Preparation

TMD
session I

PROCRASTINATION | PROFESSIONALISM | RESEARCH SKILLS

GUILLAUME STANDAERT 201272585

ARTEVELDE UNIVERSITY COLLEGE | Voetweg 66 9000 Gent

2015

Procastination
3 steps

1. Eat an elephant.
We all know that we cannot eat an elephant in one time. So cant we make a big task
in one time as well. Devideing into different segments and parts is the way to succes.

2. Pick out the goblins.
When we have to start with a task we should deifintly begin with a nice part to get
encouraged to get through the different parts as well

3. Ignore the Sirens songs.
Put away all the possible distractions in your working environment. Close facebook
and do put all the stuff away that you could play with. This will lessen you distraction
while working at a very important and big task.

Exercise 1

For each of the quadrants, look at your activities today - focus on your school work and map
the activities to a quadrant, bring this to class.

Urgent and important:
Prepare my TMD prepartion before 15.00 tomorrow.
Make my homework for Chinese before the day after tomorrow.

Urgent and unimportant:
I have to visit my friend tonight to set up the latest preparation of our upcoming shows.
I have to call my dad concerning school.

Not urgent and important:

Plan all my tasks in outlook for the e-skills course.
Think about making a semester planning.

Not urgent and unimportant:
Check my facebook notifications.
Watch the last episode of the series I am following.

Exercise 2
Analyse your own time wasters, add to the list and fill in the following table, bring it to class.

Time wasters
How can I avoid this?
Losing things with regard to
I will put everything in a seperate file
courses
for each course.

Interruptions
Tendency towards
perfectionism
Postponing tasks
Focusing on too many
priorities
Having a lot of spare time
because of too few priorities

I will turn off my phone while working

for school.
Try to accept that making mistakes is a
humanthing.
Plan everything in advance with
outlook.
Devide tasks into subparts and do
these tasks before different deadlines.
Accept that work has tob e done
during school. During vacations we can
have fun. Now we have to work.

As preparation for the class : look for one new tool that you can use to help your
prioritise, plan, avoid time wasters, have a more efficient time management.
Be prepared to present it to your fellow students.

Professionalism
Case 1 - Keeping your job or moving on

Tessa is a consultant at ServIntel, a large international IT firm. She had started as a
commercial sales rep and had discovered she really had a talent for shaping clients wishes
into userfriendly software ideas for the design department. Because of this interest and her
skills, she quickly made it to consultant leel. She now looks for and maintains contact with
potential clients and translates their wishes into IT products that ServIntel sells.

You are Tessa's colleague and started more or less at the same time as a programmer. You
still love your job but would like to have a promotion and meet customers and get out of the
office more. You think Tessa's job is rather interesting. You can see she has lots of freedom
and enjoys her job. You seem a bit jealous.

Think about your feelings, your position and your skills.
Then ask yourself some questions.
Why did she get promoted and I didnt?
Am I doing my job in a good way?
Do they notice i can handle more than I am doing right now?
Would I be able to achieve the same when the the opportinity to do the same would
be given to me?
How can I show the bosses that I am ready to get a higher function?

Exercise 2
Write down some notes on the following and bring them to class.

At a certain moment I got to know that the company I work for hired a new student that had
to work during Saturdays. For me it felt very embarrassed because of the fact that i felt put
backward. It was like the beginning of the end of my career at the company. My boss said to
me that the new student was hired because the company wanted certainty about the
availability of one student during weekends. There always had to be one student to teach.
And if I could not come to work one day, he had to come and take over my tasks, for
example when I would be ill. My boss in fact got angry of me saying that I felt put backward.
He said you have to understand, if you cannot give Switch the certainty of coming each day
you have to, switch will look for another option that gives them more certainty. The
company has to continue improving, with or without you. After that I felt very angry and I
said: You know, if I have to look for another job, you can just say it to me directly, in that
way I can already start looking. Maybe you should, if this is your reaction., was his
answer.

1. The boss his answer influenced me in a negative way. This made me very mad.
2. The fact that I got to know that a new person was hired via another colleague made
me angry as well.
3. Feeling me put backward was also a negative impulse.
4. The situation where the whole discussion happened was in the shop with all the
other colleagues present. I felt insulted and had to protect myself.

To conclude I can say that I notice that I took the whole story as an insult and a way to fire
me. In fact, it was just a way of Switch wanting the shop to be able to function; even when I
am sick for one day. They want results as well so this is logical that they did this.

From this I learned not to think so negative about changes in the way a company works and
not to blame myself for some things.

Exercise 3

Use Korthagen's model to write about every
phase in the reflection process - bring this
reflection to class

Step 1: Action
There has been a voting in group to take certain
decisions regarding a certain company.

Step 2: Look back on the action

There has been a voting where one manager is
not happy with the result.

Step 3: Awareness of essential aspects

Voting was agreed unanymously. All group members except one were agree. . The superior
is called to help with this matter. The superior called the HR Advisor. They came up with the
idea of organizing an improvement track for the manager. He agrees but the results show
that he does not move on into action. The superior then concludes that he has to start
looking for another job because the company is not satisfied anymore of his results. Regional
manager took all decisions, HR Adviser didnt.

Step 4: Create alternative methods of action

The HR Adviser could have wanted the Superior to take a step back and let the Adviser do a
big part of the decision making process. Next to that, the HR Adviser could have insited on a
supplementary training for all workers of the group. Probably some other group members
could use a certain refresshing of their education. In this way each group member would
have to join and Peter would not feel insulted.

Step 5: Trial
During thius trial we can see what the result will look like.

Research skills and investigative attitude

Source 1

Research methods in brief (Palgrave Study Skills)

Look at the very brief outlines of different methods below. Consider which you intend using
and whether you could also find it more useful to combine the quantitative with the
qualitative. You will be familiar with many of these methods from your work and from MA,
MSc or BA study already.

Qualitative research methods

Interviews
Interviews enable face to face discussion with human subjects. If you are going to use
interviews you will have to decide whether you will take notes (distracting), tape the
interview (accurate but time consuming) rely on your memory (foolish) or write in their
answers (can lead to closed questioning for times sake). If you decide to interview you will
need to draw up an interview schedule of questions which can be either closed or open
questions, or a mixture of these. Closed questions tend to be used for asking for and
receiving answers about fixed facts such as name, numbers, and so on. They do not require
speculation and they tend to produce short answers. With closed questions you could even
give your interviewees a small selection of possible answers from which to choose. If you do
this you will be able to manage the data and quantify the responses quite easily. The
Household Survey and Census ask closed questions, and often market researchers who stop
you in the street do too. You might ask them to indicate how true for them a certain
statement was felt to be, and this too can provide both a closed response, and one which

can be quantified (30% of those asked said they never ate rice, while 45% said they did so
regularly at least once a week... and so on).

The problem with closed questions is that they limit the response the interviewee can give
and do not enable them to think deeply or test their real feelings or values.

If you ask open questions such as what do you think about the increase in traffic? you could
elicit an almost endless number of responses. This would give you a very good idea of the
variety of ideas and feelings people have, it would enable them to think and talk for longer
and so show their feelings and views more fully. But it is very difficult to quantify these
results. You will find that you will need to read all the comments through and to categorise
them after you have received them, or merely report them in their diversity and make
general statements, or pick out particular comments if they seem to fit your purpose. If you
decide to use interviews:
Identify your sample.
Draw up a set of questions that seem appropriate to what you need to find out.
Do start with some basic closed questions (name etc.).
Don't ask leading questions.
Try them out with a colleague.
Pilot them, then refine the questions so that they are genuinely engaged with your
research object.
Contact your interviewees and ask permission, explain the interview and its use.
Carry out interviews and keep notes/tape.
Transcribe.
Thematically analyse results and relate these findings to others from your other
research methods.

For further information see Chapters 11 and 16 of The Postgraduate Research Handbook by
Gina Wisker.

Quantitative research methods

Questionnaires
Questionnaires often seem a logical and easy option as a way of collecting information from
people. They are actually rather difficult to design and because of the frequency of their use
in all contexts in the modern world, the response rate is nearly always going to be a problem
(low) unless you have ways of making people complete them and hand them in on the spot
(and this of course limits your sample, how long the questionnaire can be and the kinds of
questions asked). As with interviews, you can decide to use closed or open questions, and
can also offer respondents multiple choice questions from which to choose the statement
which most nearly describes their response to a statement or item. Their layout is an art
form in itself because in poorly laid out questionnaires respondents tend, for example, to
repeat their ticking of boxes in the same pattern. If given a choice of response on a scale 1-5,
they will usually opt for the middle point, and often tend to miss out subsections to
questions. You need to take expert advice in setting up a questionnaire, ensure that all the
information about the respondents which you need is included and filled in, and ensure that

you actually get them returned. Expecting people to pay to return postal questionnaires is
sheer folly, and drawing up a really lengthy questionnaire will also inhibit response rates.
You will need to ensure that questions are clear, and that you have reliable ways of
collecting and managing the data. Setting up a questionnaire that can be read by an optical
mark reader is an excellent idea if you wish to collect large numbers of responses and
analyse them statistically rather than reading each questionnaire and entering data
manually.

You would find it useful to consult the range of full and excellent research books available.
These will deal in much greater depth with the reasons for, processes of holding, and
processes of analysing data from the variety of research methods available to you.
Developing and using a questionnaire - some tips:
Identify your research questions
Identify your sample
Draw up a list of appropriate questions and try them out with a colleague
Pilot them
Ensure questions are well laid out and it is clear how to 'score them' (tick, circle,
delete)
Ensure questions are not leading and confusing
Code up the questionnaire so you can analyse it afterwards
Gain permission to use questionnaires from your sample
Ensure they put their names or numbers on so you can identify them but keep real
names confidential
Hand them out/post them with reply paid envelopes
Ensure you collect in as many as possible
Follow up if you get a small return

Analyse statistically if possible and/or thematically

Source 2

Types of Research Methodology (Wikipedia)

Qualitative
This type of research methods involves describing in details specific situation using research
tools like interviews, surveys, and Observations. [3] Qualitative Research is primarily
exploratory research. It is used to gain an understanding of underlying reasons, opinions,
and motivations. It provides insights into the problem or helps to develop ideas or
hypotheses for potential quantitative research. Qualitative Research is also used to uncover
trends in thought and opinions, and dive deeper into the problem. Qualitative data
collection methods vary using unstructured or semi-structured techniques. Some common
methods include focus groups (group discussions), individual interviews, and
participation/observations. The sample size is typically small, and respondents are selected
to fulfill a given quota.

Quantitative
This type of research methods requires quantifiable data involving numerical and statistical
explanations. Quantitative Research is used to quantify the problem by way of generating
numerical data or data that can be transformed into useable statistics. It is used to quantify
attitudes, opinions, behaviors, and other defined variables and generalize results from a
larger sample population. Quantitative Research uses measurable data to formulate facts
and uncover patterns in research. Quantitative data collection methods are much more
structured than Qualitative data collection methods. Quantitative data collection methods
include various forms of surveys online surveys, paper surveys, mobile surveys and kiosk
surveys, face-to-face interviews, telephone interviews, longitudinal studies, website
interceptors, online polls, and systematic observations.

Correlation/Regression Analysis
This research method involves determining the strength of the relationship between two or
more variables (e.g. are violent videogames correlated with aggression in children).

Meta-Analysis
This research method is useful for finding out the average impact of several different studies
on a hypothesis.

Source 3

How to Choose the most Appropriate Design? (Shuttleworth)

Selecting the correct type from the different research methods can be a little daunting, at
first. There are so many factors to take into account and evaluate.

The research question, ethics, budget and time are all major considerations in any design.
This is before looking at the statistics required, and studying the preferred methods for the
individual scientific discipline. Every experimental design must make compromises and
generalizations, so the researcher must try to minimize these, whilst remaining realistic.
For pure sciences, such as chemistry or astrophysics, experiments are quite easy to define
and will, usually, be strictly quantitative. For biology, psychology and social sciences, there
can be a huge variety of methods to choose from, and a researcher will have to justify their
choice. Whilst slightly arbitrary, the best way to look at the various methods is in terms of
strength.

Experimental Research Methods

The first method is the straightforward experiment, involving the standard practice of
manipulating quantitative, independent variables to generate statistically analyzable data.
Generally, the system of scientific measurements is interval or ratio based. When we talk
about scientific research methods, this is what most people immediately think of, because
it passes all of the definitions of true science. The researcher is accepting or refuting the

null hypothesis. The results generated are analyzable and are used to test hypotheses, with
statistics giving a clear and unambiguous picture. This research method is one of the most
difficult, requiring rigorous design and a great deal of expense, especially for larger
experiments. The other problem, where real life organisms are used, is that taking
something out of its natural environment can seriously affect its behavior.

It is often argued that, in some fields of research, experimental research is too accurate. It
is also the biggest drain on time and resources, and is often impossible to perform for some
fields, because of ethical considerations.
The Tuskegee Syphilis Study was a prime example of experimental research that was fixated
on results, and failed to take into account moral considerations.
In other fields of study, which do not always have the luxury of definable and quantifiable
variables - you need to use different research methods. These should attempt to fit all of the
definitions of repeatability or falsifiability, although this is not always feasible.

Opinion Based Research Methods

Opinion based research methods generally involve designing an experiment and collecting
quantitative data. For this type of research, the measurements are usually arbitrary,
following the ordinal or interval type.
Questionnaires are an effective way of quantifying data from a sample group, and testing
emotions or preferences. This method is very cheap and easy, where budget is a problem,
and gives an element of scale to opinion and emotion. These figures are arbitrary, but at
least give a directional method of measuring intensity.
Quantifying behavior is another way of performing this research, with researchers often
applying a numerical scale to the type, or intensity, of behavior. The Bandura Bobo Doll
experiment and the Asch Experiment were examples of opinion based research.
By definition, this experiment method must be used where emotions or behaviors are
measured, as there is no other way of defining the variables.
Whilst not as robust as experimental research, the methods can be replicated and the
results falsified.

Observational Research Methods

Observational research is a group of different research methods where researchers try to
observe a phenomenon without interfering too much.
Observational research methods, such as the case study, are probably the furthest removed
from the established scientific method. This type is looked down upon, by many scientists, as
quasi-experimental research, although this is usually an unfair criticism. Observational
research tends to use nominal or ordinal scales of measurement.
Observational research often has no clearly defined research problem, and questions may
arise during the course of the study. For example, a researcher may notice unusual behavior
and ask, What is happening? or Why?
Observation is heavily used in social sciences, behavioral studies and anthropology, as a way
of studying a group without affecting their behavior. Whilst the experiment cannot be
replicated or falsified, it still offers unique insights, and will advance human knowledge.

Case studies are often used as a pre-cursor to more rigorous methods, and avoid the
problem of the experiment environment affecting the behavior of an organism.
Observational research methods are useful when ethics are a problem.

Conclusion

In an ideal world, experimental research methods would be used for every type of research,
fulfilling all of the requirements of falsifiability and generalization.

However, ethics, time and budget are major factors, so any experimental design must make
compromises. As long as a researcher recognizes and evaluates flaws in the design when
choosing from different research methods, any of the scientific research methods are valid
contributors to scientific knowledge.

References

Palgrave Study Skills. (sd). Choosing appropriate research methodologies. Researched on

October 13, 2015, from http://www.palgrave.com/studentstudyskills/page/choosing-
appropriate-research-methodologies/

Shuttleworth, M. (sd). How to Choose the most Appropriate Design? Researched on October
13, 2015, from Explorable.com: https://explorable.com/different-research-methods

Wikipedia. (sd). Types of research methods and disciplines. Researched on October 13, 2015,
from Wikipedia.org:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Types_of_research_methods_and_disciplines