Research Methodology Flashcards
What is the purpose of research?
Discover new information, advance knowledge, increase understanding, educate others and inform practice.
What is the focus of research?
Evaluate existing information and assess what is not known or what has been left out. Develop hypothesis to base research on.
What are the types of Sampling used?
Methods, Sample group and Sample size.
What is Methods?
How the group is chosen, e.g. random, systematic, clustered, convenience, quota, snowball, stratified.
What is Sample group?
Final group of individuals chosen to participate in research.
What is Sample size?
Dependent on scale of study e.g. research on IRPs might only have a sample of 5 but research on electricity rates across Australia may have sample of 20,000.
What are the types of data?
Primary, secondary, qualitative and quantitative.
What is a primary research?
Collection of ‘new’ data i.e. does not exist prior to research.
What is a secondary research?
Collection of data from existing research.
What is qualitative?
Data that includes opinion, responses and reflection. Allows interviewee to explain their answers in depth.
What is quantitative?
Data that deals in numbers. Derives from questionnaires and observation.
What are the sources of data?
Individuals, groups, print and digital.
What are individuals?
Accessed to help locate existing data or to help discover new data.
What are groups?
Groups may be used to access certain information or used to help gather new information.
What is print?
Data or information that is hard copy e.g. books, magazines, journals, newspapers.
What is digital?
Data or information that is accessed electronically e.g. websites, documentaries, news programs, blogs.
What is reliability?
Consistency of research findings. Participants must be trusted and correct in giving their information.
What is validity?
Legitimacy of findings, nature, of entire research process and justification of results.
Assess the importance of ethical behaviours when conducting research by considering the types of ethical behaviours.
Ethical behaviour: the ‘norms’ of conduct, the way people are expected to behave and perform. The types of ethical behaviours are respect, integrity, privacy and bias.
What is respect in the ethical behaviour?
Respecting involved individuals and their ideas, opinions, and beliefs. Showing respect can enhances the value and level of data one will get,
What is integrity in ethical behaviour?
Principles and standards of researcher. Ethical researcher will be honest and truthful in their research.
What is privacy In ethical behaviour?
Researchers need to consider freedom of privacy of individuals involved in their research, information should be kept confidential and researcher must have permission to use information gathered.
What is bias in ethical behaviour?
Distortion of research and results due to unfair influence from individual’s ideals, values and opinions.
What are the research methods?
Questionnaires, interviews, case studies, observations, literature review, planning for research, conducting research and interpreting research.
Describe questionnaires and evaluate the suitability of it for the research topic.
Questionnaires: obtaining answers to specific questions from a variety of individuals or groups.
- Can be qualitative or quantitative by the types of questions asked. Can be mix of both.
- Ensure questions are clear and concise, don’t use leading questions and establish trust with your respondents.
Describe interviews and evaluate the suitability of it for the research topic.
Interviews: qualitative research method used for obtaining information.
- Can be structured or unstructured.
- Effective planning and preparation essential.
- Ensure questions aren’t ambiguous, have a purpose, avoid bias and assumptions, be concise ad only include relevant information.
Describe Case studies and evaluate the suitability of it for the research topic.
Case studies: qualitative research method used to gain deep understanding of complex issues.
- Define research process
- Choose ‘cases’ to be studied
- Collect data
- Evaluate and analyse the data
- Present your results
Describe Observations and evaluate the suitability of it for the research topic.
Observations: research split into two different approaches; participant observation and non-participant observation.
- Participant observation: research immerses themselves into environment in which they are researching, becoming part of the existence of their subject matter.
- Non-participant observation: researcher observes functioning of group from a distance without interacting with their subject matter.
Describe Literature review and evaluate the suitability of it for the research topic.
Literature review: piece of writing aimed at comparing and contrasting work of others. Literature review should analyse arguments of others and critically review a specific area of study. Ideally, should be organised by grouping authors with similar focus or ideas to help highlight gaps in research and summarise what the literature states.
Describe planning for research and evaluate the suitability of it for the research topic.
Planning for research: important to prepare and plan research before beginning. Involves formulating research proposal and planning how to manage resources.
- Formulating research proposal: develop suitable questions to base your research on (hypothesis). Should include ‘plan’ of intended research with time frame included.
- Managing resources: must develop plan to manage and monitor resources. Good way to do this is by keeping a diary or reflective journal outlining values, attitudes and feelings associated with research.
Describe Conducting research and what are the types of it?
Conducting research: process of collecting , recording, analysing and interpreting data. Includes formulating research proposal, selecting appropriate research methodologies and planning how to perform research.
The types of it are: Accessing sources of data, Collecting and recording data and documenting actions and issues.
Describe Accessing sources of data.
digital sources such as search engines bring up existing information on an issue. Accessing groups within community relevant to research e.g. teachers or pensioners can be done by calling, emailing, visiting.
Describe Collecting and recording data.
performing primary and secondary research to collect information. As data is collected, relevant information needs to be recorded. Keep notes together and create backups where possible.
Describe documenting actions and issues.
Assists if anything unforeseeable happens. Documenting everything acts as proof or evidence so that research does not become liable for any breeches of privacy. Also helps with future research and knowing how to access certain data and information in the future.
What is interpreting research?
Making sense of and assigning meaning data.
What are the types of interpreting research?
Presenting research findings, analysing research results and drawing conclusions from research.
Describe Presenting research findings.
Can be presented graphically through tables, graphs, diagrams and charts or textually through a report.
Describe Analysing research results.
Breaking down findings to gain a better understanding of the bigger picture.
Describe drawing conclusions from research.
Should present conclusions in a report. Purpose of report is to collate every step of research process into one document that logically represents all findings.
What is a sampling?
is the process used in which a predetermined number of observations will be taken from a large population.
what is Hypothesis?
A hypothesis is a statement that the researcher develops as the focus of the researcher.
What are surveys?
Surveys are primary method of gathering data. Survey is the general term used to describe the practice asking questions using questionnaires of intercoms.
