The Importance of Hypotheses in Church-Based Research

Dunaetz, David R.

doi:10.2139/ssrn.3841888

Cited by 3 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 12 publications

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“…Typically, quantitative studies in which a hypothesis is tested (Dunaetz, 2021) only require a convenience sample from the appropriate population. The more representative the sample is of the population studied, the more credible the study will be, but even convenience samples from a very specific population may be useful, as long as the sample is large enough.…”

Section: When Are Probability Strategies the Most Important?mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Sampling Methods and Sample Size in Church-Based Research

Dunaetz

2024

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An underlying assumption of most church-based research is that the sample from which the data is collected is representative of a wider collection of church members, church leaders, small groups, churches, denominations, or whatever is the focus of the study. To increase the likelihood that this assumption is met without making the research an impossible undertaking, various sampling strategies are used ranging from random sampling to convenience sampling, each with advantages and disadvantages. After a sampling strategy is chosen, an appropriate sample size should be pursued, depending on the nature of the study. The sample size of quantitative studies seeking to describe the frequency of a phenomenon (such as a belief or behavior) or the number in a category (such as demographics) is determined by the desired margin of error. It is more complex to determine the desired sample size of quantitative studies that test a relationship between concepts or differences between groups; several variables must be considered (statistical power, acceptable false-positive error rate, and effect size). For qualitative studies, sampling and data collection should continue until saturation is reached, that is, little or no new information would be gained from additional data.

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Section: When Are Probability Strategies the Most Important?mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Quantitative research that aims to test a hypothesis (Dunaetz, 2021;Fisher, 1925) uses a different approach to determine the sample size. An important concept is statistical power (Cohen, 1988;Faul et al, 2007).…”

Section: Sample Size In Quantitative Research: Hypothesis Testingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sampling Methods and Sample Size in Church-Based Research

Dunaetz

2024

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“…There are virtually an unlimited number of variables that can be measured, but some are more useful than others. For this reason, we often make hypotheses (Dunaetz, 2021) that we can test by seeing how well they conform to relevant data. Hypotheses are statements that typically describe relationships between important phenomena (e.g., church attendance and commitment to the Lord) or differences between groups that interest us (perceptions of a sermon's value by Millennials and by Boomers).…”

Section: Types Of Variables and Their Measurementmentioning

confidence: 99%

Metrics and Measurements in Church-Based Research

Dunaetz¹

2023

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To better understand the characteristics of specific churches and phenomena that occur across churches, various metrics and measurements can be used to describe them. Measurements must be meaningful and appropriate. Quantities involving people, finances, objects, or events are most frequently counted, but other measures may include behaviors, traits, skills, knowledge, and abilities of individuals. Measuring phenomena is necessary to understand how phenomena are related to each other. Measuring attitudes and beliefs are especially important because many ministries in churches are designed to influence these (e.g., preaching and teaching). However, from a Christian perspective, our motivation behind our measuring is important. We are morally obliged to ensure that measurements made are motivated by a desire to serve others and the Lord, not for boasting in our own accomplishments.

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“…When doing quantitative research, the goal is either to accurately measure a specific variable (e.g., how satisfied congregants are with the pastor's preaching, using a 1 to 5 scale) or test a hypothesis that is suspected to be true (Dunaetz, 2021). If the goal is to simply measure a specific variable (known as descriptive statistics), the utility of the information might be quite limited.…”

Section: Why and When Are Surveys Used?mentioning

confidence: 99%

Survey and Questionnaire Design for Church-Based Research

Dunaetz

2023

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To better understand behaviors, beliefs, and attitudes in churches, survey research can be very useful, especially to test a hypothesis that we believe to be true. Before creating a survey or questionnaire, the phenomena being examined need to be well understood and appropriate measures chosen. The items included in the survey need to measure the concepts desired and should be clear and unambiguous. The survey should be laid out to motivate maximum participation and minimize biased responses. This article provides many principles for how to accomplish these goals and to ensure that the research undertaken is credible.

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The Importance of Hypotheses in Church-Based Research

Cited by 3 publications

References 12 publications

Sampling Methods and Sample Size in Church-Based Research

Sampling Methods and Sample Size in Church-Based Research

Metrics and Measurements in Church-Based Research

Survey and Questionnaire Design for Church-Based Research

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