1.
CONCEPTUALIZING YOUR STUDY:
FROM A METHODOLOGY
STANDPOINT
Philip Adu, Ph.D.
Methodology Expert
National Center for Academic & Dissertation Excellence (NCADE)
The Chicago School of Professional Psychology

2.
Research Process
(Maintaining Consistency)
1. Problem Statement
Gap found in the literature
2. Research Purpose:
Determine
Understand
Explain
Describe
Illustrate
Explore
Conceptualize
3. Research
Question:
Confirmatory in nature
Exploratory in nature
4. Research Design:
Research Plan - logical
description of how data
would be collected, and
analyzed to address the
research question (s)
Research Approach
Sampling Strategy
Data Collection Strategy
6. Quality
Assurance
Reliability
Validity
Credibility
Transferability
Dependability
7. Analysis of
Data
5. Philosophical
Assumptions OR
Paradigm
Ontology (about reality)
Epistemology (about
knowledge)
Axiology (about value)
Researcher’s role(s),
background, beliefs,
perspectives, and
biases (for a qualitative
study)
8. Presentation
and Interpretation
of Results
(Yilmaz, 2013)

3.
Outline
Transitioning from Research Problem to Research
Question(s)
a. Problem statement
b. Purpose of the Study
c. Research Question
Determining an Appropriate Research Approach
1. Having working knowledge about frequently used
research approaches
2. Engaging in:
a. Research Approach Elimination (for qualitative
study)
b. Variable Examination (for quantitative study)
c. Mixed Methods Design Assessment (for Mixed
Methods study)

4.
Transitioning from Research Problem to
Research Question(s)
Transitioning from Research Problem to Research Question(s)
a. Problem statement
b. Purpose of the Study
c. Research Question

5.
Problem Statement
Describing the specific problem you want to
address in your study
• Problem needed to be addressed
• Recommended by previous researchers
• Highlighted in the existing studies
• Inferred from existing studies
• Techniques of identifying a gap in existing studies
• Confusion spotting
• Neglect spotting
• Application spotting
• Methodological flaw spotting
(Sandberg & Alvesson, 2010)
Based of the gap
identified, what do you
want to study?

6.
Research Purpose
(Characteristics)
Action’ or ‘operative’
words
Phenomenon, case,
situation, or process
Participants and
location/setting/
context
Explain, describe,
illustrate, develop,
explore,
conceptualize, or
determine the effect
or relationship
Specific issue you
plan to investigate in
your study
Specific
participants with
their respective
location/setting/c
ontext you want
to study
Considering your purpose
statement, does your study fall
under a qualitative,
quantitative, or mixed methods
study?
(Creswell, 2013)

7.
Example
Purpose statement #1
• The purpose of the study is to explain how mental health stigma
influences help seeking behavior among teens with mental health
problems in a low income neighborhood in Accra, Ghana.
Purpose statement #2
• The purpose of the study is to determine the effect of mental health
stigma on help seeking behavior among teens with mental health
problems in a low income neighborhood in Accra, Ghana.
Purpose statement #3
• The purpose of the study is to determine the relationship between
mental health stigma and help seeking behavior among teens with
mental health problems in a low income neighborhood in Accra,
Ghana. In addition, the study will focus on examining how they seek
for help to address their mental health problems.

8.
Criteria Quantitative Study Qualitative Study Mixed Methods
Study
Collection or
assessment of
observations
Measuring observations
using numbers
Describing observations
using words (i.e.
narratives)
Both
Type of reasoning Deductive reasoning
(Testing hypotheses)
Inductive reasoning
(Developing
themes/theories)
Both
Type of
investigation
Confirmatory in nature Exploratory in nature Both
Focus on the
phenomenon, case
or situation
Breadth of the
phenomenon, case or
situation
Depth of the
phenomenon, case or
situation
Both
Features of
variables/ concepts
involved
Variables are clearly
stated and relationship
between them are clearly
defined
Concepts are normally
generated from data and
well defined after
arriving at the findings
It depends on the
specific mixed methods
design chosen
Number of
participants
Large number of
participants
Small number of
participants
It depends on the
specific mixed methods
design chosen
Criteria for Determining the Type of Study

9.
Example
Purpose statement #1
• The purpose of the study is to explain how mental health stigma
influences help seeking behavior among teens with mental health
problems in a low income neighborhood in Accra, Ghana.
Purpose statement #2
• The purpose of the study is to determine the effect of mental health
stigma on help seeking behavior among teens with mental health
problems in a low income neighborhood in Accra, Ghana.
Purpose statement #3
• The purpose of the study is to determine the relationship between
mental health stigma and help seeking behavior among teens with
mental health problems in a low income neighborhood in Accra,
Ghana. In addition, the study will focus on examining how they seek
for help to address their mental health problems.
(Mixed methods study)
(Qualitative study)
(Quantitative study)

10.
Research Question(s)
Research question: It is the question to be
addressed using data collected
• Functions:
• It drives the study
• Informs research approach
• Informs data collection and analysis process

11.
Research Question(s) cont...
(Saldana, 2013; Trochim, 2006)

12.
Type of Research Question Examples
Qualitative
Research
Question
(Exploratory)
Ontological research
question
(Capturing participants‘
realities)
 “What is the nature of…?”
 “What are the lived experiences
of…?”
 “What is it like being…?”
Saldana, 2013, p.61)
Epistemological research
Question
(Understanding
phenomenon)
 “How does…?”
 “What does it mean to be…?”
 “What factors influence…?”
(Saldana, 2013, p.61)
Quantitative
Research
Question
(Confirmatory)
Descriptive research
question
 What is happening?
(Trochim, 2006)
Relational research question  What is the relationship
between…? (Trochim, 2006)
Causal research question  What is the effect of …. on …?
(Trochim, 2006))
Research Question(s) cont...

13.
Example #1
Purpose statement
• The purpose of the study is to explain how mental health stigma
influences help seeking behavior among teens with mental health
problems in a low income neighborhood in Accra, Ghana.
Research Question
• How does mental health stigma influence help seeking behaviors
among teens with mental health problems in a low income
neighborhood in Accra, Ghana?

14.
Example #2
Purpose statement
• The purpose of the study is to determine the effect of
mental health stigma on help seeking behaviors among
teens with mental health problems in a low income
neighborhood in Accra, Ghana.
Research Question
• What is the effect of mental health stigma on help
seeking behaviors among teens with mental health
problems in a low income neighborhood in Accra, Ghana?

15.
Example #3
Purpose statement
• The purpose of the study is to determine the relationship between
mental health stigma and help seeking behaviors among teens with
mental health problems in a low income neighborhood in Accra,
Ghana. In addition, the study will focus on examining how they seek
for help to address their mental health problems.
Research Question
1. What is the correlation between mental health stigma and help
seeking behaviors among teens with mental health problems in a
low income neighborhood in Accra, Ghana?
2. How do teens with mental health problems seek for help or mental
heath services?

16.
Determining an Appropriate Research
Approach
Determining an Appropriate Research
Approach
1. Having working knowledge about
frequently used research approaches
2. Engaging in:
a. Research Approach Elimination (for
qualitative study)
b. Variable Examination (for
quantitative study)
c. Mixed Methods Design Assessment
(for Mixed Methods study)

17.
Determining Appropriate Methodology
(Creswell, 2013; Creswell, Plano Clark, Gutmann, & Hanson, 2003; Keele, 2011)
1. Having working
knowledge about
frequently used research
approaches

18.
Research Approach Elimination
(for a Qualitative study)
1. Reviewing characteristics of the research question(s)
2. Eliminating the research approaches that are not consistent
with the research question(s)
3. Determining the kind of data needed to address the research
question(s)
4. Compare the expected data with the methodological
rationale/purpose of each potential research approach
Reviewing
EliminatingDetermining
Comparing
REDC

19.
Example
Purpose statement
• The purpose of the study is to explain how mental health stigma influences
help seeking behavior among teens with mental health problems in a low
income neighborhood in Accra, Ghana.
Research Question
• How does mental health stigma influence help seeking behaviors among
teens with mental health problems in a low income neighborhood in Accra,
Ghana?
1. Phenomenological
approach
2. Grounded theory
approach
3. Narrative approach
4. Case study
5. Ethnography
Reviewing
EliminatingDetermining
Comparing
REDC

20.
Variable Examination
(for a Quantitative study)
1. Reviewing characteristics of the research question(s)
2. Examining the features of the variable(s) or concept(s) involved
a. Operational definition
b. Variable type – in terms of the role (independent/predictor, or dependent/outcome
variable)
c. Level of measurement (Nominal, interval, or ratio)
d. Relationship with other variables (causal relationship, predictive relationship or
correlation/association)
3. Determining whether the study falls under descriptive, correlational,
non-experimental, quasi-experimental, or experimental study.
Review
Examine
Determine
RED

21.
Example
Purpose statement
• The purpose of the study is to determine the effect of mental health stigma
on help seeking behavior among teens with mental health problems in a low
income neighborhood in Accra, Ghana.
Research Question
• What is the effect of mental health stigma on help seeking behaviors among
teens with mental health problems in a low income neighborhood in Accra,
Ghana?
Review
Examine
Determine
1. Descriptive study
2. Correlational study
3. Non-experimental study
4. Quasi-experimental study
5. Experimental study
RED

22.
Mixed Methods DesignAssessment
(for a Mixed Methods study)
1. Reviewing characteristics of the purpose statement and research
question(s)
2. Examining the features of the features of mixed methods designs –
looking at:
a. Theoretical Lens, Timing, Integration, Purpose, and Priority (TTIPP)
a. Using Mixed Methods Design Decision Tool (MMDDT)
a. (https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/Choosing_Appropriate_Mixed_Methods
_Design) – free to use
3. Choosing the mixed methods design that best fit your study
Review
Examine
Choose
REC

23.
(Creswell, Plano Clark, Gutmann, & Hanson, 2003)
Mixed Methods
Design
Theoretical Lens Timing Integration Methodological
Rationale
Priority
Sequential
Explanatory Design
Implicit (Post-
positivist lens)
Sequential –
beginning with
quantitative phase
Data Analysis stage
(connected) and
Interpretation stage
(merged)
Complementarity Quantitative data
Sequential
Exploratory Design
Explicit (constructivist
lens)
Sequential –
beginning with
qualitative phase
Data Analysis stage
(connected) and
Interpretation stage
(merged)
Development,
complementarity,
and/or
expansion
Qualitative data
Sequential
Transformative
Design
Explicit – advocacy
lens
Sequential –
beginning with either
quantitative or
qualitative phase
Data Analysis stage
(connected) and
Interpretation stage
(merged)
Complementarity,
development and/or
expansion
Either quantitative or
qualitative data
(Sometimes both…)
Concurrent
Triangulation
Design
Implicit Concurrent Data analysis
(separated) and
Interpretation stages
(merged)
Triangulation Equal – both
quantitative and
qualitative data
Concurrent Nested
Design
Implicit or
explicit
Concurrent Data analysis (data
transformed and/or
merged) and
Interpretation stages
(merged
Complementarity,
initiation, and/or
expansion
Unequal
Concurrent
Transformative
Design
Explicit – advocacy
lens
Concurrent Data analysis
(separated) and
Interpretation stages
(merged)
Complementarity,
initiation, and/or
expansion
Equal or unequal
Types of Mixed Methods Design

24.
Example
Purpose statement
• The purpose of the study is to determine the relationship between mental health stigma and help
seeking behavior among teens with mental health problems in a low income neighborhood in Accra,
Ghana. In addition, the study will focus on examining how they seek for help to address their mental
health problems.
Research Question
1. What is the correlation between mental health stigma and help seeking behavior among
teens with mental health problems in a low income neighborhood in Accra, Ghana?
2. How do teens with mental health problem seek for help or mental heath services?
1. Sequential Explanatory Design
2. Sequential Exploratory Design
3. Sequential Transformative Design
4. Concurrent Triangulation Design
5. Concurrent Nested Design
6. Concurrent Transformative Design
Review
Examine
Choose

25.
Becoming Familiar with Methodology Terminologies
Knowing the Common Terms used in Describing Research Method Process
• Reviewing research methods textbooks
• Reviewing methodology sections of peer reviewed research articles
Essence
1. Clearly describe
your actions in the
study
2. Provide
justifications

26.
Additional Resources
a. Getting started with your
Dissertation (Webinar)
i. http://www.slideshare.net
/kontorphilip/getting-
started-with-your-
dissertation-webinar
b. Delimitations and
Limitations
i. http://www.slideshare.net
/kontorphilip/difference-
between-delimitations-
limitations-and-
assumptions-33114428
c. Conceptual Framework
i. http://www.slideshare.net/
kontorphilip/conceptual-or-
theoretical-framework

27.
Ncade.me@thechicagoschool.edu
Philip Adu, Ph.D.
Methodology Expert
National Center for Academic & Dissertation
Excellence (NCADE)

28.
References
Creswell, J. W. (2013). Qualitative Inquiry and Research Design: Choosing
Among Five Approaches (3rd). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Creswell, J. W., Plano Clark, V. L., Gutmann, M. L., & Hanson, W. E. (2003).
Advanced mixed methods research designs. In A. Tashakkori & C.
Teddlie (Eds.), Handbook of mixed methods in social and behavioral
research (pp. 209–240). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Keele, R. (2011), Nursing research and evidence-based practice. MA: Jones &
Bartlett, LLC.
Saldana, J. (2013). The coding manual for qualitative researchers. London:
Sage
Sandberg, J., & Alvesson, M. (2011). Ways of constructing research questions:
Gap-spotting or problematization? Organization, 18(23), 23-44.
doi:10.1177/1350508410372151
Trochim, W. M. (2006, October 20). Types of questions. Retrieved from
Research methods knowledge base website:
http://www.socialresearchmethods.net/kb/qualval.php
Yilmaz, K. (2013). Comparison of quantitative and qualitative research
traditions: Epistemological, theoretical, and methodological
differences. European Journal of Education, 48(2), 311-325.