WORKSHOP 1 MPA 698S

DEFICITS OR DIFFICULTIES CAN BE NOTICED IN THE STRUCTURE OR COHERENCE OF CURRENT SCIENTIFIC KNOWLEDGE.

FOR EXAMPLE:

- We do not know anything or our knowledge is partial about one of the elements of the general question.

- We cannot generalize previous findings.

- Certain dimensions are missing or were not considered and we have reason to beleive they play a role in a phenomena

- We are uncertain of the conclusions of previous research, because of methodological issues

- Some research's conclusions are contradictory on a given topic

- There were not verification done on a theoretical model.

(this is information what as presented in my last prezi)

STEP 1 : Chose your topic

STEP 2 : focus reseach question

You must, at this point, narrow down your topic.

The past research you have reviewed is the starting point from which you will elaborate your specific research question. You also develop possible answers, or hypothesis

STEP 3: Design your study

After you have selected your research question, you must now plan how you will carry out the specific study or research project.

STEP 4: Define your methodology

There are many practical details of doing research. (e.g., what type of documents will be analyzed, and how?

Neuman & Wiegand 2000, p.11)

Decisions at this point are crucial:

1. Decide on the topic: use existing essays and projects you have done about it to narrow your project down to a concrete, specific objective, which is reflected in your specific question (purpose statement)

2. Decide on the question, subquestions and research hypothesis that specifies a relationship between two variables (not dimensions).

3. Decide on the design: case study, analysis of current evidence, official statistics, existing rules and policy, etc.

4. Decide on the instruments: case/content analysis, and measurements scales, analytical procedures: how will your data answer your question?

Working title - project outline:

Select a working title: (ex.: "barriers to learning"; "ethical leadership"- it may change)

Before proposing you research outline :go through these questions: (Bell 2005,34)

1. Am-I clear about the purpose of the study? Am I sure about it? Is it likely to be worth doing?

2. Have I decided on the focus of the study?

3. What could a good case look like?

4. What are my specific questions? Which are priorities? (they may change after project proposal is submitted - but that's normal)

5. Have I begun to consider what information I might need to obtain in order to be in a position to answer my questions?

(the reflection on sources needs to start early on)

6. Have I considered how I might obtain this information? <

7. Once I access the data I need, how will I analyze it?

Example of a data extraction matrix (template)

Limits an uses

Limits an uses

Qualitative and quantitative

Quantitative research refers to counting and measuring items associated with the phenomena in question. (Explanatory or descriptive purposes)

whereas qualitative research focuses on "the meanings, concepts, definitions, characteristics, metaphors, symbols and descriptions of things (exploratory or descriptive purposes)

Mixed-methods research is associated with problemistic research and program evaluation

(Danzker and Hunter 2000,p. 88, with reference to Berg 1998, p.3)

Dimensions, variables, indicators

Your literature review will enable you to identify approaches (qualitative, quantitative or mixed-methods) and dimensions (sub-topics) used in past research.

You will break down the dimensions into variables, and break down variables into indicators in order to "operationalize" your research question.

You study's design with be determined by this process of selecting dimensions and variables.

Research scope:

What is the realm of your analysis?

Differentiate the questions you will be able to answer from the ones you won't.

Where does your research ends?

Tip: Do not undertake a 4 years, 7 questions research study with 20 different variables.

Critiquing the literature

It is through a critique of the existing data and studies (literature review) that you will position your new project and justify its scientific pertinence.

Research question

Narrow down your topic to one specific problem. the researcher must do is decide what it is she wants to study and why. Is is the why that helps form the research question.

The question

- Should allow others to gain a clear understanding of why the research was conducted.

- A well-worded research question should give some indication of the outcomes one might expect at the conclusion of the research

After establishing it, the researcher must explain waht specifically is going to be studied and the expected results. This is usually accomplished through statements or propositions called "Hypotheses".

(Dantzker 2000, 50)

Hypothesis

Hypothesis is a "if-then" statements

a good hypothesis is declarative, based on a theory or an idea worth testing.

Moreover, it is set out to test an outcome, not to prove it.

and they are testable: they use variables that are possible to measure

Once you have a conceptual hypothesis, you may select the population you wish to test your hypothesis on.

What type of data can I use

during 698S?

Secondary data (public data, collected by individuals or institutions, readily available)

- Case study

Comparing and contrasting the conclusions or data used in current/existing studies:

- Evidence review.

Two concurring school of thoughts...

Variables

"A variable is a characteristic of a unit of analysis that is not constant but instead varies across individual observed cases " (Eller et al, 2013, p. 45)

- Narrow down dimensions about your general topic that you wish to study further.

- Pick specific variables about your research topic and uncover in the literature questions pertaining to these specific elements.

Operationalization

Describing how a concept is measured

Conversion of tha abstract idea or notion into a measurable item.

Making observable something conceptual.

Going from abstract to concrete.

- Danzker 2000)

Concept -> Dimension -> Variable - > Item

Hypotheses

A tentative proposition which is subject to verification through subsequent investigation.

Make statements about relation between variables and provide a guide to the researcher.

Hunches that the researcher has about the existence of relationship between variables

Depicts and describes the method to be followed in studying the problem.

Interpretation of data.

Once you will have collected and analyzed the data with the procedures you have laid out in your research proposal, there is still another step you will take:

The interpretation means that you must take the time to assess the meaning of your data, the extent to which your hypotheses are verified or disconfirmed, and look for other possible explanations/dimensions of influence that may have affected the observed outcomes. You always stay reflective, and transform facts to validated knowledge with caution.

Reliability

Pre-test your data collection instruments to ensure that the scales are exhaustive (covers all possible answers) and mutually exclusive (do not overlap). Test your questionnaires: are there ambiguous terms?

The idea that you are truly measuring what you are trying to, and doing it rigorously / measurement consistency: (Eller et al p. 77).

Validity

The idea that the operationalization of your concepts has been done correctly (Eller et al p. 77).

INTERNAL: Confident that the relationship

is accurate (that the explanation is the most plausible)

EXTERNAL: you can generalize your findings