Setting up a work schedule

From the very start, it is a good idea to set up a work schedule, announce
the deadlines to the students and keep a copy of this on the class bulletin
board.
Working towards deadlines,
Planning ahead
Keeping the deadlines
must be some of the basic skills the students must learn while doing these
projects

LITERATURE REVIEW

As part of the planning process you should have done a LITERATURE REVIEW, which is a
survey of important articles, books and other sources pertaining to your research topic. Now, for the
second main section of your research report you need to write a summary of the main studies and
research related to your topic. This review of the professional literature relevant to your research
question will help to contextualize, or frame, your research. It will also give readers the necessary
background to understand your research.

Evaluating other studies:

In a review of the literature, you do not merely summarize the research findings that
others have reported. You must also evaluate and comment on each study's worth and
validity. You may find that some published research is not valid. If it also runs counter to
your hypothesis, you may want to critique it in your review. Don't just ignore it. Tell
how your research will be better/overcome the flaws. Doing this can strengthen the
rationale for conducting your research.

Selecting the studies to include in the review:

You do not need to report on every published study in the area of your research topic.
Choose those studies which are most relevant and most important.

Organizing the review:

After you have decided which studies to review, you must decide how to order them. In
making your selection, keep your research question in mind. It should be your most
important guide in determining what other studies are revelant. Many people simple
create a list of one-paragraph summaries in chronological order. This is not always the
most effective way to organize your review. You should consider other ways, such as...

By topic
 Problem -> solution

Cause -> effect

Another approach is to organize your review by argument and counter argument. For
example, You may write about those studies that disagree with your hypothesis, and then
discuss those that agree with it. Yet another way to organize the studies in your review is
to group them according to a particular variable, such as age level of the subjects (child
studies, adult studies, etc.) or research method (case studies, experiments, etc.).

The end of the review:

The purpose of your review of the literature was to set the stage for your own research.
Therefore, you should conclude the review with a statement of your hypothesis, or
focused research question. When this is done, you are ready to proceed with part three of
your research report, in which you explain the methods you used.

Outline on Research Design: External

7. Research Instruments Links

- An Overview of the Methods of the Social Sciences Link

- Research Design Link

- Types of Analyses Link

- Introduction: Various Research Instruments may be used

w/ a given Type of Analysis
The Choice of methodology / of the Research Instrument is
where the Researcher chooses the data collection tool, such as
a survey, experiment, etc. to achieve the Research Objectives
Choosing the Research Instrument is done after
Conceptualization & the choice of Units of Analysis & must
be done before Operationalizing Concepts via construction of
the Instrument
1. Select a Topic 9. Formulate the Data
2. Formulate Collection Strategy
a Thesis Statement... 10. Obtain HIC Approval
3. Choose the Types of 11. Perform a Pilot Study
Analyses 12. Collect Data
4. Research & Write 13. Prepare the Data for
a Literature Review processing & analysis
& Refine the Thesis 14. Process & Analyze
5. Formulate the Research Data
Objectives & Questions 15. Interpret & make
6. Conceptualize a topic Inferences about Data
7. Choose Research Method / 16. Write the Research
the Research Instrument Paper
8. Operationalize concepts / 17. Write Final HIC
construct the instrument Report
Several different Research Instruments can be used to achieve
the same Research Objectives
With the topic, thesis, types of analysis, lit review, objectives
& conceptualization understood, the researcher should have a
general idea of which data collection method is best suited for
the topic
Research design is an iterative process, therefore after the
construction of the instrument, the researcher returns to the
steps of topic, thesis, types of analysis, lit review, objectives &
conceptualization to confirm that the appropriate instrument is
being used
The researcher must determine whether the Research
Objectives can be met w/ a single instrument ( survey,
interview, observation schedule, etc. ) or whether several are
needed
The Relationship between Types of Analysis & Research
Instruments is that of
is that of Questions & How the
researcher will determine the Answer
The Types of Analysis & the more detailed Research
Objectives clearly explain what it is the researcher wants to
know
The Research Instruments, such as a survey, will ask questions
that directly address the Research Objectives
Example:
Thesis: Deinstitutionalization is more effective than
institutionalization
Type of Analysis: Cause & Effect & Comparison
Research Objective: Deinstitutionalization causes well-being
Survey: Deinstitutionalized clients are generally happy 1
2 3 4 5
Institutionalized clients are generally happy 1
2 3 4 5
The choice & development of the Research Instrument must blank
be done in conjunction w/:
- Operationalization Link

- the development of the Strategy for Data Collection Link

There are MANY types of Research Instruments; some of the

primary Instruments are listed below
- Aggregate Data Analysis Link

- Case Studies Link

- Content Analysis Link

- Ethnography Link

- Evaluation Research Link

- Experimental Research Link

- Human Factors Analysis Link

- Interviewing Link

- Observation: Field / Naturalistic or Structured Link

- Organizational Analysis Link

- Policy Analysis Link

- The Development of Policy Analysis Link

- Social Impact Analysis Link

- Surveys Link

- Survey Construction Link

- Survey Sampling Link

- Samples of Surveys