Final Year Projects 9: Writing up the methodology/field work results

Final Year Projects What exactly is ‘methodology’ ? ‘Methodology’ is not just another term for ‘methods’ – it is a statement of the philosophical underpinnings of the research strategy and how we actually arrive at ‘new’ knowledge. Three philosophical ‘schools’ dominate the literature – positivism, interpretivism, realism

Final Year Projects Positivism assumes that we are deploying methods similar to the natural sciences. You may well be collecting data by survey or by questionnaire (i.e. by quantitative methods) and analysing the results using conventional statistics (t-tests for continuous data, chi-square tests for nominal data) to test out statistical hypotheses

Final Year Projects Interpretivist research assumes that we are not trying to achieve ‘laws’ or statistical generalisations but to achieve understanding. Analysing interviews that you had collected using a qualitative framework implies that you are seeking understanding rather than statistical generalisations. You feel the need to understand the ‘reality of the social world’ in which people are operating

Final Year Projects Realism Realism assumes that there is an objective reality independent of human thought and action. Realism recognises the external objective nature of the social world (like positivism) but also appreciates socially constructed interpretations and meanings (like interpretivism) Realism is likely to use a judicious blend of methods

Final Year Projects In your methodology section you need to explain: how you chose to investigate your subject area and decided on a research strategy the philosophical underpinnings of the same and how these two informed the methods that you actually used

Final Year Projects Your methods are likely to include: desk-based research of secondary sources perhaps some original documents, research reports Questionnaires (for some) Interviews case studies

Final Year Projects Methods are always chosen to fit the problem under investigation (and not because you feel happier using the them) Your methodology/methods section should always include a rationale why you chose the particular methods that you did i.e. A questionnaire generates representativeness An interview gives insight into social processes

Final Year Projects ALWAYS give details of how you selected your sample including Sampling frame pilot studies particular method chosen (random, quota) and why You need to supply a rationale even if ‘after the event’ i.e. your sample was ‘opportunistic’

Final Year Projects A very common error! Some FYPs give a ‘run-down’ of particular methods available (often ‘liberated’ from a textbook) This is not needed (and can give the impression of ‘padding’ or woffling) What we do need to know is your rationale for choosing the methods to select to investigate your own particular problem.

Final Year Projects In the case of quantitative research (surveys, questionnaires), you should report: Tables that indicate the range of responses Always give raw figures (% only if about 30+, not if the numbers were small) Some interesting cross-tabulations (including a chi-square) or t-tests (if data is continuous)

Final Year Projects In the appendix put: More detailed statistical analysis (from which a selection might appear in the main body) One blank copy of the questionnaire (not the complete set) Any extra material that might ‘clutter up’ the main body of the report

Final Year Projects Be intelligent about your choice of graphical representation e.g. a bar-chart showing distribution between male/female is rarely a good idea Just because the technology can do certain things, you should use discretion as to what to deploy (particularly in the case of Excel) carefully label all diagrams and Charts and refer to them in the text

Final Year Projects Qualitative Work Here you should selective quotes to illustrate the major themes in your interview (e.g. ‘ a typical view expressed by the majority of respondents was …’ Attempt a thematic analysis (example are shown in the FYP handbook) Follow some of the examples given

Final Year Projects Remember to anonymise but attribute the views you are quoting e.g. 2nd year student, personnel manager after each quote Remember that you are trying to illustrate the major themes of your FYP by using your material. You should therefore weave your material into an interpretive account (not just report that person 1 said this, person 2 said that)

Final Year Projects A common mistake in reporting findings! the account you produce should not give the appearance of a ‘bolt-on extra’ but rather appear as an integral part of the whole project Whether questionnaire/interview/case study you should use the material to throw light upon the central research question that informs your FYP Your account may be consistent with (or show variations from) the trends reported in your literature review.

Final Year Projects Some final thoughts Including well analysed empirical work is a chance to ‘show off’ your methodological skills (if you do it well) or to lose marks (if you do it badly) Remember to give full technical details (how and why you selected your respondents, response rates etc.) Your survey material show should show good integration with your project themes i.e. throw light upon them

And finally…. Any questions?