Question

Consider the following research question: Are business professors, education professors, or psychology professors more popular among doctoral learners at a 4-year university?

To answer the research question, you might observe throughout a semester the attendance rates for a key course in each of the groups; review end-of-course surveys and compare average instructor ratings among the groups; or compare the number of cards, letters, and gifts received by faculty members in each group at the end of a semester.

Which of these methods is most likely to bring about the desired results? Why? What does your consideration of these options tell you about operationalization?

Answer 1

Business professors, education professors, or psychology professors more popular among doctoral learners at a 4-year university. This because the longer course duration allows exploration of research themes and develops the interest of students in the field of research and development. More exposure and familiarity impacts the career choices. The attendance rate in fact could be a good indicator of how motivated is a student to attend lectures or undergo training at an institute, unless the institute has a protocol regarding a high minimum rate of attendance. A student will be drawn to attend lectures and undergo the relevant training, if and only the person has interest in the discipline or the domain of study. The consideration of these options means that a more structures manner to understand the instrinsic motivation of students is required. Unless that is done, it is likely that the results drawn from these parameters may not be very highly reliable.