Research Methods for Analyzing
Complex Problems - college
Vakcode: AM_1182
Lecture 1a: Introduction PS, RO, PQ (part 1)
Goals:
- Understand the internal consistency of Research Design elements
- Formulating a Research Objective and main research Question
- Understand that the process to develop and implement this is not linear
- What function and form requirements are there for research objectives?
Complex problems: what makes them complex?
Problems are multi-dimensional, unpredictable and uncertain.
Examples: global warning, nitrogen crisi, plastic pollution, health inequalities and femicide.
● Many actors and stakeholders
○ Academic vs. non-academic
● Multi-dimensional: different (conflicting)...
○ Facts
○ Values
○ Perspectives
● Different perceptions on…
○ Problem definitions
○ Problem Roots
○ Solutions
, ● Varying…
○ Rules & regulations
○ Management
○ Markets
● Unpredictable and uncertain
Research = finding things out systematically to increase their knowledge.
Real world research means:
- Society is the laboratory
- Doing research in an uncontrolled environment
- Focus on change
- Complex problems
Approaches sit on a scale (Gray ch. 2) from understanding the world (case study,
ethnography) → measuring it (survey research, experimental research) → transforming it
(action research, transdisciplinary research).
Transdisciplinary goes one step beyond interdisciplinary by including the non-academic
environment.
Four basic questions of a research design
, - WHY: my contribution, what do I want to achieve
- WHAT: My research area, teh concepts I will study
- WHICH: the ‘glasses’: theortical perspective
- HOW: how to proceed, the way i collect material and analyze it
Design elements must be internally consistent: topic → introduction/problem statement →
objective & main research question → theory & concepts → research questions →
methodology → work schedule → answer/conclusion → new research questions.
Linearity is design as product; in practice designing is an iterative process - you loop back
and refine. Iterative = repeating a process of actions over and over, usually making small
improvements with each cycle until you reach a goal.
Three principles of doing research
1. Research is being a designer
Desiging is defining and refining, new insights help to revise your definitions.
2. Problematizing
a. Take nothing for granted (stay curious)
b. Ask implicit questions (deeper roots of problem)
c. Weight practical and theoretical relevance
3. Interpreting is relating to your data
Interpretation steps can’t be fully standardized, so make them explicit and stay aware
of your own role as researcher.
Selecting a research topic
There are two sources for selecting a research topic: [1] literature, theory-oriented research
+ [2] problem/questions from the workplace or community, practice-oriented research.
A good research topic is interesting, meets academic requirements and has accessible
information, material and data. Use the Johari window (Gray p. 45) to position yourself on
familiar/unfamiliar work area vs. knowledge area.
, Avoid research disasters: too big, too trivial, lacking resource materials and people.
Example: teachers notice more overweight pupils. They wonder whether they, as educators,
should take action. One topic yields several possible designs: causes of overweight,
risks/effects of overweight on children, impact on curriculum and responsibilities of teachers.
Research Objective (RO)
Research topics provide knowledge, insight and information → this has to contribute to
problem solving and addressing a situation → has practical and theoretical relevance. This
forms youre research objective.
Quality criteria for effective RO: useful (relevance), realistic, feasible (time, knowledge,
resources), clear, informative. Demarcation (= afbakening) is key - without it, results are
unfeasible, invalid and unreliable.
2Standard formulation (Verschuren & Doorewaard p. 36-38):
The research objective is ..(a).. by ..(b)..
a) External objective = the contribution of your research project to solving the
problem; what results can be expected.
b) Internal objective = the way in which this will be done; the knowledge,
information and insights needed to reach (a)
(b) provides an indication of the kind of knowledge, information and/ or insights that is
needed to meet (a).
(main) Research question is:
Efficiency - helps to ensure that the research objective is actually reached
Provide direction (‘Steering’) - describes what we are going to do and what data you need.
Even more specific than the RO.
Fluid/hypothesis - depends on your "glasses" (theoretical perspective)
Literatur review
A substantive and thorough literature review is a precondition for doing substantive and
thorourg, sophisticated research (Boot & Beile, 2005).
This is not a complete review yet, its purpose here is demarcation:
- Demonstrates key theories, arguments and controversies in the field
- Highlights ways (approaches) in which topic has been investigated to date
Complex Problems - college
Vakcode: AM_1182
Lecture 1a: Introduction PS, RO, PQ (part 1)
Goals:
- Understand the internal consistency of Research Design elements
- Formulating a Research Objective and main research Question
- Understand that the process to develop and implement this is not linear
- What function and form requirements are there for research objectives?
Complex problems: what makes them complex?
Problems are multi-dimensional, unpredictable and uncertain.
Examples: global warning, nitrogen crisi, plastic pollution, health inequalities and femicide.
● Many actors and stakeholders
○ Academic vs. non-academic
● Multi-dimensional: different (conflicting)...
○ Facts
○ Values
○ Perspectives
● Different perceptions on…
○ Problem definitions
○ Problem Roots
○ Solutions
, ● Varying…
○ Rules & regulations
○ Management
○ Markets
● Unpredictable and uncertain
Research = finding things out systematically to increase their knowledge.
Real world research means:
- Society is the laboratory
- Doing research in an uncontrolled environment
- Focus on change
- Complex problems
Approaches sit on a scale (Gray ch. 2) from understanding the world (case study,
ethnography) → measuring it (survey research, experimental research) → transforming it
(action research, transdisciplinary research).
Transdisciplinary goes one step beyond interdisciplinary by including the non-academic
environment.
Four basic questions of a research design
, - WHY: my contribution, what do I want to achieve
- WHAT: My research area, teh concepts I will study
- WHICH: the ‘glasses’: theortical perspective
- HOW: how to proceed, the way i collect material and analyze it
Design elements must be internally consistent: topic → introduction/problem statement →
objective & main research question → theory & concepts → research questions →
methodology → work schedule → answer/conclusion → new research questions.
Linearity is design as product; in practice designing is an iterative process - you loop back
and refine. Iterative = repeating a process of actions over and over, usually making small
improvements with each cycle until you reach a goal.
Three principles of doing research
1. Research is being a designer
Desiging is defining and refining, new insights help to revise your definitions.
2. Problematizing
a. Take nothing for granted (stay curious)
b. Ask implicit questions (deeper roots of problem)
c. Weight practical and theoretical relevance
3. Interpreting is relating to your data
Interpretation steps can’t be fully standardized, so make them explicit and stay aware
of your own role as researcher.
Selecting a research topic
There are two sources for selecting a research topic: [1] literature, theory-oriented research
+ [2] problem/questions from the workplace or community, practice-oriented research.
A good research topic is interesting, meets academic requirements and has accessible
information, material and data. Use the Johari window (Gray p. 45) to position yourself on
familiar/unfamiliar work area vs. knowledge area.
, Avoid research disasters: too big, too trivial, lacking resource materials and people.
Example: teachers notice more overweight pupils. They wonder whether they, as educators,
should take action. One topic yields several possible designs: causes of overweight,
risks/effects of overweight on children, impact on curriculum and responsibilities of teachers.
Research Objective (RO)
Research topics provide knowledge, insight and information → this has to contribute to
problem solving and addressing a situation → has practical and theoretical relevance. This
forms youre research objective.
Quality criteria for effective RO: useful (relevance), realistic, feasible (time, knowledge,
resources), clear, informative. Demarcation (= afbakening) is key - without it, results are
unfeasible, invalid and unreliable.
2Standard formulation (Verschuren & Doorewaard p. 36-38):
The research objective is ..(a).. by ..(b)..
a) External objective = the contribution of your research project to solving the
problem; what results can be expected.
b) Internal objective = the way in which this will be done; the knowledge,
information and insights needed to reach (a)
(b) provides an indication of the kind of knowledge, information and/ or insights that is
needed to meet (a).
(main) Research question is:
Efficiency - helps to ensure that the research objective is actually reached
Provide direction (‘Steering’) - describes what we are going to do and what data you need.
Even more specific than the RO.
Fluid/hypothesis - depends on your "glasses" (theoretical perspective)
Literatur review
A substantive and thorough literature review is a precondition for doing substantive and
thorourg, sophisticated research (Boot & Beile, 2005).
This is not a complete review yet, its purpose here is demarcation:
- Demonstrates key theories, arguments and controversies in the field
- Highlights ways (approaches) in which topic has been investigated to date
