Introduction to Research

1. Introduction to Research Dr Gill Green

2. Overview • Defining research • The practice of Research • The research process • Research language

3. Definition “Research is an inquiry process that has clearly defined parameters and has as its aim the: discovery or creation of knowledge, or theory building; testing, confirmation, revision, refutation of knowledge and theory; and / or investigation of a problem for local decision making” (Hernon, 1991)

4. Research is... • A process • Active • A means of gaining new knowledge • A way of structuring knowledge to make it comprehensible to others • Based on the work of others • ...

5. Research Traditions • Scientific • Interpretivist • Engineering • Empirical • Quantitative • Qualitative

6. Research Motivations • Pure Research • to extend abstract / conceptual thought • to contribute to theoretical knowledge • Applied Research • to extend understanding of the situation / environment / context • to contribute to effective activities / design interventions

7. Types of Research 1 • Qualitative research • descriptive • looks at relationships between variables • Quantitative research • involves manipulating variables • seeks for cause and effect relationships

8. Types of Research 2 • Exploratory research • builds on empirical research • novel theory creation • Application research • focuses on artefacts or applied situations • conceptualisation, prototyping, construction, demonstration, evaluation

9. Cause and effect relationships are NOT being researched Is still active and can involve surveys, questionnaires, interviews, stats, etc. Descriptive Ethnographic Correlational research ... Tests for cause and effect X causes Z to happen Y does not cause Z to happen Not simply that something has a relationship with something else Involves empirical studies (Pre- , Quasi- and Experimental Research) Uses numerical and statistical techniques Qualitative research v Quantitative research

10. Open ended study Frequently unguided by theory Provides new body of empirical knowledge Provides a basis from which theories can be postulated Builds on engineering tradition Focuses on artefacts May impact on any stage of the lifecycle Construction of new artefact or technique testing in relation to construction aims Destruction testing of technology to identify new information about uses of it Exploratory Research v Application Research

11. The case for triangulation • Use of multiple methods • Mixture of qualitative and quantitative • Purpose of triangulation • increases breadth (possibility of addressing different aspects of same research issue) • improves quality (conclusions arrived at by using 2+ means more likely to be valid) • use of both interpretivist and positivist paradigms reduces inherent weaknesses

12. Asking the question Asking new questions Identifying the important factors Reconsidering the theory Formulating a hypothesis or problem statement Reviewing the hypothesis Or problem statement Collecting relevant information Testing the hypothesis Or problem statement Steps in Research

13. Problem Statement Problem Formulated Literature Review Data Collected Research Designed Findings Reported Data Analysed Linear Research Process

14. Topic selection Selecting context and subjects Formulate Research Plan Problem Description Theoretical Framework Literature Review Findings Reported Analyse Data Collect Data Recursive Research Process

15. Pyramid Approach Reporting findings Analysing data Narrowing data collection Amending research plan Collecting data Focused Activity Developing and revising plan Conducting Pilot Study Location / subject identification Broad Exploration Establishing theoretical framework Literature review Problem statement Research question formulation Focus / topic choosing Preliminary Preparation

16. Organisation • efficient time allocation • appropriate use of effort • internal structure of dissertation should be balanced and sound • logical and coherently organised arguments

17. Discipline • Central • Information gathering activities • Critiquing tasks • Time allocation • Closure • Completion

18. Convention • Writing not for self but for critical public • Audience known • Provide guidance • Offer entry to research world • Facilitate • Not limiting

19. Research Language • Does not need to be a barrier • Often off putting because of polysyllabic tendencies, often with greek / latin roots • Is elegant and sophisticated • Makes writing research easier • Offers one word where often you need 5… • Buy a dictionary :)

20. Summary • Consideration of different traditions • Categorisation of research • Qualitative • Quantitative • Exploratory • Application • Awareness of research process