Post on 23-Aug-2014
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THE RESEARCH PROCESSA Quick Glance
Muhammad Atif Nawaz
There are two important decision as you go along research journey
• Firstly, what you want to find out about or what research questions you want to find answers to.
• Secondly, how to go about finding the answers.
• The path of finding answers to your research questions constitutes research methodology
Quantitative & Qualitative Research
Difference w.r.t Quantitative Research
Qualitative Research
Underpinning philosophy
Rationalism Empiricism
Approach to inquiry
Structured / rigid / predetermined methodology
Unstructured / flexible / open methodology
Main purpose of investigation
To quantify extent of variation in a phenomenon, situation, issue etc.
To describe variation in a phenomenon, situation, issue etc.
Measurement of variables
Emphasis on some form of either measurement or classification of variable
Emphasis on description of variables
Sample size Greater sample size Fewer cases
Focus of inquiry Narrows focus in terms of extent of inquiry, but assembles required information from a greater number of respondents
Covers multiple issues but assembles required information from fewer respondents
Dominant research value
Reliability & Objectivity Authenticity but does not claim to b value free
Dominant research topic
Explains prevalence, incidence, extent, nature of issue, opinions and attitudes
Explores experiences, meanings, perceptions and feelings
Analysis of data Subjects variables to frequency dist. Cross tabulations & other statistical procedures
Subjects responses, narratives or observations data to identification of themes
Communication of finding
Organizations more analytical in nature, drawing inferences & conclusion & testing magnitude & strength of a relationship
Organization more descriptive and narrative in nature
The Research Process
1. Formulating a research problem 2. Conceptualizing a research design3. Constructing an instrument for data collection4. Selecting a sample5. Writing a research proposal6. Collecting data7. Processing data8. Writing a research report
Step 1. Formulating a Research Problem
• A research problem identifies your destination• It should be clear and specific• The main function of formulating a research
problem is to decide what you want to find out about.
• It is extremely important to evaluate the research problem in the light of the financial resources at your disposal, the time available and your own and your research supervisor’s expertise and knowledge in the field of study.
• Chapter 4 of your book deal in detail with various aspects of formulating a research problem.
Step 2. Conceptualizing a Research Design
• Research involves systematic, controlled, valid and rigorous exploration and description of what is known. It also involves identifying gaps in knowledge, verification of what is already known and identification of past errors and limitation.
• The strength of what you find largely rests on how it was found.
• The main function of a research design is to explain how you will find answers to your research questions.
• The research design sets out the logic of your inquiry.
Step 2. Cont’d.
A research design should include the following:
• The study design & the logical arrangements• The measurement procedure• The sampling strategy• The frame of analysis• The time frame
Chapter 7 of your book details about research design.
Step 3. Constructing an Instrument for Data Collection
• Anything that becomes a mean of collecting information for your study is called a ‘research tool’ or ‘research instrument’. e.g. observation forms, interview schedule, questionnaire, etc.
• How to collect data then construct a research instrument.• Field testing (pre-testing)
Chapter 9 focuses on various methods of data collection and development of a research instrument.
Chapter 10 details methods for collecting data using attitudinal scales.
Chapter 11 deals with the concepts of validity and reliability in relation to a research instrument.
Step 4. Selecting a Sample
• The precision of your results & finding largely depends upon sampling.
• Basic objective of sampling design is to minimize the gap between sample statistic and population parameter.
Step 4. Cont’d.
Categories of sample design:
1. Random/ sample design2. Non-random sample design3. Mixed sample design
Chapter 12 of your book discusses sample designs.
Step 5. Writing a Research Proposal
A research proposal tells you & your supervisor & a reviewer the following info:
• What you are proposing to do• How you plan to proceed• Why you selected the proposed strategy• Reliability & validity of the strategy
Step 5. Cont’d.Research proposal contain the following information about
your study:1. A statement of the objective of the study2. A list of hypothesis3. The study design4. The setting of the study5. The research instrument (s)6. Information on sample size & sample design7. Data processing procedures8. Proposed chapters of the report9. Problems & limitations10. Time frame11. Ethical issues
Chapter 13 details on research proposal
Step 6. Data Collection
• At this stage, you actually collect the data.• Ethical issues regarding data collecting• Types of data
Chapter 14 of your book discusses data collection issues.
Step 7. Processing Data
• Analysis of qualitative & quantitative data• If your study is purely descriptive, you can write
your report on the basis of field notes, manually analyze the contents of your notes (content analysis), or use a computer program
• If you want quantitative analysis, then frequency dist. Cross tabulations or regression analysis, factor analysis, ANOVA can be choices
Chapter 15 describes different ways of analyzing data and Chapter 16 details various methods of displaying analyzed data.
Step 8. Writing a Research Report
• The report informs the world what you have done, what you have discovered and what conclusions you have drawn from your findings.
• Your report should be written in an academic style and be divided into different chapters.
Chapter 17 suggest some of the ways of writing a research report.