1. MA and MSC: Research Design
This workshop will:
help you begin to understand the basics of research approaches
Offer hints and tips in getting to grips with quantitative and qualitative methods
Discuss basic ethical considerations that may need to be taken into account
Provide initial tips for those considering secondary, rather than primary, dissertations and projects
Louise Livesey
Academic Skills Adviser
9/21/2018
Academic Skills Advice

2. Academic Skills Advice
Today’s plan
The research design process
Philosophies and theories
Research approaches
Research methods
Sampling
Bias
Ethical considerations
Secondary research
Reflection
All in one click
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Academic Skills Advice

3. 2.Philosophies and theories
Ontology: Perception – shared or individual Epistemology: Knowing – told or experience
Click for graphic
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Academic Skills Advice

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2.Philosophies and theories
Positivism Interpretivism
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Academic Skills Advice

5. Academic Skills Advice
2.Philosophies and theories
qualitative methods: develop understandings of meanings, with ‘soft’ data
quantitative methods: identify and make sense of patterns in ‘hard’ data
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Academic Skills Advice

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2.Philosophies and theories
Click for each moves answers
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Academic Skills Advice

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2.Philosophies and theories
Theory
Theory
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3.Research approaches
Activity 1: Q v Q
Quantitative
Qualitative
Advantages
Disadvantages
B,C,F,G,L
D,K,M
A,H,J
E,I
Click for table of answers
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Academic Skills Advice

9. Use of primary or/and secondary sources
4.Research methods
Activity 2: Data collection methods
Use of primary or/and secondary sources
Quantitative methods
Qualitative methods
Primary
Structured detached-observer non-participant involved observation
Involved observer and participant observation (ethnography)
Questionnaire: structured closed questions
Questionnaire: less-structured open questions
Experiment
Structured interview closed questions
Less-structured interview open-questions
Secondary
Use of statistical data
Focus group
Use of reports
Close measurement
Click for table of answers
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Academic Skills Advice

10. Academic Skills Advice
7.Ethical considerations
Click for each individually
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Academic Skills Advice

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7.Ethical considerations
Activity 3
Sampling:
Directly accessed via teachers and through study skills (selected users or volunteers?)
Ethics:
Informed consent – no mention of this in the extract so do not know if information about the research was given to students. Also, no mention of participation briefing and consent forms being understood and completed.
Anonymity – again, no discussion about the level of this especially as have used tutors and student support centre to find students.
Confidentiality – do tutors and support staff have access as helped to source students, and as the results could be of interest to the former.
Deception – n/a although not properly explaining what the research is about could be deemed so.
Power and authority – we have no information on who the researcher is so we cannot access the relationship. Location is also undisclosed which can affect the power dynamic.
Click for answer
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Academic Skills Advice

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8.Secondary research
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Academic Skills Advice

13. Academic Skills Advice
References
Bailey, R. (2009) Undergraduate students perceptions of the role and utility of written assessment feedback. Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education.
Accessed 9 January 2015.
California State University. (2014) Use of deception in research. Hayward: California State University.
Accessed 4 December 2014.
Charlesworth, A. (2015) Doing research: planning, risk and reflection. Bristol: University of Bristol.
Accessed 7 January 2015.
Cohen, L., Manion, L., and Morrison, K. (2010) Research methods in education. 6th ed. Abingdon: Routledge.
Cousin, G. (2009) Researching learning in Higher Education. Abingdon: Routledge.
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Academic Skills Advice

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References
Dixon, N. and Pearce, M. (2010) Guide to ensuring data quality in clinical audits. London: Healthcare Quality Improvement Partnership. Accessed 7 January 2015.
Eve, J. (2008) Writing a research proposal: planning and communicating your research ideas effectively. Brighton: University of Brighton. Accessed 7 January 2015.
Faben, R and Beauchamp, T. (1986) A history and theory of informed consent. New York: OUP.
Fleddermann, C. (1999) Engineering ethics. New Jersey: Prentice-Hall Inc.
Information Commissioner’s Office. (2014) Data protection principals. Wilmslow: Information Commissioner’s Office.
Accessed 4 December 2014.
Learning Development. (2010). Reflection. Plymouth: Plymouth University. Accessed 7 January 2015.
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Academic Skills Advice

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References
Pannucci, C. and Wilkins, E. (2010) Identifying and avoiding bias in research. Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. 126 (2) Accessed 7 January Punch, K. (2010) Developing effective research proposals. 2nd ed. London: Sage Publications Ltd. Research Development Initiative. (2014) Anonymity and confidentiality. Lancaster: Lancaster University. Accessed 4 December Shuttleworth, M. (2014). Research bias. : Explorable.com. Accessed 7 January Thomas, G. (2013) How to do Your research project. London: Sage Publications Ltd. Thomas, S. (2015) Deception: definition, meaning and quiz. Mountain View: Education Portal. Accessed 21 January 2015.
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Academic Skills Advice

16. Academic Skills Advice Service
Location: via B0.23, Chesham Building
Website:
Phone:
This is a link to Academic Skills’ induction film. Check if they’ve seen it and if not, show it. If have, get an open discussion about anything going.

17. Academic Skills Advice
Any questions?
Developed by Louise Livesey January 2016
9/21/2018
Academic Skills Advice