Aviation Social Science: Research Methods in Practice

by Wiggins,Mark W.

• ISBN13: 9781840149661
• ISBN10: 1840149663
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 1999-10-28
• Publisher: Routledge

Summary

This book is a guide that addressees social science research issues within the aviation industry. Studies involving human factors, personality, training systems evaluation, decision-making, crew resource management and situation awareness are used to illustrate not only the process, but also the outcomes that can emerge from social science research. The book describes the principles involved in conceptualising a research problem, obtaining management support, developing an appropriate timeframe, obtaining ethics approval and collecting and managing data. It also provides useful guidelines concerning the publication of research in magazines, academic journals and conference presentations. The topics are illustrated with aviation examples and the principles are deliberately broad. This book will be a useful guide for both novice and experienced researchers, especially pilots, air traffic controllers, maintenance personnel, aviation management, aviation researchers, safety personnel and undergraduate and postgraduate university students.

Author Biography

Mark W. Wiggins is a senior lecturer in human factors at the University of Western Sydney, Macarthur Mark is a registered psychologist and a member of the Australian Psychological Society and the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society. Catherine Stevens is an experimental cognitive psychologist. She is a lecturer in psychology at the University of Western Sydney, Macarthur, and teaches experimental and computational psychology. She is the Deputy Director of the Macarthur Auditory Research Centre, Sydney.

Table of Contents

List of Tables, Figures and Boxes	ix
Acknowledgements	xii
Foreword	xiii
List of Abbreviations	xv
Introduction	1	(6)
Identifying a Research Problem in Aviation	7	(26)
Introduction	7	(1)
The Nature of Social Scientific Research	8	(4)
Recognising a Research Problem	12	(3)
Characteristics of a Research Question	15	(1)
Levels of Analysis	16	(1)
Types of Research Questions	17	(2)
Conducting a Literature Review	19	(4)
Position Papers versus Empirical Research	23	(1)
Development of Theory	24	(2)
Hypothesis Generation	26	(2)
Testing the Hypothesis	28	(2)
Chapter Summary	30	(1)
Further Reading	31	(2)
Social Science Research Strategies in Aviation	33	(35)
Introduction	33	(1)
Types of Research	33	(3)
Variables	36	(3)
Non-Experimental Research	39	(16)
Experimental Research	55	(6)
Quasi-Experimental Research	61	(2)
Choosing between Research Strategies	63	(1)
Chapter Summary	64	(2)
Further Reading	66	(2)
Ethics and Research	68	(14)
Introduction	68	(1)
Why Ethics?	68	(1)
The Role of Scientific Research	69	(1)
Scientific Research and the Duty of Care	70	(3)
Ethical Principles	73	(2)
Ethical Principles of the APA	75	(2)
Consent Forms and the Provision of Information	77	(1)
Ethics Committees	78	(1)
Chapter Summary	78	(3)
Further Reading	81	(1)
Writing a Research Proposal	82	(10)
Introduction	82	(1)
Research Proposal: The Introduction	82	(2)
Methodology	84	(3)
Data Analysis	87	(1)
Budgetary Requirements	88	(1)
Anticipated Outcomes	89	(1)
Timetable	90	(1)
References	90	(1)
Chapter Summary	90	(1)
Further Reading	91	(1)
Conducting Social Science Research in Aviation	92	(23)
Introduction	92	(1)
The Process of Research	92	(2)
The Aviation System and Research	94	(1)
Hurry Up and Wait	95	(1)
Industry Support	96	(2)
Recruitment of Participants	98	(1)
Data Acquisition	99	(2)
Research Planning	101	(1)
Experimental Settings	102	(1)
Resource Management	103	(2)
Possible Biases in Research	105	(8)
Chapter Summary	113	(1)
Further Reading	114	(1)
Introduction to Quantitative Data Analysis	115	(21)
Introduction	115	(1)
The Importance of Significance Testing	116	(1)
Reliability	116	(2)
Validity	118	(2)
Quantitative Data Analysis	120	(3)
Statistics and Aviation Safety	123	(1)
Descriptive Statistics in Aviation Research	123	(11)
Chapter Summary	134	(1)
Further Reading	134	(2)
Inferential Statistics in Aviation Research	136	(23)
Introduction	136	(1)
Populations versus Samples	137	(1)
Test of Statistical Significance	137	(2)
Type I and Type II Errors	139	(2)
Degrees of Freedom	141	(1)
Parametric Tests	142	(12)
Non-Parametric Tests	154	(3)
Computer Software for Statistical Analysis	157	(1)
Chapter Summary	157	(1)
Further Reading	158	(1)
Qualitative Data Analysis	159	(16)
Introduction	159	(1)
Difficulties Associated with Qualitative Data Analysis	160	(1)
The Process of Qualitative Data Analysis	161	(3)
Qualitative Techniques in Aviation	164	(1)
Thematic Approach	164	(1)
Concept Mapping	165	(2)
Process Tracing Methods	167	(1)
Protocol Analysis	168	(1)
Conceptual Graph Analysis	169	(2)
Mixed Methods Data Analysis	171	(2)
Chapter Summary	173	(1)
Further Reading	173	(2)
Publishing Research	175	(17)
Introduction	175	(1)
Publishing Research Reports	176	(1)
Ethical Issues and Publication	176	(1)
Publishing in Refereed Journals	177	(1)
Selecting an Appropriate Journal	178	(1)
Planning the Manuscript	179	(1)
Developing the Structure of the Manuscript	180	(1)
Drafting and Re-drafting the Manuscript	181	(1)
Turning a Research Thesis into a Journal Article	181	(1)
Formatting the Manuscript	182	(1)
Presentation of Results	183	(1)
Referencing	184	(1)
Submitting the Manuscript	185	(1)
The Publication Process	185	(1)
Publishing as a Conference Paper	186	(2)
Publishing in a Magazine	188	(2)
Chapter Summary	190	(1)
Further Reading	190	(2)
Conclusion	192	(3)
Glossary of Terms	195	(12)
References	207	(12)
Index	219