OBJECTIVES

By Dr E. A. Kassembe
Snr Lect
Dar es Salaam Maritime Institute
Literature Review
• What is good ‘n’ what is bad?
• Results - same?
• Previous research has shown that ....(ref; ref; ref)
• Given the substantial agreement in the literature ......
• Note: you have to show you’ve understood the literature and what it
means in the future.
• you can also show a contradictory inference by saying even though
the previous literature shows that ...but the situation has changed
due to economic shakeup ....
Theme
Reference Description of finding Usual characteristics Good/Bad research
can be diff method 
used
x
Objectives
I. Develop a research question
II. Develop a list of research concepts
III. Develop a research model
Objectives
1. Top quality journals
 international
2. Mid quality journals
 national
 internet journals
 dissertation
PhD
Masters by Research
Masters projects
Objectives
3. Differences in findings
methods
data changes in size
4. Significance of the findings
which finding has given the most significance/important
what is the level of significance
5. Differences in context - why the differences exist? time period?
industry
time
measurement
Literature Review
1. Literature review: consider the
upside down Δ to be able to
be focussed
2.
Writing the Question
1. Explicit (distinct & testable concepts)
2. Clear (Meaning obvious and clear relationships between concepts)
3. Original
4. Testable
5. Has theoretical significance or social relevance (can be basic or
applied research)
Re-wording to be tested
1. Should be a grammatically complete question
2. We need one or more hypotheses phrased as grammatically
complete sentences.
3. Should be phrased as a positive, empirical assertion, such as there is
a relationship between X & Y.
• “As brand loyalty weakens, market shares will become more volatile”
Building on previous knowledge
• Good research is built on:
• previous knowledge
• Good science is usually incremental - there are not many major
breakthroughs
• Know your subject!
• A thorough literature search is essential
• Identify seminal papers & understand their results
• Pay attention to the details
• Are there simplifying assumptions that need to be tested?
• Are connections between key results by different researchers being ignored?
Finding a Research Problem
• Current events - current working environment
• Suggestions from past dissertations
• Suggestions from research by authorities in your field
• Theories and concepts without research (in your field)
• Different approaches to testing important results that have already
been found