cannot isolate causes. Small counts swing easily.

Exercises

Synthesis

Small applied studies answer useful questions when data is collected ethically and results are stated with caution.

Continue studying — chapter 24 of 30

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