88488 - EVALUATION METHODS IN THE HORTICULTURAL SYSTEMS

Anno Accademico 2022/2023

  • Docente: Maurizio Canavari
  • Crediti formativi: 6
  • SSD: AGR/01
  • Lingua di insegnamento: Italiano

Contenuti

The student acquires the ability to understand the research process in marketing and management and to apply it to the horticulture-related problems. Starting from project idea, the student is able to develop the research question, prepare a research proposal, design a research plan, a data collection plan, and appropriate data analysis procedures. The student is able to implement the research plan, from data collection to presentation of research results, in oral and written form, critically review research proposals and research results. The student knows and applies criteria of the integrity of the research process and results, including credibility criteria, professional, and ethical criteria.

 

MODULE 1

- Unit 1: Theoretical framework and research design. Deductive vs inductive research. Dependent, independent, moderating, mediating variables. Conceptual model, theory, hypothesis. Exploratory, descriptive, causal studies. Level of research interference, study setting (4 hours)

- Unit 2: research strategies, data collection, data sources, primary vs secondary data, census vs sample data, units of analysis, time horizon, cross-section vs longitudinal studies, panel data (4 hours)

- Unit 3: data collection methods, qualitative and quantitative techniques, focus groups, individual interviews, surveys and questionnaires, observation, experiments (12 hours)

- Unit 4: types of measurement and measurement level, objective and subjective measures, concepts and constructs, operationalizing, single vs multiple items, multidimensional constructs, validation and validated scales, primary scales and specific scaling techniques (4 hours)

- Unit 5: elements of sampling. Sampling design. Population, sampling frame, original sample, final sample. Sampling process. Probability vs nonprobability sampling. Types of samples. Sample size. (4 hours)

- Unit 6: specific data analysis techniques. Linear regression, factor analysis, cluster analysis. (6 hours)

- Unit 7 (practical): R statistical software. Installation and basic elements. Data import and types of data. Analysis of single variables, descriptive statistics and graphs. Bivariate analysis, tests of association, bivariate graphs. Multivariate analysis, linear regression, factor analysis, cluster analysis. (16 hours)

 

MODULE 2

- Unit 8: design of a research proposal. Draft preparation and discussion. Motivation, problem setting, research objective, data, methods, expected results, outputs, responsibilities, workplan, budget (10 hours)

Testi/Bibliografia

Sekaran, U., & Bougie, R. (2013). Research Methods for Business: A Skill-Building Approach (6th ed.). Wiley.

Alternative textbook: Bhattacherjee, A. (2012). Social Science Research: Principles, Methods, and Practices. Textbooks Collection. Book 3. http://scholarcommons.usf.edu/oa_textbooks/3

Optional:

Crawley, M. J. (2014). Statistics: An Introduction Using R (2nd ed.). Wiley.

Metodi didattici

The course is based on face-to-face lectures, assignments and practical training.

The class activity is split into content units. For some units, the theoretical and practical sessions will be integrated into the same lesson.

The module is integrated with the course "79446 - SCIENTIFIC METHOD IN HORTICULTURAL RESEARCH" and it is assumed that students have attended its lectures.

Students are invited to propose a mandatory individual project work, aimed at preparing a research proposal draft that will be presented and discussed at the exam. The student must prepare a written research proposal (length in the range of 30-60 thousand characters) on their individual project work and its discussion will be one of the oral exam questions.

A voluntary self-evaluation test will be proposed at the end of the course and before the last lecture to let the student identify possible topics where performance needs to be improved.

Modalità di verifica e valutazione dell'apprendimento

Oral exam, approximate duration of 30 minutes. The exam consists of three questions focused on the topics dealt with during the lectures. The questions will cover the three main course areas: research planning strategy (1/3), research techniques (1/3), analysis methods (1/3).
The oral exam will start with the discussion on the short paper (research project proposal) submitted at least three days in advance.

Students who attended at least 70% of the lectures will have the possibility to make the online test as a replacement of two questions in the oral exam. The results of the online test will be converted to a grade using a conversion curve based on general test performance. The student can decide to discard the online test results and make the full oral exam.

Strumenti a supporto della didattica

Teaching materials (slides, scientific articles, and grey literature) made available online.
Microsoft Teams is used to communicate notices, assignments, exchange materials and comments.
R statistical software (free) installed on student's own PC. Practical sessions in the PC room.

Link ad altre eventuali informazioni

https://virtuale.unibo.it/course/view.php?id=19780

Orario di ricevimento

Consulta il sito web di Maurizio Canavari

SDGs

Istruzione di qualità Partnership per gli obiettivi

L'insegnamento contribuisce al perseguimento degli Obiettivi di Sviluppo Sostenibile dell'Agenda 2030 dell'ONU.