RESEARCH METHODS
Continuous Assessment
 Submit your research proposal using this format

• Cover page
• Abstract
• Introduction:
• Background : a preliminary literature review of the topic
• Problem or purpose of the study
• Research questions or hypotheses
• Significance of the study
• Literature review
• Theoretical or conceptual framework
• Research design and methods
• Ethical considerations
• Thesis outline and proposed timeframe
• References
 RESEARCH DESIGN

Thinking about your research topic and research

questions: which research design will you
choose ?
1. Experimental or quasi-experimental design:
enable you to look at the impact of a change or
an intervention; enable you to explore a causal
relationships between different characteristics ,
changes and interventions; help you to test a
hypothesis.
2. Cross-sectional design: may enable you to
compare the experiences , views and
characteristics of different groups of people or
cases ; explore the possible relationships between
the experiences , views and characteristics of
different groups of people or cases; usual includes
data from a sample selected to represent different
groups within the population and the findings
may be generalizable to the population.
 RESEARCH DESIGN Cont..
3. A longitudinal design: enable you to look at
changes over time ; to identify key differences over
time and look for possible explanations ; enable you to
look at the impact of key events or changes using data
collected before and after.
4. A case study : enable you to look at a small
number of cases in depth; look at a research topic
within a particular or different contexts; enable you to
take a holistic approach to your research and explore
your topic in context
 RESEARCH DESIGN Cont..
Variations or specific developments of these
designs during the history of social research
1.Comparative research: study two or more
countries … interested in similarities ,
differences and contexts. Often uses case study
design , indepth study of each context; cross
sectional design.
2. Evaluative research: assess the value of something
in terms of the impact that it has on a situation,
individuals or oragnisation: quasi-experimental design,
longitudinal, cross –sectional or case study

3. Ethnography
Relationship of the research with the data that is
collected: participant Case study design
4 grounded theory: generates theory from data
 Choosing Methods
the choice of research data collecting methods
should be determined by your research questions
or hypothesis
Depends on the type of data you need to collect to
be able to answer your research questions or test
your hypothesis
Debate on the ontological and epistemological
perspectives ( qualitative /quantitative debate)
See Table B4:1
 Quantitative research methods
Data that is structured and can be represented
numerically, a positivist epistemology approach
is taken and data is statistically analysed,
research questions may be set out as testable
hypotheses, research design fixed before data
collection, often use tools such as surveys or
questionnaires to collect data, it may be possible
to generalize from data.
 Qualitative
stories, accounts, including subjective
understandings, feelings , opinions and beliefs;
an interpretivist epistemological approach,
reality is a social construct, research questions
developed using subsidiary questions, research
questions answered by describing and explaning
events and gathering participants
understandings, beliefs, and experiences ,
design is fluid and evolutionary
 Mixed methods
Combining qualitative and quantitative methods
in a way that is best for a specific research
project
Choosing methods 4. 2. In terms of data
collection and analysis the key difference
between the qualitiative and quantitative
approaches is the way the data that is collected
is structured and by whom.
 THE END
THANK YOU