Research Methodology 1
Lecture 1: 15-09-2016
“Skill: designing a research project”
Preparation for writing an MSc thesis proposal
Learning by doing
Examination:
50% group assignment, 50% multiple choice (30 questions)
Lecture outline:
What’s science?
Scientific method
- Empirical cycle
- Regulative cycle
- Scientific research cycle
Making groups
Starting assignment 1
Defining science:
What makes a person beautiful?
- Smile, looks, personality, confidence, attitude, symmetry
All subjective
- We want only objectivity, facts
o We need a definition
o Then need an instrument to “measure”.
Characteristics of science
- Empirical (replicable)
o “Science is not based on authority”
- Theoretical (concise and reusable)
o General statements are better than specific statements
- Cumulative
o You use the works of others, to make your work even better. You build on the work
of others to succeed.
- Value free (objective)
- Unbiased (objective)
o Can only return certain values
- “Science is not about the truth, there are always merges, e tsb
valu
n
o
tird
ic
sometime big sometimes small, but they are always
there”
- Science can’t give an answer to subjective questions.
The empirical cycle:
- Observations
- Induction: Casas + observations Rule (hypothesis,
theory)
- Deduction: Cases+ Rule observations
- Test
, o If you hypothesis is true, don’t change. Otherwise do
- Evaluation lu
a
v
e
iti
n
o
m b
P
trg
Xsc)
d
(p
The regulative cycle:
- Diagnosis phase (RQ)
What is the cause of the problem?
- Design phase (RQs)
What are the optimal parameters of plan X.
Is plan X sufficiently supported by stakeholders.
- Monitoring phase (RQ)
Was plan X executed as designed?
- Evaluation (RQ)
Has the problem been solved?
Assignment!
Makes groups of 4
Think of a topic related to tourism where you want to conduct research
Think of problem you want to study
Decide where this problem is located in the regulative cycle
Lecture 2: 22-09-2016
- Scientific research cycle
- Formulating a proper research objective.
scientific research cycle:
Conceptual design:
theories
Conceptual
hypotheses construct/
concept
Operational
hypotheses
attribute(s)
instrument design
Study design
variable(s)
Analysis design
Reliability Measurement validity
Internal validity
Sampling design
External validity
report
sampling measurement
analysis
, Attribute: Things we need to measure or make thing measurable.
Variable: Measurement Unit: like years, cm, kg, etc.
Issue of validity: van I trust my measurements
Issue of reliability:
Reliability: if you get the same answers every time. Little error
Non-reliability: big error/ difference
Practice orientated research
- Research objective
o Describes your motivation to do the research and the knowledge you hope to require
o .
- The objective of this research is to help and solve the problem (motivation statement)
The objective of this research project is to improve the economic position of small cocoa farmers in
Ghana by investigating what major problems these farmers face.
(Table)
How to arrive at specific research questions?
Three tools
1. Conceptual framework
2. Path diagram
3. Tree diagram
Tool 1: Conceptual framework
Theoretical framework: includes all theories on the topic of interest.
Conceptual framework: a selection of these theories that are relevant to your research
Contain theoretical concepts
Literature about the theoretical concepts will give indications for the specific research
questions you could ask.
o Step 1: select key concepts in your research
o Step 2: Do a systematic analysis of existing literature covering the key concepts
o Step 3: identify the commonly used definitions of the key of concepts
o Step 4: formulate a specific research question
Tool 2: Path diagram
Path diagram: graphic representation of direct and indirect of concepts e.g. X Y. These
diagrams can include direction of relationship
Positive: relationship: increasing values of X correspond to increasing values of Y
Negative relationship: increasing values of X correspond to decreasing values of Y
o Step 1: select key concepts in your research question
o Step 2: find the basic cause-effect relationship(s) and explain whether the relation is
“positive” or “negative”
o Step 3: find intermediate relationships
o Step 4: formulate specific research problems
Lecture 1: 15-09-2016
“Skill: designing a research project”
Preparation for writing an MSc thesis proposal
Learning by doing
Examination:
50% group assignment, 50% multiple choice (30 questions)
Lecture outline:
What’s science?
Scientific method
- Empirical cycle
- Regulative cycle
- Scientific research cycle
Making groups
Starting assignment 1
Defining science:
What makes a person beautiful?
- Smile, looks, personality, confidence, attitude, symmetry
All subjective
- We want only objectivity, facts
o We need a definition
o Then need an instrument to “measure”.
Characteristics of science
- Empirical (replicable)
o “Science is not based on authority”
- Theoretical (concise and reusable)
o General statements are better than specific statements
- Cumulative
o You use the works of others, to make your work even better. You build on the work
of others to succeed.
- Value free (objective)
- Unbiased (objective)
o Can only return certain values
- “Science is not about the truth, there are always merges, e tsb
valu
n
o
tird
ic
sometime big sometimes small, but they are always
there”
- Science can’t give an answer to subjective questions.
The empirical cycle:
- Observations
- Induction: Casas + observations Rule (hypothesis,
theory)
- Deduction: Cases+ Rule observations
- Test
, o If you hypothesis is true, don’t change. Otherwise do
- Evaluation lu
a
v
e
iti
n
o
m b
P
trg
Xsc)
d
(p
The regulative cycle:
- Diagnosis phase (RQ)
What is the cause of the problem?
- Design phase (RQs)
What are the optimal parameters of plan X.
Is plan X sufficiently supported by stakeholders.
- Monitoring phase (RQ)
Was plan X executed as designed?
- Evaluation (RQ)
Has the problem been solved?
Assignment!
Makes groups of 4
Think of a topic related to tourism where you want to conduct research
Think of problem you want to study
Decide where this problem is located in the regulative cycle
Lecture 2: 22-09-2016
- Scientific research cycle
- Formulating a proper research objective.
scientific research cycle:
Conceptual design:
theories
Conceptual
hypotheses construct/
concept
Operational
hypotheses
attribute(s)
instrument design
Study design
variable(s)
Analysis design
Reliability Measurement validity
Internal validity
Sampling design
External validity
report
sampling measurement
analysis
, Attribute: Things we need to measure or make thing measurable.
Variable: Measurement Unit: like years, cm, kg, etc.
Issue of validity: van I trust my measurements
Issue of reliability:
Reliability: if you get the same answers every time. Little error
Non-reliability: big error/ difference
Practice orientated research
- Research objective
o Describes your motivation to do the research and the knowledge you hope to require
o .
- The objective of this research is to help and solve the problem (motivation statement)
The objective of this research project is to improve the economic position of small cocoa farmers in
Ghana by investigating what major problems these farmers face.
(Table)
How to arrive at specific research questions?
Three tools
1. Conceptual framework
2. Path diagram
3. Tree diagram
Tool 1: Conceptual framework
Theoretical framework: includes all theories on the topic of interest.
Conceptual framework: a selection of these theories that are relevant to your research
Contain theoretical concepts
Literature about the theoretical concepts will give indications for the specific research
questions you could ask.
o Step 1: select key concepts in your research
o Step 2: Do a systematic analysis of existing literature covering the key concepts
o Step 3: identify the commonly used definitions of the key of concepts
o Step 4: formulate a specific research question
Tool 2: Path diagram
Path diagram: graphic representation of direct and indirect of concepts e.g. X Y. These
diagrams can include direction of relationship
Positive: relationship: increasing values of X correspond to increasing values of Y
Negative relationship: increasing values of X correspond to decreasing values of Y
o Step 1: select key concepts in your research question
o Step 2: find the basic cause-effect relationship(s) and explain whether the relation is
“positive” or “negative”
o Step 3: find intermediate relationships
o Step 4: formulate specific research problems
