Research Module

1
Research Module

• Lesson 2
• Research Process

2
Lesson

• Introduction
• Objectives
• Subject content
• Activities

3
The Research Process

• In this lesson, the following topics are covered.
• Different styles of Research
• Triangulation
• Research Process
• Activity

4
Styles of research

• Ethnographic style of research
• Action Research
• Grounded Theory Approach
• Surveys
• Case Study
• Experimental
• Correlational research
• Historical research
• Ex post facto research

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Ethnographic Style

• Ethnography centers on the participants
  observation of a society or culture through a
  complete cycle of events that regularly occurs as
  that society interacts with its environment
  Lutz (1986, p. 108)
• Brewer (2000) defines ethnography as the study of
  people in naturally occurring environments by
  methods of data collection which capture the
  social meaning and ordinary activities without
  changing or influencing that meaning or those
  activities.
• Denscombe (1998, p. 69) concisely describes
  ethnographic studies as to see things as those
  involved see.

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Main Points

• Culture and behaviour relationships are explored.
  Mainly qualitative research method. Not
  replicable research. Not based on large number of
  cases. Not objective. Interpretive endeavour
  factor. Be reflexive. Validity is important.
• Sought Emic Perspective natives or insiders
  point of view.
• (Etic Perspective is the opposite of this.)
• Use participant observation, survey and
  questionnaire methods.
• Conduct Interviews.
• Collect site documents.
• Maintain field notes

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Ethnography continued..

• Try to distinguish between public policy
  research, journalism and quantitative research.
• e.g. Immigration and refugees, Mindset of
  terrorists
• For further examples read American Ethnologist
  .

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Surveys

• The types of surveys vary according to the
  purpose of the research. The importance and the
  validity are dependent on the selection of the
  sample to represent the population and the
  correct structuring of the survey.

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Important points

• Mainly seen in applied social research.
• Two broad categories of methods.
• Interviews and Questionnaires.
• Three important characteristics
• Ask the population for information, sample is
  selected, a quantitative method.
• Exploratory - descriptive type or Causal
  -explanatory type of research.

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Surveys continued.

• Examples of survey research.
• Public opinion surveys.
• Income and expenditure patterns of households
  surveys.
• Unemployment record surveys.

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Case Study

• This is unique in the sense that a narrow aspect
  of a problem can be studied. Several case studies
  on the same problem can generate a solution or a
  better understanding of an issue.

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Important Points

• Satisfy three types of tenets in qualitative
  research
• Describing, Understanding and Explaining.
• The findings are limited mostly to single aspects
  of study.
• More relatability than generalizability.

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Case Study Continued..

• Examples
• Sleep deprivation studies
• Efficiency of water purifiers

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Experimental

• In experimental research there are three
  characteristics that determine the true nature.
  They are randomness, manipulation and control.
  These are true experiments.
• The attempt here is to find causal relationships.
• Involves a hypothesis.

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Experimental continued..

• Attempt to study limited predetermined
  variable/s.
• Manipulate independent variable.
• Study the affect of one dependent variable as a
  result of independent variable.
• Thereby observation becomes one of the research
  methods.
• Sample is selected randomly.
• Biasness is controlled.

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Experimental continued..

• The other type of experimental research is
• Quasi experimental In this type
• The sample is not randomly selected. They are
  matched.
• Incorporates interpretation and transferability.

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Historical research

• This is systematic and objective location,
  evaluation and synthesis of evidence to establish
  facts and draw conclusions about past events

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Correlational research

• Here a relationship between two or more factors
  that affect human behaviour are studied

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Action Research

• This approach is used when specific knowledge is
  required for a specific problem in a specific
  situation, or when a new approach is to be
  grafted into an existing system.

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Grounded Theory Approach

• This style of research is applied to understand
  behavioural problems, social pressures and human
  interactions.

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Ex post facto research

• Events are studied after the fact or occurrence

22
Triangulation

• Used in both qualitative and quantitative
  research
• It is mainly used in social science
• As a way of establishing credibility
• It is a way to establish validity and reliability

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Types of triangulation

• Data More than one type of data
• Investigator Use of more than one
  observer/investigator
• Theory Use of more than one theoretical
  interpretation
• Method Different methods
• Methodology Different styles - very rare
• Multiple Combination of all of the above

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The Research Process

• The research process can be divided into
• Developing ideas
• Problem Definition Phase
• Procedures - Design phase
• Observational Phase
• Analysis Phase
• Interpretation communication phases

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Research Process Continued..

• Developing ideas
• During this phase the researcher begins to
  brainstorm ideas, and attempts to define the
  field and the focus depending on the level of
  research. At this stage, one can read all
  available literature and also talk to experts in
  different fields to find out what researchable
  problems exist.
• Problem Definition Phase
• At this stage a problem or a question is defined.
  There are five factors to consider when forming a
  research question.
• They are
• Clarity
• Significance
• Ethical Relationship
• Feasibility

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Research Process Continued..

• Procedures- Design phase
• At this stage the research is designed. This
  means the levels of constraints are determined.
  The method and the methodology are assessed.
• Observational Phase
• During this phase the data are collected
  depending on the selected method.
• Analysis Phase
• The collected data are analysed at this stage.
• Interpretation communication phases
• At this final stage the findings are interpreted
  and the work is published.

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Step by step illustration of a research process
within a selected type of research..

• Select a field ? Topic ? Focus
• Assemble key words
• Read about the topic
• Talk to experts
• Select three specific problems/questions. (You
  will concentrate only on one problem but the
  others may help as a fall back)/ Conceptual
  definition
• Write a research statement/thesis
  statement/hypothesis/topic statement
• Carry out a literature review
• Research design and selecting a method/
  Operational definition
• Data Collection
• Data Analysis
• Writing up and presentation
• Although the above given steps are common
  to any research process, the approach to this
  process is defined according to the type of
  research.

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Activity

• In small groups, select a research topic and
  describe a suitable style of research.
• Plan the research process for the above research.