Research Methods and Literature Review

Study Notes

Research Process

Based on professional experience, burning questions, new developments, and literature (gap in knowledge, building on a theory, replication, etc.)

Literature Review

Discusses published information in a particular subject area related to the research problem/question
Involves summarizing information, synthesizing findings, and evaluating sources to focus on the most relevant information
Leads to the research question (deductive research) or vice versa (inductive research)

Research Design

Can be represented in a research onion, working from the outside to the inside
Starts with research philosophy (positivism, pragmatism, critical, interpretivism)
Three main research philosophies:
- Ontology: what constitutes reality and how can we understand its existence?
- Epistemology: what constitutes valid knowledge and how can we obtain it?
- Methodology: how do we go about finding it?

Research Philosophies

Positivists: believe in a single reality that can be measured and known; often use quantitative methods
Interpretivists: believe in multiple realities that need to be interpreted; often use qualitative methods
Pragmatists: believe reality is constantly renegotiated, debated, and interpreted; use a combination of deductive and inductive methods
Critical paradigm: focuses on social justice issues to address political, social, and economic issues

Formulating Questions

Main questions: help answer the research question; prepared in advance to ensure all topics are covered
Follow-up questions: add depth to the interview; cannot be fully prepared, require active listening
Prompts: add depth to the interview; can be verbal or non-verbal, and can be prepared in advance
Formulating questions affects the answer received; aim to avoid leading questions

Research Questions

Crucial in guiding studies, connecting with prior research, and advancing social science knowledge
Vary in scope, complexity, and precision; can address descriptive, explanatory, or interpretive aspects of social phenomena
Can be refined based on theoretical considerations, empirical evidence, and literature reviews

Literature Reviews

Identify relevant literature, select pertinent theories and empirical findings, and inform research question formulation
Involve four key steps: identification, justification, precision, and operationalization
Essential component in academic and research settings

Description

Learn about the importance of professional experience, literature review, and research questions in academic research. Understand how to evaluate sources, identify gaps in knowledge, and build on existing theories.