Research Methodology

Chapter 02 - Summary Note

Formulating and clarifying the research

topic

G.G.N.M.L.C.K Nawarathna
# 17253

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Chapter 2 - Formulating and clarifying the research topic

Table of Contents
2.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................................... 1
2.2 Attributes of a good research topic ........................................................................................... 1
2.3 Generating and refining research ideas ..................................................................................... 1
2.4 Turning research ideas into research projects ........................................................................... 2
2.5 Writing your research proposal ................................................................................................ 3

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2.1 Introduction
Most important and difficult part of a research is to have clear idea on research and that is
concerned with how to formulate and clarify research topic and research questions.

2.2 Attributes of a good research topic

Address the assessment criteria is important step for generating ideas for a research topic. Topic
of research should be something that really excites the researcher and it should lie within
capabilities which depend on constraints on time and financial resources, possession of the
necessary skills and access to the relevant data. Furthermoreis useful for a researcher to have
knowledge of the literature associated with the topic and to be able to provide bright
insights.This is important to have a symmetry of potential outcomes, which means that the result
will have to be of similar value whatever find out. If this is not the case there is a chance find an
answer of little importance and also consider career goals, consider how this research could be
useful in future career.

2.3 Generating and refining research ideas

In the primary stages of research, expected to refine this to a clear and feasible idea that meets
the requirements of the examining organization.
There are many different techniques that can be used to generate research ideas. That can be
divided into those techniques which involve rational thinking.
• Examine own strengths and interests, choose a topic in which likely to do well
• Explore university staff research interests
• Analyze past project titles of university such as dissertations (projects from undergraduates)
and theses (projects made by postgraduates)
• Discuss with colleagues, friends or university tutors
• Search through literature and media (articles in journals, books, reports). Review articles in
particular, since they contain a lot of information about a specific topic and can therefore provide
with many ideas and those that are more based on creative thinking:
• Noting ideas down in a notebook
• Exploring preferences using past projects
• Brainstorming
• Exploring relevance of an idea to business using the literature, articles may be based on abstract
ideas (conceptual thinking) or on empirical studies (collected and analyzed data)

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Chapter 2 - Formulating and clarifying the research topic

Basically there are combinations of two ways of thinking that leads to a good research idea.
• Refining Ideas

There exist different techniques for refining research techniques.

1. Delphi technique - Approach which requires a group of people who are involved with or
share the same interest in the research idea to generate and pick a more specific research
idea.
2. Preliminary inquiry - Turn it into a research question before turning it into a research
project.
• Integrating Ideas

The integration of the ideas from the techniques is a significant part of a research project. This
process includes ‘working up and narrowing down’, which means that each research idea needs
to be classified into its area, its field, and ultimately the precise aspect into which one is
interested.

2.4 Turning research ideas into research projects

Writing research questions
Beginning of the research process, clear identification of research questions is the most important
part of the research.
There are mainly three types of research questions

1.Descri • question usually starts with ‘When’, ‘What’, ‘Who’, ‘Where’, or ‘–How
ptive

2.Evalua • question may start with ‘How effective…’ or ‘To what extent
tive

3. • question mainly starts with ‘Why’ or has this word in it

Explanat
ory

Research questions should not to be too simple or too difficult to answer. The ‘Goldilocks test’
may be helpful to determine if a question is too big (when it demands too many resources), too
small (provides insufficient data), too hot (when it is a sensitive subject) or ‘just right’. It is also
essential for a research question to provide new insights.
Writing research objectives
Research questions can be used to either
1. Produce more detailed investigative questions or
2. As a starting point for research objectives.

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This is more usually accepted as a way to specify sense and direction in a research project than
research questions. Because of they are more precise in displaying what one would like to make
perspicuous. Research objections operationalize the research question, which means that they
show the steps that are required to take to answer it.
The importance of theory in writing research questions and objectives
Theory is concerned with causality. That means it regards the cause and effect relationship
between two or more variables.
E.g.- Theory explains why and how a promotion influences employee’s behaviour. Logical
reasoning is essential here to explain in a clear way why this is the case. The role of theory is to
explain the relationship between variables and to make predictions about possible new outcomes.
Advising on how to take research in a certain way (Variable 1) is based on the theory that this
will eventually create effective results (Yield B). By undertaking research it is possible to collect
data with which new theories could be developed.
A research project is designed to either test a theory or to develop a theory by using two
approaches
1. Deductive approach - Taking a clear theoretical standpoint and wishes to test this through
the collection of data
2. Inductive approach - Builds a theory from the collected and analysed data.
There exist three kinds of theories:
• Grand theories – Newton’s gravity theory, Darwin’s evolution theory etc.
• Middle range theories – these are significant, but they don’t change the way in which we
think like grand theories do
• Substantive theories – focused on a particular, setting, group, or time theories

2.5 Writing your research proposal

Structured outline of a research project concerned as the research proposal. Making a research
proposal demands way of thinking through what that want to do and why. It helps to guide the
project through all of its stages. When producing a proposal think of these general criteria:
• A research project needs to be coherent, which means that all the different components of the
project need to be in relationship with each other.
• It needs to be feasible as well. This means that the project should be possible to achieve.

The purposes of the research proposal

• Organizing ideas - clarify thoughts and help to organize ideas into a coherent statement of
research intent.
• Convincing your audience - Amend initial ideas and convince the module tutor that the
proposed research is achievable within the time and other resources available

The content of the research proposal

• Title – Summaries the research question.
• Background – Introduction for the reader to the problem or issue which gives answers to the
questions ‘what is going to be done’ and ‘for what purpose?’. The background also shows the

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relationship between a theory and a particular context and it should demonstrate the
relationship between the research and what has been done before relevant subject area.
• Research question and objectives - The background should eventually lead to a statement of
the research questions and objectives and the observable outcomes.
• Method – Longest section and reveals how the research will be conducted. It consists of two
parts: Research design and data collection. Research design is an overall overview of the
chosen method and provides the reason for choosing this method which explain the choice
for a certain research strategy and determine an appropriate time frame for the project. The
section ‘data collection’ will specific how and where the data will be collected and will
explain the various analysis techniques that will be used during the research.
• Timescale – Divide the research into different stages and explain how much time each stage
will approximately take.
• Resources – In this facet of the proposal certain resource categories such as finance, data
access and equipment will be taken into consideration. This section will also include the
expenses that may be involved with these categories.
• References – Consists of the literature sources to which have referred to.