REAL WORLD RESEARCH
SECOND EDITION
SECOND EDITION
Chapter 3: Developing a Proposal
Deciding on the focus:
- The need for a focus
- Making a group decision
- Having the decision made for you
- Starting where you are
- Researching the background
- Acknowledging the constraints
Developing the research questions
SPECIFIC. They are sufficiently specific for it to be clear what constitutes an answer.
ANSWERABLE. We can see what data are needed to answer them and how those data will be collected.
INTERCONNECTED. The questions are related in some meaningful way, forming a coherent whole.
SUBSTANTIVELY RELEVANT. They are worthwhile, non-trivial questions worthy of the research effort to be expended.
- Think in terms of the purposes of your research
- Know the area
- Widen the base of your experience
- Consider using techniques for enhancing creativity
- Avoid the pitfalls of:
•allowing a pre-decision on method or technique to decide the questions to be asked
•posing research questions that can’t be answered
•asking questions that have already been answered satisfactorily
Cut it down to size
Good research questions
Good questions are:
CLEAR. They are unambiguous and easily understood.SPECIFIC. They are sufficiently specific for it to be clear what constitutes an answer.
ANSWERABLE. We can see what data are needed to answer them and how those data will be collected.
INTERCONNECTED. The questions are related in some meaningful way, forming a coherent whole.
SUBSTANTIVELY RELEVANT. They are worthwhile, non-trivial questions worthy of the research effort to be expended.
Classifying the purposes of research
Exploratory
To find out what is happening, particularly in little-understood situations
To seek new insights
To ask questions
To assess phenomena in a new light
To generate ideas and hypotheses for future research
Classifying the purposes of research
Descriptive
To portray an accurate profile of persons, events or situations
Requires extensive previous knowledge of the situation etc. to be researched or described,
so that you know appropriate aspects on which to gather information
Classifying the purposes of research
Explanatory
Seeks an explanation of a situation or problem, traditionally but not necessarily in the form of causal relationships
To explain patterns relating to the phenomenon being researched
To identify relationships between aspects of the phenomenon
Emancipatory
To create opportunities and the will to engage in social action
Ethical issues: practices to avoid
Involving people without their knowledge or consent
Coercing them to participate
Withholding information about the true nature of the research
Otherwise deceiving the participant
Inducing them to commit acts diminishing their self-esteem
The person(s) or agencies sponsoring, funding or otherwise providing resources, access or facilities for the research may influence some or all of the following:
Selection of research focus
Selection of research design (research questions, strategy, methods, etc.)
Granting of access
Publication of findings
Use made by sponsor of findings
Note: Knowledge that a research project has been sponsored by a particular agency may affect the credibility of its findings
Sexism in research: sources of bias
ANDROCENTRICITY: Viewing the world from a male perspective.
OVERGENERALIZATION: When a study deals with only one sex but presents itself as generally applicable. Overspecificity can also occur when single-sex terms are used when both sexes are involved.
GENDER INSENSITIVITY: Ignoring sex as a possible variable.
DOUBLE STANDARDS: Evaluating, treating or measuring identical behaviours, traits or situations by different means for males and females
.SEX APPROPRIATENESS: A commonly used and accepted form of ‘double standards’: e.g. that child rearing is necessarily a female activity.
FAMILISM: Treating the family as the smallest unit of analysis when it would be possible and appropriate to treat an individual as the unit.
SEXUAL DICHOTOMISM: Treating the sexes as two entirely distinct social groups rather than as groups with overlapping characteristics.
To find out what is happening, particularly in little-understood situations
To seek new insights
To ask questions
To assess phenomena in a new light
To generate ideas and hypotheses for future research
Classifying the purposes of research
Descriptive
To portray an accurate profile of persons, events or situations
Requires extensive previous knowledge of the situation etc. to be researched or described,
so that you know appropriate aspects on which to gather information
Classifying the purposes of research
Explanatory
Seeks an explanation of a situation or problem, traditionally but not necessarily in the form of causal relationships
To explain patterns relating to the phenomenon being researched
To identify relationships between aspects of the phenomenon
Emancipatory
To create opportunities and the will to engage in social action
Ethical issues: practices to avoid
Involving people without their knowledge or consent
Coercing them to participate
Withholding information about the true nature of the research
Otherwise deceiving the participant
Inducing them to commit acts diminishing their self-esteem
Ethical issues: practices to avoid
Violating rights of self-determination (e.g. in studies seeking to promote individual change)
Exposing participants to physical or mental stress
Invading their privacy
Withholding benefits from some participants (e.g. in comparison groups)
Not treating participants fairly, or with consideration, or with respect
Exposing participants to physical or mental stress
Invading their privacy
Withholding benefits from some participants (e.g. in comparison groups)
Not treating participants fairly, or with consideration, or with respect
The person(s) or agencies sponsoring, funding or otherwise providing resources, access or facilities for the research may influence some or all of the following:
Selection of research focus
Selection of research design (research questions, strategy, methods, etc.)
Granting of access
Publication of findings
Use made by sponsor of findings
Note: Knowledge that a research project has been sponsored by a particular agency may affect the credibility of its findings
Sexism in research: sources of bias
ANDROCENTRICITY: Viewing the world from a male perspective.
OVERGENERALIZATION: When a study deals with only one sex but presents itself as generally applicable. Overspecificity can also occur when single-sex terms are used when both sexes are involved.
GENDER INSENSITIVITY: Ignoring sex as a possible variable.
DOUBLE STANDARDS: Evaluating, treating or measuring identical behaviours, traits or situations by different means for males and females
.SEX APPROPRIATENESS: A commonly used and accepted form of ‘double standards’: e.g. that child rearing is necessarily a female activity.
FAMILISM: Treating the family as the smallest unit of analysis when it would be possible and appropriate to treat an individual as the unit.
SEXUAL DICHOTOMISM: Treating the sexes as two entirely distinct social groups rather than as groups with overlapping characteristics.
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