Research Methods I - Lecture 1 - Research, what is it (good for)?

Research Methods 1Research, what is it (good for)? – Lecture 1

Jeroen.Moes@MaastrichtUniversity.nl 2

Welcome

• Who am I?• What do I do (and how can you help)?

• What is this course about?– Research Methods 1, 2, and Project– Course structure

The Research Methods Semester

Research Methods I

(SKI1004)

Research Methods II

(SKI1005)

Doing Your Research Project(PRO1011)

Period 1 & 4 Period 2 & 5 Period 3 & 6

Semester 1 & 2

(Currently incorrectly titled ‘Research Proposal Writing’ in the

Course Catalog)What is (good) research?

Analyzing data

Presenting results

Writing a research proposalMany ways of

doing research

The research process

Asking the right questions

Practical Issues

• RTFM• House rules• Assessment• Literature

– Getting the book– Using assigned literature

• Shaping this course

Topics for today

• What is research methods?• Research methods vocabulary &

different approaches• The place of theory in research• The role of literature in research (if we

still have time for that)

WHAT IS RESEARCH?What are methods? Or, let’s take it one step back first:

Why Research Methods?

No really, why?

What is research?

• To create new knowledge• Finding answers to questions (or problems)

– Posing the right questions to begin with.– Answering those questions systematically.

What is research not (necessarily)?

• Complex, difficult, hard to do.• Statistics, or generally done with a

computer.• Boring (no really!)

What are Methods?

• The systematic process by which we conduct research.

• Rooted in certain assumptions on ‘reality’ and ‘knowledge’ (which we’ll discuss next week).

• Methodology vs. ‘techniques’ (sometimes called ‘methods’)

Basic Process of doing Research

Define topic Formulate question

Decide on approach

Gather information

(data)Analyze Present

Purpose of Research

APPROACHES TO RESEARCH

A bit of vocabulary that we can use, and the major

Three Components of a Research Approach

Three Approaches to ResearchQualitative research:– Focuses on individual meanings.– Tends to use open ended questions.– Collects data in participant’s setting.– Moves from particulars to general themes (inductive; we’ll get to that).– Written report tends to be flexible in structure.Quantitative research:– Tests the relationships among measurable things (variables; we’ll get to

that as well).– Tends to use closed ended questions.– Produces numerical data.– Uses statistical analysis of data generated.– Tests theories deductively, final report is structured.Mixed methods research: – Collects and integrates both quantitative and qualitative data.– May provide a more comprehensive analysis of a given research

problem.

Criteria for Selecting a Research Approach

Quantitative approach is best when:– Testing causal relationships (factor/s that influence a particular

outcome).– Evaluating the usefulness or successes of an intervention.– Establishing which factors best predict an outcome.– Testing theories or explanations.

Qualitative approach is best when:– The Researcher is uncertain about which are the most important

variables to be examined.– If the topic is new, sample population is unexplored by the topic

or the dominant explanations may not apply to a given sample population.

– If we want to understand hard to quantify concepts better (‘meanings’, ‘identities’, etc.).

Criteria for Selecting a Research Approach (continued)

Mixed Methods approach is best when: – Neither quantitative nor qualitative approaches will adequately

examine the variables being researched.– The Researcher wants to capitalize on the strengths of both

qualitative and quantitative approaches.

• Personal Experiences– Training– Preferences– Time– Resources– Experiences

• Audience– Advisors– Journal editors– Graduate committees– Colleagues in the field

Confirmatory vs. Exploratory

• Confirmatory: is it true what we believe based on the existing theory and literature?

• Exploratory: what is going on here, and how can we explain it?

Research logics

• Deductive: work from the ‘top down’.• Inductive: work from the ‘bottom up’.

• Nomothetic: aims to generalize, and come up with ‘universal’ laws.

• Idiographic: aims to specify, and come up with particularistic meanings and descriptions.

Deductive Logic

Inductive Logic

Combining inductive and deductive methods

SOME BASIC CONCEPTSNow that you get the basic idea, let’s talk about

Variables

• A variable is a characteristic of an individual or group that is measurable.

• Variables may have temporal order, or be measurable or observable.

• Normally used within quantitative approaches.• Not used very often in qualitative approaches

(though they can be).

Types of Variables

• Independent– Variables that (probably) cause outcomes

• Dependent– The outcomes that depend on the independent variables

• Intervening or mediating– Variables that stand between the independent and dependent

variables• Control

– Independent variables that are measured and statistically "controlled"

• Confounding– Variables that could also affect the dependent variables, but

cannot or will not be measured

Types of information in variables

• Data:– Categorical

1. Nominal2. Ordinal

– Quantifiable3. Interval4. Ratio

Population

• The whole (theoretical) group of people, things, observations, phenomena, etc. that we wish to make statements about.

Sample

• A selection from the population that we will study in our research.

Size of the sample

• N = Number of people, things, observations, etc. in the sample.

Quality control: Validity

• Internal validity: Do we measure what we intend to measure?

• External validity: Can we generalize this to the population to which we want to?

Quality of food

Quality control: Reliability

• Are the ways in which we are measuring things consistent over time, or between cases?

THEORYDefining and using

The Nature of Theories

‘A set of interrelated constructs (concepts), definitions, and propositions that present a systematic view of phenomena by specifying relations among variables, with the purpose of explaining and predicting phenomena.’

(Kerlinger, 2000: 9)

The Use of Theory

• The literature determines what theories may be used to examine the research questions

• Quantitative studies tend to test theories as explanations

• Qualitative studies may generate the theory• Mixed methods studies may have no theories

at all or a theoretical framework in which both quantitative and qualitative data are collected

LITERATUREFinding, reviewing, and using

The Use of Literature

• Provide a summary of major studies on the research problem.

• Demonstrate the writers knowledge of the topic/problem/issue.

• Integrate what others have done and said about the topic/problem/issue.

• May criticize previous scholarly works on the topic/problem/issue.

Positioning the literature review

The Use of Literature in a Quantitative Study

In quantitative studies the literature is used deductively as it provides a framework for the research questions and hypothesis

– Provide direction to the research questions and hypotheses

– Introduce a problem– Introduce and describe the theory that will be used– Examine the usefulness of the theory– Compare results with existing literature or predictions

Using Literature in a Qualitative Study

Selecting Literature Material

1. Broad syntheses (such as encyclopedias) Especially if you are new to the topic

2. Journal articles3. Academic books4. Conference papers5. Dissertations6. Reports on the web

Style: Definition of Terms & Concepts

• Qualitative studies are inductive and evolutionary in nature hence the definition of terms may appear later in the written report, perhaps in the data analysis.

• Quantitative studies are deductive with a fixed set of objectives, hence all relevant terms are comprehensively defined earlier in the study.

• In Mixed methods studies the definition of relevant terms follows the use of (earlier or later in the study) and emphasis placed on quantitative and qualitative approaches.

What is bad research?

1. Research that is fraudulent.2. Research that is in a technical sense correct, but

misleading.3. Research that is sloppy or poorly written.4. Research that is made in good faith, but in error.5. Research that makes extremely small or

incremental arguments.6. Research that has no real-world application.

Research Methods I - Lecture 1 - Research, what is it (good for)?

Education

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY AND IPR · Research methods include all those techniques/methods that are adopted for conducting research. Thus, research techniques or methods arethe methods

RESEARCH METHODS Lecture 18. CRITERIA FOR GOOD MEASUREMENT

Government Social Research Technical Framework · 2021. 1. 11. · v2 3 Research Officer TS Summary Summary: RO Technical Skills Has good knowledge of research methodology, methods,

Testing Methods Very Good

Teaching Qualitative Research Well€¦ · social sciences, who have been ... qualitative research methods. Written in a friendly, conversational style, replete with good examples

What is good qualitative research? - University of Manchesterhummedia.manchester.ac.uk/institutes/methods-manchester/docs/gqr.pdf · What is good qualitative research? Methods @ Manchester

Research Methods: Observational Research

Introduction to Quantitative Research Methods. Quantitative Research Methods Put simply – quantitative research methods basically means using numbers

Research Methods —Part III. Research Methods Survey

SOM Research Methods Cover:SOM Research Methods Cover …

How could it be fun?. Selling methods and statistics Methods are good for you! Research methods and statistics develop transferable skills. Will you

Research Methods For Business Students Research Methods For

Research Methods for Business Research Methods for Business MBB3724 Business Research Methods

PSY2004 Research Methods PSY2005 Applied Research Methods Week Six

Learning of Quantitative Research Methods Learning of Quantitative Research Methods

Pamela L. Eddy Research Methods: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

Research Methods Experimental Research Descriptive Methods Correlational Research Biological Research

Research Paper. Research Methods

Research Methods in Criminology 1.Assignment # 1 2.Research 3.Research methods

Mixed methods research: quality - r4d.ch · quality in mixed methods research: a review and recommendations for a future agenda. Quality and Quantity 2016. 1. Good Reporting of AMixed