Advanced Research Methods

Dissertation Studies

Research Design SouthamptonEducation SchoolSouthamptonEducation Schoolhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pf70HglUMYA&feature=related

DesignsExperimental (Quasi-experimental)Survey (Descriptive, Analytical)

Case Study

EthnographyPhenomenology

Mixed methodsSouthamptonEducation SchoolSouthamptonEducation SchoolExperimentalPurpose: Causality, Theory Testing

Are set up so that causality may be examined

Intervention: the researcher does something to at least some of the participants in the research

Control: the experimenter introduces one or more controls over the experimental situation

Randomisation: the experimenter assigns participants to different groups on a random basis.SouthamptonEducation SchoolSouthamptonEducation SchoolExperimentalSubjectsExperimentalRandomxyExperimentalxyMeasure T1ExperimentalInterventionxyXExperimentalMeasure T2xyXxyQuasi-experimentalX1(30)Y1(30)X2(30)Y2(30)interventionSchool ASchool BQuasi-experimentalX1(30)X2(30)interventionSchool ASurvey-descriptiveAre designed to gain more information about a particular characteristic within a particular field of study

describe or establish categories

How many? or how often?SouthamptonEducation SchoolSouthamptonEducation SchoolSurvey - Analyticalspecifically set up to explore the relationship and associations between particular concepts / variables

Less orientated towards representativeness and more towards finding explanations

Focus on theory building or testing

Asks: why and what goes with what ?SouthamptonEducation SchoolSouthamptonEducation SchoolSurvey - AnalyticalCorrelationthe basic purpose of this form of study is to determine the relationship between variables

is bullying related to achievement?bullyingachievementSouthamptonEducation SchoolSouthamptonEducation SchoolSurvey - AnalyticalIs self esteem related to achievement

However causality cannot be established with this designself esteemachievementSouthamptonEducation SchoolSouthamptonEducation SchoolCase StudyPurpose: Intensive investigation of a case within its real life context using multiple sources of evidence.An organisation, school, individual, committeeHolistic understanding of a set of issues in a particular environment and context

Yin, R. (1994). Case Study research: Designs and Methods. (2nd ed.) Beverly Hills, Ca: Sage.Yin, R. (2004). The Case Study Anthology. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.SouthamptonEducation SchoolSouthamptonEducation SchoolCase Study MethodsQuestionnairesDocumentsObservationsInterviewsFocus groups

SouthamptonEducation SchoolSouthamptonEducation SchoolPhenomenologyPurpose: Is to interpret and represent the way that people understand specific conceptsA focus on perceptionsAim is to get in-depth understandings

Descriptive

Patton, M. (2002). Qualitative Research and Evaluation Methods. California, Sage.SouthamptonEducation SchoolSouthamptonEducation SchoolPhenomenology methodsInterviewsSemi-structuredUnstructured

Often involving 2nd/3rd interviews

SouthamptonEducation SchoolSouthamptonEducation SchoolEthnographyPurpose: Is to interpret and represent the social world in the way that your participants interpret ittraditionally associated with anthropologyusually involves immersing yourself in a particular context or culture

Patton, M. (2002). Qualitative Research and Evaluation Methods. California, Sage.SouthamptonEducation SchoolSouthamptonEducation SchoolEthnographic methodsInterviewsObservationGroup Interviews

SouthamptonEducation SchoolSouthamptonEducation SchoolMixed Method DesignsYou can mix your methods but not your assumptions / philosophy!

Pick your MAIN method and use the other methods to SUPPORT it

SouthamptonEducation SchoolSouthamptonEducation SchoolDepth and UnderstandingRepresentative and PredictivePositivist Quantitative Research Interpretist Qualitative ResearchMixed Methods?Sequential Designsstages feed into each othernormally there is a main stage

qualQUANT

quantQUALquantQUALSouthamptonEducation SchoolSouthamptonEducation SchoolConcurrent Designsstages occur simultaneouslyhave equal importance, but different focirequests from each stage compared

resultsQUANTresultsQUALSouthamptonEducation SchoolSouthamptonEducation School