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Everyday Research
Intuitive
Common sense
Casual
Spur of the moment
Selective
Focused on personal decisions
Scholarly Research:
Theory based
Structured
Systematic
Planned
Logical
Focused on knowledge about reality
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Reasons Why Research is Conducted
Descriptive Research – Aims to achieve a description of something, perhaps to provide background information for a further stage of an enquiry or as an end in itself.
Its purpose is to describe rather than to understand, explain or predict.
Purely descriptive research is rare as it is difficult for researchers to avoid the temptation to draw conclusions or proffer recommendations.
Exploratory Research – Aims to provide information on which to base future studies, to define concepts or to formulate hypotheses.
Exploratory research will hopefully raise yet more questions, and its success will depend upon the open-mindedness of the researcher and the degree of control exerted over the subject matter.
Explanatory Research – Aims to gain knowledge in order to advance our understanding of the world.
This may help the researcher support or refute currently held theories.
Explanatory research is concerned primarily with discovering causes, and is seen by some as the most respected form of research and scientific pursuit.
Applied Research – Aims to solve problems and/or establish policy.
Another related term is policy research.
One specific type of applied research is evaluation research which focuses on the effectiveness of programs or actions and assesses potential or real improvements to proposed or existing schemes.
Other types are action research, impact studies and cost-benefit analysis.
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1) What is the nature of reality?
2) What is the relationship of the researcher to that researched?
3) What is the role of values?
4) What is the language of research?
5) What is the process of research?
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Key Characteristics of Quantitative Methodology
Numerical – Aims to discover the incidence of particular characteristics of something, and the frequencies in which they occur.
The intention is to infer a relationship between these characteristics.
Planned – Isolates and identifies characteristics (variables) prior to data collection. The instruments to be used are pre-determined and rigid.
Structured – Because of the rigidity of the methods used, the relationship between researcher and subject is made rather formal by the use of standardised procedures to ensure objectivity and consistently.
Objective – Analysis of the data collected relies on statistical methods for determining the probability of occurrence of the predicted relationships between variables.
There is limited scope for the kind of interpretation which allows free reign to subjectivity.
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Key Characteristics of Qualitative Methodology
Openness and Flexibility - There is no pre-determined hypothesis so there is potential for an approach that is not constrained by scope or orientation.
The flexibility this permits allows for changes to occur during execution of the research; research methods may be readily changed when deemed appropriate.
Communication – The communication between researcher and subject is the vehicle for the research.
The relationship itself is important as it is the subject who defines the scope and flow of the research to an equal extent.
The reality is constructed and interpreted within the framework of this social interaction.
Contextualisation – Communication exists within a social context that is liable to continual change.
The meanings salient to communication reflect and must be understood within this context.
A flexible approach to choice of research instruments is necessary.
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Research as Systematic Enquiry
1) Agree question or questions to be investigated
2) Undergo research methods training
3) Undertake a comprehensive literature review
4) Identify the methods to be employed
5) Design the means of investigation
6) Collect data
7) Analyse or interpret findings
8) Answer the questions originally posed and make generalisable statements
9) Capture the whole process and findings in a written document
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