Practical research methods

Practical Research Methods A user-friendly guide to mastering research

By Dr.Catherine Dawson Oxford UK, 2002

How to define your project Asking questions Why have I decided to do some research? How I can remain interested in my research? What personal characteristics do I have which might help me to complete my research? What skills and experience do I have which might help in my research?

The Five “Ws” What? Why? Who? Where? When?

How to collect your data?

What is my research?

Why do I want to do the research?

Who are my research participants?

Where am I going to do research?

When am I going to do research?

You should think about your research personality, strengths and weakness, like or dislikes when choosing research methods.

How to Decide Upon a Methodology Your research methodology is different to your research methods.

Understanding the difference between  Qualitative research Inquiry  Quantitative research Deciding which methodology is right for you  Action research  Ethnography  Feminist research  Grounded theory  etc.

How to Choose Your Research Methods Interviewing (1 by 1)*** face-to-face / telephone  Unstructured interviews = in-depth or life history establish rapport with the participant  Semi-structered interviews produces interview schedule  Structured interviews (market research)

Focus Groups (Discussing groups / Group interviews)  Led by “Moderator / Facilitator”

Questionnaires Closed-ended questionnaires Open-ended questionnaires Combination of both

Participant observation Researcher wants to immense herself in a specific culture to gain the deeper understanding Budget / Time

Choosing your methods Defining needs and means

For most research, the easiest and quickest way to access secondary sources are libraries or the internet.

Relevance

Accuracy

Remember that postal surveys it might be difficult to control and know who has fill in a questionnaires.

Will this affect your sample?

How to Control Background Research Primary research Secondary research  Using web sites  Try to use website run by organizations you know and trust.  Check the “About us” section on the web page for mare information and the creator and organization.  Use another source, if possible, to check any information of which you are ensure.

 Interlibrary loans  Keeping records

╔ŤŃⁿő ╔ ΘŚΘř ĆΘŚŹ∟  ĽŹ·Ăĺ ∟ ńΓ ŃĿεĆŹř ↨Θ·ŢżⁿŹδ ř ĺ ľ ľδ ∟ ŹĿ⌐ σ Θ·Źα ·

How to Choose Your Participants Sampling  Probability samples – simple random sample, cluster sample  ĺ φSample techniques ĽΘŚΘ· 3-4 ŰŃ∟ Θ50  Purpose samples – quota sample, snowball sample

Sample size  Depend upon the type and purpose of the research

How to Prepare a Research Proposal The contents of a Proposal Title Background Aims and Objectives Methodology / Methods Timetable Budget and resources Dissemination

What Make a Good Research?  Relevance, either to the work of the fuding body or the student’s course.  The research is unique, or offers new insights or development.  The Title, aims and objectives are all clear and succint.  Comprehensive and thorough background research and literature review has been undertaken.  There is a good match between the issues to be address and the approach being adopted.  The researcher demonstrates relevant background knowledge and/or experience.  Timetable, resources and budgets have all been worked out thoroughly, with most eventualities covered.  Useful policy and practice implications.

Reasons Why Research Proposal Fail.  Aim and objectives are unclear or vague.  There is a mismatch between approach being adopted and the issues to be address.  The overall plan is too ambitious and difficult to achieve in the timescale.  The researcher does not seem to have conducted enough indepth background research.  Problem is of insufficient importance.  Information about the data collection is insufficiently detailed.  Timescale is inappropriate or unrealtic.  Resources and budget have not been carefully thought out.  The topic has been done too many times before – indicates a lack in background research.

How to Conduct Interviews.

Methods of recording (Table 7)  Recording checklist  Voice, Video, Clips, Note Taking, Box Ticking  +Additional informants  Familiar with the recording equipment

 Advantage  Disadvantage

 The interview schedule  Establishing rapport     

Treat interviewer with respect Think about your appearance Think about body language During the interview, firm eye contact Don’t invade their space

Dress and behave appropriately

How to Conduct Interviews.  Asking questions and probing for information  Probing for more details     

That’s interesting, can you explain that in more detail?

I’m not quite sure I understand. You were saying?

Can you clarify that?

Could you expand upon that a little?

When you say ‘…’, what do you mean?

How to Conduct Focus Groups.

The role of Moderator (Table 8)  Asking Question  Seeking responses  Finishing the focus group  Negotiate a length of time for the interview and stick to it, unless the interviewee is happy to continue.  Ask open questions, listen to responses and probe where necessary.  Keep questions short and to the point.  Avoid jargon, double-barreled questions and leading questions.  Listen carefully and acknowledge that you are listening.  Check recording equipment is working without drawing attention to it.  Repeat and summarise answers to aid clarity and understanding.

How to Conduct Focus Groups.  Achieve closer, thank them and leave a contact number in case they wish to get in touch with you about anything that has arisen.  Respect their confidentially do not pass on what has been said to third parties unless you have requested permission to do.

Recording Equipment  Choosing a venue  Is the venue accessible in terms of physical access for those with mobility difficulties?  Is it accessible in terms of “mental” access, that is, would the type of people you intend to recruit feel comfortable entering that building?  Is the building easy to find and the room easy to locate?  Is free parking available close by?  Is it accessible by public transport?  Is the room being enough to accommodate the number of people you intend to recruit?  Are there enough chairs and are they comfortable?  Is there anything which could distract the participants (loud noise, telephones, doorbells, people entering the room, people walking pass windows, etc.)  Is there anything which could disrupted the recording? (ticking clocks, drink machines, traffic outside, etc.)

 Recruiting you participants  The ideal number