Research Process & Methodology

MASTER OF SCIENCE IN MANAGEMENT AND SYSTEMS

MEMORANDUM

TO: MASY 1260 Research Process and Methods Students

FROM: Dr. Andres Fortino

DATE: August 13, 2020

RE: Research on “Recovery From The Pandemic”

Our current global crisis occasioned by the Coronavirus pandemic is taking a great toll in our societies. I propose that you focus your research proposal on activities that will mitigate the toll and suffering we are under. You will have to propose a worthy research topic and research question to develop a research proposal as part of your course deliverables. Let’s see if you can focus your work this semester on contributing to making our world a little better in this respect. You are welcomed to propose a research topic on any other area, of course, but let’s see if we as a class can make our contribution to improve the world.

Your project theme and area of focus should be on improving society, using technology and its application, to make alleviate the pain and suffering of the pandemic. The economics of work are changing, we are working and learning remotely. What can we do to improve a smoother transition? Health care delivery is being stretched and burdened to the breaking point. Propose a way to improve it. People have to distance themselves and are in lockdown and must wear masks. How can we help them cope and thrive under these circumstances?

Types of research projects and questions

You can propose confirmatory projects where you have a theory of what is going on or what can be done to improve things. You will want to confirm it by designing an experiment based on a hypothesis, gathering data, analyze and confirm or not, whether the hypothesis is right. You can propose gathering opinions, or measuring elements of circumstances to prove or disprove the hypothesis. You can propose trying out a technical solution as a pilot and designing a trial where you can sow, or not, that the solution is beneficial over the current processes.

On the other hand you can propose an exploratory research project. You can propose studying a situation and look for possible solutions, without proposing any of them work. You are looking for what works and what does not work.

For example, if you are a developing your database and data analysis expertise, you might propose an AI/ML solution to a COVID problem. For an exploratory research proposal you might compare different types of machines to solve the problem. For a confirmatory design you might propose it as a solution to a known problem and set up the experimental design to compare applying it to a known situation and measuring where it indeed is beneficial or not over current practice. (See the attached paper on the difference between exploratory and confirmatory research.)

Proposing a Research Topic and Draft of a Research Question

Your first assignment in this class is to propose a research topic and a research question. You must justify the topic, why it is interesting to you, why is it important to know this thing. Why would people care? Who benefits? One paragraph. Five Sentences. This gives context to the research question.

Then write a second paragraph where propose the research question you are interested in. Why will this question impact the research topic, what this question and no other. One paragraph. Five sentences.

I will give you feedback, and we will work together to refine this question. It will be the focus of your work the whole semester.