Chapter 2 Flashcards
Symmetry of potential outcomes
The result will have to be of similar value whatever you find out
If this is not the case there is a chance you find an answer of little importance, also consider your career goals, consider how this research could be useful in your future career
Generate research ideas
Techniques involve rational thinking
-examine own strengths and interest, choose topic you are likely to do well
-explore your university staff research interest
- Analyse past project titles
For undergraduate/taught masters degree
called dissertations
For research degrees called theses
-discuss with colleagues, friends
-re-examine your lecture notes and course
textbook and see which subjects appear most
interesting
-search trough literature and media, review articles in particular since they have load of info about specific topics, so can provide ideas
Generate Research ideas
Techniques that involve creative thinking
-noting ideas
-brainstorming
-explore personal preferences using past projects
-relevance trees, similar to mindmapping first broad concept after that generate further topics = branches
-exploring relevance of an idea to business, using literature, may based on :
Abstract idea (conceptual thinking)
Empirical studies (collected and analysed data)
Good research idea
Combination of these two ways of thinking
Rational and creative
Refining research ideas techniques
Delphi technique:
Requires a group of people who are involved with or share the same interest in the research idea, to generate and pick a more specific research idea
Preliminary inquiry:
Turn it into a research question before turning it into a research question
Preliminary study= still refine even if research idea is given
Integrating ideas
Integration of ideas from techniques
‘Working and narrowing down’, means that each research idea needs to be classified into its area, its field and ultimately the precise aspect into which one is interested
Transformation from research idea to research project
Research question may be..
Very important to define a clear research question at the beginning of the research process
Descriptive- Qs start ‘when, what, where, how’
Evaluative- start ‘how effective, To what extent’
Explanatory- start ‘why’ or has this word in it
Capabilities researcher
Depend on constraints on time and financial resources, possession of the necessary skills and access to the relevant data
Useful for researcher to have knowledge of the literature associated with the topic and able to provide bright insights
Goldilocks test
Helpful determine
Qs too big, when demands too many resources
Qs too small, provide insufficient data
Qs too hot, when it is a sensitive subject
To provide new insights
Often useful to start with the general focus on research qs that flows from your research idea
Writing research objectives
Research qs used to produce more detailed investigative questions, or starting point for research objectives
Writing objectives is more generally accepted as a way to specify sense and direction in a research project than research qs
bc, more precise in displaying in making clear
Operationalize
Research objective operationalize the research question, which means that they show the steps that are required to take to answer it
Maylor and blackman
2005
Personal objectives added to the list or research objectives
SMART test
- Specific
- Measurable
- Achievable
- Realistic
- Timely
Theory
Most misused and misunderstood word
Theory: situation where if A is introduced, B will be the consequence
Consequence will flow from decision
Theory is concerned with causality, this means that cause and effect relationship between two and more variables
Role: to explain the relationship and to make predictions about possible new outcomes
Deductive approach
When someone is taking a clear theoretical standpoint and wishes to test this through the collection of data
Inductive approach
Is used when someone builds a theory from the collected and analysed data, developing theory after the date has beed collected
