Research Methodology

Res 3001
Week 1
Introduction
Lecturer
Dr. Kofi Nkrumah-Young
 Activity 1
Fact Sheet

ABC Ltd. is a small hotel on the north coast of Jamaica

It has been in operations for 10 years
It enjoyed a profit margin of 30% per annum until the
last three years when the margin dropped to 20%, then
10% and seemed to be heading for a loss in the current
year
Required:
You are being asked to address the situation and avert the
declining trend. Suggest how you would go about the
task assigned.
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Knowledge Needed to Address the
Assignment

Source: Wallace and Poulson (2003 pg. 18)

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Activity 2:

Review of how groups undertook the task

Whichof Wallace and Poulson (2003) three types of

Knowledge did you rely on for addressing the task?

Why was research knowledge not used?

How would you go about using research

knowledge?

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 Process for Undertaking Consultancies
What data are
required to
answer
question?

Literature
Review

Research Research Data Data Answer

Problem Design
area Definition Question Collection Analysis Question

Pre-empirical Empirical Stage

Stage

Adopted from Punch 2000

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 COURSE DESCRIPTION
This course provides an overview of qualitative
and quantitative methodologies currently accepted
for use in the conduct of research. It further equips
the participants with the rudimentary tools for
conducting simple research projects and other
major projects in their respective disciplines. This
course is practical in nature and does not require a
final examination.

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COURSE OBJECTIVES
On completion of this course, participants will be
able to:
◦ Demonstrate an understanding of the language of research
◦ Demonstrate familiarity with the approach to scientific
research
◦ Develop the skills for conduction a literature review
◦ Distinguish between qualitative and quantitative designs
◦ Demonstrate the ability to conduct simple research

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REQUIRED READING
Leedy, P. & Ormrod, J. (2005). Practical research: planning and
design. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice-Hall, Inc.
Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association 6th Ed
(2010). Washington D.C: American Psychological Association
SUGGESTED READING
Bwisa, H. M. (2008). How to Write a Problem Statement. Available
from
http://www.professorbwisa.com/new/free_downloads/problem_statem
ent.pdf
Denscombe, M. (2010).The Good Research Guide for Small –Scale
Social Research Projects 4th Ed. Berkshire, England: Open University
Press
Hernon, P., & Schwartz, C., (2007). What is a problem statement?
Library & Information Science Research 29 (2007) 307–309
Leacock, C., Warrican, S.J. & Rose, G. (2009). Research Methods for
Inexperienced Researchers. Kingston: Ian Randle Publishers
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 Assessment
Weight Date
Assignment 1 – Concept Paper 10% Feb. 6, 2012
(I)
Literature review (I) + (G) 20% March 5, 2012
Test (I) 30% March 19,
2012
Presentation of Research 40% April 5, 2012
Proposal (G)

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Accessing Lectures Online
http://utechonline.utech.edu.jm/
YOU MUST HAVE AN ACTIVE STUDENT
ACCOUNT IN ORDER TO REGISTER IN THE
LMS. The default password "123456" will not
work. YOU MUST go to a SCIT lab and reset that
default password!!!
Students, at the login screen, enter the username
(id number) and password combination associated
with the student account used to log on to the
computers in the labs.
The username is the same as the id number.
 Module 1- INTRODUCTION TO
RESEARCH METHODOLOGIES

On completion of this module, participants will

be able to:
◦ Analyze the concept of research
◦ Evaluate the benefits of research
◦ Distinguish among basic, applied and action
research
◦ Identify potential research questions
◦ Write the concept paper for a scientific research

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What is research?
True or False?
◦ Research is information gathering
◦ Research is transportation of facts from one
location to another
◦ Research is rummaging for information

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 Defining Research
Research is a systematic process of
collecting, analysing and interpreting
information (data) in order to increase our
understanding of the phenomenon about
which we are interested or concerned (Leedy
and Ormrod 2010 p. 2).

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Eight characteristics of research
1. Originates with a question or problem
2. Requires clear articulation of a goal
3. Requires a specific plan for proceeding
4. Usually divides the principal problem into more
manageable sub-problems
5. Usually is guided by the specific research problem,
question, or hypothesis
6. Accepts certain critical assumptions
7. Requires the collection and interpretation of data in
an attempt to resolve the problem that initiated the
research
8. Is by its nature cyclical or, more exactly helical
(Leedy and Ormrod 2005 )
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Types of research I – Based on strategy
of the approach
Basic
“to gain more comprehensive knowledge or
understanding of the subject under study
without specific applications in mind” (
www.genomicglossaries.com/content/research
_genomics.asp
)
Applied
is done to solve specific, practical questions;
its primary aim is not to gain knowledge for its
own sake” (
encyclopedia.laborlawtalk.com/Researcher)
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 Action Research
“A type of applied research that focuses on
finding a solution to a local problem in a local
setting”.
E.g. a teacher investigates whether a new
spelling program she has adopted leads to
improvement in her students’ achievement
scores. (Mills 2003 in Leady and Amrod 2005
p. 108)

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Action Research
a group of people identify a problem,
do something to resolve it,
see how successful their efforts were, and
if not satisfied, try again

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Types of Research II – Based on extent of
work on the area of study
 Exploratory Research
◦ Usually carried out when there has been little previous work
in the area
◦ Can be thought of as an initial fact-finding project
◦ Initial research conducted to clarify and define the nature of
a problem
◦ Aim is normally to look for patterns or ideas that can be
investigated in depth
 Descriptive Research
◦ Designed to describe the characteristics of a population or a
phenomenon
◦ Answers to: who, what, when, where and how
Types of Research III – Based on aim of the study
Causal Research
◦ Aims to determine reasons why particular patterns occur
◦ Conducted to identify cause-and-effect relationships
among variables
Predictive Research
◦ Aim of predictive research is to use the information
gained from previous analytical research to help predict
what would happen in particular situations
The purpose of the research rather than the
technique used determines whether a study is
exploratory, descriptive or causal
 ASSIGNMENT 1 – Concept Paper
This is an individual assignment in which students
select an area of interest (these topics should be
taken from students major/minor i.e. POM, HRM,
Finance, Marketing etc). These topics should be
current and should benefit the students’
professional development. The written report
should not be more than three pages in length.
See assessment sheet on page 4. Due Date:

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