Research Methods in Human Settlement

(HRM 321)
2024
Mr Thandolwethu Mteto

Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities

 TOPICS TO BE COVERED

ASSESSMENTS FOR THIS MODULE:

1. Individual Assignment 1

2. Group Assignment 2

3. Class Test

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 TOPICS TO BE COVERED

1. Why literature review is important and how to search

for literature related to your research problem.

2. The relationship between the components of a research

project:

• Methodological approaches, research design and data

collection: the relationship between research questions,
methodology and data collection tools/ research
instruments. Validity, reliability and ethics in research

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 Introduction

• Research methodology is defined as a structured and scientific approach used to collect,

analyze, and interpret quantitative or qualitative data to answer research questions or test
hypotheses.

• A research methodology is like a plan for carrying out research and helps keep researchers on
track by limiting the scope of the research.

• Several aspects must be considered before selecting an appropriate research methodology,

such as research limitations and ethical concerns that may affect your research.

• The research methodology section in a scientific paper describes the different methodological
choices made, such as the data collection and analysis methods, and why these choices were
selected.

• The reasons should explain why the methods chosen are the most appropriate to answer the
research question.

• A good research methodology also helps ensure the reliability and validity of the research
findings. There are three types of research methodology, namely: quantitative, qualitative,
and mixed-method, which can be chosen based on the research objectives.
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 Types of research methodology

• There are three types of research methodology based on the type of research and the data
required.

• Quantitative research methodology focuses on measuring and testing numerical data.

This approach is good for reaching a large number of people in a short amount of time. This
type of research helps in testing the causal relationships between variables, making
predictions, and generalizing results to wider populations.

• Qualitative research methodology examines the opinions, behaviors, and experiences of

people. It collects and analyzes words and textual data. This research methodology requires
fewer participants but is still more time consuming because the time spent per participant is
quite large. This method is used in exploratory research where the research problem being
investigated is not clearly defined.

• Mixed-method research methodology uses the characteristics of both quantitative and

qualitative research methodologies in the same study. This method allows researchers to
validate their findings, verify if the results observed using both methods are complementary,
and explain any unexpected results obtained from one method by using the other method.

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 Research design

• A research design is a procedural plan that is adopted by a researcher to answer

questions in a valid way.

• It is very objective and accurate. Normally, a research design will determine the
type of analysis you should carry out to get the desired results.

• Research design is a plan to answer your research question.

• A research method is a strategy used to implement that plan.

• Research design and methods are different but closely related, because good
research design ensures that the data you obtain will help you answer your
research question more effectively.

• Research design involves choosing the right methodology, selecting the most
appropriate data collection methods, and devising a plan (or framework) for
analyzing the data. In short, a good research design helps us to structure our
research.
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 Which research method should I choose?

• It depends on your research goal. It depends on what subjects (and who) you
want to study. Let's say you are interested in studying what makes people happy,
or why some students are more conscious about recycling on campus.

• To answer these questions, you need to make a decision about how to collect your
data. Most frequently used methods include:

 Observation / Participant Observation; Surveys; Interviews; Focus Groups;

Experiments; Secondary Data Analysis / Archival Study; Mixed Methods
(combination of some of the above)

• One particular method could be better suited to your research goal than others,
because the data you collect from different methods will be different in quality
and quantity. For instance, surveys are usually designed to produce relatively
short answers, rather than the extensive responses expected in qualitative
interviews.
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 What are the types of sampling designs in research methodology?

• Sampling is an important part of a research methodology and involves selecting a

representative sample of the population to conduct the study, making statistical
inferences about them, and estimating the characteristics of the whole population
based on these inferences.

• There are two types of sampling designs in research methodology: probability

and non-probability.

 Probability sampling

• In this type of sampling design, a sample is chosen from a larger population using
some form of random selection, that is, every member of the population has an
equal chance of being selected. The different types of probability sampling are:

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 What are the types of sampling designs in research methodology?

• Simple random every single member is chosen randomly.

• Systematic sample members are chosen at regular intervals. It requires

selecting a starting point for the sample and sample size determination that can
be repeated at regular intervals. This type of sampling method has a predefined
range; hence, it is the least time consuming.

• Stratified researchers divide the population into smaller groups that don’t
overlap but represent the entire population. While sampling, these groups can be
organized, and then a sample can be drawn from each group separately.

• Cluster the population is divided into clusters based on demographic parameters

like age, sex, location, etc.

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 What are the types of sampling designs in research methodology?

• Non-probability sampling involves feedback based on a researcher’s sample

selection capabilities and not on a fixed selection process. The different types of
nonprobability sampling methods are:

• Convenience selects participants who are most easily accessible to researchers

due to geographical proximity, availability at a particular time, etc.

• Purposive participants are selected at the researcher’s discretion. Researchers

consider the purpose of the study and the understanding of the target audience.

• Snowball already selected participants use their social networks to refer the
researcher to other potential participants.

• Quota while designing the study, the researchers decide how many people with
which characteristics to include as participants. The characteristics help in
choosing people most likely to provide insights into the subject.

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 What are data collection methods?

• During research, data are collected using various methods depending on the research
methodology being followed and the research methods being undertaken. Both
qualitative and quantitative research have different data collection methods, as listed
below.

• Qualitative research

• One-on-one interviews: Helps the interviewers understand a respondent’s subjective

opinion and experience pertaining to a specific topic or event

• Document study/literature review/record keeping: Researchers’ review of already

existing written materials such as archives, annual reports, research articles, guidelines,
policy documents, etc.

• Focus groups: Constructive discussions that usually include a small sample of about 6-10
people and a moderator, to understand the participants’ opinion on a given topic.

• Qualitative observation: Researchers collect data using their five senses (sight, smell,
touch, taste, and hearing).
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 What are data collection methods?

• Quantitative research

• Sampling: The most common type is probability sampling.

• Interviews: Commonly telephonic or done in-person.

• Observations: Structured observations are most commonly used in quantitative

research. In this method, researchers make observations about specific behaviors
of individuals in a structured setting.

• Document review: Reviewing existing research or documents to collect evidence

for supporting the research.

• Surveys and questionnaires. Surveys can be administered both online and offline
depending on the requirement and sample size.

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 Data Analysis on Qualitative data

• Qualitative research involves an inductive method for data analysis where

hypotheses are developed after data collection. The methods include:

• Content analysis: For analyzing documented information from text and images by
determining the presence of certain words or concepts in texts.

• Narrative analysis: For analyzing content obtained from sources such as interviews,
field observations, and surveys. The stories and opinions shared by people are used
to answer research questions.

• Discourse analysis: For analyzing interactions with people considering the social
context, that is, the lifestyle and environment, under which the interaction occurs.

• Grounded theory: Involves hypothesis creation by data collection and analysis to

explain why a phenomenon occurred.

• Thematic analysis: To identify important themes or patterns in data and use these
to address an issue.
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 Data Analysis on Quantitative data

• Quantitative research involves a deductive method for data analysis where

hypotheses are developed at the beginning of the research and precise
measurement is required. The methods include statistical analysis applications to
analyze numerical data and are grouped into two categories - descriptive and
inferential.

• Descriptive analysis is used to describe the basic features of different types of

data to present it in a way that ensures the patterns become meaningful. The
different types of descriptive analysis methods are:

 Measures of frequency (count, percent, frequency)

 Measures of central tendency (mean, median, mode)

 Measures of dispersion or variation (range, variance, standard deviation)

 Measure of position (percentile ranks, quartile ranks

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 Data Analysis on Quantitative data

• Inferential analysis is used to make predictions about a larger population based

on the analysis of the data collected from a smaller population. This analysis is
used to study the relationships between different variables. Some commonly used
inferential data analysis methods are:

 Correlation: To understand the relationship between two or more variables.

 Cross-tabulation: Analyze the relationship between multiple variables.

 Regression analysis: Study the impact of independent variables on the dependent

variable.

 Frequency tables: To understand the frequency of data.

 Analysis of variance: To test the degree to which two or more variables differ in an
experiment.

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 Validity, reliability and ethics in research

• Reliability refers to a study's replicability, while validity refers to a study's accuracy.

• A study can be repeated many times and give the same result each time, and yet the
result could be wrong or inaccurate.

• A simple example of validity and reliability is an alarm clock that rings at 7:00 each
morning, but is set for 6:30. It is very reliable (it consistently rings the same time each
day), but is not valid (it is not ringing at the desired time).

• Ethical considerations in research are a set of principles that guide your research
designs and practices. These principles include voluntary participation, informed
consent, anonymity, confidentiality, potential for harm, and results communication.

• Scientists and researchers must always adhere to a certain code of conduct when
collecting data from others.

• These considerations protect the rights of research participants, enhance research

validity, and maintain scientific integrity.
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 How to choose a research methodology?

• Here are some important factors to consider when choosing a research methodology:

 Research objectives, aims, and questions these would help structure the research
design.

 Review existing literature to identify any gaps in knowledge.

 Check the statistical requirements: if data-driven or statistical results are needed

then quantitative research is the best. If the research questions can be answered
based on people’s opinions and perceptions, then qualitative research is most
suitable.

 Sample size: sample size can often determine the feasibility of a research
methodology. For a large sample, less effort- and time-intensive methods are
appropriate.

 Constraints: constraints of time, geography, and resources can help define the
appropriate methodology.
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 How to write a research methodology?

• A research methodology should include the following components:

• Research design: should be selected based on the research question and the data
required. Common research designs include experimental, quasi-experimental,
correlational, descriptive, and exploratory.

• Research method: this can be quantitative, qualitative, or mixed-method.

• Reason for selecting a specific methodology: explain why this methodology is the
most suitable to answer your research problem.

• Research instruments: explain the research instruments you plan to use, mainly
referring to the data collection methods such as interviews, surveys, etc. Here as well, a
reason should be mentioned for selecting the particular instrument.

• Sampling: this involves selecting a representative subset of the population being studied.

• Data collection: involves gathering data using several data collection methods, such as
surveys, interviews, etc.

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 QUESTIONS

• What are the three types of research methodology?

• What are the two types of sampling design?

• How to analyse qualitative data?

• Define reliability, validity and ethical considerations in research.

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Thank you