Research Methodology for Graduate Students

Research Methodology for Graduate Students

The elements of a proposal

The research proposal is an overall plan, scheme, structure and strategy designed to obtain answers to the research questions.

It consists of a series of tasks which form a logical path that leads the observer to his/her conclusions.

It is a plan that should be undertaken to fulfill the research objectives and test hypotheses. It answers what a researcher proposing to do, how is he/she plan to proceed and how the proposed strategy is selected.

Views are different about the best arrangements of a research’s ingredients and vary markedly from discipline to discipline.

The order usually reflects what seems to be the order in which proposal writes think through and develop their ideas. Therefore, it must be a convincing and descriptive document, that makes the ideas and approach crystal clear.

The Proposal Contains Information about the Study

These information are the followings:-

1.                                                  study’s objectives.

2.                                                  a list of study hypotheses need to be tested.

3.                                                  study’s design proposed to be used.

4.                                                  the setting of the study.

5.                                                  instruments planned to be used.

6.                                                  a sample design and a sample size.

7.                                                  outline the proposed chapters for the report.

8.                                                  study’s problems and limitations.

9.                                                  a proposed time frame.

An seven models suggested by R. Kumar  are suitable for a post graduate students. The model covers the total spectrum of a research effort, starting from problem formulation through to writing a research report. These seven steps are:-

Step (1): formulating a research problem.

Step (2): conceptualizing a research design.

Step (3): constructing an instrument for data collection.

Step (4): selecting a sample.

Step (5): writing a research proposal.

Step (6): collecting data.

Step (7): writing a research report.

A research problem formulation is what the researcher intend to do.

It should be more specific and clear, as it influence everything that follows in the research design. The research problem has to be evaluated in the light of the financial resources available, the time allotted to the task, and the researcher or his/her supervisor expertise and knowledge in the field of the study.

Example (A)

Suppose that you are conducting a study to investigate the impact of immigration on the family. The preamble /introduction should include a brief description of the following:-

1.   the origin of the migratory movements in the world.

2.   general theories developed to explain migratory behavior.

3.   The reasons for migration (national & state).

4.   Current trends in migration.

5.   The impact of immigration on family roles and relationships (eg. On husband and wife, on children and parents, on parental expectations of chidreen).

6.   Occupational mobility.

A Case Study

1.                                   The problem

This section includes the following:-

a.        Identify the issues that are the basis of your study.

b.        Specify the various aspects of/perspectives on these issues.

c.        Identify the main gaps in the existing body of knowledge.

d.        Raise some of the main research questions that you want to answer through the study.

e.        Identify what knowledge is available concerning your questions, specifying differences in opinions.

f.          Develop a rationale for the study with particular references to how your study will fill the identified gaps.

Example

1.   What settlement process dose a family go through after immigration?.

2.   What adjustments do immigrants hve to make?.

3.   What is the possible impact of settlement on family roles and relationships?.

4.   What types of change can occur in family member’s attitudes?.

5.   In terms of impact, what specific questions do you want to answer? What does literature say about these questions?

6.   What are the different view point on these issues? What are your own ideas about these questions?

7.   What do you he think will be the relevance of the findings of your study to the existing body of knowledge and to your profession?.

8.   How will the findings add to the body of knowledge and be useful to professionals in your field?.

The objectives of the study

1.         Include a statement of study’s main and sub-objectives (specific).

2.         The main objective indicates the central thrust of the study.

3.         The sub-objective identify the specific issues proposed to be examined.

The objectives

Should be clearly stated and specific in nature.

Each sub-objective should delineate only one issue.

Use action-oriented word in formulating sub-objectives such as:-to determine, to find out, to a certain.

Example

Main objective

To a certain the impact of immigration on the family.

Sub-objectives

1.                     To determine the impact of immigration on husband/wife roles as perceived by immigrants.

2.                     To find out the impact of immigration on marital relation.

3.                     To a certain the perceived changes in parental expectations of children academic and professional achievements.

4.                     To determine perceived changes of attitude towards marriage in the study population.

The Hypotheses to be Tested

Hypothesis is a statement of your assumptions about a prevalence of a phenomenon or about relationship between two variables that to be tested example:-

H1. In most cases there will be a change in husband/wife roles after immigration.

H2. In a majority of cases there will be a changes in parents expectations of their children.

H3. etc.

The study design

Whether it is cross-sectional or experimental.

Include detailed logistic executing procedures.

It should explain clarified details for easy adoption.

Study design should include the followings:-

Who makes up the study population?.

Can each element of study population be identified? If yes, how?.

Will a sample or the total population be studied?.

How will you get in touch with the selected sample?.

How will the sample consent to particulate in the study be sougth?.

How will the data be collected (eg. By interview, questionnaire or by observations)?.

How will confidentiality be preserved?.

Example

The study is primarily designed to find out from a cross-sectional of immigrants from 2000 to 2010.

The setting

Briefly describe the organization, agency or community in which you will conduct your study.

If the study about people, highlight some of the salient characteristics of the group and draw to any available relevant information.

If the research concerning agency, office or organization, include the followings:-

The main service provided by the agency.

Its administrative structure.

The type of client served.

Information about the issues that are central to your research.

If you are studying a community, briefly describe some of the main characteristics such as:-

The size of the community, a brief social profile of the community (the composition of the various groups within it), issues of relevance to the central theme of your study.

Measurement procedures

There are two major approaches to gathering information about a situation, person, problem or phenomenon.

Sometimes information required is already available and need only be extracted.

However, there are times when information must be collected. Based on this information gathering, data categorized as: secondary data (secondary source-data base –retrospective  ).

Primary data (primary source-prospective).

Primary source provides first hand information.

Secondary source provides second hand information.

Method of data collection

Primary

1.         Observations.

2.         Interviewing.

3.         Questionnaire

Observation

participant

non-participant

Interviewing

structured

unstructured

Questionnaire

Mailed

Collective questionnaire

Data processing

The analysis of information depends upon two things:-

The type of information: descriptive, quantitative, qualitative or attitudinal.

The standard  proposal model

The two outlines below are intended to show the standard parts of a proposal “expected results” and “budget” should be included.

1.         Introduction.

2.         Topic area.

3.         Research question.

4.         Significance to knowledge.

5.         Literature review.

6.         Previous research.

7.         Others and yours.

8.         Interlocking findings and unanswered questions.

9.         Your preliminary work on the topic.

10.   The remaining questions and inter-locking logic.

11.   Reprise of your research questions in this context.

12.   Methodology.

13.   Approach.

14.   Data needs.

15.   Analytical techniques.

16.   Plan for interpreting results.

17.   Expected results.

18.   Budget.

19.   Bibliography (or references).