PURPOSE OF RESEARCH

WHY DO PEOPLE DO RESEARCH?

WHY IT IS IMPORTANT TO STUDY SPECIFIC

RESEARCH QUESTION?

The Reasons for Doing Research:

1. To add to the body of knowledge:

It refers to exploring a subject in depth and

finding out things that were not known before.

2. To solve a problem:

Many researchers in IS and Computing want to solve a problem.

E.g. Is it possible to develop a computerized based product to X?

If they are developing a computer product to do something in a

new way, then it is research.

Examples:

1. Is it possible to develop a website that is based upon the very

latest marketing theories to help the ABC company’s marketing

strategy?

2. Is it possible to develop a computer based tool to support

online discussions for teaching purposes?

2. To find out what happens:

Finding out what happens is one of the key areas of interest for

IS researchers, who are concerned with the interaction

between the social and technical spheres when computer

systems are designed and used.

What happens when a new computer system is put into real-

world use?

E.g. when email systems are provided within an organization,

are paper mailing systems abandoned altogether?

Is the new email system ignored by some people?

What factors might explain what happens?

Empirical assessment of software systems is becoming

increasingly important.

3. To find the evidence to inform practice:

Many methods have been proposed over years e.g. structured

methods, agile methods, formal methods.

Many computer based tools for developers are marketed: project

management tools.

Is one approach or tool better than another?

In which circumstances should we use each approach or tool?

E.g. Business managers are sometimes accused of blindly following

the latest management fad and buying s/w applications as ERP,

CRM, etc. because everyone else is.

Good IS research could give managers the evidence about the

enablers or barriers to successful adoption of such computer

applications.

4. To develop a greater understanding of people and their

world:

We might want to find out about people and their world out of

simple curiosity.

Such findings might have practical applications.

E.g. If we know about how people use PCs in the home, that might

help companies who want to design software for home PCs.

Should they make television more like a computer, or a computer more

like a television?

What kinds of website advertising are effective for home based web

surfers?

How does the advent of Internet shopping affect family relationships in

the home?

5. To predict, plan and control:

Computer based systems provide tools to help people predict,

plan and control.

E.g. To predict the amount and effect of global warming.

Evidence is being gathered about the rate of climate change to help

determine what might happen and how soon , so that we can take action

to cope with situation.

Computer systems can be built to help with modeling weather patterns

and simulating possible scenarios.

In computing world, org. are carrying out research to try to

predict the number of people that will regularly go online , so

that they can make plans for manufacturing and selling

computers and providing the necessary IT infrastructure.

6. To contribute to other people’s well-being:

Some people do research to help make life better for

other people.

E.g. Better user interfaces so some people, such as

older people or disabled people, do not have to

struggle when using a computer.

7. To contribute to personal needs:

People do research, especially PhD, as a personal challenge.

It helps them in their future career.

8. To test or disprove a theory:

Testing and disproving a theory is the main approach of

scientific research.

In IS and Computing, there are many theories that could be

tested.

E.g. Computer Games.

9. To Come up with a better way:

sometimes a research question appears to have been

answered, but another researcher wants to suggest a

better answer.

E.g. A better algorithm.

10. To understand another person’s point of view.

PRODUCTS OF RESEARCH

Products of Research:

Outcomes of research.

What type of knowledge is created?

Even with the same research question, two different

researchers could produce different kinds of knowledge as

the outcomes or products of their research.

The different types of knowledge outcomes are:1. A new or improved product:

This is the focus of IS and computing research.

E.g. a computer application designed to meet a functional

specification

In multimedia or computer animation it can be a digital art.

It could also be a computing related process, e.g. a new or

improved method for developing a computer application.

2. A new theory:

Computers and computer based information systems are new

and still evolving.

As new computing technologies are invented, new uses of

computers and information systems become possible, raising

more questions about efficient and effective use.

There is more scope to build theories about how to analyze,

build and use computer based products.

3. A re-interpretation of an existing theory:

Can an existing theory be applied in a new context?

E.g. taking theories from psychology /economics or

education, and applying them in an IS or computing

context. E.g. development of user interfaces, MIS or

computer aided learning.

The researcher explores whether and how the theory

can be incorporated into a new design.

4. New or improved research tool or Technique:

In IS research, increasing attention is paid to newer

research tools and techniques.

E.g. Action Research.

5. A new or improved model or perspective:

A research outcome might be to suggest that we look at

something in a new way.

E.g. Chen (1976) proposed to view the world in terms of

entities and relationships, leading to ER diagrams used in

database design.

6. In depth study of a particular situation:

There are many opportunities to study them in depth in

contexts that have not been studied before.

E.g. an investigation of a company’s website: its original

conception, its evolution, its outcomes, and whether what

occurred was consistent with the theory found in the literature.

7. An exploration of a topic, area or field:

A literature – based survey of the state of knowledge in a

particular area can be one outcome of research.

Finding and Choosing Research Topics:

There are many different reasons for doing research,

and many different possible outcomes.

But how do we get started?

How do we find research topics?

Research topics emerge out of personal circumstances and

opportunities.

E.g. a disabled person might be frustrated by the poor

accessibility of many websites. And then realize that she could

turn accessibility into a research topic asking questions such as:

What percentage of websites meets the published

accessibility guidelines?

How aware are web developers of accessibility issues?

What factors in a company support or militate against

accessibility being considered from the outset of a web

development project?

Sources of research ideas:

1. Suggestions from staff in department.

2. Past research student’s work.

3. Recent conference and journal papers.

4. Current events reported in the media.

5. Needs expressed by potential clients.

6. Calls for conference papers or special issues of journals

on a particular theme.

7. People making assumptions or assertions with little

supporting evidence.

Selecting a topic:

Criteria:

Enjoyability:

Will I enjoy working on that topic?

Feasibility:

1. Is the research likely to offer something new for target users?

2. Does the topic have ‘symmetry of potential outcomes’?

3. Will your research still contribute something to knowledge,

even if you do not complete all of the technical product in the

time available?

4. Is there a theory that will help you structure your approach,

at least in the beginning?

5. Is the research and its outcomes likely to be of sufficient scope

to meet your course?

6. Can the research be carried out in the time available?

7. Does the research meet your own learning objectives?

8. Do you have the necessary resources?

9. Can you approach the topic without too much bias?

10. Will the research be safe and ethical?