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The IMRaD-C Format
379
Sept. 2017
IMRaD
Research Format
JOHN MARK F. VALENCIA, AB Eng.
College Lecturer - MSC
The IMRaD format is a way of structuring a scientific article. It is often used in health care and the natural sciences. Unlike theses in the social sciences, the IMRaD format does not include a separate theory chapter.
ABOUT IMRaD-C
ABOUT
IMRaD is an acronym for Introduction – Method – Results – and – Discussion.
Characteristic
Characteristic
Theses structured using the IMRaD format are usually short and concise. The language will be as plain and as unambiguous as possible. There is no place in this type of writing for personal views and fanciful language.
I for Research
RESEARCH
AND ITS
duction
Intro
Imrad-c
INTRODUCTION
Use the introduction to show that you are knowledgeable about your field of study and existing research.
Your Introducttion Should Contain
- A summary of existing research on the subject
- Your thesis statement, hypothesis or research question
- Theory (if relevant)
- An introduction to the field, the current situation or to prevailing practice
The Tips:
Intro
Contents
Introduction
The introduction should explain what we know, and what we are uncertain about. It should explain and summarise, but it should also ask questions, clarify, compare etc. Everything you write here must relate to your research question.
Methods
METHODOLOGY
Use your method chapter to show that you arrived at your results by applying valid and reliable methods.
It Explains:
Generally explains...
What you did; your research, treatment or professional intervention, and how you did it.
- Account for …
- Document …
- … for what you did and did not do
Research Philosophy
Research philosophy is associated with clarification of assumption about the nature and the source of knowledge. All studies are based on some kind of assumptions about the world and the ways of understanding the world. There is no consensus among philosophers about the most appropriate ways of understanding the world; therefore, you are expected to clarify the philosophy you have chosen to understand your research problem.
Positivism Vs. Phenomenology
Positivism and phenomenology are the two main contrasting research philosophies related to business studies. Positivism is an objective approach which relies on facts and quantitative data. Phenomenology, on the contrary, takes into account subjective human interests and focuses on meanings rather than hard data.
For the time being we have to admit that we do not possess any general theoretical basis for physics which can be regarded as its logical foundation. (Einstein, 1940)
Post-Modernist
Post-Modernist
Postmodernism is "post" because it is denies the existence of any ultimate principles, and it lacks the optimism of there being a scientific, philosophical, or religious truth which will explain everything for everybody - a characteristic of the so-called "modern" mind.
Research Approach
Research approach can be divided into two, inductive and deductive categories. If you decide to find answer to specific research question(s) formulated in the beginning of the research process, you would be following an inductive approach. Alternatively, if you choose to achieve research objective(s) via testing hypotheses, your research approach can be specified as deductive. The choice between the two depends on a set of factors such as the area of study, research philosophy, the nature of the research problem and others.
Inductive Approach
Inductive Approach
Inductive approach, also known in inductive reasoning, starts with the observations and theories are proposed towards the end of the research process as a result of observations. Inductive research “involves the search for pattern from observation and the development of explanations – theories – for those patterns through series of hypotheses.
Deductive Approach
A deductive approach is concerned with “developing a hypothesis (or hypotheses) based on existing theory, and then designing a research strategy to test the hypothesis.
It has been stated that “deductive means reasoning from the particular to the general. If a causal relationship or link seems to be implied by a particular theory or case example, it might be true in many cases. A deductive design might test to see if this relationship or link did obtain on more general circumstances”.
Research Designs
Research design can be described as a general plan about what you will do to answer the research question.
Research Designs
Example:
Research design can be divided into two groups: exploratory and conclusive. Exploratory research, according to its name merely aims to explore specific aspects of the research area and does not aim to provide final and conclusive answers to research questions. In exploratory research the researcher may even change the direction of the study to a certain extent, however not fundamentally, according to new evidences gained during the research process.
Descriptive research is “aimed at casting light on current issues or problems through a process of data collection that enables them to describe the situation more completely than was possible without employing this method”.
There are two types of data – primary and secondary.
Data Collection Method
The most popular qualitative methods of data collection and analysis in business studies are interviews, focus groups, observation, case studies, games and role playing etc.
Popular quantitative methods of data collection and analysis, on the other hand, include correlation analysis, regression analysis, mean, mode and median and others.
Sampling
Sampling Techniques
Sampling is a principle that specifies the conditions and guides the process of selecting the members of population to participate in the study and to contribute as sources for primary data. The choice of sampling method determines the accuracy of research findings, reliability and validity of the study and has immense implications on the overall quality of the study.
Non-probability Sampling methods
Non-probability Sampling methods
- Judgement Sampling
- Quota Sampling
- Convenience Sampling
- Extensive Sampling
Probability sampling techniques
- Simple random sampling
- Stratified random sampling
- Systematic random sampling
- Multistage random sampling
- Cluster sampling
Probability Sampling techniques
Tip:
Got a problem deciding how manny people should be your respondents?
Try SLOVEN formula!
Research's Results
Research's RESULTS
A relatively large part of your paper/thesis should be devoted to your results (findings, data, empirical evidence).
How to Organize it? Simple!
In organizing your data and categorizing it, follow the pattern which you did in your statement of the problem. Cronologically.
To do:
Present Findings
Organise, classify, analyse and (if relevant) categorise .
Explains & Interprets
(e.g., differences between various studies)
Explains & Interpret
And Assess and evaluate
Note:
Numbers and data you gathered have no meaning and useless unless analyzed and given an interpretation.
The essence of your paper.
The Tip
The Introduction and Methods chapter should build up to your Results by showing how you arrived at your results (Methods) and their significance (Introduction).
In Making
Note:
Remember the missing Chapter 2 (RRL) that is transfered in your intro?
In this part, we will still be needing it to support claims/results.
DISCUSSION
In this chapter you discuss the results of your study/project.
Research's DISCUSSION
- Is it possible to generalise?
- Make comparisons with other studies
- Are there alternative explanations?
- What are the strong and weak aspects of your paper?
- What are the practical implications?
- Is more research needed?
- Make recommendations (to be applied in practice).
Note:
Check your Statement of the Problem if it is answered by your conclusion. if not something is wrong with your methods
CONCLUSION:
Research's CONCLUSION
What answer(s) have you found to your research question? If you have a hypothesis, has it been strengthened, weakened or falisified? Do not introduce issues here that have not been mentioned earlier. If the results of your study do not allow you to draw any conclusions, you can end with a summing up.