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Lecture 6 - Research Design
Lecture 6 - Research Design
Lecture 6 - Research Design
Dr Rajshree Mootanah Department Computing & Technology Faculty of Science and Technology
INTRODUCTION Before researchers undertake any research activity, it is essential that they consider carefully an overall research strategy by considering as to which research community they feel they belong to, and that they know the epistemological, ethical and ontological assumptions of their research. Remenyi et al., 1998 This will help define the field of research and the tatics
Assumptions - Table 1
Ontology Whether the subject of investigation is the product of consciousness (nominalism) or whether it exists independently (realism). Whether humans interact creatively with the environment (voluntarism) or whether they are passive objects (determinism). Nomothetic or ideographic approaches to evidence collection
Epistemological The investigator and the assumption object are independent from each other. The object can be researched without being influenced by the researcher.
The researcher interacts with the object of research and can affect that object. Findings are created through interaction between researcher and researched
Rhetorical assumption
The research is written from The research is often written in the perspective of the disinterested 1st person, indicating an involved or scientist. Mathematical passionate investigator.
Comparison between positivism and phenomenology Burrell and Morgan(1979) argue that the four dimensions outlined in Table 1 inform radically different frames or paradigms. They indicate that there are discernible differences among research approaches based upon different permutations of the four factors. A paradigm denotes a common perspective which underpins the work of a group of theorists in such a manner that it identifies them as analysing social issues in the same way (Kuhn, 1962; Morgan, 1980).
Researchers should:
Preferred methods:
Pattern
Tentative Hypothesis
Theory
Exploratory: To investigate little understood phenomena. Identify important variables and generate hypotheses for further research
What is happening in this social programme? What are the salient themes, patterns, categories in participants meaning structures? How are patterns linked with one another?
Explanatory: To explain the forces causing the phenomenon in question. Identify plausible causal networks shaping the phenomenon.
What events, beliefs, attitudes, policies are shaping this phenomenon? How do these interact to result in the phenomenon?
What are the salient behaviours, events, beliefs, attitudes, structures, processes occurring in this phenomenon?
Predictive: To predict the outcomes of the phenomenon; to forecast the events and behaviours resulting from the phenomenon.
What will occur as a result of this phenomenon? Who will be affected and in what ways?
Experiment Quasiexperiment
Triangulation
Triangulation is the use of different methods of data collection to lead to greater validity and reliability of findings (Denzin, 1970). Triangulation can overcome the potential bias and sterility of a single-method approach (Hussey and Hussey, 1997:74). Qualitative data has to be collected in a thorough and rigorous manner in order to ensure the internal validity of the study and to increase its external validity when generalising research findings.