CLO # 2 : Define a research opportunity and compose a problem statement.

Research Methods
CLO # 3 :Construct a research proposal outlining theHandout#2-B
project questions and objectives.
BUS307

Planning and Beginning a Research Project

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The Research Objective (1 of 2)
• Research objectives are specific and tell the researcher exactly what information must
be collected to solve the problem by facilitating selection of an alternative.
• They are goal-oriented statements or questions that specify what information is
needed.
The Research Objective (2 of 2)
• Specify from whom information is to be gathered
• Specify what information is needed
• Specify the unit of measurement used to gather information
• Word questions used to gather information using the respondents’ frame of reference
Formulating Research Objectives as Statements or Questions
Problem Statement: The American Red Cross wishes to increase the number of American university
students who donate blood each year.
Formulating Research Objectives as Statements
To determine what college students see as the
benefits of donating blood
To determine what college students see as the
obstacles to donating blood
To identify the incentives that would encourage
students to donate blood
To distinguish the types of promotions that are most
likely to attract college students
To identify how the information defined from the
previous statements varies according to the
characteristics of college students, including gender,
class standing, type of university attended, domestic
versus international student, and geographical
region.
Formulating Research Objectives as Questions
What do college students see as the benefits of
donating blood?
What do college students see as the obstacles to
donating blood?
What incentives would encourage students to donate
blood?
What types of promotions are most likely to attract
college students?
How does the information defined from the previous
questions vary according to the characteristics of
college students, including gender, class standing, type
of university attended, domestic versus international
student, and geographical region?
Literature review :

• The literature review helps the researcher to develop a good problem

statement; it ensures that no important variable is overlooked in the
process of defining the problem
• Sometimes the investigator might spend considerable time and effort
in “discovering” something that has already been thoroughly
researched. A Literature review would prevent such a waste of
resources in reinventing the wheel.

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Why Literature Survey?

• Review Published And Unpublished Sources

• No Reinventing The Wheel
• Review All Aspects Of Problem
• Helps Develop Theoretical Framework For Hypothesis Test
• Improves Testability/Replicability
• Clear And Concise Problem Statement
• Perceived To Be Scientific And Significant
Conduct Lit. Survey

• Based On Issues And Interview Survey Relevant Variables

• Bibliograhical Citation Data Bases[db]
• Abstract Db-citations And Summaries
• Fulltext Db;global National Subject Author Topic Text
• Extract Relevant Info On Line
• Lit. Review Writing To Incl.Subject Introduction,research Question And
To Build On Prev.Research
Conducting the literature review

1- Data sources
( you will need to use a combination of information resources the
precise combination of resources depend on the nature and the
objectives of your research project ) this combination come from
information’s from text books, journals, theses, conference
proceedings, unpublished manuscripts, reports, newspapers, the
internet.

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2- Searching for literature
• In past go through several bibliographical indexes but now by
computer online systems (locating sources to locate and printout the
published information)
• Internet online searching directories (subject, title, geographical
location, trade opportunities, industrial plants, foreign traders, data
bases)

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3- Evaluating the literature
Accessing the online system and searching for literature in the area of
interest will provide a comprehensive bibliography on the subject.

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4- Documenting the literature review
Is important to convince the reader that
a) The researcher is knowledgeable about the problem area and has
done the preliminary homework that is necessary to conduct the
research
b) The theoretical framework will be structured on work already done
and will add to the solid foundation of existing knowledge.

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 Literature review
Forms of critical review

• Integrative review;
• Theoretical review;
• Historical review;
• Methodological review;
Five questions to employ in critical reading

1. Why am I reading this?

2. What is the author trying to do in writing this?
3. What is the writer saying that is relevant to what I want to find out?
4. How convincing is what the author is saying?
5. What use can I make of the reading?
Literature review structure

Copyright © 2019, 2016, 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved
Main literature sources

Source Content
Referenced (peer- Detailed reports of research. Written by experts and
reviewed) academic evaluated by other experts to assess quality and
journal suitability for publication. Rigorous attention paid to
detail and verification.

Non-referenced May contain detailed reports of research. Selected by

academic journal editor or editorial board with subject knowledge.
Professional Journals Mix of news items and practical detailed accounts.
Sometimes include summaries of research.
Trade Mix of news items and practical detailed accounts.
journals/magazines
Source: © Mark Saunders, Phillip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2018
 Main literature sources

Source Content
Books and e- Written for specific audiences. Usually in an ordered and relatively
books accessible format. Often draw on wide range of sources
Newspapers Written for a particular market segment. Filtered dependant on
events. May be written from particular viewpoint.
Conference Selected papers presented at a conference.
proceedings
Reports Topic specific. Written by academics and organisations. Those from
established organisations often of high quality.
Theses Often most up-to-date research but very specific.

Source: © Mark Saunders, Phillip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2018

Planning your literature search

• The parameters of your search;

• The search terms and phrases you intend to use;
• The online databases and search engines you intend to use;
• The criteria you intend to use to select the relevant and useful studies from all
the items you find.
Bibliographic details required
Common forms of plagiarism (1 of 2)

• Quoting someone else’s work, word for word, without

acknowledgement.
• Cutting and pasting text, diagrams or any other material from
the Internet without acknowledgement.
• Paraphrasing someone else’s work by altering a few words or
changing their order or closely following the structure of their
argument without acknowledgement.
• Collaborating with others (unless expressly asked to do so such
as in group work) and not attributing the assistance received.
Common forms of plagiarism (2 of 2)
• Inaccurately referencing, within the text and list of references, the
source of a quoted passage. This often occurs when students
pretend to have read an original source, when their knowledge is
derived from a secondary source.
• Failing to acknowledge assistance that leads to substantive
changes in the content or approach.
• Using materials written by others such as professional essay
writing services, or friends, even with the consent of those who
have written it.
• Auto or self-plagiarising, that is submitting work that you have
already submitted (either in part or fully) for another assessment.
However, it is usually acceptable to cite earlier work you have had
published.