Research Methods

• Research Design


  The overall plan for conducting a research study
• Hypothesis


  A supposition or proposed explanation made on the basis of limited evidence as a starting point for further investigation
• Qualitative data


  Any type of information that can be observed and recorded that is not numerical in nature and can be in the form of written or verbal communication
• Quantitative data


  Data that can be quantified and verified, and is amenable to statistical manipulation, generally in the form of numbers and figures
• Reliability


  The extent to which a study can be replicated in the same way, you do not need to get the same results but the process should be the same
• Correlation


  The relationships between two variables, could be positive or negative
• Longitudinal Study


  A study that takes place over a long period of time, can include a number of other research methods
• Ethnographies


  The scientific description of peoples and cultures with their customs, habits, and mutual differences
• Case Study


  A detailed and in-depth study of a single case, involving an event, group, individual, or organization
• The Hypothetico-Deductive Model


  1. Identify the issue or problem you wish to research

  2. Gather background information

  3. Identify an hypothesis or question

  4. Choose a research method and conduct a pilot study

  5. Conduct your research

  6. Analyse the data collected

  7. Draw conclusions
• Pilot Study


  A small scale preliminary study conducted in order to evaluate feasibility of the key steps in a future, full-scale project
• Factors when choosing a research topic


  • The personal interests and values of the researchers themselves
  • Theoretical perspective/political beliefs
  • Opportunity/Access to research population
  • Funding
  • Society and what is currently "In Vogue"
• Practical Factors influencing method choice


  • Access to the Participants
  • Personal Characteristics of the Researcher
  • Subject Matter
  • Size of the sample
  • Type of data required
  • Time Available
  • Cost / Funding
  • Research Opportunity
• Ethical and Moral Factors influencing method choice


  • Informed Consent
  • Covert Research & Consent
  • Deception
  • Gate keepers
  • Confidentiality
  • Privacy
  • Harm
  • Legality
• Primary Research Methods


  • Open Questionnaire
  • Closed Questionnaire
  • Web based Questionnaire
  • Unstructured Interview
  • Structured Interview
  • Group Interview
  • Overt Observation
  • Cover Observation
  • Participant Observation
  • Non-Participation Observation
  • Experiments-Lab
  • Experiments-Field
• Secondary Research Methods


  • Official Statistics
  • Unofficial Statistics
  • Personal Documents
  • Public Documents
  • Historical Documents
  • Prior Research
  • Content Analysis
• Sampling Methods


  • Random
  • Stratified
  • Snowball
  • Systematic
  • Quota
  • Opportunity
• Representative


  The extent to which a sample mirrors a researcher's target population and reflects its characteristics
• Generalisability


  The extent to which their findings can be applied to the larger population of which their sample was a part
• Validity


  How well a piece of research actually measures what it sets out to, or how well it reflects the reality it claims to represent
• Factors impacting Reliability


  • Research Method
  • Data type
• Factors impacting Validity


  • Hawthorne Effect
  • Social Desirability
  • Group Dynamics
  • Demand Characteristics
• Factors impacting Representativeness and Generalisability


  • Sample Size
  • Research Method
  • Participants
  • Data Type