Correctional Design Essay -- Research Desing

This paper will exam aspects of correlational design. According to Fabiano-Smith (2011), correlational designs are non-experimental research designs that focus on observing variables as they naturally exist. Since this design type is non-experimental, one of its major disadvantages is the focus on the relationship of the variables and not is cause and effect between the variables. Despite this weakness, correlational design does have several strengths. It observes the variables as they occur in a natural setting without manipulation. Researchers often use the initial establishment of correlational relationships between variables to identify what variables should be further studied for cause and effect utilizing experimental designs. Why was correlational design chosen? Two of the three studies chosen indicated that there was very little empirical data available for their specific area of study. Establishing correlational relationships is a logical way to identify independent variables for experimental cause and effect research. McDuffie, Yoder, and Stone (2005) indicated that there was no empirical data available on their study of autism and pre-linguistic predictors of vocabulary. Researchers on the effectiveness of patient communications and interactions reported that previous studies did not specifically ask patients how they felt about their care (Shelton & Shryock 2007). Both of these statements make the choice of a correlational study the obvious jumping off point for research. The third study identified a need to clarify symbolic play as a possible independent variable since past studies had lumped symbolic and functional play into a category together (O’Toole & Chiat, 2006). Was it possible to use a... ...sly used APA, and the educational year first exposed to APA. The dependant variable would be the APA portion of the grade on papers. If a correlation is shown between low comfort level or exposure and low grades it might be possible to have the students pre-identified via a survey for either self enrollment in APA style tutorial classes or self study on the APA citation method. A correlational between year of first exposure and low grades might indicate that APA needs to be stressed more in earlier writing classes. If no correlation is found, students who self identify as not very familiar with or comfortable with this writing style could then be pointed towards APA study resources earlier in the semester to catch up. This study could help students get ahead with their knowledge base so they are not learning and correcting while writing actual graded papers.