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21-10-2024 INTRODUCTION TO RESEARCH GENERAL

The document outlines the purpose and methodologies of research, emphasizing the differences between qualitative and quantitative approaches. It discusses the research process, including steps from identifying a research idea to selecting research designs, and highlights the ethical considerations in conducting research. Additionally, it provides an overview of mixed methods research designs and suggests relevant bibliographic resources for further study.

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17 views19 pages

21-10-2024 INTRODUCTION TO RESEARCH GENERAL

The document outlines the purpose and methodologies of research, emphasizing the differences between qualitative and quantitative approaches. It discusses the research process, including steps from identifying a research idea to selecting research designs, and highlights the ethical considerations in conducting research. Additionally, it provides an overview of mixed methods research designs and suggests relevant bibliographic resources for further study.

Uploaded by

danielkamara8632
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• Research Philosophy

• Learning outcome: at the end of this lecture,


students should be able to:
➢Discuss the purpose of research
➢Highlight the assumptions that underpin
qualitative and quantitative research
➢Explain when it might be appropriate to use
qualitative and quantitative research research in
general
➢Examine the methodologies
➢Discuss the methods associated with each
methodology

Prof. Kemoh Rogers


(PhD)
What is research?
What is research?

Promotes understanding
Answers to questions

Evidence for practice

Systematic enquiry

Offers explanations
Trustworthy source of
information

Makes connections

Accurate and factual: sees


things as they are
The Research Approach
The Research Approach
Philosophical
Worldviews Designs

(Post)positivist RESEARCH APPROACHES Quantitative (e.g. Experiments)


Constructivist Qualitative Qualitative (e.g. Ethnographies)
Transformative Quantitative Mixed Methods (e.g.
Pragmatic Mixed Methods Explanatory Sequential)

RESEARCH METHODS
Questions
Data Collection
Data Analysis
Interpretation
Validation
Source: Creswell J W (2014) Research Design, 4th ed., Sage.

4
Methodology
Methodology

• Philosophy translated to procedures and


methodologies (loosely speaking)
– “Methodology” ususally refers to a defined, task-
oriented process with an expected type of outcome.
– Quantitative methodology is grounded in Positivist
philosophies while qualitative methodology is
Constructivist.
Quantitative Methodologies
Quantitative Methodology
• Reliance on “hard” data.
• Test hypotheses to verify theories.
• Appeals to notions of probability through statistical techniques.
− Important to acknowledge caveats (exceptions and limitations)
• Empiricist in nature.
Qualitative Methodology
Methodologies
• Reliance on “soft” data (lived experiences, biographies,
literary texts, commentaries, etc).
• Units of analysis (people, groups, settings) viewed as a
whole and not reduced to statistical variables.
• Purpose:
– generate theories,
– unpack meaning,
– examine processes and not just outcomes,
– discover unexpected relationships between phenomena,
– explain and interpret behaviour.
Different ways of knowing: a bit of philosophy

QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH QUALITATIVE RESEARCH


(positivism) (interpretivism - mostly)

• Human beings are complex,


• Assumes there is a ‘stable’ unpredictable, reflective and highly
reality individual
• Reality is separate from our • Research into human behaviour
human understanding of it seeks to understand and explore
• Grounded in experimental rather than explain
• Understanding a person’s
method and observations of
interpretation of their experiences
natural world needs research that helps to see
• Emphasis on ‘value-free’ enquiry: the world (as closely as possible)
objective, rational, neutral through that individual’s eyes
The Research Process
The Research Process
• Find a Research Idea
Step 1 • Search Literature and find Unanswered Question

• Form Hypothesis
Step 2 • Define “experience” to be explored

• Define and measure variables


Step 3 • Express nature of data (text)

• Identify participants / subjects for study


Step 4

• Select a Research Strategy


Step 5 • Observational / Experimental / Survey….

• Select a Research Design


Step 6 • descriptive, case-study, case-control, longitudinal, focus group…..

9
Deductive Theory
Deductive
Deductive Theory Theory
THEORY

RESEARCH
IDEA/QUESTION

DATA

FORM & TEST


HYPOTHESES

CONFIRM /
REVISE THEORY

10
Inductive Theory
Inductive Theory
Theoretical Proposition of
Experience / Practice
Experience/
Practice

Review of
Literature
Empirical Data
Themes/Hypotheses/
Concepts/Narratives, ……

Experience / Practice Theoretical Analysis of


Analysis of Theory Experience / Practice
Mutual Critical
Correlation

Adapted from Lartey, E., 2000, Practical Theology as Thoelogical Form, in Woodward, J., & Pattison, S., 2000,
The Blackwell Reader in Pastoral and Practical Theology, Blackwell, Oxford.

11
Quantitative ResearchDesigns
Quantitative Research Designs
• Descriptive Research
• Observational / Survey / Case-study
• Correlational Research
• Measuring relationships, cause-and-effect relationships
• Experiments
• Between-subjects
• Within-subjects
• Factorial / Repeated Measures (with main effects and interactions)
• Cross-sectional
• Longitudinal
• ……………………………

12
Qualitative Research
Qualitative Designs
Research Designs
• Ethnography
• Phenomenology
• Grounded theory
• Narrative analysis
• Action research
• Historical research
• Case study research
• Critical theory / Marxist / Feminist research
• …………………………………………….

13
Mixed Methods Research Designs
Mixed Methods Research Designs
Convergent Parallel mixed methods
• Quantitative and Qualitative data are merged in order to provide a comprehensive analysis of
the research problem.
• Both forms of data collected at roughly same time, and integrated in the interpretation of
overall results.
• Contradictions and/or incongruent findings are explained or probed further.

Explanatory Sequential mixed methods


• Quantitative research given logical priority, followed by qualitative research which builds on
the results to explain them in greater detail.
• Challenge of identifying the quantitative results for further exploration.

Exploratory Sequential mixed methods


• Qualitative research given logical priority to explore views of participants.
• Data analysed and used to inform the design of a quantitative phase – e.g. defining a
population hitherto unclear, selection of appropriate sample and design of instruments for
the kind of population discovered.

14
Mixed Methods Research Designs
Mixed Methods Research Designs

Transformative mixed methods


• Quantitative and Qualitative research are embedded within
a wider theoretical perspective whose agenda is for
transformation (e.g. social justice, power, politics)

Multiphase mixed methods


• Used in evaluations and program interventions.
• Concurrent or sequential strategies used in tandem over
time to best understand a long-term program goal.

15
Discussion

• Discuss ways in which the application derived


from a scientific method can be inappropriate.

• Discuss the validity of unique human


experiences in developing policy.
Core features of research ethics?
•Research merit and integrity: scientifically sound, conducted by
competent researchers, pursuit of new knowledge

•Justice: inclusive, fair process of recruitment, no unfair burden of


participation on particular groups, no exploitation

•Beneficence: harms to participants versus benefits from research, if no


direct benefit then risk needs to be lower

•Respect: for privacy, confidentiality, and cultural and community practices,


empowering people with diminished capacity
SUGGESTED BIBLIOGRAPHY

Creswell J W (2014) Research Design (International


Student Edition), 4th ed., Sage.
Gravetter F J & Forzano L B (2012) Research Methods for
the Behavioral Sciences, Wadsworth Cengage Learning.
Creswell J W (2014) Qualitative inquiry and research
Design: choosing among five approaches, 3rded.,
Sage.
http://m.oxfordscholarship.com/mobile/view/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780190651510.001.0001/ac
prof-9780190651510

18
• Introduction
• Quantitative research
• Qualitative research
• Mixed methods
• Research process; things/areas to consider when undertaking a
research project
• Proposing a research project
• Referencing
• Writing an abstract

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