Research Paper
James00712212
Lecture2ResearchApproaches.pptxResearch Approaches
Dr Lo’ai Tawalbeh
University of the Cumberlands
You need to design a research programme
Convinces the reader that you know what you are doing
Provides the academic component of your research project (at least 50% of the work)
Is a ‘top-down’ approach to help you to:
Manage your research project
Make sure the research methodology is suitable
Write up your research in a clear and precise way
The research programme
Begin with the research background
then
Focus on research question, problem or advantage
then
Choose an appropriate research approach
then
Include suitable research methods to carry out tasks
then
Select suitable research techniques for doing:
- Data collection
- Data analysis
Research Programme
Research Background
- Problem solution
- Advantage/improvement
- Advance in knowledge
Research Approach
Research Method
e.g. qualitative
research
Must be appropriate to background
(Other approaches not used)
(Other methods not used)
e.g. survey research
Must be appropriate to
Approach
Research Technique
e.g.
questionnaire
(Other methods not used)
Chosen approach
Must be appropriate to Method
The selection process should be narrated
thoroughly and critically.
Overview of Research Approaches 1
Quantitative research methods
Originally developed in the natural sciences
Assumes that the world has an objective reality that can be measured (positive viewpoint)
Involves the use of statistical methods (surveys, analysis)
Qualitative research methods
Originally developed in the social sciences
Assumes that reality is subjective (interpretive viewpoint)
Involves opinions, viewpoints, case studies
Some researchers use the terms ‘objective’ and ‘subjective’ to describe alternative approaches.
Attempts have been made to combine the two approaches – called ‘triangulation’
Overview of Research Approaches 2
Exploratory Research
Often conducted because problem has not been clearly defined
Helps pick the best research design, data collection method etc.
often relies on secondary research (e.g. reviewing available literature and/or data) or qualitative approaches (e.g. interviews with participants)
Exploratory research is used in previously uncharted areas, or by those who don't yet know enough about their topic…is this you?
Overview of Research Approaches 3
Confirmatory Research
Performed to ‘confirm’ an assumption or theory.
Involves testing against a hypothesis or specific assumptions
Usually involves the use of quantitative and/or positivist research and surveys, experiments or observations
The more your topic has been researched by others, the more it is expected that you should use confirmatory research.
Hypotheses – things that can be tested 1
Variables - the building blocks of hypotheses
Something that varies or changes as a result of some effect or something happening
Note - something that never changes is called a constant.
In technology research, we deal mostly with two types
of variables: independent and dependent
Independent variables are those things thought to be the cause of or to bring about change in other variables
Dependent variables are those things that are changed or affected by independent variables
Hypotheses – things that can be tested 2
Hypotheses are simply ‘if-then’ statements designed
to examine and exploit differences in variables, e.g.:
Differences in Variable A have no relationship to differences in Variable B (i.e. the null hypothesis)
If Variable A changes, then Variable B changes (i.e. Variable A affects Variable B in any way)
= a non-directional hypothesis
If Variable A increases, then Variable B increases, or If Variable A decreases, then Variable B decreases
= directional hypothesis
The more specific you make your hypotheses, the better as you may be able to use more powerful statistics and base your work on strong ‘theoretical underpinnings’
Quantitative, Positivist Research (QPR)
Derived from the work of Karl Popper* (1980).
QPR has two main points:
Emphasis on quantitative (statistical) data
Assumes problem can be represented statistically
Seeks to derive meaning from statistics
Emphasis on a positivist philosophy*
Recognises ‘scientific evidence’
Theories can be refuted or ‘falsified’, but can never be exactly proven to be true
In this view research is essentially ‘scientific’
Positivist Research Approaches
Positivists generally assume that reality is objectively given and can be described by measurable properties which are independent of the observer (researcher) and his or her instruments.
Positivist studies generally attempt to test theory, in an attempt to increase the predictive understanding of phenomena.
Research is positivist if there is evidence of formal propositions, quantifiable measures of variables, hypothesis testing, and the drawing of inferences about a phenomenon from the sample to a stated population.
Quantitative, Positivist Research (QPR)
The production of ‘scientific evidence’ is based
on the 4 step process of ‘deduction’:
Testing internal consistency of data (does it ‘add up’?)
Producing a hypothesis that can be tested (i.e. based on a theory or principle that is already accepted)
Comparing the testable data with the hypothesis through (e.g. statistical) analysis
Validation aimed at ‘falsifying’ (i.e. refuting) or ‘proving’ the hypothesis from the results of analysis
If the results do not contradict it, the hypothesis must be
(temporarily) accepted. The ‘truth’ is never permanent.
Range of QPR Methods
May be placed into the following research types:
Exploratory – ‘finding out’ new knowledge
Confirmatory – testing existing knowledge
QPR Approaches
Quantitative Positivist Research phases – an example:
For details see:http://dstraub.cis.gsu.edu:88/quant/6issues.asp
MDS = Multidimensional Scaling SEM = Structural Equation Modelling
Factor Analysis and Regression
Mathematical Data
Analysis Techniques
Resources for QPR
An Endnote library on "Research Methods" can be downloaded at:
http://www.cis.gsu.edu/~dstraub/Endnote/methods.zip QPR papers can be downloaded at:
Straub, D.W. (1989) "Validating Instruments in MIS Research," MIS Quarterly (13:2, June) 1989, Pp 147-169.
Gefen, D., Straub, D., and Boudreau, M. (2000) "Structural Equation Modeling and Regression: Guidelines for Research Practice," Communications of AIS (7:7, August) Pp 1-78.
Boudreau, M., Gefen, D., and Straub, D. (2001) "Validation in IS Research: A State-of-the-Art Assessment," MIS Quarterly (25:1, March) Pp 1-24.
Boudreau, M.-C., Ariyachandra, T., Gefen, D., and Straub, D. (2004) "Validating IS Positivist Instrumentation: 1997-2001," in: The Handbook of Information Systems Research, M.E. Whitman and A.B. Woszczynski (eds.), Idea Group Publishing, Hershey, PA USA, Pp. 15-26.
Qualitative Research Methods
3 approaches (or epistemology) in qualitative research:
Interpretive Research Approaches
Starts out with the assumption that access to reality is only through social constructs such as language, consciousness and shared meanings.
Interpretive studies generally attempt to understand phenomena through the meanings that people assign to them and interpretive methods of research are "aimed at producing an understanding of the context of the…system, and the process whereby the …system influences and is influenced by the context" (Walsham 1993, p. 4 - 5).
Interpretive research tries to focus on the full complexity of human sense-making as the situation emerges (Kaplan and Maxwell, 1994).
Critical Research Approaches
Critical researchers assume that social reality is historically constituted and is produced by people.
Although people can consciously act to change their circumstances, critical researchers recognize that their ability to do so is restricted by various social, cultural and political factors.
The main task of critical research is seen as being one of social critique, where the restrictive conditions of a scenario or case study are examined.
Critical research tries to focus on the oppositions, conflicts and contradictions in a situation, and seeks to help to eliminate the causes of the problem
Qualitative Research Methods
Action Research
Researcher involved in/influences scenario
Ethical implications?
Case Study
Can be current or historical
Researcher does not influence research
Grounded Theory
Seeks to develop theory that is grounded in data
Data systematically gathered and analyzed.
Resources for Qualitative Research
Myers, M. D.(1997) "Qualitative Research in Information Systems," MIS Quarterly (21:2), Pp. 241-242.
MISQ Discovery, archival version of the above,
http://www.misq.org/discovery/MISQD_isworld/. MISQ Discovery,
Myers, M.D. and Avison, D.E. (eds.) (2002) “Qualitative Research in Information Systems: A Reader”. Sage Publications, London.
Kaplan, B. and Maxwell, J.A. (1994) "Qualitative Research Methods for Evaluating Computer Information Systems," in Evaluating Health Care Information Systems: Methods and Applications, J.G. Anderson, C.E. Aydin and S.J. Jay (eds.), Sage, Thousand Oaks, CA, Pp. 45-68.
Orlikowski, W.J. & Baroudi, J.J.(1991) "Studying Information Technology in Organizations: Research Approaches and Assumptions", Information Systems Research (2) Pp. 1-28.
Walsham, G. (1993). Interpreting information systems in organizations. Chichester: Wiley. Pp. 4-5.
