centre for project management writing the research methodology dr Íde o’sullivan, lawrence cleary...
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Centre for Project Centre for Project ManagementManagement
Writing the Research Writing the Research MethodologyMethodology
Centre for Project Centre for Project ManagementManagement
Writing the Research Writing the Research MethodologyMethodology
Dr Íde O’Sullivan, Lawrence ClearyDr Íde O’Sullivan, Lawrence Cleary
Shannon Consortium Regional Writing Shannon Consortium Regional Writing CentreCentre
Regional Writing Centre 2
Methodology and research design
• “A thesis focuses on a central question and is unified by that focus” (Murray 2006: 123).
• NB: Methodology and objectives– Achievement of objectives– Project objectives and
methodology used to achieve objectives
Regional Writing Centre 3
Methodology and research design
• Introduction• Literature Review• Methodology• Results and discussion • Conclusions• Appendices
Regional Writing Centre 4
Methodology and research design
• In the methodology section, two main issues are addressed: – The methods used to gather data– The methods used to analyse the
data• How were your results obtained and
how did you came to the conclusions put forth?
Regional Writing Centre 5
Methodology and research design
Justification• Why and how did you choose the
targeted population/sample?• Why did you choose the particular
method?• Is the methodology appropriate to
your field of study?• Is the methodology appropriate to
the objectives of the study?
Regional Writing Centre 6
Methodology and research design
Justification• Methods affect results• Methods affect validity and
reliability • Methods affect conclusions
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Methods affect results• Research method affects:
– data the researcher records about the phenomenon
– the sorts of phenomena that can be studied– the sorts of understanding of the
phenomenon that the researcher is likely to arrive at
– the sorts of knowledge claims they will be able to sustain
(Guba & Lincoln 1994 in Nandhakumar 2003)
Regional Writing Centre 8
Methodology and research design
• Ultimately, your methodology section(s) should– Define and explain your method,
your theoretical approach, naming your instrument (e.g. Case study, interview, etc.)
– Show links between your method and others
Regional Writing Centre 9
Methodology and research design
• Ultimately, your methodology section(s) should– Justify your choice of methods– Report what you plan to do– Show how you will select and analyse
the data and how you will document it– Say what you expect to find
Regional Writing Centre 10
Writing prompt
• If you were to think about your main question and your sub-questions, what methods will you employ to answer each question?
• If you haven’t figured out what questions you are asking, do some backward engineering.
Regional Writing Centre 11
Organising the methodology
section(s)
• How will you logically organise the information in this section?
• How will you organise your text in each section?
• Will you organise the methods around the questions? Or around the methodological type?
Regional Writing Centre 12
Questions your methodology section
should answer
• Why will the data be admissible?• Why is your choice of measuring
instrument appropriate to your context / to the data you are aiming to retrieve?
• By what criteria will you measure the validity of your measuring instruments?
• How do we know that your method will yield reliable data?
Regional Writing Centre 13
Valid, reliable information
• “Sometimes there is universal agreement that a particular instrument provides a valid instrument for measuring a particular characteristic. We could all agree that a ruler measures length, a thermometer measures temperature, and a barometer measures air pressure. But whenever we do not have such universal agreement, we must provide evidence that an instrument we are using has validity for our purpose” (Leedy and Ormrod, 2005: 92).
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Conclusion
• As you write, your organisation may change.
• However, dissertations are thesis driven. Your question strongly influences the organisation of your research methodology.
Regional Writing Centre 15
Sources• Leedy, P.D. and Ormrod, J.E. (2005) Practical Research:
Planning and Design, 8th ed. Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Pearson
• Murray, R. (2005) Writing for Academic Journals. UK: Open University Press.
• Murray, R. (2006) How to Write a Thesis, 2nd ed. Maidenhead, England: Open University Press.
• Nandhakumar, J. (2003) Interpreting Information Systems: A reflexive account of grounded theory analysis [ppt. online], available: http://project.hkkk.fi/gebsi/files/nav_activities/material/Nandhakumar_slides.pdf [accessed 20 Aug 2009].
• UEfAP.com (2008) Writing: Rhetorical Functions, Comparing and Contrasting Exercise 2 [online], available: http://www.uefap.com/writing/exercise/function/compcon2.htm [accessed Aug 20 2009].15
Peer ReviewPeer ReviewPeer ReviewPeer Review
Regional Writing Centre 17
Writing a ‘page 98 paper’
• Early: to establish direction/focus• Associate your project with the literature• Distinguish your project from the literature• Build on research question/hypothesis• Focus reading/thinking• Manageable writing task: 325 words• To develop thinking about your thesis
thesis?• Late: to focus thinking as you draft
conclusion and revise your introduction(Murray, 2006: 105)
Regional Writing Centre 18
Writing a ‘page 98 paper’
• My research question is … (50 words)• Researchers who have looked at this
subject are … (50 words)• They argue that … (25 words)• Debate centres on the issue of … (25
words)• There is work to be done on … (25 words)• My research is closest to that of X in that
… (50 words)• My contribution will be … (50 words)
(Murray, 2006: 104)