The nature of qualitative research: formulating research questions and developing a literature review
Dr Jo Cartwright
Outline for today
Research aims and objectives
Literature reviews
Exercises
Analyse good and bad examples of aims and objectives
Handout – developing your own aims and objectives
Analyse good and bad examples of student literature reviews
Literature review analysis of 5-10 journal articles of your choice
Thinking about your research area
Will be conducting a dissertation next year
Seems a long way off but it is worth giving yourself a good deal of time to think about what you want to conduct your research on
Also can use this module as a ‘testing ground’ to develop your initial ideas and receive feedback
Importance of research questions
Guide your literature search
Guide your decisions about the kind of research design to employ
Guide your decisions about what data to collect and from whom
Guide your analysis of the data
Guide your writing up of the data
Stop you from going off on tangents
Possible sources of research questions
Opposing theoretical perspectives
Contrasting perspectives on women’s choice or structural barriers explaining their lack of progression into SM jobs.
The existing literature
Gaps in the gender equality literature on barriers of SPL for homosexual couples in the workplace
Different organisational structures
Barriers for SPL take-up in flexible vs traditional organisational structures
New methods or theories in new settings
Barriers for SPL take up in the gig economy
New social and technical developments
The role of Brexit on recruitment and retention in xxx industry, or organisational responses to the ageing workforce in xxx industry.
Personal experience
Aesthetic labour in retail
SM = SENIOR MANAGEMENT; SPL = SHARED PARENTAL LEAVE
6
Formulating research questions
Most students want to conduct research into areas that are of personal interest to them
Start out with a general research area or objective
This should then be narrowed down to develop a tighter focus out of which research questions can be developed
Very open ended research is risky and leads to too much data and confusion when writing up
No or poor research questions = poor research
Framework for crafting research questions
Identifying a research question flow - chart
I don’t have a research question, where do I start? Narrow down a research area of interest
1) Narrow down an area of interest (i.e. Growth theory, monetary policy, fiscal policy etc.)
2) Within that area of interest try to answer a research question that:
Has either not been addressed before;
Or has been addressed but that you could extend in a significant way (i.e. new data-set, different econometric/theoretical approach etc.);
Or pioneer a new research area of economics (not recommended)
Note: before you identify a research question it is crucial that you narrow down a research area of interest!
Literature review ( when I don’t have a research q.
DefinitionThe goal of a research proposal is to present and justif.docxpetehbailey729071
Definition
The goal of a research proposal is to present and justify the need to study a research problem and to present the practical ways in which the proposed study should be conducted. The design elements and procedures for conducting the research are governed by standards within the predominant discipline in which the problem resides, so guidelines for research proposals are more exacting and less formal than a general project proposal. Research proposals contain extensive literature reviews. They must provide persuasive evidence that a need exists for the proposed study. In addition to providing a rationale, a proposal describes detailed methodology for conducting the research consistent with requirements of the professional or academic field and a statement on anticipated outcomes and/or benefits derived from the study's completion.
Krathwohl, David R.
How to Prepare a Dissertation Proposal: Suggestions for Students in Education and the Social and Behavioral Sciences
. Syracuse, NY: Syracuse University Press, 2005.
How to Approach Writing a Research Proposal
Your professor may assign the task of writing a research proposal for the following reasons:
Develop your skills in thinking about and designing a comprehensive research study;
Learn how to conduct a comprehensive review of the literature to ensure a research problem has not already been answered [or you may determine the problem has been answered ineffectively] and, in so doing, become better at locating scholarship related to your topic;
Improve your general research and writing skills;
Practice identifying the logical steps that must be taken to accomplish one's research goals;
Critically review, examine, and consider the use of different methods for gathering and analyzing data related to the research problem; and,
Nurture a sense of inquisitiveness within yourself and to help see yourself as an active participant in
the process of
doing scholarly research.
A proposal should contain all the key elements involved in designing a completed research study, with sufficient information that allows readers to assess the validity and usefulness of your proposed study. The only elements missing from a research proposal are the findings of the study and your analysis of those results. Finally, an effective proposal is judged on the quality of your writing and, therefore, it is important that your writing is coherent, clear, and compelling.
Regardless of the research problem you are investigating and the methodology you choose, all research proposals must address the following questions:
What do you plan to accomplish?
Be clear and succinct in defining the research problem and what it is you are proposing to research.
Why do you want to do it?
In addition to detailing your research design, you also must conduct a thorough review of the literature and provide convincing evidence that it is a topic worthy of study. Be sure to answer the "So What?" question.
How are you going to do it?
.
Sources of Research Questions and Formulation of Hypothesis Psychology Pedia
Research Method -
Research questions, Good research questions, Steps to developing a research question, Sources of research question, Research hypothesis, Characteristics of hypothesis
DefinitionThe goal of a research proposal is to present and justif.docxpetehbailey729071
Definition
The goal of a research proposal is to present and justify the need to study a research problem and to present the practical ways in which the proposed study should be conducted. The design elements and procedures for conducting the research are governed by standards within the predominant discipline in which the problem resides, so guidelines for research proposals are more exacting and less formal than a general project proposal. Research proposals contain extensive literature reviews. They must provide persuasive evidence that a need exists for the proposed study. In addition to providing a rationale, a proposal describes detailed methodology for conducting the research consistent with requirements of the professional or academic field and a statement on anticipated outcomes and/or benefits derived from the study's completion.
Krathwohl, David R.
How to Prepare a Dissertation Proposal: Suggestions for Students in Education and the Social and Behavioral Sciences
. Syracuse, NY: Syracuse University Press, 2005.
How to Approach Writing a Research Proposal
Your professor may assign the task of writing a research proposal for the following reasons:
Develop your skills in thinking about and designing a comprehensive research study;
Learn how to conduct a comprehensive review of the literature to ensure a research problem has not already been answered [or you may determine the problem has been answered ineffectively] and, in so doing, become better at locating scholarship related to your topic;
Improve your general research and writing skills;
Practice identifying the logical steps that must be taken to accomplish one's research goals;
Critically review, examine, and consider the use of different methods for gathering and analyzing data related to the research problem; and,
Nurture a sense of inquisitiveness within yourself and to help see yourself as an active participant in
the process of
doing scholarly research.
A proposal should contain all the key elements involved in designing a completed research study, with sufficient information that allows readers to assess the validity and usefulness of your proposed study. The only elements missing from a research proposal are the findings of the study and your analysis of those results. Finally, an effective proposal is judged on the quality of your writing and, therefore, it is important that your writing is coherent, clear, and compelling.
Regardless of the research problem you are investigating and the methodology you choose, all research proposals must address the following questions:
What do you plan to accomplish?
Be clear and succinct in defining the research problem and what it is you are proposing to research.
Why do you want to do it?
In addition to detailing your research design, you also must conduct a thorough review of the literature and provide convincing evidence that it is a topic worthy of study. Be sure to answer the "So What?" question.
How are you going to do it?
.
Sources of Research Questions and Formulation of Hypothesis Psychology Pedia
Research Method -
Research questions, Good research questions, Steps to developing a research question, Sources of research question, Research hypothesis, Characteristics of hypothesis
Research Gap: Situating Your Inquiry within the Study of the Topic Richa Srishti
The presentation is about the major aspects related to Research gap.
Contents:
What is Research Gap?
Significance of Research Gaps
Types of Research Gaps
Identifying Research Gaps
Challenges and Limitations
Framework to Identify Research Gaps
Presenting Research Gaps
Common Mistakes in Presenting Research Gaps
Research, Writing, and Publishing in High Impact JournalsDr. Abdul Mujeebu M
This is compilation of my presentations in a recent workshop at AMU Aligarh, India. Interested institutions can contact me for conducting similar workshop.
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY_ STEP BY STEP RESEARCH METHODOLOGY CHAPTER_.pdfMATIULLAH JAN
What the methodology chapter is and why it is important?
How to structure and write up the methodology chapter:
The research design:
The research philosophy:
The research type:
Inductive research,
The research strategy:
Experimental research
The time horizon:
The sampling strategy:
The data collection method
The analysis methods and techniques:
The methodological limitations
Yin, R. K. (2018). Case study research and applications Design an.docxadampcarr67227
Yin, R. K. (2018). Case study research and applications: Design and methods (6th ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
· Chapter 2, “Designing Case Studies: Identifying Your Case(s) and Establishing the Logic of Your Case Study” (pp. 25-80)
General Approach To Designing Case Studies
Chapter 1 has shown when you might choose to do case study research, as opposed to other types of research, to carry out a new study. The next step is to design your case study. For this purpose, as in designing any other type of research, you need a research design.
The research design will call for careful craftwork. Unlike other research methods, a standard catalog of case study designs has yet to emerge. There are no textbooks, like those in the biological and psychological sciences, covering such design considerations as the assignment of subjects to different groups, the selection of different stimuli or experimental conditions, or the identification of various response measures (see Cochran & Cox, 1992; Fisher, 1990; Sidowski, 1966). In an experiment, each of these choices reflects an important logical connection to the issues being studied. Nor have any common case study designs emerged—such as the panel studies, for example—used in surveys (see Kidder & Judd, 1986, chap. 6).
One pitfall to be avoided, however, is to consider case study designs as a subset or variant of the research designs used for other methods, such as quasi-experiments (e.g., Campbell & Stanley, 1966; Cook & Campbell, 1979). For a long time, scholars incorrectly thought that the case study was but one type of quasi-experimental design (the “one-shot post-test-only” design—Campbell & Stanley, 1966, pp. 6–7). Although the misperception lingers to this day, it was later corrected when one of the original authors made the following statement in the revision to his original work on quasi-experimental designs:
Certainly the case study as normally practiced should not be demeaned by identification with the one-group post-test-only design. (Cook & Campbell, 1979, p. 96)
Tip: How should I select the case(s) for my case study?
You need sufficient access to the data for your potential case—whether to interview people, review documents or records, or make field observations. Given such access to more than a single candidate case, you should choose the case(s) that will most likely illuminate your research questions. Absent sufficient access, you may want to consider changing your research questions, hopefully leading to new candidates to which you do have access.
Do you think access should be so important?
In other words, the one-shot, posttest-only design as a quasi-experimental design still may be flawed, but case studies have now been recognized as something different, with their own research designs.
Unfortunately, case study designs have not been codified. The following chapter therefore expands on the ground broken by earlier editions of this book and describes a basic set of research designs for.
This presentation looks at some of the presenting issues for Third-Level students who are studying for a Masters Degree or Doctorate. It has a particular focus on the 'adult' learner or 'mature student'.
The objective of this assignment is to encourage the students to.docxdennisa15
The objective of this assignment is to encourage the students to use excel spreadsheets to aid in problem solving. Students are asked to solve a capital budgeting problem using an excel spreadsheet.
Format: The assignment is a problem solving exercise using an excel spreadsheet with additional discussion on findings considering both quantitative measures and qualitative issues.
Documents: Students should submit the following documents IN HARD COPY SUBMISSION:
· an assignment COVER sheet
· a copy of the FORMAL report
· a copy of the EXCEL spreadsheet displaying VALUES
· a copy of the EXCEL spreadsheet displaying excel FORMULAS
Online Submission: Link and details will be available on Canvas.
For online submission on Canvas via Turnitin, submit ONLY ONE FILE including
ONLY
the
Assignment
Cover
Page
along
with
the
copy
of
Formal
Report
.
Details of Assignment
Assume that you are an adviser at HITECH Ltd, which is analysing the introduction of a new game console named NEUROFORCE. This system can be connected with human brain functions and still very much controversial for claimed but yet to be confirmed adverse impacts on human behaviour after prolonged application. Health conscious groups are also lobbying against introduction of such games with probable detrimental effects.
The project manager of HITECH Ltd needs a detail analysis on this exciting NEUROFORCE project. She comes into your office, drops a consultant’s report on your desk, and complains, “We paid these consultants $1 million for this report, and I am not sure their financial analysis makes sense, though their estimations seem to be correct. Before we spend $30 million on
buying new equipment needed for this project, look it over and give me your opinion.” You open the report and find the following information and estimates:
The project will continue for next 7 years, by that time more reliable information on possible adverse impacts of using NEUROFORCE will be available. It is projected that equipment will have economic life of 10 years. After buying the equipment, it requires to renovate the production bay at HITECH Ltd and install the equipment at a total cost of $1 million. These renovation and installation costs are to be considered as capital expenditures. Staff training cost of $100,000 is to be incurred initially at the start of the project.
The equipment will be procured from SWEDEN and HITECH Ltd has to pay 8% import duty on purchase price, whereas the supplier will pay transportation costs of $70,000. These property, plant and equipment (PPE) would be depreciated over its useful life of 10 years using a tax allowable straight-line rate of 10%. However, the company is planning to sell the equipment at the end of the project for an estimated price of $6 million.
Consultants estimate that 48,000 NEUROFORCE consoles can be sold in the first year with an expected increase by 25% in each year for next two years; afterwards sales are expected to decr.
The objective of the work is to do a program in C++, to consult the .docxdennisa15
The objective of the work is to do a program in C++, to consult the information of various projects belonging to companies to crowdfunding.
So first every project information, belonging to x company (two or more projects can belong to the same company) will be included in a text file with the following ( theres more that one project per text file):
Title:
Company name:
Name of the man in charge:
Project duration (in months):
Keywords:
Expenses:
Equipment:
Scholarships:
Consumables:
Accounting:
Trips:
General expenses:
·
This part is just a text file, including the information of all projects that need to be consulted by the user, not needed to be implemented into the code.
Now into the program:
First the user must be able to input the name of what text file he wants to read the information from.
Then the infomation of each project must be stored into a linked list.
Each project should have his own code ( can be sequential, ie. Project1-> code:1 , Project2-> code:2…., being 1 and 2 the respective code.)
The user should be able:
to see all the projects that are in the text file that the user previously put the name of, ordered by the title name;
To search for a certain project by inputing their code;
To search for projects by inputing the company name, (ie. If two projects belong to the same company, the user will see the two projects, searching by x company);
Every extra function implemented in the program (ie. Validation, remotion of a project) will be a plus for the teacher.
.
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Research Gap: Situating Your Inquiry within the Study of the Topic Richa Srishti
The presentation is about the major aspects related to Research gap.
Contents:
What is Research Gap?
Significance of Research Gaps
Types of Research Gaps
Identifying Research Gaps
Challenges and Limitations
Framework to Identify Research Gaps
Presenting Research Gaps
Common Mistakes in Presenting Research Gaps
Research, Writing, and Publishing in High Impact JournalsDr. Abdul Mujeebu M
This is compilation of my presentations in a recent workshop at AMU Aligarh, India. Interested institutions can contact me for conducting similar workshop.
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY_ STEP BY STEP RESEARCH METHODOLOGY CHAPTER_.pdfMATIULLAH JAN
What the methodology chapter is and why it is important?
How to structure and write up the methodology chapter:
The research design:
The research philosophy:
The research type:
Inductive research,
The research strategy:
Experimental research
The time horizon:
The sampling strategy:
The data collection method
The analysis methods and techniques:
The methodological limitations
Yin, R. K. (2018). Case study research and applications Design an.docxadampcarr67227
Yin, R. K. (2018). Case study research and applications: Design and methods (6th ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
· Chapter 2, “Designing Case Studies: Identifying Your Case(s) and Establishing the Logic of Your Case Study” (pp. 25-80)
General Approach To Designing Case Studies
Chapter 1 has shown when you might choose to do case study research, as opposed to other types of research, to carry out a new study. The next step is to design your case study. For this purpose, as in designing any other type of research, you need a research design.
The research design will call for careful craftwork. Unlike other research methods, a standard catalog of case study designs has yet to emerge. There are no textbooks, like those in the biological and psychological sciences, covering such design considerations as the assignment of subjects to different groups, the selection of different stimuli or experimental conditions, or the identification of various response measures (see Cochran & Cox, 1992; Fisher, 1990; Sidowski, 1966). In an experiment, each of these choices reflects an important logical connection to the issues being studied. Nor have any common case study designs emerged—such as the panel studies, for example—used in surveys (see Kidder & Judd, 1986, chap. 6).
One pitfall to be avoided, however, is to consider case study designs as a subset or variant of the research designs used for other methods, such as quasi-experiments (e.g., Campbell & Stanley, 1966; Cook & Campbell, 1979). For a long time, scholars incorrectly thought that the case study was but one type of quasi-experimental design (the “one-shot post-test-only” design—Campbell & Stanley, 1966, pp. 6–7). Although the misperception lingers to this day, it was later corrected when one of the original authors made the following statement in the revision to his original work on quasi-experimental designs:
Certainly the case study as normally practiced should not be demeaned by identification with the one-group post-test-only design. (Cook & Campbell, 1979, p. 96)
Tip: How should I select the case(s) for my case study?
You need sufficient access to the data for your potential case—whether to interview people, review documents or records, or make field observations. Given such access to more than a single candidate case, you should choose the case(s) that will most likely illuminate your research questions. Absent sufficient access, you may want to consider changing your research questions, hopefully leading to new candidates to which you do have access.
Do you think access should be so important?
In other words, the one-shot, posttest-only design as a quasi-experimental design still may be flawed, but case studies have now been recognized as something different, with their own research designs.
Unfortunately, case study designs have not been codified. The following chapter therefore expands on the ground broken by earlier editions of this book and describes a basic set of research designs for.
This presentation looks at some of the presenting issues for Third-Level students who are studying for a Masters Degree or Doctorate. It has a particular focus on the 'adult' learner or 'mature student'.
The objective of this assignment is to encourage the students to.docxdennisa15
The objective of this assignment is to encourage the students to use excel spreadsheets to aid in problem solving. Students are asked to solve a capital budgeting problem using an excel spreadsheet.
Format: The assignment is a problem solving exercise using an excel spreadsheet with additional discussion on findings considering both quantitative measures and qualitative issues.
Documents: Students should submit the following documents IN HARD COPY SUBMISSION:
· an assignment COVER sheet
· a copy of the FORMAL report
· a copy of the EXCEL spreadsheet displaying VALUES
· a copy of the EXCEL spreadsheet displaying excel FORMULAS
Online Submission: Link and details will be available on Canvas.
For online submission on Canvas via Turnitin, submit ONLY ONE FILE including
ONLY
the
Assignment
Cover
Page
along
with
the
copy
of
Formal
Report
.
Details of Assignment
Assume that you are an adviser at HITECH Ltd, which is analysing the introduction of a new game console named NEUROFORCE. This system can be connected with human brain functions and still very much controversial for claimed but yet to be confirmed adverse impacts on human behaviour after prolonged application. Health conscious groups are also lobbying against introduction of such games with probable detrimental effects.
The project manager of HITECH Ltd needs a detail analysis on this exciting NEUROFORCE project. She comes into your office, drops a consultant’s report on your desk, and complains, “We paid these consultants $1 million for this report, and I am not sure their financial analysis makes sense, though their estimations seem to be correct. Before we spend $30 million on
buying new equipment needed for this project, look it over and give me your opinion.” You open the report and find the following information and estimates:
The project will continue for next 7 years, by that time more reliable information on possible adverse impacts of using NEUROFORCE will be available. It is projected that equipment will have economic life of 10 years. After buying the equipment, it requires to renovate the production bay at HITECH Ltd and install the equipment at a total cost of $1 million. These renovation and installation costs are to be considered as capital expenditures. Staff training cost of $100,000 is to be incurred initially at the start of the project.
The equipment will be procured from SWEDEN and HITECH Ltd has to pay 8% import duty on purchase price, whereas the supplier will pay transportation costs of $70,000. These property, plant and equipment (PPE) would be depreciated over its useful life of 10 years using a tax allowable straight-line rate of 10%. However, the company is planning to sell the equipment at the end of the project for an estimated price of $6 million.
Consultants estimate that 48,000 NEUROFORCE consoles can be sold in the first year with an expected increase by 25% in each year for next two years; afterwards sales are expected to decr.
The objective of the work is to do a program in C++, to consult the .docxdennisa15
The objective of the work is to do a program in C++, to consult the information of various projects belonging to companies to crowdfunding.
So first every project information, belonging to x company (two or more projects can belong to the same company) will be included in a text file with the following ( theres more that one project per text file):
Title:
Company name:
Name of the man in charge:
Project duration (in months):
Keywords:
Expenses:
Equipment:
Scholarships:
Consumables:
Accounting:
Trips:
General expenses:
·
This part is just a text file, including the information of all projects that need to be consulted by the user, not needed to be implemented into the code.
Now into the program:
First the user must be able to input the name of what text file he wants to read the information from.
Then the infomation of each project must be stored into a linked list.
Each project should have his own code ( can be sequential, ie. Project1-> code:1 , Project2-> code:2…., being 1 and 2 the respective code.)
The user should be able:
to see all the projects that are in the text file that the user previously put the name of, ordered by the title name;
To search for a certain project by inputing their code;
To search for projects by inputing the company name, (ie. If two projects belong to the same company, the user will see the two projects, searching by x company);
Every extra function implemented in the program (ie. Validation, remotion of a project) will be a plus for the teacher.
.
The objective of the term paper requirement is to give you an opport.docxdennisa15
The objective of the term paper requirement is to give you an opportunity to explore a topic in considerable depth.
The guidelines below will help you craft your paper.
Please do not hesitate to email or call with questions.
Paper Guidelines
Length: 5-7 pages with references
Formatting: MS Word (.doc, .docx) only; 12 point Times New Roman font; 1.5 line spacing; all text left justified, no indent.
References: APA 6th citation format (see sample paper)
Choose your topic:
ERP Systems Decision Support Systems Artificial Intelligence Expert Systems Electronic Medical Records Information Assurance (Security) Geographic Information Systems Banking Systems Data Warehouses Data Mining Knowledge Management/KM systems Accounting Systems Human Resources systems Supply Chain Management Systems Customer Relationship Management Systems Other topics by arrangement
Please choose from the topics above.
Remember, these types of systems have been deployed across numerous domains (e.g. health care, banking, manufacturing, etc.).
You may research whatever domain interests you.
Alternatively, you can choose your own topic, however it must be OK’d by me before you proceed.
Paper details: Your paper should be organized as follows: 1. Introduction – introduce your topic, explain why it’s important, then briefly review what’s coming in subsequent sections. 2. Background/History – When did such systems come into use? Discuss seminal research or practical applications that advanced the field, discuss the history of your topic. 3. Current Practice/Research – how are such systems being used today?
Articulate the state of the art from both practical and research perspectives. 4. Future work – Discuss the future of your topic, describe what’s coming next in terms of advancements. 5. Conclusion – Summarize the paper briefly reviewing the findings presented in previous sections. 6. References
Six sections as outlined above, points will be deducted for not following organization guideline.
I expect your final paper to demonstrate college-level writing – correct spelling, grammar, punctuation, etc.
The final paper will be submitted using Turnitin, a plagiarism detection tool.
Plagiarism is a serious offence in this class and at IUE and will not be tolerated.
If you have questions related to this matter, please ask.
If you choose a topic from the list above, simply upload an MS Word file to the assignment ‘Term Paper Topic’ in OnCourse Assignments. Your document should contain the following: 1. Your name 2. Topic 3. Brief outline and one or two paragraphs documenting what your paper will cover.
An outline is a “blueprint” or “plan” for your paper.
It helps you to organize your thoughts and arguments. A good outline can make conducting research and then writing the paper very efficient.
Your outline page must include your:
Paper Title Thesis statement Major points/arguments indicated by Roman numerals (i.e., I, II, III, IV, V, etc.) Support for you.
The objective of the term project assignment is to prepare a Bid Pro.docxdennisa15
The objective of the term project assignment is to prepare a Bid Proposal for constructing a one-story single family house (MAKU Residence). Students must approach the assignment from the perspective of a construction contractor attending a bid, and prepare a professional price proposal using their knowledge, skills and common sense. This requires proper efforts with regards to:
View attachment for requirements please
.
The objective of the term paper requirement is to give you an oppo.docxdennisa15
The objective of the term paper requirement is to give you an opportunity to explore a topic in considerable depth.
The guidelines below will help you craft your paper.
Please do not hesitate to email or call with questions.
Paper Guidelines
Length: 5-7 pages with references
Formatting: MS Word (.doc, .docx) only; 12 point Times New Roman font; 1.5 line spacing; all text left justified, no indent.
References: APA 6th citation format (see sample paper)
Paper details: Your paper should be organized as follows: 1. Introduction – introduce your topic, explain why it’s important, then briefly review what’s coming in subsequent sections. 2. Background/History – When did such systems come into use? Discuss seminal research or practical applications that advanced the field, discuss the history of your topic. 3. Current Practice/Research – how are such systems being used today?
Articulate the state of the art from both practical and research perspectives. 4. Future work – Discuss the future of your topic, describe what’s coming next in terms of advancements. 5. Conclusion – Summarize the paper briefly reviewing the findings presented in previous sections. 6. References
Paper Title Thesis statement Major points/arguments indicated by Roman numerals (i.e., I, II, III, IV, V, etc.) Support for your major points, indicated by capital Arabic numerals (i.e., A, B, C, D, E, etc.
Roman numeral I should be your “Introduction”.
In the introduction portion of your paper, you’ll want to tell your reader what your paper is about and then tell what your paper hopes to prove (your thesis).
So an Introduction gives an overview of the topic and your thesis statement.
The final Roman numeral should be your “Conclusion”.
In the conclusion, you summarize what you have told your reader.
The following are 2 sample outlines from actual student papers.
YOUR outline should be as detailed and possibly MORE detailed depending on the subject matter.
Remember that a good outline makes writing easier and more efficient
Sample Outline #1
Title: The Federalist Papers’ Influence on the Ratification of the Constitution Thesis: The Federalist Papers influenced the ratification of the Constitution by making some of their most important arguments, including the importance of being in a Union by having a Constitution, answering to the objections made by the Anti-federalists about separation of powers, and defending opposing arguments made against the characteristics of the executive and judicial branch as provided in the Constitution.
I.
Introduction a.
Describe The Federalist Papers are and when they started
b.
Thesis:
The Federalist influenced the ratification of the Constitution by making some of their most important arguments, including the importance of being in a Union by having a Constitution, answering to the objections made by the Anti- federalists about separation of powers, and defending opposing arguments made against .
The objective of the introductory speech is for you to share a meani.docxdennisa15
The objective of the introductory speech is for you to share a meaningful event in your life such as coming of age, overcoming hardships, and the like. Remember to keep the audience best interest in mind by building a speech that shares a life's lesson.
RUBRIC
Outline title, purpose, and thesis statement fully developed.
5 points
Introduction follows stages as shown in sample.
6 points
Transition statements are clearly marked and developed.
6 points
Conclusion fully developed as shown in sample.
5 points
Outline is spelling, grammar, and punctuation error–free.
3 points
TOTAL
.
The objective of the introductory speech is for you to share a m.docxdennisa15
The objective of the introductory speech is for you to share a meaningful event in your life such as coming of age, overcoming hardships, and the like. Remember to keep the audience best interest in mind by building a speech that shares a life's lesson.
Follow the sample outline provided under files.
RUBRIC
Outline title, purpose, and thesis statement fully developed.
5 points
Introduction follows stages as shown in sample.
6 points
Transition statements are clearly marked and developed.
6 points
Conclusion fully developed as shown in sample.
5 points
Outline is spelling, grammar, and punctuation error–free.
3 points
TOTAL
25 POINTS
.
The objective of assignment is to provide a power point presentation.docxdennisa15
The objective of assignment is to provide a power point presentation about vaccines including the Flu vaccine and other vaccines in the pediatric population. Your primary goal as an FNP is to educate parents about the importance of vaccination, and understanding their beliefs and preference by being cultural sensitive in regards this controversial topic. This presentation must include at least 13 slides and the following headings: Introduction, Clinical Guidelines EBP per CDC, Population and Risk Factors, Education, Conclusion.
.
The objective of assignment is to provide a power point presenta.docxdennisa15
The objective of assignment is to provide a power point presentation about vaccines including the Flu vaccine in the pediatric population. Your primary goal as an FNP is to educate parents about the importance of vaccination, and understanding their beliefs and preference by being cultural sensitive in regards this controversial topic. This is an individual presentation (not group) and must include a minimum of 8 slides with a maximum of 10 slides. This presentation must include a “Voice Presentation” and the following headings: Introduction, Clinical Guidelines EBP per CDC, Population and Risk Factors, Education, Conclusion.
.
The nursing metaparadigm offers insights concerning the nature in wh.docxdennisa15
The nursing metaparadigm offers insights concerning the nature in which the nursing profession should be set up and properly functioning. From the nursing perspective, the concept of the metaparadigms consists of four attributes including the patient as an entity, the patient’s environment, the well-being and health of the patient, and the responsibilities of the nurse (Alimohammadi et al., 2014). These four metaparadigms have a direct impact on the implementation of culturally proficient nursing care. With the advancement in technology and ease of patient access to quality care, there is an increased number of nurse-patient relations. The nurse has to ensure the provision of patient-centered care while focusing on the nursing metaparadigms.
The aspect of culturally proficient nursing care makes use of the attitudes, knowledge, and skills that are in support of the caring of patients that originate from various cultures and ethnic backgrounds. In this accord, culture is able to directly influence the nature of the health care practice and the manner in which the healthcare provider, as well as the patient, perceives the diseases or illness (Lee, & Fawcett, 2013). Based on the theoretical frameworks that the nursing metaparadigm offers together with the assumptions, conceptual models, and propositions, the nurses can be in a position to comprehend the cultural aspect of patient care and act accordingly.
The Person Component
The patient, as the receiver of the care, makes up the person component aspect of the nursing metaparadigm. Other connections with the person component include close friends, family, and other social groups that are important to the patients and their overall well-being (Bahramnezhad et al., 2015). In this metaparadigm, nurses are able to comprehend the patient as and individuals and how they relate with others in society. The nurses are also able to understand the cultural aspects of the patient through an inquiry from the patient and close relatives in the event of patients who are not in a position to speak for themselves or make sound decisions.
The Environment Component
This concept of the nursing metaparadigm is focused on the natural and physical surrounding that impacts the day to day life of the patient. in order to offer culturally proficient care, it is important for the nurses to have a deep understanding of the patient’s environment, climatic condition, cultures, and other societal elements (Bahramnezhad et al., 2015). Be that as it may, the environment constitutes both internal and external influences that depict the nature in which the patient directly interacts with the surrounding which may or may not affect their health and wellness.
Health Component
While there is easy access to quality health care with the Affordable Care Act, the health component still focuses on the aspect of health care wellness and ease of access. The health component also focuses on the genetic makeup of the patient, social o.
The nursing metaparadigm concept I intend to focus on is person .docxdennisa15
The nursing metaparadigm concept I intend to focus on is person (patient or client). Person refers to a human being composed of needs: physical, intellectual, biochemical, and psychosocial (McEwen & Wills, 2019, p. 42). The person is an open system and is "greater than the sum of his or her parts" (McEwen & Wills, 2019, p. 42). The concept of person is most often the center of the nurse's attention and is the recipient of care.
Regarding my personal and professional experiences, I have two very different definitions of what constitutes a client. In my pediatric cardiac ICU background, the person, or patient, was generally an infant with a cardiac defect. Currently, in my practice at a medical spa, my clients range from adolescents to the elderly, focusing on physical appearance. My focus on the "person" differs significantly from my previous role to my current role.
In 1972, B. Neuman's theory stated that stress reduction is the nursing practice system model's goal (
Nursing Theories - Overview
, 2020). Her theory defines "person" as the combination of the interrelationships between physiologic, psychological, sociocultural, developmental, and spiritual variables (McEwen & Wills, 2019, p. 43). Similarly, D. Johnson's 1968 nursing theory's goal is to reduce stress, as she focuses on how stressors affect illness adaptability (
Nursing Theories - Overview
, 2020). Johnson's definition of "person" is a behavioral system with purposeful ways of behaving that connect them to their environments (McEwen & Wills, 2019, p. 43). Both Neuman and Johnson focus on decreasing stress as a way to care for patients. However, their definitions of person vary. Johnson implies that a patient's link to their environment is of most importance, and Neuman believes a person is a more integrated whole that can be singular or plural (as in a community, group, or entire social system) (McEwen & Wills, 2019, p. 43).
Within my years of practice in nursing, my definition of person, client, or patient has altered. In my earlier career, I would have been more aligned with Neuman's theory. My patients, albeit more complex, needed more from me as their nurse from more than just an environmental standpoint; I correlated their needs as a holistic being. I was focusing on not just the patient but their support system as well. As a nurse in a med spa, my clients have patterned, repetitive concerns that influence their perceived environment in different ways, which coincide more with Johnson's theory
.
The nurse proceeds to palpate the lymph nodes. Which lymph nodes.docxdennisa15
The nurse proceeds to palpate the lymph nodes. Which lymph nodes are located in the neck?
1. Please indicate all the Lymph nodes in the neck
2. What is the Rationale for performing this assessment.
3. When performing the physical examination, what objective data should the nurse inspect and palpate for the head and neck?
4. What is the Rationale for question # 3
.
The number of American telecommuters is expected to increase by 29 m.docxdennisa15
The number of American telecommuters is expected to increase by 29 million telecommuters or 43% of the workforce by 2016 as more work gets performed from remote locations. Mobile workers can work from wherever they are and use the IT / IS technology necessary to access co-workers, company or corporate infrastructure, intranets, and other information sources.
Write a two to three (2-3) page paper in which you:
Describe the impact of telecommuting on energy conservation, IT operational costs, “green computing”, and shifts in telecommuters’ lifestyles (e.g., parents, disability, etc.).
Describe how the business infrastructure should be designed so that employees will be able to continue to perform business functions in the event of a disaster (i.e., storm, hurricane, or earthquake) that destroys or makes it impossible to access the buildings.
Determine four (4) advantages and four (4) disadvantages of telecommuting from an IT manager’s point of view. Elaborate on each advantage and disadvantage.
Examine the effect of Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) to the IT infrastructure with regard to security, IT support, knowledge, and data management, green computing, and telecommuting.
Use at least three (3) quality resources in this assignment. Note: Wikipedia and similar Websites do not qualify as quality resources.
Your assignment must follow these formatting requirements:
Be typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides; citations and references must follow APA or school-specific format. Check with your professor for any additional instructions.
.
The number of Americans ages 65 and older is projected to nearly d.docxdennisa15
The number of Americans ages 65 and older is
projected to nearly double
from 52 million in 2018 to 95 million by 2060, and the 65-and-older age group’s share of the total population will rise from 16 percent to 23 percent.
[1]
The older population is becoming
more racially and ethnically diverse
. Between 2018 and 2060 the share of the older population that is non-Hispanic white is projected to drop from 77 percent to 55 percent.
[2]
Despite the increased diversity in the older adult population, the more rapidly changing racial/ethnic composition of the population under age 18 relative to those ages 65 and older has created a
diversity gap
between generations.
Older adults are working longer.
By 2018, 24 percent of men and about 16 percent of women ages 65 and older were in the labor force. These levels are projected to rise further by 2026, to 26 percent for men and 18 percent for women.
What does this mean for our society? 52 million people are 65 and over. How are we treating the older population? What are the social implications of people living past 65?
add a sociological reference
.
The number of American telecommuters is expected to increase by .docxdennisa15
The number of American telecommuters is expected to increase by 29 million telecommuters, or 43% of the workforce, by 2016 as more work gets performed from remote locations. Mobile workers can work from wherever they are and use the IT / IS technology necessary to access co-workers, company or corporate infrastructure, intranets, and other information sources.
Write a two to three (2-3) page paper in which you:
Describe the impact of telecommuting on energy conservation, IT operational costs, “green computing,” and shifts in telecommuters’ lifestyles (e.g., parents, disability, etc.).
Describe how the business infrastructure should be designed so that employees will be able to continue to perform business functions in the event of a disaster (e.g., storm, hurricane, or earthquake) that destroys or makes it impossible to access the buildings.
Determine four advantages and four disadvantages of telecommuting from an IT manager’s point of view. Elaborate on each advantage and disadvantage.
Examine the effect of Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) to the IT infrastructure with regard to security, IT support, knowledge, and data management, green computing, and telecommuting.
Use at least three quality resources in this assignment.
Note:
Wikipedia and similar websites do not qualify as quality resources.
.
The noun phrase introducers of npChapter 4the noun phr.docxdennisa15
The noun phrase: introducers of np
Chapter 4
the noun phrase:
introducers of NP
Determiners
Numerals
Quantifiers
Quantity without Q
Possessive NPs
WH- words
The noun phrase:
Introducers of np
Determiners
Encode:
Definiteness
Indefiniteness
Number
Proximity (closeness)
(Questions: see 6: WH- determiners)
determiners
Definiteness:
A definite noun (phrase) is known to both speaker and hearer
Determiners
Definiteness
Example 1:
Context: Ann walks in and says to Bob:
“The student is outside.”
Bob assumes from Ann’s phrasing that she is referring to someone specific, and that he should know which student she means. (He has to use non-linguistic sources to figure out which student it is.)
Determiners
Definiteness
Example 2:
Same context: Ann walks in and says to Bob:
“The President is on TV right now.”
Bob assumes from Ann’s phrasing that she is referring to someone specific, and that he should know which person she means. (He has to use non-linguistic sources to figure out who it is—in this case, it’s probably not difficult.)
Determiners
Indefiniteness
An indefinite noun (phrase) is NOT assumed to be known to speaker and hearer.
Determiners
Indefiniteness
Example 1:
Context: Ann walks in and begins to talk to Bob:
“A student is outside.”
Bob assumes she will explain which student is outside.
Determiners
Indefiniteness
Example 1:
Context: Ann walks in and begins to talk to Bob:
“A president is outside.”
Bob assumes she will explain which president is outside. Since there aren’t usually lots of Presidents to choose from, this sentence is odd.
determiners
Number
Distinguish singular/plural
Examples:
A letter
Some letters / some writing
This letter
These letters
determiners
Proximity
Distinguish closeness to speaker or someone else; demonstratives
Examples:
This letter (close to speaker)
That letter (close to someone else)
These letters
Those letters
determiners
Summary
Encode:
Definiteness/indefiniteness
Number: singular/plural
Proximity to speaker/other
numerals
Encode:
Number
Indefiniteness
Sequence (order)
numerals
Number
Examples:
One frog jumped in the pond.
Ten frogs jumped in the pond.
numerals
Indefiniteness
Example:
Two frogs jumped in the pond.
The speaker and hearer are not assumed to know which particular frogs jumped in the pond, just how many did it.
numerals
Indefiniteness
Compare:
Two frogs jumped in the pond.
Those two frogs jumped in the pond.
numerals
Sequence (order)
Example:
The first frog jumped in the pond.
The second frog jumped in the pond.
Tells which frog based on its order relative to others:
Called ordinal numbers
Numerals:
Phrase structure rule
NP
Det
Num
N
the
second
frog
NP (Det) (Num) N
NP
Det
N
a
frog
NP
N
frogs
numerals
Summary:
Numerals encode number
Numerals can encode indefiniteness
Numerals can encode order
Phrase Structure Rule:
NP (Det) (Num) N
quantifiers
What quantifiers “do” (in terms of meaning):
Pick out members of a set in ways other .
The notion of solipsism suggests that ones own mind is the only ent.docxdennisa15
The notion of solipsism suggests that one's own mind is the only entity whose existence is certain. That is, solipsism claims that
the only thing that one can claim to know is that one's own mind exists.
While most philosophers don't work on this issue in particular, almost all philosophers agree that solipsism accurately describes an inherent limitation to the human condition.
What do you think? Do philosophers have it right? How do you know?
Looking for thorough responses (i.e., more than 150 words) that thoughtfuly explore these questions.
.
The Norton Sampler the two essays The Sancturay of School and .docxdennisa15
The Norton Sampler the two essays '' The Sancturay of School'' and ''Like Mexican's'' are about the childhood experiences of two very different writers. What personality traits or characteristics do they show through their descriptions in the essay? which of these traits seem to be learned or adopted as a response to their experiences?
.
The non-profit organization (Inspirational Leaders) that you work fo.docxdennisa15
The non-profit organization (Inspirational Leaders) that you work for has received an urgent request to send a team of nurses to Eritrea to provide aid to a village that is grieving a serious earthquake. It is anticipated that your team will spend 2 months there. The city of 1,700 residents that you are serving has suffered 300 casualties, and still over 50 people are unaccounted for. For those found and negatively affected, there are serious injuries that need to be treated. There are other organizations already on location providing water, shelter and food. But the medical teams that they have from other organizations are overwhelmed.
As a team, you will need to write a report in the form of a proposal in Microsoft Word that addresses the following tasks:
Here are the tasks that must be delegated:
• Transportation to city and throughout the city
• Plane, bus, jeep, quads, etc.
• Medical supplies: gloves, sutures, gauze, iodine, etc.
• Acquire via donation, packaging, transport
• Entry into the country
• Passports, visa, etc.
• Financial management
• Budget of $35,000, bank account(s), debit cards
.
The Nominal Group Technique (NGT) is a common method of group decisi.docxdennisa15
The Nominal Group Technique (NGT) is a common method of group decision making. The group members will meet to discuss their ideas and all parts of the problem and possible solutions and then the voting is done privately.
How can the NGT be a valuable tool for group decision making?
What possible outcomes will result from using the NGT method? How do these outcomes differ from those that could occur if the members voted while all together?
How can technology be integrated into the NGT to allow multi-site groups to work together?
Describe how the NGT can aid in the organizational change process.
.
Model Attribute Check Company Auto PropertyCeline George
In Odoo, the multi-company feature allows you to manage multiple companies within a single Odoo database instance. Each company can have its own configurations while still sharing common resources such as products, customers, and suppliers.
The Roman Empire A Historical Colossus.pdfkaushalkr1407
The Roman Empire, a vast and enduring power, stands as one of history's most remarkable civilizations, leaving an indelible imprint on the world. It emerged from the Roman Republic, transitioning into an imperial powerhouse under the leadership of Augustus Caesar in 27 BCE. This transformation marked the beginning of an era defined by unprecedented territorial expansion, architectural marvels, and profound cultural influence.
The empire's roots lie in the city of Rome, founded, according to legend, by Romulus in 753 BCE. Over centuries, Rome evolved from a small settlement to a formidable republic, characterized by a complex political system with elected officials and checks on power. However, internal strife, class conflicts, and military ambitions paved the way for the end of the Republic. Julius Caesar’s dictatorship and subsequent assassination in 44 BCE created a power vacuum, leading to a civil war. Octavian, later Augustus, emerged victorious, heralding the Roman Empire’s birth.
Under Augustus, the empire experienced the Pax Romana, a 200-year period of relative peace and stability. Augustus reformed the military, established efficient administrative systems, and initiated grand construction projects. The empire's borders expanded, encompassing territories from Britain to Egypt and from Spain to the Euphrates. Roman legions, renowned for their discipline and engineering prowess, secured and maintained these vast territories, building roads, fortifications, and cities that facilitated control and integration.
The Roman Empire’s society was hierarchical, with a rigid class system. At the top were the patricians, wealthy elites who held significant political power. Below them were the plebeians, free citizens with limited political influence, and the vast numbers of slaves who formed the backbone of the economy. The family unit was central, governed by the paterfamilias, the male head who held absolute authority.
Culturally, the Romans were eclectic, absorbing and adapting elements from the civilizations they encountered, particularly the Greeks. Roman art, literature, and philosophy reflected this synthesis, creating a rich cultural tapestry. Latin, the Roman language, became the lingua franca of the Western world, influencing numerous modern languages.
Roman architecture and engineering achievements were monumental. They perfected the arch, vault, and dome, constructing enduring structures like the Colosseum, Pantheon, and aqueducts. These engineering marvels not only showcased Roman ingenuity but also served practical purposes, from public entertainment to water supply.
Embracing GenAI - A Strategic ImperativePeter Windle
Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies such as Generative AI, Image Generators and Large Language Models have had a dramatic impact on teaching, learning and assessment over the past 18 months. The most immediate threat AI posed was to Academic Integrity with Higher Education Institutes (HEIs) focusing their efforts on combating the use of GenAI in assessment. Guidelines were developed for staff and students, policies put in place too. Innovative educators have forged paths in the use of Generative AI for teaching, learning and assessments leading to pockets of transformation springing up across HEIs, often with little or no top-down guidance, support or direction.
This Gasta posits a strategic approach to integrating AI into HEIs to prepare staff, students and the curriculum for an evolving world and workplace. We will highlight the advantages of working with these technologies beyond the realm of teaching, learning and assessment by considering prompt engineering skills, industry impact, curriculum changes, and the need for staff upskilling. In contrast, not engaging strategically with Generative AI poses risks, including falling behind peers, missed opportunities and failing to ensure our graduates remain employable. The rapid evolution of AI technologies necessitates a proactive and strategic approach if we are to remain relevant.
Francesca Gottschalk - How can education support child empowerment.pptxEduSkills OECD
Francesca Gottschalk from the OECD’s Centre for Educational Research and Innovation presents at the Ask an Expert Webinar: How can education support child empowerment?
Introduction to AI for Nonprofits with Tapp NetworkTechSoup
Dive into the world of AI! Experts Jon Hill and Tareq Monaur will guide you through AI's role in enhancing nonprofit websites and basic marketing strategies, making it easy to understand and apply.
Honest Reviews of Tim Han LMA Course Program.pptxtimhan337
Personal development courses are widely available today, with each one promising life-changing outcomes. Tim Han’s Life Mastery Achievers (LMA) Course has drawn a lot of interest. In addition to offering my frank assessment of Success Insider’s LMA Course, this piece examines the course’s effects via a variety of Tim Han LMA course reviews and Success Insider comments.
The nature of qualitative research formulating research questio.docx
1. The nature of qualitative research: formulating research
questions and developing a literature review
Dr Jo Cartwright
Outline for today
Research aims and objectives
Literature reviews
Exercises
Analyse good and bad examples of aims and objectives
Handout – developing your own aims and objectives
Analyse good and bad examples of student literature reviews
Literature review analysis of 5-10 journal articles of your
choice
Thinking about your research area
Will be conducting a dissertation next year
Seems a long way off but it is worth giving yourself a good deal
of time to think about what you want to conduct your research
on
Also can use this module as a ‘testing ground’ to develop your
initial ideas and receive feedback
Importance of research questions
Guide your literature search
Guide your decisions about the kind of research design to
employ
Guide your decisions about what data to collect and from whom
2. Guide your analysis of the data
Guide your writing up of the data
Stop you from going off on tangents
Possible sources of research questions
Opposing theoretical perspectives
Contrasting perspectives on women’s choice or structural
barriers explaining their lack of progression into SM jobs.
The existing literature
Gaps in the gender equality literature on barriers of SPL for
homosexual couples in the workplace
Different organisational structures
Barriers for SPL take-up in flexible vs traditional organisational
structures
New methods or theories in new settings
Barriers for SPL take up in the gig economy
New social and technical developments
The role of Brexit on recruitment and retention in xxx industry,
or organisational responses to the ageing workforce in xxx
industry.
Personal experience
Aesthetic labour in retail
SM = SENIOR MANAGEMENT; SPL = SHARED PARENTAL
LEAVE
6
Formulating research questions
Most students want to conduct research into areas that are of
personal interest to them
Start out with a general research area or objective
This should then be narrowed down to develop a tighter focus
out of which research questions can be developed
Very open ended research is risky and leads to too much data
3. and confusion when writing up
No or poor research questions = poor research
Framework for crafting research questions
Identifying a research question flow - chart
I don’t have a research question, where do I start? Narrow down
a research area of interest
1) Narrow down an area of interest (i.e. Growth theory,
monetary policy, fiscal policy etc.)
2) Within that area of interest try to answer a research question
that:
Has either not been addressed before;
Or has been addressed but that you could extend in a significant
way (i.e. new data-set, different econometric/theoretical
approach etc.);
Or pioneer a new research area of economics (not
recommended)
Note: before you identify a research question it is crucial that
you narrow down a research area of interest!
Literature review ( when I don’t have a research question )
Read as much as you can on the topic!
Remember recent publications/studies will contain a more
updated literature so try collect these first! Then read
backwards to the most dated studies.
4. Make sure you read all relevant papers (or at least the most
influential ones)
Ideas on the research topic often come from this exercise (i.e.
author X has not included factor Y in his study, so maybe I
could look into factor Y)
The more you read the easier will be to come up with a
research question.
Literature review (when I think I have a research question)
Reviewing the literature will enable you to understand whether
your research question has been already answered / is a
potentially valid one.
Also, by reading previous studies you might get ideas on how to
tweak your original research question into a brand new one.
Again, start by reading recent publications/studies first.
Bottom line, whether you have or do not have a research
question it is crucial that you review the literature in the area
FIRST!
Many students commit the mistake of leaving the literature
review as the last step, however this is very dangerous! As you
might find that the question has already been addressed or
discarded by the literature because not relevant/important/not
feasible.
Concept mapping: sketch out the areas you think are related
Gender stereotypes re family responsibilities
They choose to forfeit their career to spend time with their kids
Discrimination from their managers
Long hours culture means they can’t compete
Long hours culture is unsustainable
Why do so few women progress into senior manager roles in the
law firm that I work in?
5. Students literature maps will be more developed and will
indicate areas of literature/debate within the conceptual areas
e.g. Long hours culture so they can’t compete (Tomlinson and
Durbin, 2010) and there may be a ‘sub box’ acknowledging the
different roles organisational culture has on long hours between
managerial and low skilled jobs – Moore 2007.
13
Common mistakes when identifying new research questions
1. Non originality
2. Non feasibility:
Time constraint (don’t have enough time)
Resources (lack of data, codes)
Knowledge (Do I know how to apply model X ? Can I learn in
the limited amount of time?)
3. Too broadly defined research question
4. Not well justified
5. Lacking economic content
Criteria for evaluating research questions
Should be clear
Understandable to you and others
Should be researchable
They should be capable of development into a research design.
If too abstract then they are unsuitable.
Should connect with established theory and research
Should be a literature on which you can draw to illuminate how
6. your research questions should be approached
Should be linked with each other
Unrelated research questions are unlikely to be acceptable.
Should build from each other.
Should have a potential for making a new contribution to
knowledge
E.g. new research setting/context?
Should not be too broad or narrow
Needs to be feasible but also worthy of a contribution to
knowledge
Tips from supervisors in formulating your research questions
Choose a topic that interests you
Ask yourself whether you can answer the research question
Read a lot!
Identify your strengths and weaknesses, interests and personal
development opportunities and build this into the design of your
project
Don’t pre-commit to one idea, approach or research design at
the exclusion of other approaches
Use opportunities to talk to others about your research
Research something that might be interesting to others
Start writing early. Analysis always takes longer than you think.
Building in a cushion around the deadline can add value to your
research.
Remember this is not your life work or a bid for a Nobel Prize!
Listen to your supervisors advice but be free to make your own
choices
Handouts…
7. Two case study examples of good practice when formulating a
research question
Well articulated aims and objectives
HA = HOUSING ASSOCIATION
19
Poorly articulated aims and objectives
Exercise
What makes them good and bad?
Use the slide on ‘criteria for evaluating research questions’ to
help guide your answer?
What have you learnt from this exercise?
Exercise
See handout on producing research aims and objectives
Literature review
Knowledge doesn’t exist in a vacuum, and your work only has
value in relation to other people’s. Your work and your findings
will be significant only to the extent that they’re the same as, or
different from, other people’s work and findings.’ (Janowicz,
1995 quoted in Saunders et al, 2000, p. 42).
8. Why is it needed?
Crucial part of your dissertation - standalone chapter
Provides the basis of which to justify your research questions
and build your research design
Informs how you collect your data and enables you to analyse
your data in an informed way
Can feel very daunting – overwhelmed by the sheer amount of
literature out there!
Important to focus on developing a clearly defined boundary –
making judgments about what to include and what not to include
Why is it needed?
Important that you don’t just ‘reinvent the wheel’
Your work needs to demonstrate how your work builds on
others in the same field
Enables you to develop an argument about the significance of
your research and where it leads
Affirms your credibility as someone who is knowledgeable in
your subject area
Not simply reproducing theories or opinions of others
(descriptive) but to interpret what they have written in relation
to a particular viewpoint (analytical)
Purpose of the literature review
What is known about the area?
What concepts and theories are relevant to this area?
What research methods and strategies are used when studying
this area?
Are there any significant controversies/differing perspectives on
this area?
Are there any differences in findings in relation to this area?
Are there any unanswered questions in this area?
9. Stages of literature review
preliminary: overview of topic area
identify previous research, use to focus on a particular aspect,
and begin to define research questions
narrower and deeper search,
to explore in depth the key studies, issues and theories on which
you will draw (will form main basis for your literature review)
references specifically related to your choice of methods
(include in methods chapter)
follow up search:
link to emergent findings and ideas
The literature review process
Source: Saunders et al. (2003)
Figure 3.1 The literature review process
Using the literature to develop your research questions
Develop research questions from reviewing the literature
You may find that upon reading, there are things that come up
that you want answering
10. Can therefore help identify gaps in the research
E.g. why women are not progressing to be senior managers in
my organisation – are they choosing not to go that way or is
something holding them back?
Unlikely to be a precise textbook that matches your subject
focus
It is for you to identify specialised subject for review
Getting the most out of your reading
Take good notes
Make sure you write down the author and date (copy and paste
the weblink to the article too!)
Can be infuriating when you can’t find/remember the article you
have referenced.
Note page numbers when using direct quotes – wasted time
searching through.
Develop critical reading skills
Need to go beyond summarising/regurgitating what you have
just read
This is about asking questions about the significance of the
work – what are the strengths and weaknesses in terms of the
credibility or the conclusions drawn?
E.g. study on barriers for men taking up Shared Parental Leave
has focused on heterosexual men, and not the unique barriers
that may be faced by homosexual couples.
Getting the most out of your reading
Use your review to show why your research questions are
important
If the argument is that a lot of research has been done on
heterosexual couples around SPL but not homosexual couples,
the literature review is the point where you justify this
11. assertation.
Or outline the nature of differences between two competing
positions within the review
The idea that women ‘choose’ not to progress into senior
management positions (Hakim) and the idea that women face
structural barriers which inhibits their progression (Tomlinson
and Durbin)
Lit review allows you to locate your own research within a
tradition of research in an area
31
Getting the most out of your reading
Bear in mind you will be return to the literature in your
discussion/conclusion sections
So any literature you need to analyse your findings should be
covered
E.g. not enough to consider SHRM models only if you are
comparing across workforce groups (HR architecture model to
help theorise this).
Don’t try to get everything you read into the review
Important that you are analytical/using the literature to build up
to your research gap
This will undermine your ability to get your argument across
Typically will need to revise your literature review after data
collection in order to make sense of your data
E.g. issues implementing SHRM because of ineffective line
manager implementation then need to focus on this area of
research too (Purcell and Hutchinson 2007 on Selfridges).
12. SHRM= STRATEGIC HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
32
Searching the existing literature
Usually start with a couple of references
Ask your supervisor for a few initial references
But do NOT expect them to provide you with an extensive
reading list – it is your job to become a specialist in your area
Search recommended readings in course materials, or from
textbooks
Look at the references at the end of relevant textbook chapters
or articles
Define the keywords that help define the boundaries for your
topic of research
Search electronic databases using key words – google scholar,
library website etc.
Using newspapers and internet sources for information
Should not regard these sources of information as substitutes for
academic research
However, they will have connections with theory and may help
illuminate/exemplify it
Up to date contextual information
e.g. the impact of Brexit on recruitment and retention issues in
the NHS, the extent of low pay and ZHC in retail etc.
ZHC = ZERO HOUR CONTRACT
34
Example internet sources
Policy organisations: Equality and Human Rights Commission,
Resolution Foundation, Chartered Institute of Personnel and
Development, Work Foundation, Institute for Policy Research.
Government bodies: Department for Work and Pensions,
13. Department for Business Innovation and Skills, Office for
National Statistics, Eurofound, Women and Equalities
Committee (Parliament).
Charities: Joseph Rowntree Foundation, Stonewall, Family and
Childcare Trust, Citizens Advice Bureau.
Trade unions, employer/worker associations: TUC, USDAW,
British Women’s Pilots Association, ACAS, Chambers of
Commerce
Newspapers: use reputable sources such as the BBC, The
Guardian etc – NOT the Daily Mail or Wikipedia!!
Online coursework essays are not a reputable or valuable source
of information either…
Keywords and defining search parameters
Work out keywords that will allow you to identify suitable
references in search engines
What terms are used to describe the subject
Performance management, employee appraisal, performance
measurement.
Think of a number of keywords that underpin your project –
don’t type out whole sentence
Women, barriers, human resource management and banking
Note the keywords used in the literature (often cited at the
beginning of an article)
Referencing your work
Emphasises you are aware of the historical development of your
subject
Harvard model of referencing for Business and Management
discipline:
http://student.londonmet.ac.uk/media/london-metropolitan-
university/london-met-documents/professional-service-
departments/library-
14. services/referencing/HarvardReferencingGuideFull2016-05.pdf
http://www.citethisforme.com/harvard-referencing
Key skill is to keep a record of what you have read – notes
including bibliography (author, date, page numbers, link to
article)
Do not leave this until the very end – wastes time trying to find
the specific article you read, not to mention page numbers!
Remember to include page numbers when paraphrasing or direct
quotes – key to avoid plagiarism
Easy way to cite articles..
Go to google scholar and search for the article you’d like the
full reference for
Click on the cite or button showing “
Copy and paste the Harvard reference from the list and insert in
your bibliography
Also works for books but you may need to edit in order to
include specific book chapters if referencing an edited book
Plagiarism
The practice of passing off someone else’s work as your own
You are doing this by not including references
Typical mistakes students make are:
Not including page numbers when paraphrasing or direct quotes
Adding a reference at the end of a paragraph instead of after
each point made in reference to someone else’s work
This may mean a reference after each sentence BUT you don’t
need a reference is when it is your own analysis i.e. making
sense of the contribution etc.
Using online essays (even if referenced!) is frowned upon–
15. avoid, or check their sources for ideas of literature to review.
Self plagiarism – do not pass off work you have previously
written as something new.
Structuring your literature review
Introduction – define scope and purpose of the literature review;
provide overview or ‘roadmap’
Start at general level, outline main contextual features of topic
Provide brief overview of key ideas, theories, approaches,
controversies relevant to topic
Critically summarise, compare, contrast contributions by key
writers
Link sections together – establish coherent narrative/story
Narrow down to highlight work most relevant to your area –
identify research gaps
Highlight areas where your research will provide fresh insights
summarise at the end of the chapter – explain how the literature
review has informed your research questions. (Anderson, 2009)
Common weaknesses of literature review chapters
too long and too descriptive:
should analyse competing views and theories, evaluate previous
related research studies, give your own (reasoned) opinion;
show clearly how your research uses these ideas and concepts.
poorly structured:
sections need to relate to, and build on each other
inadequately referenced:
make extensive use of references to show your familiarity with
key literature, the depth of your reading, to support your
assertions, and as evidence for your claims
16. Example of a bad literature review
Why is it bad?
It does not evaluate the summarized research, does not show
any relationship between theories.
Organized by listing authors, presented using chronological
order, instead of organized using the research (key concepts or
theories). A chronological order should be avoided
It is not critical It does not relate to the writer’s research
Example from a good literature review
HA = HOUSING ASSOCITION
45
Why is it good?
Grouped similar information
Shows the relations between different works
It guides the reader to understanding the contribution of the
work by pointing out the shortcomings/gaps of the state of the
art
It is organized around ideas and not researchers
Today’s task
Consider the key words or phrases that underpin a potential
research project of your choice
Next identify some initial key academic references (between 5
and 10)
Should be in relation to your topic
May include classic sources, some new/cutting edge, empirical
17. or conceptual etc.
Explain and justify your selection i.e. what is the paper about
and what is the contribution to your research project
This may mean briefly outlining your proposed research project
in a few sentences about.
You may wish to identify any links you see between the
selection of papers – e.g. contrasting perspectives or
methodologies
You may wish to outline any gaps in your selection of papers
i.e. further areas of research (conceptual debates,
methodologies, research contexts, specific authors/articles) you
wish
May wish to start constructing into a table format – identify
paper, what is it about? Methods? What is the contribution/how
does it relate to my proposed study?
Next week – assessing validity and reliability in qualitative
research
Read chapter 17 in Bryman and Bell 2015
Bring a qualitative research article of your choice to class – will
be critiquing it using the criteria discussed in class
Will be doing a pub quiz – prizes to be won!
References
Bryman and Bell 2011 chp 5
https://learning.londonmet.ac.uk/studyhub/literature.html
Week 8 required discussion prompts.
Discussion Prompt 1
Do you feel socializing with your colleagues is beneficial in
creating a better learning environment? Why or why not?
Discussion Prompt 2
18. What are some key elements in motivating clients to improve
health behaviors and outcomes? What role does the family play?
APA style and References
Wednesday 29,2020 3:00 pm
For those students who do not have a research topic in
mind, you may wish to focus on one of the two topics below :
· Work-Life Conflict and/or Work-Life Balance - either an
employee’s experience of this OR a manager’s experience of
implementing policies or practices in an organisation to
promote work-life balance.
· Working in the service sector – an employee’s experience of
working with customers and ‘performing’ for customers and the
stresses and rewards of this OR a manager’s experience of
managing and motivating employees in the service sector so
they are able to provide a good quality service for customers.
You may use the following book chapters to start your reading
off, and it is available as an e-book in the library:
· Tyler, M and Hancock, P. (2013) ‘Emotion at Work’ in T.
Redman, and A. Wilkinson (ed) A Contemporary Human
Resource Management: Text and Cases, Pearson
· Kirton, G (2013) ‘Work Life Balance: National Regimes,
Organisational Policies and Individual Choices’ in T. Redman,
and A. Wilkinson (ed) A Contemporary Human Resource
Management: Text and Cases, Pearson
Research philosophies
Dr Jo Cartwright
Outline for today
Theoretical approaches – deduction and induction
Epistemological considerations – positivism and interpretivism
Research strategy: quantitative or qualitative
19. Exercises
Diagnosing your research philosophy
Bryman 1984 – the link between research philosophy and choice
of qualitative and quantitative research methods
Poster presentation – how qualitative research methods reflect
an interpretivist epistemology
NEXT WEEK – 5 ARTICLES!
Introduction into the nature of business research
The methods of business research are closely tied with different
philosophical perspectives on how organisational reality should
be studied
Methods are not simply neutral tools - they are linked to how
social scientists envisage social reality and how it should be
examined
Deductive theory
Deductive theory is the most common view of the relationship
between theory and research
The researcher, on the basis of what is known about a domain,
deduces a hypothesis that must be subjected to empirical
scrutiny
They must skilfully deduce a hypothesis and then translate it
into operational terms
Theory and hypothesis come first, and drive the process of
gathering data
Inductive theory
In some research, no attempt is made to develop a hypothesis or
theory in the first instance
20. The research is primarily inductive because the theory is an
outcome of the research
Theory is developed from the process of observing the findings
The process does involve some deduction – once the data is
gathered they may wish to gather further data
This process is known as iterative as it involves going back and
forth between data and theory
Particularly useful for generating new theory
Epistemology
‘The theory of knowledge’ or ‘the best way to gather data’
Epistemological considerations
An epistemological issue concerns the question of what is (or
should be) regarded as acceptable knowledge in a discipline
A particularly important question is whether or not
organisations, employment and HRM can or should be studies
according the same principles as the natural sciences
A positivist would say ‘yes’ whereas an interpretivist would say
‘no’
Which approach
Depending on which approach you adapt, there will be an
impact on the research design and methods
Sometimes the methods you choose first and then ‘work
backwards’ to ascertain which epistemological ‘home’ your
methods belong to
Positivism
Known as the ‘scientific method’
The aim is to describe, test, explain and predict
21. Knowledge must be testable – focus is often on testing
relationships e.g. the correlation between retention and
management styles
Research must be deductive i.e. hypothesis driven
These should be developed from the literature
Positivism
Relies on the following principles:
Only phenomena and hence knowledge confirmed by the senses
can be genuinely warranted as knowledge
The purpose of theory is to generate hypotheses that can be
tested and that will allow explanations of laws to be assessed
Knowledge is arrived at by gathering facts that provide the
basis of laws
Science must and can be conducted in a way that is value free,
or objective
There is a clear distinction between scientific statements and
normative statements and the former are the true domain of the
scientist
Positivism
Associated with quantitative methods e.g. questionnaires to
gather large amounts of numerical data
Data is subjected to statistical types of data analysis e.g.
correlations and significance testing
This analysis ‘tests’ the hypothesis and confirms or rejects it
Claims to ‘generalisability’
Interpretivism
Interpretivism is a contrasting epistemology
It is based on the view that a strategy is required that respects
the differences between people and the objects of the natural
22. sciences
It therefore requires the social scientist to grasp the subjective
meaning of social action
It is concerned with the empathetic understanding of human
action and the meaning attached by those involved in social
action
Inductive theoretical approaches tend to be associated with an
interpretivist epistemology
Interpretivism
The world/ reality is not subjective rather than objective; reality
is socially constructed
The researcher is *part of* what is observed (research can never
be really value free)
They would argue that even positivist inspired research requires
that quantitative data is ultimately subject to some form of
human interpretation and analysis.
Human interests not only guide the way we think, they impact
on the structures of work and authority and condition the way
we inquire into and construct our knowledge of the world
Social constructivism
Based in the interpretive paradigm
Differs from the positivist paradigm which assumes objectivity
and uniformity of experience.
Instead reality (our notion of it) is constructed through the
meanings we attribute to experiences
‘Social realities and identities are created and maintained in
social interactions rather than in structures.... Language does
not describe the world, it is the world because it shapes how we
see, act and experience our world’ (Cunliffe 2009:60)
23. Social constructivism
Feminists (for example) start with the idea of gender as a
‘social construction’ rather than a natural characteristic of
human beings...
Race, hierarchy, class, cultural norms, religious dictates are all
examples of the ways in which the world has been and continues
to be constructed by people.
Impact on research
Research based in a phenomenological, interpretivist paradigm:
Focuses on meanings,
Prioritises the context & environment
Creates open ended research questions (rather than hypothesis
testing).
Develops theory and concepts from induction
Prefers qualitative methods.
Advantages and disadvantages
Good at understanding meanings
Good at adjusting to emerging ideas
Can create new insights
Data collection can be time consuming
Analysis not easy
Low credibility from some quarters
Can be seen as untidy /inconclusive
Two approaches to knowledge creation
24. Researcher: distant or involved?
Large samples or 'small' samples
Building knowledge through deduction or induction....
Violence at work & stress levels of staff (Saunders et al. 2009,
p.128)
Positivist study
Hypothesis - staff working with public more likely to
experience threat of violence & resultant stress
At risk population?
Survey large sample of staff to measure 2 variables & relation
between them
Interpretivist study
Develop research questions
Identify group who have experienced violence at work
Interview staff from this group
Learn about feelings, coping strategies & views about possible
causes.
Which approach to apply?
Layder (1993) lists four main considerations when selecting
research methods: the nature of the research problem or topic,
the methods traditionally thought to be appropriate, the
availability and accessibility of data, and the resources at the
researcher’s disposal.
It is the first of these that is most important – what kind of data
do you need to collect to address your research aims? What is
the form or nature of this data (objective, subjective,
25. quantifiable, not quantifiable....)
What about mixing methods?
Triangulation of method
Example: using a questionnaire to survey a large audience and
also conducting interviews with a small select sample
Philosophical position is known as :
Pragmatism (Saunders et al)
Relativism (Easterby Smith)
Conventionalism (Johnson & Duberley)
Pragmatism
An argument against mixing methods is that research methods
have ‘epistemological commitments’ and that using opposing
methods can cause problems at a theoretical level’ (Easterby-
Smith, 2003)
Pragmatism
However, Bryman and Bell (2003) argue that too much weight
is placed on epistemological connections to research methods
and that there is a ‘growing preparedness to think of research
methods as techniques of data collection or analysis that are not
encumbered by epistemological baggage as is supposed’
Pragmatism
Indeed, Saunders et al (2007) refer to their ‘research onion’
whereby epistemological concerns are in the outer layer which
is peeled away and forgotten as people are interested in the
inner detail of real-life data collection and data accumulation.
26. Quantitative and qualitative methods
Quantitative methods generate, analyse and interpret numerical
data
More likely to be used by researchers applying positivist
approach
Issues of reliability, consistency and replicability
Qualitative methods generate, analyse and interpret textual data
More likely to be used by researchers applying an interpretive
approach
Used to gain insights into meaning systems and sense-making
activities of social actors
Exercise
Read handout – diagnosing your research philosophy
Bryman 1984
What are the characteristics of positivism according to Bryman?
What examples does he give of these characteristics in terms of
the questionnaire instrument? P77
What are the philosophical characteristics of qualitative
research? p77-78
What ‘type’ of data does qualitative research produce in
contrast to quantitative? P79
Why are qualitative techniques said to be more ‘sensitive’ than
quantitative techniques? Consider a research project where this
might be useful P81-82
Why are qualitative techniques useful as a form of
‘preparation’? Consider an example of research where this
might be useful P 84
What is Bryman’s argument in relation to whether quantitative
research is ‘better’ than qualitative research? What does he
suggest is a better way of thinking about the contrasting
research strategies and their relative effectiveness? P79-80
27. What have you learnt from this piece of work?
Exercise
You have been asked to take a class on research methodology.
Create a poster presentation educating your fellow students how
a qualitative research strategy reflects the interpretivist
epistemological position.
Next week – literature reviews, aims/objectives
Read chapters 4 and 5 in Bryman and Bell 2015
Bring 5-10 key academic references (ideally journal articles) to
construct a literature review analysis….
Next week’s task
Consider the key words or phrases that underpin a potential
research project of your choice
Next identify some initial key academic references (between 5
and 10)
Should be in relation to your topic
May include classic sources, some new/cutting edge, empirical
or conceptual etc.
Explain and justify your selection i.e. what is the paper about
and what is the contribution to your research project
This may mean briefly outlining your proposed research project
in a few sentences about.
You may wish to identify any links you see between the
selection of papers – e.g. contrasting perspectives or
methodologies
You may wish to outline any gaps in your selection of papers
i.e. further areas of research (conceptual debates,
methodologies, research contexts, specific authors/articles) you
wish
28. May wish to start constructing into a table format – identify
paper, what is it about? Methods? What is the contribution/how
does it relate to my proposed study?
BA5004 Business Research Methods:
W1 introduction to module
Dr Jo Cartwright
Outline for today
Introduction to the module
Aims and learning outcomes
Assessments and deadlines
Content, lecturer and rooming
The research process
Choosing a research topic
Teaching staff
Module leader and quantitative research methods:
Dr Yaz Djebbour ([email protected] )
Qualitative research methods:
Dr Jo Cartwright ([email protected] )
Other lecturers
Riette Van Wijnen ([email protected])
Martin Topple ([email protected])
Introduction to module
29. This module introduces students to the essential methodologies,
approaches and tools for business research.
The module takes over from the skills picked up at level 4 in
particular, the quantitative and qualitative skills taught and
assessed in various modules.
It explores some of the philosophies and theoretical
perspectives underpinning the many different ways of
conducting research as well as providing practical examples and
guidance on how research should be planned and implemented.
This module also provides a grounding to the final year
dissertation for the Business and Management and related
courses.
Introduction to the module
The module enables students to gain lifelong and employability
skills such as planning, searching, reading, gathering and
analysing data, writing and referencing. It provides students
with technological tools to achieve the necessary results
efficiently.
The module helps students to reflect on how research has
enabled global organisations with their integrated and
interdependent challenges to adapt to the uncertain world.
The module introduces students to the key and current business
concepts and their operationalisation through a simple review of
the literature. In doing so, it enables students to deal with
conflicting issues of ethics and equality.
The key skills taught and assess on the module will include
advanced use of Excel and/or SPSS, data analysis (Statistical
and Thematic) and reporting.
Module aims
The module aims to provide the opportunity for students to
30. synthesise, integrate and develop their learning from related
modules through an in-depth exploration of a current issue in
business and management and the development of a
substantiated research proposal into that issue.
It develops students’ critical awareness of issues and
controversies in the field of business and management linked to
possible approaches of further academic research into that field.
It develops their skills of identifying, formulating and analysing
problems and issues, develops their familiarity with a range of
data and resources and provides an opportunity to engage with
the practical concerns of researching a chosen field.
Above all, its aim is to develop student skills in independent
study, and in formulating and presenting their own ideas and
conclusions in a coherent and persuasive style.
Learning outcomes
On successful completion of this module students will be able
to:
Apply a qualitative methodology based on a published literature
[LO1]
Formulate research questions and use an appropriate qualitative
analysis [LO2]
Apply a quantitative methodology based on a published
literature [LO3]
Formulate research questions and use an appropriate
quantitative analysis [LO4]
Assessment detailsDescription of Assessment
% weightingWeek DueLearning Outcome/sCourseworkA
literature review of a current business concept20%6LO1
CourseworkA thematic analysis of a business
concept30%14LO2CourseworkA quantitative data analysis of a
31. current business concept.50%28LO3
Assessments for the qualitative research
Annotated literature map on a research topic of your choice
[LO1]
A qualitative interview which is transcribed and analysed using
one of the techniques taught on the course. [LO2]
Assessment 1
You are being asked to produce a (a) diagram or picture of the
literature based on a research problem you are interested in and
(b) an annotation/written analysis of what you produce.
For the map, you may choose a visual format and suggestions
may be a Venn diagram, mind-map or time chart. You might
take particular ideas or concepts as units of analysis and map
different aspects, or map the different authors or their
contributions around these.
There should then be some accompanying annotation/written
analysis which provides an explanation of the map in relation to
your chosen research topic/problem. This means that you will
need to explain your research topic/problem initially in order
for the reader to make sense of your diagram and analysis. You
should then identify what you will treat more fully in the
literature review chapter, and what you will treat more briefly.
– approx. 1,500 words.
Assessment 2
The assignment requires you to conduct a qualitative interview,
to analyse the data from this interview, and to write a report
based on this.
Stage 1 - you are required to conduct a brief qualitative
32. interview with an individual on a topic of interest related to
your course. The interview should last about twenty minutes and
should be audio recorded.
Stage 2 - you are required to produce a transcript of the
interview. This must be included in the appendix of the
assignment. It is expected that the record will be approximately
4 pages long
Stage 3 - you will conduct an analysis of your interview data
using any recognised form of qualitative data analysis
technique, e.g., template analysis or content analysis.
Assessment 2 – cont...
The assignment format
The assignment should be produced in a discursive (essay)
format and address the following questions:
Write an account of the data collection and analysis process.
This should be approximately 1,500 words long and should
include:
A short introduction that covers the topic of the interview and
an overview of the interview schedule. Here you should say
what influenced your choice of interview questions.
The rationale for your choice of interview (semi-
structured/structured etc) and your analytic strategy (e.g. the
reasons and justifications for why you chose thematic analysis
or content analysis).
How you conducted the data analysis. You need to make your
description of the analysis process as clear and as transparent as
possible, so if you are using template analysis you should
include information on, for example, how you constructed the
template, how you performed the coding process, the final
template and why this changed from the initial template.
The findings of your analysis.
Write a 500 word reflective account of your experience
conducting qualitative research (interviewing and analysis).
33. Qual. Assessment deadlines
Assessment one: Monday of week 6
Date: 5th November 2018 by 3pm
Assessment two: Monday of week 14
Date: 21st January 2018 by 3pm
Programme structure (Qualitative research)
Introduction to the module and the nature of research
Research philosophies - the interpretivist and other paradigms
Purpose and method of literature review in qualitative research
Research design and sampling
Validity and reliability in qualitative research.
Fast forward festival
Doing qualitative interviews
Ethical research practice
Qualitative data analysis techniques
NVivo workshop
Reporting and report structure
Drop in session (A2)
Programme structure
Most weeks will involve a formal lecture with some workshop
related content
Each week will build on the other and the aim is to give you an
insight into the research process, as well as practical
experience putting your new research skills into practice
through the assessments
IF YOU DO NOT PREPARE BEFORE THE WORKSHOP THEN
IT WILL NOT WORK!!
34. It will be necessary to identify a topic of interest in which to
conduct a literature review analysis, base a qualitative interview
on as well as analyse using the techniques taught in class.
It is therefore important you start considering a topic of interest
- this could change across the module but it might be easier to
stick with the same one (i.e. developing a set of interview
questions for A2 will be much simpler if you have already
conducted the literature analysis for it in A1).
Recommended texts: qualitative research
Bryman, A and Bell, E (2015) Business Research Methods,
Oxford: Oxford University (earlier editions are also good)
Cassell, C.M. and Symon, G. (2004) Essential guide to
qualitative methods in organizational research, London: Sage
Publications (available as e-book)
Symon, G. and Cassell, C. eds., 2012. Qualitative organizational
research: core methods and current challenges. Sage
Publications (available as e-book)
Saunders, M., Thornhill, A. and Lewis, P. (2015) Research
Methods for Business (available as e-book but earlier editions
also good)
Symon, G and Cassell, C (2012) Qualitative Organisational
Research, London: Sage.
See Reading list on WebLearn
Any questions?
35. What is business research?
Wilson, in his book “Essentials of Business Research (2014)”
defined business research as follows:
It is the systematic and objective process of collecting,
recording, analysing and interpreting data for aid in solving
managerial problems.
Robert and Richard Burns in their book “Business Research
Methods (2008)” defined business research as:
The objective and systematic process of obtaining, recording,
analysing and interpreting data to discover new information or
relationships or expend existing knowledge to remove
uncertainty for business decision making.
Most authors classify business research in two ways.
Basic research
Applied research
It is academic research on topics relating to questions relevant
to business and management
Basic research
This type of research aims to extend the frontiers of knowledge.
Business research includes studies that draws on the social
sciences and economics for conceptual and theoretical
inspiration.
It may be motivated by developments and changes in
organisations and societies – such as the concern for rising
levels of executive pay or issues of resourcing (in certain
sectors) in the context of Brexit.
Basic research may lack practical application in the short term.
Applied research
36. This type of research focuses on solving a particular business
problem. This could be as simple as “searching the reasons for
the drop in sales for the traditional pies” or “whether there is
any association between the in-store music and customers’
satisfaction”.
Most business research tends to fall into the applied category.
Applied research may lack generalisation or replicability.
Basic and applied research
Why do business research?
Academics conduct research because in the course of reading
the literature on a topic or reflecting on what is going on in
organisations, questions occur to them
They may notice a gap in the literature or an inconsistency
between a number of studies or an unresolved issue in the
literature
Another rationale is societal development that provides for the
development of another research question e.g. Brexit
There is no single reason why people do business research but
at its core it is done because there is an aspect which is believed
to be inadequately understood
The process of business research
Choosing the topic (we will come back to it later)
Literature review
Concepts and theories
Research questions
Sampling
Data collection
Data analysis
Writing up
Importance of the literature & context
37. Business research and the associated methods do not exist in a
vacuum. The following form part of the context in which
business research takes place:
The topics of business research are profoundly influenced by
the available theoretical positions
If a researcher was interested in how retail managers recruit
people on the basis of the way they look, they would need to
consider the literature on aesthetic labour (or Nepotism)
This means that someone planning to conduct research must be
familiar with the literature on the area of interest
You must be familiar about what is already known and build on
it
Business research operates within a wider environmental
context (social, political, economic and technological) which
must be reflected in the analysis
Literature review
Existing literature represents an important element in all
research. We must determine:
What is already known about the topic
What theories/concepts have been applied to it
What research methods have been applied in studying it
What controversies exist about the topic and how it is studied
What clashes of evidence there are
Who the key contributors are
Linking your research questions, findings, and discussion to
existing literature is a useful way of demonstrating credibility
of your research and contribution to knowledge
Must show how your research fits with current debates and its
significance in relation to this
Concepts and theories
38. Concepts are the way we make sense of the social world
They are the labels we give to aspects of the social world that
seem to have significant common features
Concepts such as Taylorism, McDonalisation, the employment
relationship, engagement, alienation are all part of the theory
that generations of social scientists have constructed
These help us organise and signal our research interests
One reason why familiarity with the research is so important is
to alert us to important concepts already in use
This allows us to analyse how useful or limited those concepts
are in relation to our research
What are research questions?
Seven broad types using the example of equality and diversity:
Predicting an outcome (e.g. is a more inclusive work
environment associated with investment in line manager
training)
Explaining causes and consequences of a phenomenon (e.g. is a
high incidence of discrimination affected by the lack of line
manager training or a consequence of a male dominated
corporate culture and long working hours?)
Evaluating a phenomenon (e.g. does investing in inclusivity
training exhibit the benefits that it is claimed to have)
Describing a phenomenon (e.g. what is an inclusive work
environment and what does this look like in practice)
Developing good practice (e.g. how can we improve inclusivity
in the workplace)
Empowerment (e.g. how can we enhance the lives of those we
research)
Comparison (e.g. do public and private sector organisations
differ in terms of inclusivity)
Research questions
39. Research questions are important in the research process
because they force you to consider the most basic of issues
WHAT IS IT THAT YOU WANT TO KNOW?
Most people begin research with a general idea of what they are
interested in
Research questions require you to be much more specific about
what you want to find out
Having no research question or a loosely/poorly articulated one
will lead to poor research
A well designed survey or skilled interviewer cannot overcome
the limitations of a poorly articulated research question
Research questions
Well articulated research questions are crucial to guide:
Your literature search
The methods you employ
Decisions about what data to collect
How to analyse the data
How to write up the data
Stop you going on tangents
Provide your readers with a clear sense of what your research is
about
Sampling
The principle of sampling is based on the construction of a
sample that is representative (and can therefore act as a
microcosm of) a wider population
Representative of what population? Wider population? Of the
sector or organisation you are focusing on?
Sampling
In business research, we are rarely in a position that we can
40. interview, observe or survey all the individuals who are
appropriate for our sample
Time and cost constraints mean we cannot include all the
individuals we would like in our sample
So instead the aim is to sample a population that is as
representative of the wider population as possible
Data collection
Data collection is the key point of any research project
Some methods require a structured approach that the researcher
establishes in advance e.g. a questionnaire which asks
individuals specific research questions
Others require a more unstructured approach, using methods
that emphasise an open ended view to allow for new ideas to
emerge from the data
Data analysis
This might mean the statistical interpretation of data for
structured data collection methods (e.g. questionnaire results)
It may also be in the managing of raw data i.e. audio recording,
transcribing and coding interview data
This means writing up an interview and breaking down each
component and giving it labels related to the relevant
concepts/theories
This stage is fundamentally about data reduction i.e. reducing
the large amount of information in order to make sense of it
For qualitative data this is about grouping text material into
useful categories such as themes, or in the case of survey data
by producing averages and tables
Writing up
All research projects will include:
41. An introduction
Setting out the research and its significance; the research
questions may be outlined
Literature review
What is already known about the research is examined critically
Research methods
Sampling, methods of data collection and analysis are presented
and justified
Findings
The research findings are presented
Discussion
The findings are discussed in relation to the literature and
research questions
Conclusion
The significance of the research is reinforced
Exercise
Have you ever been asked to take part in someone else’s
research (e.g. market research or government survey or
employee satisfaction survey at work).
If you agreed to assist, why did you so?
If you refused to take part, why was this?
If you took part what satisfaction did you derive from this?
Did anything about the encounter annoy or dissatisfy you?
Were you informed about your rights and/or any ethical issues
before you took part?
What suggestions for improvement would you make to the
researcher?
Exercise
Handout - identifying your research topic
Choose a topic for your research
Modify, adapt or refine your topic until you are able to sum it
up in one sentence
42. Present your sentence to the rest of your group so that you can
receive peer and tutor feedback
You should also be prepared to offer feedback on the sentences
of your fellow students
Modify and refine your one sentence summary, if required, after
having received feedback
Next week – philosophy and RM
Read chapter 2 in Bryman and Bell 2015
Bring a copy of this article and read/make notes. Be prepared to
be asked questions on it: Bryman, A., 1984. The debate about
quantitative and qualitative research: a question of method or
epistemology?. British journal of Sociology, pp.75-92.
Student Handout – research topic
Choose a topic for your research. Once you have done this, try
to sum up your research in one sentence only. If you are unable
to do this your research topic may be too broad, ill-thought out,
too obscure or too complicated, so you will need to modify,
adapt or refine your topic until you are able to sum it up in one
sentence.
Once you have thought of a topic and summarized your
research, you will need to present your sentence to the rest of
your group so that you can receive peer and tutor feedback. You
should also be prepared to offer feedback on the sentences of
your fellow students. Modify and refine your one sentence
summary, if required, after having received feedback.
There are many interesting and creative methods that you can
use to stimulate thought and focus in on your research topic.
Here are some suggestions:
· Observing. Using this method, you observe phenomena or
behaviour that, in your opinion, needs further investigation to
explain patterns, behaviour or processes. Asking questions such
43. as ‘what’ and ‘why’ about your observations will help to
stimulate your thoughts.
· Reflecting on your experiences. This method enables you to
consider past and present experiences in relation to possible
research topics. For example, you might have experienced
phenomena or behaviour in the workplace or during a social
encounter that, in your opinion, requires further investigation.
Asking in-depth questions about, and reflecting on, these
experiences will help to stimulate your thoughts and further
develop your research topic.
· Questioning. This is a useful technique for all students
starting a research project. There are different types of question
that you can ask to stimulate your thoughts and help you to
choose and focus in on a suitable topic. This includes questions
that: stimulate reflection; introduce a problem; lead to deep and
critical thought; test existing assumptions and/or knowledge.
· Visualizing. You can create a picture to help you to think
about your research. Or you may decide to draw a graph,
diagram or mind map that helps you to clarify your thoughts and
pull together your research topic.
· Discussing. Take every opportunity to discuss your thoughts
with friends and family. This helps to stimulate thought, and
receiving feedback from interested, knowledgeable parties
enables you to test, modify and refine your ideas.
· Reading. If you have a general idea for a topic, read around
the subject. This will deepen your understanding of current
research in the field, help you to decide whether there is scope
to advance this research and, if so, help to stimulate ideas.
· Brainstorming. Think about an issue and write down any
thoughts that come to mind, without judgement, analysis or
reflection. This is a useful technique if you have a general idea
of a topic for your research, but need to focus in on important
issues.
· Lateral thinking. This involves approaching an issue through
an indirect route that does not follow logical ways of thought.
Examples of this type of thinking include choosing an idea
44. completely at random (opening a page in a dictionary, for
example) or going against the obvious (questioning something
that is taken for granted, for example). This method of thinking
is useful if you want to create new ideas, perhaps for a unique
research project on a topic that has not been covered before.
· Logical thinking. This way of thinking follows a logical,
sequential order in which you move from one related thought to
another. It involves taking important ideas and working through
them in a series of stages or steps. This method helps you to
organize your thoughts and focus in on your research topic.