THE RESEARCH PROCESSA Quick Glance

Muhammad Atif Nawaz

There are two important decision as you go along research journey

• Firstly, what you want to find out about or what research questions you want to find answers to.

• Secondly, how to go about finding the answers.

• The path of finding answers to your research questions constitutes research methodology

Quantitative & Qualitative Research

Difference w.r.t Quantitative Research

Qualitative Research

Underpinning philosophy

Rationalism Empiricism

Approach to inquiry

Structured / rigid / predetermined methodology

Unstructured / flexible / open methodology

Main purpose of investigation

To quantify extent of variation in a phenomenon, situation, issue etc.

To describe variation in a phenomenon, situation, issue etc.

Measurement of variables

Emphasis on some form of either measurement or classification of variable

Emphasis on description of variables

Sample size Greater sample size Fewer cases

Focus of inquiry Narrows focus in terms of extent of inquiry, but assembles required information from a greater number of respondents

Covers multiple issues but assembles required information from fewer respondents

Dominant research value

Reliability & Objectivity Authenticity but does not claim to b value free

Dominant research topic

Explains prevalence, incidence, extent, nature of issue, opinions and attitudes

Explores experiences, meanings, perceptions and feelings

Analysis of data Subjects variables to frequency dist. Cross tabulations & other statistical procedures

Subjects responses, narratives or observations data to identification of themes

Communication of finding

Organizations more analytical in nature, drawing inferences & conclusion & testing magnitude & strength of a relationship

Organization more descriptive and narrative in nature

The Research Process

1. Formulating a research problem 2. Conceptualizing a research design3. Constructing an instrument for data collection4. Selecting a sample5. Writing a research proposal6. Collecting data7. Processing data8. Writing a research report

Step 1. Formulating a Research Problem

• A research problem identifies your destination• It should be clear and specific• The main function of formulating a research

problem is to decide what you want to find out about.

• It is extremely important to evaluate the research problem in the light of the financial resources at your disposal, the time available and your own and your research supervisor’s expertise and knowledge in the field of study.

• Chapter 4 of your book deal in detail with various aspects of formulating a research problem.

Step 2. Conceptualizing a Research Design

• Research involves systematic, controlled, valid and rigorous exploration and description of what is known. It also involves identifying gaps in knowledge, verification of what is already known and identification of past errors and limitation.

• The strength of what you find largely rests on how it was found.

• The main function of a research design is to explain how you will find answers to your research questions.

• The research design sets out the logic of your inquiry.

Step 2. Cont’d.

A research design should include the following:

• The study design & the logical arrangements• The measurement procedure• The sampling strategy• The frame of analysis• The time frame

Chapter 7 of your book details about research design.

Step 3. Constructing an Instrument for Data Collection

• Anything that becomes a mean of collecting information for your study is called a ‘research tool’ or ‘research instrument’. e.g. observation forms, interview schedule, questionnaire, etc.

• How to collect data then construct a research instrument.• Field testing (pre-testing)

Chapter 9 focuses on various methods of data collection and development of a research instrument.

Chapter 10 details methods for collecting data using attitudinal scales.

Chapter 11 deals with the concepts of validity and reliability in relation to a research instrument.

Step 4. Selecting a Sample

• The precision of your results & finding largely depends upon sampling.

• Basic objective of sampling design is to minimize the gap between sample statistic and population parameter.

Step 4. Cont’d.

Categories of sample design:

1. Random/ sample design2. Non-random sample design3. Mixed sample design

Chapter 12 of your book discusses sample designs.

Step 5. Writing a Research Proposal

A research proposal tells you & your supervisor & a reviewer the following info:

• What you are proposing to do• How you plan to proceed• Why you selected the proposed strategy• Reliability & validity of the strategy

Step 5. Cont’d.Research proposal contain the following information about

your study:1. A statement of the objective of the study2. A list of hypothesis3. The study design4. The setting of the study5. The research instrument (s)6. Information on sample size & sample design7. Data processing procedures8. Proposed chapters of the report9. Problems & limitations10. Time frame11. Ethical issues

Chapter 13 details on research proposal

Step 6. Data Collection

• At this stage, you actually collect the data.• Ethical issues regarding data collecting• Types of data

Chapter 14 of your book discusses data collection issues.

Step 7. Processing Data

• Analysis of qualitative & quantitative data• If your study is purely descriptive, you can write

your report on the basis of field notes, manually analyze the contents of your notes (content analysis), or use a computer program

• If you want quantitative analysis, then frequency dist. Cross tabulations or regression analysis, factor analysis, ANOVA can be choices

Chapter 15 describes different ways of analyzing data and Chapter 16 details various methods of displaying analyzed data.

Step 8. Writing a Research Report

• The report informs the world what you have done, what you have discovered and what conclusions you have drawn from your findings.

• Your report should be written in an academic style and be divided into different chapters.

Chapter 17 suggest some of the ways of writing a research report.