Lecture 1 Formulating and Clarifying the Research Topic

8/13/2019 Lecture 1 Formulating and Clarifying the Research Topic

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Lecture 1

Formulating and Clarifying the

Research Topic

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Learning OutcomesAt the end of this lecture/seminar you should be able

to:

Understand the characteristics of a researchquestion

Identify the characteristics of a good research topic

Know how to generate ideas and explore sourcesthat will help you choose a suitable topic

State your research question(s) and objectives

clearly and preciselyNB I am not going to go through all of the slides inthe presentation. You can see the full set on the VLE.

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Introduction: Choosing a research

topic

Formulating and clarifying the researchtopic is the starting point of your researchproject

Your research topic needs to be: FEASIBLE;and WORTHWHILE.

And one of the most important aspects offeasibility is that it will sustain your interestand stimulate you to produce good work 33


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Introduction: Choosing a

research topic Without being clear about what you are going to research

it is difficult to plan how you are going to research it.

Formulating and clarifying the research topic is the startingpoint of your research project.

Once you are clear about this, you will be able to choosethe most appropriate research strategy and data collectionand analysis techniques.

The formulating and clarifying process is time-consumingand will probably take you up blind alleys. However,without spending time on this stage you are far less likely toachieve a successful project.

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Attributes of a Good Research

Topic

If you are undertaking your research project aspart of a course of study then the most important

attribute will be that it meets the examining

bodys requirements and, in particular, that it is at

the correct level. This means that you mustchoose your topic with care.

You therefore need to check the assessment

criteria for your project and ensure that your

choice of topic will enable you to meet these

criteria. 5


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Topic

In addition, your research topic must besomething you are capable of undertaking andone that excites your imagination.

Capability can be considered in a variety of ways.At the personal level you need to feel comfortablethat you have, or can develop, the skills that will berequired to research the topic.

As well as having the necessary skills we believethat you also need to have a genuine interest inthe topic.

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Topic

Most research projects are undertaken over atleast a four- month period.

A topic in which you are only vaguely interested at

the start is likely to become a topic in which you

have no interest and with which you will fail to

produce your best work.

Your ability to find the financial and time

resources to undertake research on the topic will

also affect your capability.7


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Topic

Feasibility also means you must be reasonablycertain of gaining access to any data you might

need to collect.

Many people start with ideas where access to datawill prove difficult. Certain, more sensitive topics,

such as financial performance or decision making

by senior managers, are potentially fascinating.

However, they may present considerable access

problems.8


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Topic

It is worthwhile? It is important that the issueswithin your research are capable of being linked to

academic theory.

This linking with the academic literature is

something we will look at in the next lecture when

we focus on the literature review.

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Topic

You will need to ensure that your questions andobjectives relate clearly to the idea. It is importantthat your topic will have symmetry of potentialoutcomes: that is, your results will be of similarvalue whatever you find out.

Without this symmetry you may spend aconsiderable amount of time researching yourtopic only to find an answer of little importance.

Whatever the outcome, you need to ensure you

have the scope to write an interesting projectreport. 10


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Topic

It may be important to consider yourfuture aspirations.

If you wish to obtain employment or

pursue a career in a particular subject

area, it is sensible to use thisopportunity to start to develop some

expertise in it. 11


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Attributes of a good research topic

Capability: is it feasible? Appropriateness: Is it worthwhile?

Is the topic something with which youare really fascinated?

Does the topic fit the specifications ofthe examining institution?

Do you have, or can you develop

within the project time frame the

necessary skills to do it?

Does your topic contain issues that

have a clear link to theory?

Is the research topic achievable withinthe time frame?

Are you able to state your researchquestion(s) and objectives clearly?

Will the topic still be current when you

finish your project?

Will your proposed research be able to

provide fresh insights into this topic?

Is the topic achievable within the

available financial resources?

Are the findings for this topic likely to

be symmetricali.e. of similar valuewhatever the outcome?

Are you reasonably certain of being

able to gain access to the data you will

need?

Does the topic match your career

goals?

Source: Saunders et al. 2012 Box 2.2


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Generating and Refining Research

Ideas

If you have to choose your own research topic,there is a range of techniques that can be used to

explore ideas in order to find and select a topic

that you would like to research.

They can be thought of as those that are

predominantly rationalthinking and those that

involve more creative thinking.

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Generating and Refining Research

Ideas

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Source: Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill 2012 Table 2.1


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Examining Your Own Strengths and

Interests

It is important that you choose a topic in which you

are likely to do well and, if possible, already have

some academic knowledge.

One way of doing this is to look at those

assignments for which you have received good

grades.

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Examining Staff Research Interests

Follow the links within the Faculty website to the

profile pages of academic staff in ESME and other

Departments in the Business School (LAIBS)

These pages display information about theirteaching and research interests.

You can use this as a funnel to help you to explore

and generate research ideas in which you would be

interested for your own project.

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Looking up ESME Research &

Expertise Webpage

Go to LAIBS webpage.

http://web.anglia.ac.uk/anet/faculties/laibs/index.phtml

Click on Our Departments.http://www.anglia.ac.uk/ruskin/en/home/faculties/aibs/our_

departments.htmlClick on Department of Economics, Strategy, Marketing andEnterprise.http://www.anglia.ac.uk/ruskin/en/home/faculties/aibs/our_departments/department_of_economics.html

Click on Research and Expertise.http://www.anglia.ac.uk/ruskin/en/home/faculties/aibs/our_departments/department_of_economics/research_and_expertise.html
http://web.anglia.ac.uk/anet/faculties/laibs/index.phtmlhttp://www.anglia.ac.uk/ruskin/en/home/faculties/aibs/our_departments.htmlhttp://www.anglia.ac.uk/ruskin/en/home/faculties/aibs/our_departments.htmlhttp://www.anglia.ac.uk/ruskin/en/home/faculties/aibs/our_departments.htmlhttp://www.anglia.ac.uk/ruskin/en/home/faculties/aibs/our_departments/department_of_economics.htmlhttp://www.anglia.ac.uk/ruskin/en/home/faculties/aibs/our_departments/department_of_economics.htmlhttp://www.anglia.ac.uk/ruskin/en/home/faculties/aibs/our_departments/department_of_economics.htmlhttp://www.anglia.ac.uk/ruskin/en/home/faculties/aibs/our_departments/department_of_economics/research_and_expertise.htmlhttp://www.anglia.ac.uk/ruskin/en/home/faculties/aibs/our_departments/department_of_economics/research_and_expertise.htmlhttp://www.anglia.ac.uk/ruskin/en/home/faculties/aibs/our_departments/department_of_economics/research_and_expertise.htmlhttp://www.anglia.ac.uk/ruskin/en/home/faculties/aibs/our_departments/department_of_economics/research_and_expertise.htmlhttp://www.anglia.ac.uk/ruskin/en/home/faculties/aibs/our_departments/department_of_economics/research_and_expertise.htmlhttp://www.anglia.ac.uk/ruskin/en/home/faculties/aibs/our_departments/department_of_economics/research_and_expertise.htmlhttp://www.anglia.ac.uk/ruskin/en/home/faculties/aibs/our_departments/department_of_economics/research_and_expertise.htmlhttp://www.anglia.ac.uk/ruskin/en/home/faculties/aibs/our_departments/department_of_economics/research_and_expertise.htmlhttp://www.anglia.ac.uk/ruskin/en/home/faculties/aibs/our_departments/department_of_economics/research_and_expertise.htmlhttp://www.anglia.ac.uk/ruskin/en/home/faculties/aibs/our_departments/department_of_economics.htmlhttp://www.anglia.ac.uk/ruskin/en/home/faculties/aibs/our_departments/department_of_economics.htmlhttp://www.anglia.ac.uk/ruskin/en/home/faculties/aibs/our_departments/department_of_economics.htmlhttp://www.anglia.ac.uk/ruskin/en/home/faculties/aibs/our_departments.htmlhttp://www.anglia.ac.uk/ruskin/en/home/faculties/aibs/our_departments.htmlhttp://www.anglia.ac.uk/ruskin/en/home/faculties/aibs/our_departments.htmlhttp://web.anglia.ac.uk/anet/faculties/laibs/index.phtmlhttp://web.anglia.ac.uk/anet/faculties/laibs/index.phtml


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Discussion

Colleagues, friends and university tutors are allgood sources of possible project ideas.

Often project tutors will have ideas for possible

student projects, which they will be pleased to

discuss with you. In addition, ideas can be

obtained by talking to practitioners and

professional groups.

It is important that as well as discussing possible

ideas you also make a note of them.18


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Looking at Past Project Titles

Look up past project titles for anything thatcaptures your imagination.

Titles that look interesting or which grab your

attention should be noted down, as should any

thoughts you have about the title in relation to

your own research idea.

In this process the fact that the title is poorly

worded or the project report received a low mark

is immaterial.19


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Searching past projects through ARU

library website

http://anglia.libguides.com/content.php?pid=347085&sid=2839426

Links to theses and e-theses. This includes ARROARUs institutionalrepository

http://libweb.anglia.ac.uk/ARRO.htm

Login to ARRO

Search thesis

Some business school examples that are in there

The internationalisation process of small and medium-sized managementconsultancies in the UK

Corporate social and financial performance: the case of companies inIsrael.

British banking-halls as a property investment

Social entrepreneurship & networks
http://anglia.libguides.com/content.php?pid=347085&sid=2839426http://libweb.anglia.ac.uk/ARRO.htmhttp://angliaruskin.openrepository.com/arro/handle/10540/211610http://angliaruskin.openrepository.com/arro/handle/10540/211610http://angliaruskin.openrepository.com/arro/handle/10540/188998http://angliaruskin.openrepository.com/arro/handle/10540/188998http://angliaruskin.openrepository.com/arro/handle/10540/211745http://angliaruskin.openrepository.com/arro/handle/10540/253432http://angliaruskin.openrepository.com/arro/handle/10540/253432http://angliaruskin.openrepository.com/arro/handle/10540/211745http://angliaruskin.openrepository.com/arro/handle/10540/211745http://angliaruskin.openrepository.com/arro/handle/10540/211745http://angliaruskin.openrepository.com/arro/handle/10540/188998http://angliaruskin.openrepository.com/arro/handle/10540/188998http://angliaruskin.openrepository.com/arro/handle/10540/211610http://angliaruskin.openrepository.com/arro/handle/10540/211610http://angliaruskin.openrepository.com/arro/handle/10540/211610http://angliaruskin.openrepository.com/arro/handle/10540/211610http://libweb.anglia.ac.uk/ARRO.htmhttp://anglia.libguides.com/content.php?pid=347085&sid=2839426


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Exploring Personal Preferences

Using Past Projects

Shifting from the rationalthinking to creativethinking: Another way of generating possible

project ideas is to explore your personal

preferencesusing past project reports from your

university and elsewhere. Select a project.If you DO like it ask yourself:

a) What appeals to you about the project and why?

If you do NOT like it, ask yourself:

a) What do you dislike about the project and why? 21


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Searching the Literature

Types of literature include: articles in academic and

professional journals; reports; books.

These resources can act as pointers towards

aspects where further research needs to be

undertaken. For example, a published empirical studymay have been based in a particular sector or industry, anda particular kind of organisation. You could perhaps

undertake a similar study, albeit scaled down, and in a

different sector, industry or organisational type.

Next weeks lecture will give you techniques for

searching the literature22


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Scanning the Media

Keeping up to date with items in the newscan be a very rich source of ideas.

The stories which occur every day in thebroadsheet or compact newspapers, in

both online and traditional print versions,

may provide ideas

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Exploring Relevance to Business Using

the Literature

In reality, business and managementjournals range from those with a more

applied focus through to those that are

more esoteric.

Even more esoteric journal articles will

still contain a wealth of ideas.

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Relevance Trees

Relevance trees may also prove useful ingenerating research topics.

In this instance, their use is similar to that of mind

mapping, in which you start with a broad concept

from which you generate further topics.

Each of these topics forms a separate branch fromwhich you can generate further, more detailed sub-

branches. As you proceed down the sub-branches

more ideas are generated and recorded.25


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Brainstormingbest in groups

Brainstorming involves a number of stages:

1 Defining the problem. This will focus on thesorts of ideas you are interested inas precisely

as possible. Even though n the early stages offormulating a topic this may be as vague as, I aminterested in marketing but dont know what to do

for my research topic.

What would the next 4 stages in brainstormingbe?


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Brainstorming

2 Asking for suggestions. These will relate to theproblem.

3 Recording suggestions. As you record these you

will need to observe the following rules: No suggestion should be criticized or evaluated

in any way before all ideas have been considered.

All suggestions, however wild, should be

recorded and considered. As many suggestions as possible should be

recorded. 27


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Brainstorming

4 Reviewing suggestions. You will seek toexplore what is meant by each as you review

these.

5 Analyzing suggestions. Work through the

list of ideas and decide which appeal to you

most as research ideas and why.

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Keeping a Notebook of Ideas

One of the more creative techniques thatwe all use is to keep a notebook of ideas .

All this involves is simply noting down anyinteresting research ideas as you think ofthem and, of equal importance, whatsparked off your thought.

You can then pursue the idea using morerational thinking techniques later. 29


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Preliminary Inquiry

It is often necessary to refine your research idea inorder to turn it into a research question and then

into your research project. This process is called

the preliminary inquiry or initial inquiry.

This is likely to involve searching for and

evaluating relevant literature and other related

sources. This may lead to the first iteration of your

critical literature review, or help to inform it.

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Integrating Ideas

The integration of ideas from these techniques isessential if your research is to have a cleardirection and not contain a mismatch betweenobjectives and your final project report.

Integration involves classifying each research ideafirst into its area, then its field, and finally theprecise aspect in which you are interested. Theserepresent an increasingly detailed description of

the research idea. Thus your initial area, based on examining your

coursework, might be accountancy. 31


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From idea or topic to research question(s)

A research question is a clear,

question around which you centeryour research


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Source: Bryman and Bell 2011 Figure 3.2

Steps in selecting research questions


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Writing Research Questions

Descriptive: A question that commences with What,When, Where, Who or How will lead to an

answer that will be at least partly descriptive.

These seek to describe the characteristics of the

variables or phenomena of interest

Explanatory: Questions that seek explanations will

either commence with Why or contain this wordwithin the question.

These seek to explain the nature of certain

relationships or differences among groups

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Examples of research ideas and resulting

focused research questions

Research idea Research questions

Advertising and share prices How does the running of a TV

advertising company designed to

boost the image of a company affectits share price?

Job recruitment via the internet How effective is recruiting for new

staff via the internet in comparison

with traditional methods?

The use of aromas as a marketing

device

In what ways does the use of specific

aromas in supermarkets affect buyer

behaviours?

The use of internet banking What effect has the growth of internet

banking had upon the uses customers

make of branch facilities and why?

Source: Lewis et al. 2012 table 2.2


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Writing Research Questions

It is often a useful starting point in the writing of research

questions to begin with one research question that flows

from your research idea. This may lead to several more

detailed questions or the definition of research objectives.

Writing your research questions will be, in most cases, your

individual concern but it is useful to get other people to

help. An obvious source of guidance is your project tutor.

Consulting your project tutor will avoid the pitfalls of the

questions that are too easy or too difficult or have been

answered before. 36


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Writing Research Objectives

Objectives are more generally acceptable tothe research community as evidence of theresearchers clear sense of purpose anddirection.

Once you have devised your researchquestion, research objectives are likely to

lead to greater specificity than usinginvestigative questions. It may be that eitheris satisfactory.

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Writing Research Objectives

Your research questionallows you to say what the issue orproblem is that you wish to study.

Your research objectivesallow you to operationalize your

questionthat is, to state the steps you intend to take to

answer it.

A similar way of thinking about the difference between

questions and objectives is related to what and how.

Research questions express what your research is about.

Research objectives express how you intend to structure

the research process to answer your question.38


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Research Question: How effective are internet and intranet channels as a

means to communicate with employees in company X

Research objectives:

1. To identify each internet and each intranet channel of employee

communication used in the company

2. To describe the companys objectives for each channel (e.g. conveying news

about the business, facilitating communication across the company, announcing

results and targets, bringing about behavioural change)

3. To identify and explore specific examples of how each channel has been

beneficial or influential

4. To identify and explore specific examples of how each channel has not been

beneficial or influential

5. To determine a measure of effectiveness for each channel that shows

whether and how the channel had met, exceeded or failed to meet the

objectives set for it

6. To compare measures of effectiveness across channels related to different

organisational objectives

7. To make recommendations about each channels future use and fitness for

purpose

Source: Based on Lewis et al 2012 Box 2.9


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Writing Research Objectives: Criteria

Interconnectivity

Taken together as a set, the research objectives shouldillustrate the steps in the research process from its start to itsconclusion, without leaving any gaps.

AnswerabilityThe intended outcome of the research objective should beachievable. Where this relates to data, the nature of the data

required will be clear or at least implied .

Measurability

The intended product of the research objective will be

evident when it has been achieved.40


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Writing Research Objectives: Criteria

Transparency

The meaning of the research objective should be clear and

unambiguous

SpecificityThe purpose of the research objective should be clear and

easily understood, as are the actions required to fulfill it

Relevancy

The research objectives should be link to the research

question and wider research project should be clear. 41


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Deductive and Inductive Approach

Where you wish to adopt a clear theoreticalposition that you will test though the collection of

data, your research project will be theory driven

and you will be using a deductive approach .

Where you wish to explore a topic and develop a

theoretical explanation as the data are collected

and analyzed, your research project will be data

driven and you will be adopting an inductive

approach.42


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Summary: Attributes of a good research topic

Capability: is it feasible? Appropriateness: Is it worthwhile?

Is the topic something with which youare really fascinated?

Does the topic fit the specifications ofthe examining institution?

Do you have, or can you develop

within the project time frame the

necessary skills to do it?

Does your topic contain issues that

have a clear link to theory?

Is the research topic achievable withinthe time frame?

Are you able to state your researchquestion(s) and objectives clearly?



Will your proposed research be able to

provide fresh insights into this topic?

Is the topic achievable within the

available financial resources?

Are the findings for this topic likely to

be symmetricali.e. of similar valuewhatever the outcome?

Are you reasonably certain of being

able to gain access to the data you will

need?

Does the topic match your career

goals?

Source: Saunders et al. 2012 Box 2.2


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Summary: Attributes of a Good

Research Topic

Capability: is it feasible?

Is the topic something with which you are really

fascinated?

Do you have, or can you develop within the projecttime frame, the necessary research skills to

undertake the topic?

Is the research topic achievable within the available

time?

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Research Topic

Capability: is it feasible?



Is the topic achievable within the financial

resources that are likely to be available?

Are you reasonably certain of being able to

gain access to data you are likely to require

for this topic?45


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Research Topic

Appropriateness: is it worthwhile?

Does the topic fit the specifications and meet the

standards set by the examining institution?

Does your topic contain issues that have a clear linkto theory?

Are you able to state your research question(s) and

objectives clearly?

Will your proposed research be able to provide

fresh insights into this topic?46

ib f d


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Research Topic

Appropriateness: is it worthwhile?

Does your topic relate clearly to the idea

you have been given (perhaps by an

organization)?

Are the findings for this topic likely to be

symmetrical: that is, of similar value

whatever the outcome?Does the topic match your career goals?

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Summary: Key Questions to Guide and

Evaluate a Research Proposal

What am I going to do?

Why am I doing this?

Why is it worth doing?

How does it relate to what has been done

before in my subject area?

Which theory or theories will inform what Iam doing and how will I use it or them?

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What is my research question and what

are my research objectives?

How shall I conduct my research?What is my research design?

What type of data do I need?

Who and where are my intended

participants?49


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How will I gain access?

How shall I select them?

How will I collect my data?How will I analyze my data and use this

to develop theoretical explanations?

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What data quality issues might I

encounter?

How will I seek to overcome these?What ethical issues might I encounter at

each stage of my research?

How will I overcome these?

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References

Gay, L. R. Mills, G. E. and Airasian. P. W. (2008).Educational Research: Competencies for Analysisand Applications. Harlow: Prentice Hall.

Saunders, M. Lewis, P. and Thornhill, A. (2012).Research Methods for Business Students. 6e.Harlow: Prentice Hall. Chapter 2.

Bryman, A. and Bell, E. 2011. Business ResearchMethods. 3e. Chapter 3.

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Lecture 1 Formulating and Clarifying the Research Topic

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