Method & Methodology

How to do research

How to work out how to do research

How to work out how to work out how to …

Reasons to teach M&M

Critical ThinkingHistory of AccountingAcademic CredibilityDissertation Preparation

Critical Thinking (1)

Accounting Students … Method driven Psychological need for ‘right answers’

Professional Issues Auditing Failure of Rule-Driven ethical regimes

Critical Thinking (2)

Learning ‘relevant’ critical approaches?

Indoctrination & paradigms …

The context of argument, when should we stop asking why?

Academic Credibility (1)

Why do an accounting degree …? Accreditation changes Theoretical focus

Medical & Legal models …

Academic Credibility (2)

Research

Research Education

Dissertation Preparation

Research design and execution

Integration with staff research agendas

Aberdeen

What we used to doWhat we do nowWhat we’re going to do … we think

What we used to do

Four courses:

Dissertation preparation … ? Advanced Financial Accounting Current issues in accounting research Critical perspectives on accounting

Dissertation preparation

Practical empirical methodsReview of basic statisticsLiterature reviews, referencing

Advanced Financial Accounting

Review of advanced accounting topicsOrientation towards PAT style research

Current issues in accounting research

Review of theoretical issues Changing money values Empirical research methods (not just

PAT)

‘Nature of Science’ Popperian Focus on empirical testing

Critical perspectives on accounting

Only partly concerned with research issuesIntroduction to philosophy of scienceDiscussion of theory/ method/ methodology

What we do now

Current Issues … now defunct

Critical PerspectivesAdvanced Financial Accounting

Poor take-up …

Dissertation preparation – more classes

Developments

Changes in the degree structure Fewer, larger options

Business School Economics, Management, Accounting &

Finance Desire for integration …

Dissertation quality

Business school issues

Interdisciplinary methodology course?

Unfocussed? (many disciplines) Practical vs. theoretical outcomes

Theoretical issues

Philosophy of science & epistemologySocial and institutional issues

Specialisms / practical issues (1)Management – Qualitative research?

Finance – ‘Empirical’ / Econometric methods

Accountancy – Mixed? Lost?

Economics – Formal/theoretical issues Practical research

Positive research Econometrics

Specialisms / practical issues (2)

Discipline histories

Institutional and social constraints

Course designTree shaped course –

Common core of theoretical issues History & Philosophy of science General methodological debates

Specialising Specific techniques Discipline history Specific institutional / social issues

Review aims …

Method & methodology …

Critical thinking and the professional researcher (or accountant…)

Students as effective research assistants?