The Research Process

Developing a Research Problem: Problem Formulation

Figure 3.1 (Examples of Poor and Good Research Questions) p. 85

Developing a Research Problem

Once you have your topic, you need to narrow it down to something manageable and measurable How: Literature Review Peer-Reviewed journals Books

Search Process

Key words Take advantage of librarians and academic search engines The Internet Using bibliographies from key articles

What are you looking for in the literature review?

What have other researchers found on the topic? Are there any areas of conflicting findings? What are the issues or variables NOT covered by existing research, conflicting findings across various studies, or questions posed by researchers themselves at the end of their reports. All of these pieces of information can help you narrow your broad research topic into a more manageable piece. (Wolfer, 2007, p. 89).

For the Dissertation

What is an exhaustive search of the literature? How do you ensure your research is original?

Exhaustive search Unique in some waye.g.: Prior research, but you are conducting on a population that has not previously been studied You are adding a new variable etc

Organizing your own lit review: Like a Funnel and Tell a Story
In writing your own literature review, think of the entire research report as a story. The literature review sets the scene whereby at its conclusion, the reader should have a very clear idea of what you will specifically study. The other parts of the reportwill continue the story by answering how you did the research {methods}, what you found {results}, and what the broader social implications of your findings are (discussion}. Therefore, write the literature review so that it concretely contributes to your research goals. (Wolfer, 2007, p. 91).

Start with a broad discussion of the research question

Explain and evaluate the articles that will help direct the reader to your specific research problem, and then State the problem or hypothesis concretely at the end. (Wolfer, 2007, p. 91).

{My note: you are building an argumenta logical syllogism.}

Some of the articles you read will be highly relevant to the development of your research problem; some will not. Those that are not very relevant should not be included in the literature review. In other words, the literature review should be organized like a funnel that starts broad and progressively narrows until it specifically identifies your research problem. Only the information that allows you to do this is relevant and should be included in your literature review. (Wolfer, 2007, p. 91).

What is a Hypothesis?

An empirically testable statement. Note: It is not a questionIt is often the research question reformulated into a testable statement. What are the two general components of a hypothesis? Independent Variable Dependent Variable

Independent and Dependent Variables

Independent Variable (IV): The effects of which you are interested in studying. The variable you are using to predict something The variable you are manipulating (in experimental research) Dependent Variable (DV): Dependent on changes/manipulations in the IV What you are measuring based on changes in the IV Note: Go over samples from page 92 of text.

Your boss comes to you with a new leadership training program that she believes will make potential leaders adopt a more transformational leadership style. She wants you to test this.

What is your IV and how are you going to manipulate it? What is your DV and how are you going to define it operationally?

Note: Well look at more examples of IVs and DVs when we look at specific articles in our small group exercises.