MSS 905 Methods of Missiological Research Introduction to Missiological Research

Types of Research 1.Basic research: adding to our fundamental understanding and knowledge (regardless of practical or immediate implications) 2.Applied research: program evaluation, or action-oriented research 3.Descriptive research: describe groups, activities, situations or events; normally using quantitative data analysis

Types of Research 4.Explanatory research: –looking for causes and reasons; –normally based on existing theories –ground-breaking; normally using qualitative data analysis

The Research Process 1.Define a research problem 2.Formulate research questions 3.Undertake a literature review 4.Building a hypothesis (or question) 5.Determine the data needed 6.Systematically collect data 7.Present results and make recommendations

The Research Process 1.Define a research problem 2.Formulate research questions 3.Undertake a literature review 4.Building a hypothesis (or question) 5.Determine the data needed 6.Systematically collect data 7.Present results and make recommendations

1. Research Problem Something that is happening and should NOT be happening Something that is NOT happening and should be Something that is happening but is not at the level it should be Something is happening (or NOT happening) but it is not understood why or how Something is done differently, and we don’t know if it’s better or not It’s something like identifying a mystery that needs to be solved

Selecting a Topic for Research 1.Personal experience (SA and racism, cross- cultural issues) 2.Curiosity from a media story 3.Looking at the state of knowledge in a field (Dr. Jim Harris) 4.Solving a practical problem in society (Pentecostals’ perception of war and pacifism) 5.Social premiums (hot opportunities) 6.Personal values (Glossalalia and emotional maturity) 7.Everyday life

Narrowing a Topic for Research 1.Examine the literature 2.Talk over ideas with others 3.Apply existing research to a specific context Neuman (2006 p. 156, Box 6.4): Bad and Good Research Questions

The Research Process 1.Define a research problem 2.Formulate research questions 3.Undertake a literature review 4.Building a hypothesis (or question) 5.Determine the data needed 6.Systematically collect data 7.Present results and make recommendations

The Research Process 1.Define a research problem 2.Formulate research questions 3.Undertake a literature review 4.Building a hypothesis (or question) 5.Determine the data needed 6.Systematically collect data 7.Present results and make recommendations

2. Research Questions Definition (Adler & Clark, 2003): a question about one or more topics or concepts that can be answered through research See –Adler & Clark (2003) pp –Galvan (2006) chapter 3 on identifying data sources and tips on electronic searches –Vyymeister (2001) chapters 2 and 3 on finding sources and narrowing the scope of your topic

2. Research Questions What are the variable that appear to be involved? What appears to be driving, impeding, altering, deviating what is happening? Which method works better? At this stage simple conjecture and educated guesses are appropriate

The Research Process 1.Define a research problem 2.Formulate research questions 3.Undertake a literature review 4.Building a hypothesis (or question) 5.Determine the data needed 6.Systematically collect data 7.Present results and make recommendations

The Research Process 1.Define a research problem 2.Formulate research questions 3.Undertake a literature review 4.Building a hypothesis (or question) 5.Determine the data needed 6.Systematically collect data 7.Present results and make recommendations

3. Literature Review Finding out everything there is to know about this problem in the literature There may already be an answer To uncover the variables, develop explanations and predictions about variables To determine the level of knowledge that exists (low knowledge = exploratory methods; high = descriptive/develop hypotheses)

3. Literature Review Stages 1.Consider from different angles: develop search terms, key words, concepts, terms 2.Search the databases: article titles, to abstracts, to articles 3.Begin categorization 4.Continue till you exhaust the field: identified the variables, the theories, instruments, techniques used Tip: Check the references at the end of all the articles!!! Tip: Use the Citation “key word” function

The Research Process 1.Define a research problem 2.Formulate research questions 3.Undertake a literature review 4.Building a hypothesis (or question) 5.Determine the data needed 6.Systematically collect data 7.Present results and make recommendations

The Research Process 1.Define a research problem 2.Formulate research questions 3.Undertake a literature review 4.Building a hypothesis (or question) 5.Determine the data needed 6.Systematically collect data 7.Present results and make recommendations

Hypothesis Creation Only after sufficient knowledge already exists in a field Relationship between variables can be tested Missiological examples: –Do LACC schools produce better academics than nationals schools? –Are local evangelists better than foreign missionaries? –Will Facebook increase “connectedness” between missionaries and their sponsors?

Hypothesis Creation Hypothesis is always first stated as a null hypothesis: “no relationship exists between these variables” Example (LACC schools) –H 0 : There is no relationship between academic scores of students from LACC and national schools –H 1 : Students from LACC schools achieve higher academic scores than students from national schools

The Research Process 1.Define a research problem 2.Formulate research questions 3.Undertake a literature review 4.Building a hypothesis (or question) 5.Determine the data needed 6.Systematically collect data 7.Present results and make recommendations

The Research Process 1.Define a research problem 2.Formulate research questions 3.Undertake a literature review 4.Building a hypothesis (or question) 5.Determine the data needed 6.Systematically collect data 7.Present results and make recommendations

Hypothesis Testing After the data is collected from the variables they are analyzed to determine if there is a statistically significant difference (p<.05;.01;.001) If the difference is significant the null hypothesis is rejected and the alternate is considered

The Research Process 1.Define a research problem 2.Formulate research questions 3.Undertake a literature review 4.Building a hypothesis (or question) 5.Determine the data needed 6.Systematically collect data 7.Present results and make recommendations

The Research Process 1.Define a research problem 2.Formulate research questions 3.Undertake a literature review 4.Building a hypothesis (or question) 5.Determine the data needed 6.Systematically collect data 7.Present results and make recommendations

Project vs. Dissertation D.Miss. Project A professional program with an emphasis on practical theology, practical Christian wisdom Addresses both the nature and the practice of missions ATS requires research model to be informed by social sciences and some form of “evaluation of results” A practice (the “what?”) based on some theory (the “why”?). Theory includes theological basis.

Project vs. Dissertation D.Miss. Project: Examples (from Vyhmeister) Program development and evaluation (#15) Case study (#16) History or biography See also “Asbury dissertations”

Project vs. Dissertation ProjectDissertation ScopeLimitedExpanded LengthMaximum 150 pages250 plus pages AimSolve a missions problem Enlarge the fund of missions knowledge AudiencePractitionersAcademy and practitioners Type of researchApplied or possibly explanatory Basic, descriptive or explanatory Statistical sophisticationNormally descriptive in nature if at all Probably advanced (unless it’s basic research or theory development)