Research methods

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Beacon International College

Research Methods (HLT5030)

Level 5.

COURSE OUTLINE AND ASSESSMENT BRIEF Module: Research Methods Tutor: Albert Lee K H Assessment type: Individual Course Work

Part 1 - critical evaluation of research methods in T.H.E (worth 70%,) Part 2: Scoping a research topic: formative final project proforma (worth 30%)

Aims: This module aims to develop a sound knowledge of research and evaluation methods for conducting systematic enquiry in tourism, hospitality and event management. It will explore the main research methodologies and specific research tools, whilst further developing skills in sourcing and evaluating information and familiarising students with the procedures, protocols and processes of academic and applied research. Through encouraging original, critical and independent thinking, it will assist in the development of a coherent proposal for a research-based project, such as Dissertation, Enterprise Project or Independent Study at Level 6 Learning outcomes: By the end of the module, students will be able to:

● Source and review literature from a range of sources; ● Evaluate the different methodological approaches, methods and techniques that are available for

researching specific projects; ● Evaluate different methods of collecting, interpreting and presenting qualitative data; ● Evaluate different methods of collecting quantitative data, including sampling issues, survey types;

and questionnaire design and implementation; ● Discuss issues of access, ethics, validity and reliability in research; ● Justify an appropriate methodology for a chosen and reviewed topic.

Indicative content

● Purposes of research across a range of applications ● The research processes ● Development and articulation of a research question ● Critically reviewing literature from a range of sources ● Research methodologies – understanding, evaluating and justifying methods and techniques for

collecting information from secondary and primary sources including: documents, surveys, questionnaires, observation, various types of interview, projective techniques.

● Questionnaire design and implementation ● Approaches to analysing quantitative data, e.g. SPSS ● Understanding access, ethical, validity and reliability issues; ● Approaches to analysing and interpreting qualitative data including thematic, narrative, content and

semiotic analysis. ● Developing a Dissertation/Enterprise Project/Independent Study proposal

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Required reading Brotherton, B. (2015) Researching Hospitality and Tourism, 2nd edition, London, Sage (Available as an ebook) Bryman, A. (2015) Social Research Methods, 5th edition, Oxford, Oxford University Press. Gilbert, N. and Stoneman, P. (2015) Researching Social Life, 4th edition, London, Sage Jennings, G. (2010) Tourism Research, 2nd edition, Milton, John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd. Sarantakos, S. (2012) Social Research, 4th edition, Basingstoke, Palgrave Macmillan. Seale C. (2012) Researching Society and Culture, 3rd edition, London, Sage (Available as an ebook) Veal, A. J. (2011) Research Methods for Leisure and Tourism, 4th edition, London, Financial Times/Prentice Hall Walliman, N. (2013) Your Undergraduate Dissertation: The Essential Guide for Success, 2nd edition, London, Sage (Available as an ebook) Recommended reading Botterill, D. and Platenkamp, V. (2012) Key Concepts in Tourism Research, London, Sage. Burns, P. (2010) Entrepreneurship and Small Business, 3rd edition, Cengage Crane, F. (2013) Marketing for Entrepreneurs, 2nd edition, London, Sage (Available as an ebook) Crotty, M, (1998) The Foundations of Social Research, meanings and perspective in the research process, London, Sage (Available as an ebook) Field, A. (2013) Discovering Statistics using IBM SPSS Statistics, 4th edition, London, Sage (Available as an ebook) Gray, D.E. (2013) Doing Research in the Real World, 3rd edition, London, Sage (Available as an ebook) Hammersley, M. and Atkinson, P. (2007) Ethnography: Principles in Practice, 3rd Edition, London, Routledge. Hart, C. (1999) Doing a Literature Review: Releasing the Social Science Research imagination, 2nd edition, London, Sage (Available as an ebook) Hesse-Biber, S. N. and Leavy, P. (2011) The Practice of Qualitative Research, 2nd edition, Thousand Oaks, Sage (Available as an ebook) Krueger, R. A. and Casey, M. A. (2015) Focus Groups: A Practical Guide for Applied Research, 5th edition, Newbury Park, CA, Sage (Available as an ebook) Lee-Treweek, G. and Linkogle, S. (2000) Danger in the field: Risk and ethics in social research, London, Routledge. Martin, F and Thompson M. (2010) Social Enterprise, Developing Sustainable Businesses, 1st Edition, Basingstoke, Palgrave Macmillan. Pallant, J. (2013) SPSS Survival Manual, 5th Edition, Open University Press, Buckingham Robson, C (2011) Real World Research, 3rd Edition, Chichester, John Wiley & Sons. Rose, G. (2016) Visual Methodologies: An introduction to researching with visual materials, 4th edition, London, Sage. Saunders, M., Lewis, P. and Thornhill, A. (2015) Research Methods for Business Students, 7th edition, Harlow, Financial Times/Pearson Schutt R.K. (2012) Investigating the Social World: The Process and Practice of Research, 7th edition, Thousand Oaks, Sage. Stokes, D. and Wilson, N. (2010) Small Business Management and Entrepreneurship 6th Ed., London, Continuum Williams, S. (2014) Business Start-up, 28th edition, Harlow, Financial Times/Prentice Hall Yin, R. K. (2013) Case Study Research: Design and Methods, 5th edition, Thousand Oaks, Sage

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Assignment Brief There are 2 parts to this assignment: • Part 1: critical evaluation of research methods in T.H.E (worth 70%, 1250 words) on Week 6 - Tues, 9 Feb ‘21 by 6.00pm in Moodle • Part 2: Scoping a research topic: formative final project proforma (worth 30%, 750 words) on Week 9 – Thur, 4 Mar ‘21 by 6.00 pm in Moodle Part 1: critical evaluation of research methods in T.H.E (70% weighting) The purpose of the assignment is to support you develop an understanding of how different approaches to research design can help you plan a research project. By engaging fully with the reading and independent study required for this task, you will understand the strengths and weaknesses of different methods and you will further appreciate what is required to execute a research project using both primary and secondary data. You will be required to make a draft submission for part one by week 4 date Fri, 29 Jan by 6.00pm in Moodle In Week 2 you will be given a selection of research topics that relate to THE. You will be required to choose one and: a. Summarise literature linked to that topic (600 words); b. Outline one research methods that could be used to address your topic, inclusive of their strengths, weaknesses, the methods of analysis and the ethical issues associated with each approach (650 words) Part 2: Scoping a Research Topic: formative final project proforma (30% weighting) Part 2 of the assessment is designed to help you to start thinking about an area of interest for your final project. You will find the template on Moodle. Please fill in all sections. You can use your developing appreciation of what goes into designing a research project to start to map out a provisional area of interest for next year. Your Research Topic will be assessed by your Lecturer/Tutor. You are required to write up a pro forma that set out a potential area of research for a final project such as a research question. You will map out key areas that can be used to inform a research proposal for a research topic of your choice solely based on Secondary Research, as per an Independent Study. Having identified a topic of interest to you, you are required to write a project plan which will include ALL the following elements (you may use these as sub-headings): 1. A suggested working title 2. A draft research question (i.e. what is the issue/problem/challenge?) 3. Draft research aim and objectives 4. An outline rationale for the project this should include some consideration of relevant literature or market research (150 words) 6. An overview of one research method that you might use to achieve your project aim and objectives and answer your overall research question (350 words).

● For an Independent Study, you should outline and explain secondary data sources, provide examples and discuss some of the issues associated with using secondary data sources. This will include ways to select and systematically analyse secondary materials.

7. A discussion of any ethical issues that may be applicable to your area of interest and your chosen design (250 words). 8. Include a reference list within each section which conforms to the Harvard System of Referencing.

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Assignment pitfalls Based on an evaluation of the academic performance of previous students, reasons for poor performance in Part 2 may include all/some of the following: • Poor referencing which does not conform to Harvard-style referencing • Over-reliance on Internet sources • Lack of academic sources throughout • Weak or no justification given for research topic • Research topic is unethical • Over-ambitious aim and objectives • Incoherent aim and objectives • Research method is inconsistent with the aim and objectives • Lack of engagement with research methods literature and processes • Lack of consideration given to access issues / the feasibility of completing the work

Guidance notes for your assignment

Part 1 - Critical evaluation of research methods in THE (worth 70%, 1250 words)

a) Literature Review (600 words) This is an important part of any project as it forms the foundation for your research. No study starts from scratch but rests on earlier works, and a thorough review of the relevant literature on the topic, and the trends that have developed is vital to enable you to gain a good understanding and insight into the topic and the issues surrounding it. You will need to establish the current state of knowledge pertinent to the topic under investigation (the theories, concepts, ideas, issues, debates and so on) with emphasis on seminal (i.e. important) and recently published texts (particularly journal articles and conference papers). Don’t just quote the words of others ad verbatim (this is the sign of a poor literature review and very likely a poor project). A literature review IS NOT simply a description of relevant books/journals that you have read or that you think will be helpful to your research. You should paraphrase and critique (i.e. restate, in your own words, the main points made by the writer(s) in question, in addition to evaluating their contribution, often with reference to the works of other writers. When reviewing the literature, remember to highlight:

● ‘gaps’ in the current body of knowledge that could be filled by your proposed research project ● out-of-date work in need of revision ● opportunities to expand on research conducted by someone else.

It is important to state clearly how your work will improve the reader’s existing knowledge of the subject. Also, make sure that you cite the works according to the Harvard System of Referencing throughout.

b) Outline of one method (650 words) You should mention the options open to you (e.g. a quantitative or qualitative approach, or secondary research for Independent Study), state and justify the reasons for the option you have chosen (e.g. a qualitative approach using a combination of participant observation and in-depth interviews) as opposed to the other options. Thought should be given to the sample (who, how many, where and so on) and for example, in the case of a questionnaire, reflect on issues such as the likely response rate, the type and wording of questions, and the statistical tests to be used in analysis of the data. For qualitative methods such as focus groups, and interviews, thought should be given to the potential participants, the methods of recording and transcription, and the analytical techniques to be used. For observation, consider the researcher-subject relationship and the setting in which the data is to be captured. For documents, comment on the availability of archive material, and the method(s) of textual analysis to be employed.

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Part 2 - Scoping a Research Topic: formative final project proforma (30% weighting) What is a project plan? A project plan is: ‘a careful description of what your dissertation will be about and how you intend to carry out the work involved till its completion. It is a really useful document that challenges you to think very carefully about what you are going to do, how you are going to do it and why’ (Walliman, 2004:68). Choosing Your Topic It is helpful to make a distinction between research interests/topics, research issues and research questions. First of all, you must find a topic in which you are interested and that is relevant to the area you are studying. Remember – if you take this forward into your final year it has to keep you interested and motivated for a considerable time. Broadly speaking, a good research topic should be important, understudied, and feasible given the constraints within which you are working. Topics may derive from prior experience or current concerns, they may relate to long-term career plans, or may be stimulated by suggestions from other sources (past project titles, colleagues, friends and literature). You must then identify the issues closely related to the topic, from which you will select a specific issue(s) that you will pursue in depth (thus eliminating the rest). After you have identified and isolated the issue(s) in question and have done some background reading, you will be ready to restate the issue(s) as a researchable question(s) which will then translate into your aim and objectives. You should select, as soon as possible, an area of study which you wish to pursue as a research project at Level 6. This should form the basis for your research proposal, which will be marked and returned to you, thus affording sufficient time to refine your ideas, plan and organise before the beginning of Level 6. Remember - although it will give you advantages if you do so, there is no obligation to stick with the same topic when you come to begin your final year project. Choosing your topic involves a thorough and comprehensive search of relevant literature. Secondary sources will include: • text books; • academic journals; • industry publications (e.g. Travel Trade Gazette, Leisure Management, Caterer and Hotelkeeper, commercial research reports, such as Mintel), • Government and other agency papers and reports (e.g. Government White Papers, legislative documents; local council records); • other media sources such as newspapers, magazines, television; and …the internet. The internet provides access to a significant volume of resources, some of which is free of charge. It is one of the most valuable, but also potentially ‘dangerous’ sources of information. It is largely unregulated and un- policed, and any information should be carefully considered for its integrity and accuracy. Ensuring validity and credibility of the information is down to you as the receiver. DO NOT USE Wikipedia as a reference in academic work – it is completely unregulated. You should be discerning when using information from the internet and be aware that the sites often require subscriptions and passwords before they will give you access to information. Whenever possible use credible internet sources such as those available via the library website (METSEARCH). Many academic journals industry and other publications can be accessed via the internet/CardiffMet electronic resources. Of course, where appropriate it is necessary and important that you use information from company, commercial and other agency websites, online directories, encyclopedias, country information, maps and so on. However, you should be careful and remember undiscerning use of, and over-reliance on internet information will significantly and adversely affect your marks. All sources used must be correctly and fully referenced according to the Harvard Referencing System.

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Writing a Project Plan – Independent Study Working Title It is advisable not to spend too much time labouring over this. Often the actual title is the final thing to be decided. Try to find something to encapsulate the key focus of the project in a few succinct words. The aim of the title is to inform potential readers what the work is about so that they can decide whether it is in their interest to read it, or not. Remember – at this stage the title is only a working prototype / draft suggestion and it can be altered at some stage. Aim and Objectives In order to succeed, research must be guided by a clear statement of the question or issue to be addressed by the research and which should leave the reader in no doubt about what you are trying to achieve. The two common forms such statements take are the hypothesis and the research aim. A hypothesis is a testable theory – i.e. a statement about some phenomenon or behaviour which the researcher seeks to prove or disprove. For example: based on secondary sources, the researcher puts forward the hypothesis that men are more likely than women to react favourably towards advertisements that use male sporting celebrities to endorse the products. The researcher would then proceed to carry out a range of data collection and analysis activities in order to prove or disprove this hypothesis, i.e. accepting or rejecting the hypothesis. A research aim states the goal of the study which is usually intended to discover or explore some phenomenon and generate new insights. There should be one clear and concise aim which is a general statement of intent. The objectives (3-4) are derived from the aim and are a series of detailed ‘steps’ that act as a blueprint for the research you are going to undertake, i.e. a breakdown of the way that are going to achieve your aim, for example: Aim: To explore the needs of women business travellers and establish whether the potential of this market is recognised by the travel industry. Objectives: 1. To critically review the literature on business women travellers and travel industry provision 2. To evaluate the needs of both men and women when travelling on business 3. To establish the extent to which the travel industry recognises these needs and tailors products and advertising to meet them Remember, the success of a research project is largely measured on the extent to which its objectives are substantiated by its findings. Realistic and specific objectives often translate into good grades. The key is not to promise more than you can deliver. A small but clearly-focused project is often much better than a larger project that tries to over-deliver. Rationale for the Proposed Topic In this section you can set the scene for the project by providing the reader with a rationale for the proposal. Explain and justify why you think it is worth studying. This section should culminate in the identification of the issue/problem/challenge. Proposed Method(s) of Data Collection and Analysis Here you are required to provide a concise explanation of the approach and method that you could use to operationalise your research objectives. The design of the primary data collection will help you to understand your area of interest in more detail and will help you provide direct answers to your research aims and objectives. Ethical issues You should demonstrate an awareness of ethical issues that may have an influence on your research project. Consider how you propose to get access to the desired information, any difficulties, risks or challenges you may encounter in doing so. Reflect on how ethical issues may have a bearing on your research (e.g. certain forms of observation conducted without prior consent may be unethical; confidentiality and so on).

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Referencing – all studies

Including References in the Text Quotations can be long or short (over-long quotations should be avoided – as quotations should support, not be a substitute for your own work). Longer quotations (usually over 3 lines) are highlighted by being in a separate paragraph and indented left and right (1.27cm) with a blank line left above and below. For example - as a prominent researcher has argued:

there is also the possibility that mature students' greater experience of life and non-academic work may lend a greater perception to their study and work

(Walker 1975: 11).

A shorter quotation is included within the body of your work, but should also include author(s), date and page number. For example - Woodley (1987) also found that in terms of social class, the picture is skewed towards those already advantaged. He comments that 'The working class was massively under-represented among mature students' (Woodley 1987: 74). Many other writers endorse this view .... In addition to directly quoting an author it is also common to paraphrase their ideas and mention them in recognition. For example - Cross (1981: 61) pointed out that in the USA women express more interest in learning than men ... As this is not a direct quote from Cross, no inverted commas are required. Additional Submission Guidelines

Students must follow submission guidelines as indicated in the Student Submission Guidelines document uploaded in Moodle.