Week 1 Research Methodology NJ Kang Real World Enquiry Week 1 Research Methodology NJ Kang

Objectives To understand definitions and concepts of Laboratory, Real World Enquiry, Experiment, True Experiment, Quasi Experiment, Quantitative rigour (Survey Strategy, sampling, Survey methodologies,) Case studies, Evaluation and change) To understand what to do in this module.

Laboratory vs Real World Enquiry Laboratory  it permits a large degree of control over conditions; what is done to people can be very carefully determined and standardized. Experiment is a reflection of the fact that deliberate and active control over what is done to people  

In Real World such control is often not feasible. a complex, relatively poorly controlled and generally messy situation.

Experiment = investigation or enquiry.   True Experiments and Quasi-Experiments.

Real life situations = True Experiments. Two main hallmarks Subjects, Samples and Populations The random allocation of the subjects to different experimental conditions.

1. Subjects, Samples and Populations Choosing the persons who are to take part (subjects (samples and populations) in experiment) so that they are representative of a known group. – to make generalizations from what is found out about the sample to the state of affairs in the whole population.

2. The random allocation of the subjects to different experimental conditions. Randomly (all members of the pool had equal chances of being selected, whether this pool is representative of pensioners in general is another matter) choose half a group under one condition and the other to another condition.

3) Quasi-Experiments Less stringent requirements as to allocation and sampling than true experiments. The use of already existing groups such as school classes for the different conditions of the experimental study, rather than pupils being randomly allocated to new classes from within a year group for the purpose of the study.

Survey strategy Extensively developed by social researchers, particularly certain types of sociologist and social psychologist, and also of course by market researchers and political pollsters. Central to surveys is the putting of carefully standardized questions to a carefully chosen set of people. Interviews or questionnaires are used in most surveys. Must select a sample which generalization can be made to a known population.

Surveys differ fundamentally from Experiments in that they do not normally involve manipulation or control of variables. The logic of causal inference as used in experimentation is not available.

5) Studying Cases Case study is a strategy for doing research which involves an empirical investigation of a particular contemporary phenomenon within its real life context using multiple sources of evidence.   The case is studied in its own right, not as a sample from a population.

6) Evaluation and Change Evaluation brings to the fore a very different agenda of issues from those usually associated with ‘pure’ research. The need to understand the phenomenon may still be there, but issues to do with change (How can it be implemented? What are the barriers to implementation and how might they be overcome?)

Self-evaluation? At one extreme, some would doubt the feasibility of the insider carrying out any worthwhile, credible or objective enquiry into a situation in which she or he is centrally involved. At the other extreme, those associated with movements such as the professional –as-scientist or the teacher-as-researcher maintain essentially that outsider research is ineffective research and methodology.

Homework Read the chapter 2 and answer to the following questions   Explain two main traditions of research and analyse the article which tradition it follows. Develop your own research questions following guidelines in page 27 and 28. And try to explain your hypothesis underpins the RQ and identify what aspects (theory or experience or others) it is originated from. Which tradition can be more appropriate for your own research and why? Explain what Ethical Consideration is and why do the researchers take this into consideration.