Research methodology: a step-by-step guide for beginners

441 Pages·2012·8.2 MB·english

by  Kumar

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for Beginners integrates various quantitative and qualitative methodologies into
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• Formulating a research problem • Selecting a sample
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• Collecting and analysing • Research and practice evaluation.

qualitative and quantitative data

The book is essential reading for undergraduate and postgraduate students in 3rd
the social sciences embarking on quantitative or qualitative research projects.
edition
Dr Ranjit Kumar taught at Curtin University of Technology and the University

of Western Australia for 30 years. He is currently a freelance researcher and

evaluation consultant in Western Australia. R
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a step-by-step guide for beginners
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3rd edition
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a step-by-step guide for beginners
Ranjit Kumar
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© Ranjit Kumar 1999, 2005, 2011
First edition published 1999
Second edition published 2005. Reprinted 2007, 2008 (twice), 2009 (twice)
This third edition published 2011
Apart from any fair dealing for the purposes of research or private study, or criticism or review, as permitted under the
Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988, this publication may be reproduced, stored or transmitted in any form, or by
any means, only with the prior permission in writing of the publishers, or in the case of reprographic reproduction, in
accordance with the terms of licences issued by the Copyright Licensing Agency. Enquiries concerning reproduction
outside those terms should be sent to the publishers.
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ISBN 978-1-84920-300-5
ISBN 978-1-84920-301-2 (pbk)
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v
To my daughter, Parul
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Contents
List of figures xv
List of tables xviii
Preface xix
1 Research: a way of thinking 1
Research: an integral part of your practice 1
Research: a way to gather evidence for your practice 4
Applications of research 4
Research: what does it mean? 5
The research process: characteristics and requirements 8
Types of research 9
Types of research: application perspective 10
Types of research: objectives perspective 10
Types of research: mode of enquiry perspective 11
Paradigms of research 14
Summary 15
2 The research process: a quick glance 17
The research process: an eight-step model 18
Phase I: deciding what to research 23
Step I: formulating a research problem 23
Phase II : planning a research study 23
Step II: conceptualising a research design 23
Step III: constructing an instrument for data collection 24
Step IV: selecting a sample 25
Step V: writing a research proposal 25
Phase III: conducting a research study 26
Step VI: collecting data 26
Step VII: processing and displaying data 26
Step VIII: writing a research report 27
Summary 27
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viii ReseaRch Methodology
STEP I FORMULATING A RESEARCH PROBLEM 29
3 Reviewing the literature 31
The place of the literature review in research 31
Bringing clarity and focus to your research problem 32
Improving your research methodology 32
Broadening your knowledge base in your research area 33
Enabling you to contextualise your findings 33
How to review the literature 33
Searching for the existing literature 34
Reviewing the selected literature 37
Developing a theoretical framework 38
Developing a conceptual framework 40
Writing about the literature reviewed 40
Summary 42
4 Formulating a research problem 43
The research problem 44
The importance of formulating a research problem 44
Sources of research problems 45
Considerations in selecting a research problem 47
Steps in formulating a research problem 48
The formulation of research objectives 50
The study population 55
Establishing operational definitions 55
Formulating a research problem in qualitative research 57
Summary 58
5 Identifying variables 61
What is a variable? 62
The difference between a concept and a variable 63
Converting concepts into variables 64
Types of variable 66
From the viewpoint of causal relationship 66
From the viewpoint of the study design 71
From the viewpoint of the unit of measurement 72
Types of measurement scale 73
The nominal or classificatory scale 76
The ordinal or ranking scale 76
The interval scale 77
The ratio scale 77
Summary 78
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contents ix
6 Constructing hypotheses 81
The definition of a hypothesis 81
The functions of a hypothesis 83
The testing of a hypothesis 83
The characteristics of a hypothesis 84
Types of hypothesis 85
Errors in testing a hypothesis 87
Hypotheses in qualitative research 88
Summary 89
STEP II CONCEPTUALISING A RESEARCH DESIGN 91
7 The research design 93
What is a research design? 94
The functions of a research design 94
The theory of causality and the research design 95
Summary 101
8 Selecting a study design 103
Differences between quantitative and qualitative study designs 103
Study designs in quantitative research 105
Study designs based on the number of contacts 105
Study designs based on the reference period 111
Study designs based on the nature of the investigation 113
Other designs commonly used in quantitative research 122
The cross-over comparative experimental design 123
The replicated cross-sectional design 124
Trend studies 124
Cohort studies 125
Panel studies 125
Blind studies 126
Double-blind studies 126
Study designs in qualitative research 126
Case study 126
Oral history 127
Focus groups/group interviews 127
Participant observation 128
Holistic research 129
Community discussion forums 129
Reflective journal log 130
Other commonly used philosophy-guided designs 130
Action research 131
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