Research Methodology Peculiarities - Assignment Example

UNIT VI QUESTIONS Research methodology Unlike research methods that are used by researchers to refer to distinct techniques that are applied while carrying out a research study, the research, methodology describes the vast number of processes that a researcher involves while studying specific phenomena. Methodologies therefore refer to the systematic process through which a research study is carried out. Research methods are categorically part of the methodologies that are utilized by a researcher within the framework of carrying out a research study (Vallack, 2010). Discussion Question 1: Wright Mills, an English author is fondly remembered for a quotation he wrote on intellectual craftsmanship. He said that he believed that the failure of a person to posses the capacity to grasp learning/intelligence in often times is less of never at all influenced by the condition of the mind concerning thinking. He reasons that this can be attributable wholly on the state of mind of the individual academic writer. He therefore asserts that when an individual is interested in being effective and successful in academics, it is mandatory that success starts from the mind; implying that the attitude to be successful has a lot to do with the realization of actual success in academics. Question 2: Research data in a study is used to refer to the measurable that a study is based on (Baran, 2010). For instance, when a study is intended to analyze the distribution of height within a group of people, height in units would be the measurable quantity to be represented as data. The anticipated research findings in this case may be a range of numeric figures, which depicts the expected highest figure in height, and the lowest figure expected. Distribution graphs would therefore be based on such numeric findings for ease of interpretation. This therefore shows that anticipated research data is the most fundamental component of a research study without which the anticipated research findings would not be realized. The researcher should acknowledge that variation in accuracy of the research data would explain the variations that would be observed in the research findings hence the significance of accuracy of anticipated research data. Question 3: In a qualitative study, two main approaches or ways may be applied in analysis are inductive and or deductive approaches. While one adopts a deductive approach while testing an existing theory, the inductive approach in qualitative analysis is adopted whenever a person is interested in generating a new theory as necessitated by the data collected. Within a deductive approach, a hypothesis forms the basis of analysis while an inductive study analysis has research questions as the main tools of application to narrowing down the study. Causality forms the main base on which a deductive analysis approach within a qualitative study is based while the main aim of adopting an inductive approach is whenever a person/researcher is interested in developing a new theoretical phenomena. Though the deductive approach of qualitative analysis is often applied within a qualitative study, the deductive approach is not as often, though this does not imply that it cannot be applied. The main consideration that must be put into place while deciding on which of the approaches to adopt therefore is the aim of the findings being sought as well as the appropriateness of the approach in analyzing and answering the questions presented in the study and or the hypotheses devised (Gabriel, 2014). Question 4: Inductive qualitative analysis approaches the topic of study in a ‘new’ perspective where the study aims at developing a new theory or framework of study. Depending on the appropriateness of adopting the approach, inductive approach may imply the development of new study theorem. It has an implication within a study that questions are to be adopted for narrowing down the scope of the study as against using hypothesis as is the case of a deductive approach in qualitative study analysis. Besides, the choice of applying a deductive approach in a qualitative study analysis distinguishes the study as being deductive as against inductive (Braguglia, & Jackson, 2012). Question 5: On the other hand, the common main implications whenever a study adopts a deductive approach in conducting the qualitative analysis are that of furthering an already existing theoretical framework. Deductions from a study are therefore often evaluated based on an already existing theory as against the creation of a new theory. The analysis of the study data a findings is done and this leads to making particular deductions. Deductions from the study findings will then be applicable in general context within the capacity of the study to project and make inferences. This implies that deductive analysis is often most suited for particular general contexts as against particular phenomena. Moreover, the choice of using the deductive approach in qualitative studies defines the study as being inductive and not as otherwise would be thought of being deductive (Myers, 2011). Question 6: In every study, there are always some factors that influence the capacity to generalize the study findings as well as the factors that in one way or another has direct influence in limiting the ease of conducting the study. These factors that work against the ease of conducting a research study are what researchers define as limitations and are critical parts of a research study. It is important to note the limitations within a study in order to help the researcher ovoid similar shortcomings in the event that he/she intends to carry out a similar study. This therefore implies that a researcher would be in a position to acknowledge the limitations of a study and view the limitations as effective challenges for improvement of future studies. It is equally an opportunity to convince an observer (or the professor) that a researcher is much aware of the problem under analysis. The outright claim of the imitations within a study presents another opportunity for a researcher to subjectively analyze and present possible implications of the limitations identified within the study. The section on the limitations therefore present a researcher with an opportunity to explain the mysteries that a reader may identify while studying the research findings especially concerning what implications the limitations experienced would have influenced the outcome of the study. It should however be noted that research limitations are influenced by the actual problem under study and as such, limitations would vary. The variance would depend on the size of sample size under study, unavailability of particular data of interest, failure to have had background information within an area of study as well as the tendency of self-reporting data as against having authenticated data. Study limitations are therefore critical in any study and must be considered within the methodology part of the study. Question 7: Research studies are often not centered on a single individual and thus involve collaborated efforts of many people. In describing a qualitative analysis therefore, the efforts of the various persons involved are acknowledged. For instance, in an academic set-up, the contributions of the supervisor (or lecturer) and the student researcher are acknowledged. Collaborative efforts are notable in collecting data, data reduction, data display as well as in analysis and drawing conclusions. The interactive attribute of a qualitative analysis description is equally observable in the procedures adopted for the analysis. Besides the data is usually sorted into categories where various attributes of the data are linked and connected. Moreover, in order to produce an account of the data, collaborative evidence is employed. The analysis of the various procedures outlined involves the interaction of not only the efforts of persons directly involved but also the interaction of various attributes of qualitative data (Bezzina, & Saunders, 2013). Question 8: The ‘Ethics Committee’ or ‘Institutional Review Board’ are bodies, which are normally consulted or approached for ethical approval of a research study. In the event that an approval is granted for any study, and then in the process of conducting the study a need arise necessitating expansion of scope of the study, then it would become apparent that considering consulting the approving body is necessary. This would be more necessary if the expansion would involve going beyond the confines of the initial study framework. The revised methodology would require to be authorized by the ethics approving body hence the need to bring it to the body. Question 9: Depending on the nature of the phenomena under study, a study may be defined as qualitative or otherwise quantitative. The main distinction between these types of research studies is notable on the type of data collected. Whereas quantitative research study involves empirical data, the qualitative study does not focus on quantities but rather on such other attributes that would lack capacity to be quantified. In many instances, qualitative studies are defined by evaluation of past studies or literature as against collecting primary quantitative data. Every research undertaking has a particular design upon which it is carried out. The research design describes a unique procedure that the researcher is going to use to go about the data collection exercise. A qualitative study however involves qualitative data as against the quantitative data and this therefore points to the main defining feature of qualitative research as being therefore the un-quantitative data. Question 10: The methodology segment in a research paper (in this context an ethics paper) comprises various sections and components. The main content components of the segment are research design, population, sample/sampling techniques, tools of collecting data, study limitations, ethics as well as time scale for the study. In this study, the various segments will carry distinct information as shown below. Research design: This segment describes a unique procedure that the researcher intends to use to go about the data collection exercise. In case study, the researcher identifies a specialised situation and undertakes a comprehensive study or research around the situation. For the present research, the researcher employs the use of both qualitative and deductive research methods, which means that the research design must be one that can satisfy the requirements of all these two forms of methods (Arora, 2002). Population: Population refers to the total number of people (or objects for which the study is on) within the setting where the data collection exercise will take place. The formation of a population and a sample is a very important practice for the primary data collection process. This is because the primary data collection requires the collection of data from an identified group of persons who fit within a given scope of variables outlined by the researcher. Sample and sampling technique: A sample population refers to a specified group of persons or objects from the population identified and which would be used representatively. It is acknowledged that involving an entire population in collecting data may not only be tedious but would also be very expensive. This therefore informs the use of sample in collecting representative data. There are various told that are used in selecting a sample population to be used in collecting the data and this explains sampling techniques in a study. Data collection tools: Instruments that are specifically designed and adopted for collecting the data required in such a research defines the data collection tools. The tools commonly used are questionnaires, surveys, interviews as well as observation tools among others. Suitability of either of these tools to a particular study is often dependent on the phenomena under study and the nature of data required. For instance, research study involving people’s opinions would most be suited for interview method as against observation method. Limitations: Study limitations as earlier alluded to refer to the notable features, which challenge the effectiveness of the methodology, adopted in delivering the intended results. Limitations may be observed in data collection, analysis as well as interpretation. In particular, the study methodology limitations describe the hindrances experienced during collection of data as well as in the analysis of the same. The capacity of a study to deliver the intended results as well as to be completed effectively depends on the ability to overcome the study limitations. Timescale: This defines the span of time within which the study would be conducted. It is the period between the commencements of the study and the time that the study gets complete and is not predefined for all studies but is dependent on the researcher and such other prevailing factors. Ethics: As part of academic and professional practice, a number of ethical considerations are made in the conduct of a research. For instance, ethical approval from a governing body on involving human subjects within a study is necessary in upholding ethics (Spinuzzi, 2002). Conclusion Methodology is a critical step while carrying out a research study in that through literature review, one is able to know whether it is a study that has ever been done and if so the methods applied previously and the outcomes that were gotten. It therefore assists the research in determining whether his/her methods have been used in the past and what other methods have ever been used. Moreover, the methodology may depend on the research being either structured or unstructured within the qualitative/quantitative analysis. Within the empirical context of research study, the researcher identifies the overall population, decides on the observable variables and then quantification of the empirical research is done. This involves the methods of measuring the variables, estimating the respective parameters and then testing the hypothesis. Nevertheless, the conceptual or theoretical research studies are guided by some abstract ideas or theories. However, the two perspectives; the theoretical as well as the empirical perspectives complement each other for the reliability of the findings that are resultant of a study. It is however mandatory for every researcher to define the theory under use in order to determine the methodologies to use within the study. These are equally dependent on the subject or field of study. The research paradigm adopted as either being qualitative or quantitative is equally very instrumental in deciding on the methodology to be applied. Qualitative and quantitative research studies depend on the major differences notable on the nature of reality, epistemology (relationships being studied), use of language, role of values as well as the overall research process (Aylward & Clarke, 2005). References Arora, A. (2002). A textbook of research methodology in social science. Finance India, 16(2), 710-711. Aylward D. and Clarke R. (2005). Research models and methodologies. HDR seminar series. Faculty of commerce spring session 2005. Retrieved from https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&ved=0CCcQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.uow.edu.au%2Fcontent%2Fgroups%2Fpublic%2F%40web%2F%40commerce%2Fdocuments%2Fdoc%2Fuow012042.pdf&ei=UsftUui8FeXE7Aaoj4CwCA&usg=AFQjCNHAhzKzmxsW2uVafum-HSKxaernug&sig2=NUjsobpIs5pFpfsQJzt7DA&bvm=bv.60444564,d.ZGU Baran, M. (2010). Teaching multi-methodology research courses to doctoral students. International Journal of Multiple Research Approaches, 4(1), 19-27. Bezzina, F., & Saunders, M. (2013). The prevalence of research methodology Mis/Conceptions among business and management academics. Paper presented at the 40-IX. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/1419022083?accountid=45049 Braguglia, K. H., & Jackson, K. A. (2012). Teaching research methodology using A project-based three course sequence critical reflections on practice. American Journal of Business Education (Online), 5(3), 347. Gabriel D., (2014). Inductive and deductive approaches to research. Retrieved from http://deborahgabriel.com/2013/03/17/inductive-and-deductive-approaches-to-research/ Myers, G. T. (2011). Research methodology by numbers - a teaching tool. Electronic Journal of Business Research Methods, 9(1), 66-77. Spinuzzi, C. (2002). Toward integrating our research scope: A sociocultural field methodology. Journal of Business and Technical Communication, 16(1), 3-32. Vallack, J. (2010). Subtextual phenomenology: A methodology for valid, first-person research. Electronic Journal of Business Research Methods, 8(2), 106-118. Read More