Overview of Research Methodologies

• Qualitative Research
– Ethnography, Case Study, Grounded Theory,
Autobiography, Participatory Action Research,
Phenomenology (each grounded in a specific discipline and
philosophical assumptions)
• Quantitative Research
– Survey methods, Experiments
• Mixed Methods
– Draw from qualitative and quantitative methods
 Quantitative
• A quantitative approach is one in which the
investigator primarily uses post-positivist
claims for developing knowledge (i.e. cause
and effect thinking, reduction to specific
variables and hypotheses and questions, use
of measurement and observation, and the test
of theories). (Creswell, 2003, p.19)
 Qualitative - Definition
• … qualitative researchers study things in their
natural settings, attempting to make sense of
or interpret phenomenon in terms of the
meanings people bring to them. (Denzin & Lincoln,
2000, p.3).
 Qualitative - Definition
 A qualitative approach is one in which the inquirer
often makes knowledge claims based primarily on
constructivist perspectives (i.e. the multiple
meanings of individual experiences, meanings
socially and historically constructed, with an intent of
developing a theory or pattern) or
advocacy/participatory perspectives (i.e. political,
issue-oriented, collaborative or change oriented) or
both. (Creswell, 2003, p.18)
 Research Questions
• Qualitative
– In qualitative study inquirers state research
questions, not objectives (i.e. specific goals for the
research) or hypotheses (i.e. predictions that
involve variables and statistical tests). (C., 2003, p.105)
– Example: How do students use program
development tools?
 Characteristics of
Qualitative Research
• Takes place in the natural setting
• Uses multiple methods that are interpretive
• Is emergent rather than tightly prefigured
• Fundamentally interpretive (role of researcher as interpreter)
• Researcher views social phenomena holistically
• Researcher systematically reflects on who he or she is in the
inquiry and is sensitive to hiw or her personal biography and
how it shapes the study
• Researcher uses complex reasoning that is multifaceted,
iterative, and simultaneous
• Researcher adopts and uses one or more strategies of inquiry
 Research methodology
Research methodology is a way to
systematically solve the research problem. It
may be understood as a science of studying
how research is done scientifically
• It is necessary for the researcher to know not
only the research methods/techniques but also
the methodology.
• Researchers not only need to know how to
develop certain indices or tests and how to
calculate the mean, the mode, the median or
the standard deviation or chi-square etc.,
 Research Methods
• Interviews
• Focusgroups
• Participant observation (field notes)
• Video
• Text and Image analysis (documents, media
data)
 Useful Methods
• Participant observation
– Gains insight into understanding cultural patterns to
determine what’s necessary and needed in tool
development (complementary to interviews)
• Interviews/Focusgroups with stakeholders
– Explores how tools are used and could be used in a novice
programming course
– Gains insight into the meaning of tools for students for
learning to program
 Useful Methods
• Data analysis
– Themes arising from data would provide insight into
current “learning to program” issues and see what is
important to students / teachers / administrators
• Survey
– Useful for verifying results on a larger scale
• User Testing
– Useful for triangulating results
 Choice of
Methodology & Methods
• Depends on
– Research Questions
– Research Goals
– Researcher Beliefs and Values
– Researcher Skills
– Time and Funds
 Methods and Procedures
• These describe how the objectives will be
achieved – flow directly from objectives
• They address:
– how will data be generated or collected
– analytical techniques to be used
– sequence of procedures
• Methods and procedures in student research
proposals should be very detailed
• More on methods and procedures in Chapter 9
13
It is essential to discuss procedures clearly
and completely with considerable amount
of details
• Study design
• Study population / Sampling specifications
• Sample size needed
• Instrumentation
• Specific procedures
 Study design

Definition: A study design is a specific plan

or protocol for conducting the study, which
allows the investigator to translate the
conceptual hypothesis into an operational
one.
• The study design should be clearly
stated
• The study design to be used should be
appropriate for achieving the objective
of the study
Study population / Sample specifications
• It is important to describe which would be
the study population
• How study subjects would be selected,
randomization process and other details
should be given
Sample size
It is important to mention in the protocol what
would be the minimum sample required and how
it is arrived
 Determination of sample size is a
bargain between precision and the
price (Resources & expenses involved)
Description of process
• Proposal should include the details of all process
to be adopted in the study
• How exposures, outcome variables and other
variables are going to be measured should be described in
detail
• A brief description of how the data will be processed
and use of statistical package if any should be given
• What statistical tests of significance would be used?
• It can be presented in tabular or graphic
form (Gantt chart)
• Flow charts and other diagrams are often
useful for highlighting the sequencing and
interrelationship of different activities in the
study
 Data Analysis (C., p.191)
• Organize and prepare the data for analysis
• Read all data, get a sense of the whole
• Begin detailed analysis with coding process
• Generate a description of the setting/people as well
as categories or themes for analysis
• Represent themes (writing, visual, etc.)
• Interpret and make meaning out of data
• *iterative, non-linear process
In-class activity:
Now let’s examine the Materials and Methods
sections of the published papers that you chose.
How are they similar and different? What works
and what does not?
In-class activity:
We will examine several Methods sections from
“mock papers” and edit them as a class. Try to
participate fully—we are all trying to improve the
papers and in doing so learn things that will help us
in our own writing.
In-class activity:
We will now each examine the Methods section of a
“mock paper” and edit it individually. Try to be objective
and constructive. Make changes that you think are
needed, and pose questions or make comments on things
that are not clear. Remember, the goal is clear, concise,
fluid writing.