Research Methods

What is a research

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Research Methods

•MLA Handbook for writers of writers of research papers

•Gibaldi,Joseph,2009

Learning outcomes

•By the end of the course the students will be able to write research proposals.

•Learning objectives.

•A scientific research is a systematic way of finding answers to questions.

Components of a research

•Statement of the problem

•Research questions

•Objectives

•Importance

•Limitations

•Literature review

•Research methodology

•Data analysis

•Conclusion &recommendations

Any well-developed design will achieve the following:

1.Identify the research problem clearly and justify its selection, particularly in relation to any valid alternative designs that could have been used,

2.Review and synethesize previously published literature associated with the problem.

3.Clearly and explicitly specify research questions central to the research problem.

Effectively describe the data and explain how such data will be obtained.

Describe the methods of analysis to be applied to the data in determining whether or not the questions have been answered.

Lecture 2Learning objectives:

to : select a topic, know the research design, take notes.

The research paper is exploration

Types of research

•Primary research is the study of subjects through investigation, such as making a survey,

interview,lab experiments .

•Secondary research includes examination of studies that other researchers have done.

The research paper as a form of communication

•A research paper should present information and ideas clearly and effectively. The researcher applies the knowledge and skills that have been acquired through different pervious writing experiences.

Different approaches to research writing

•All writers research papers do the following:

•1.selecting a suitable topic

•2.conducting research

•3.compiling a working bibliography

•4.taking notes.

•5.outlining.

6.preparing the paper

1.selecting a suitable topic

Students submit topics for the instructor for approval early in the research project.

Finding a focus:

Choice of a topic depends on

The allotted time.

The length of the research paper

Begin with a general topic then make it more specific.

Try to narrow your topic by focusing on an aspect of the subject or an approach to it.

ExamplesThe general subject:

‘violence in the media’ can be narrowed into :

the effect of cartoon violence in preschool children’

Choose one lens through which to view the research problem, or look at just one facet of it .

For example: rather than studying

the role of food in Eastern religious rituals; study:

the role of food in Hindu ceremonies, or,

the role of one particular type of food among several religions.

Your initial variables or unit of analyses can be broken into smaller parts : For example:

tobacco use among adolescents

chewing tobacco

female adolescents in a certain age range who smoke.]

the smaller the area of analysis, the more narrow the focus

Example :

trade relations in Gulf countries.

trade relations between Oman and Kwait.

how do two or more different perspectives or variables relate

to one another?

[ e.g., cause/effect, compare/contrast, contemporary/historical, group/individual, male/female, opinion/reason, problem/solution.

Task: Select general topics

Narrow your topics

Home work (individual)

Select two general topics and narrow them.

Library research sources:Information sources fall into 4

categories :

1.Electronic sources

2.Books and similar publications

3.Articles and other publications in print periodicals such as.

journals, newspapers, and magazines

Additional sources:

Non-print sources like video recordings and unpublished writing.

Reference works a.Print : May be located in a

reference room. i.General reference books like dictionaries, encyclopedias, biographical sources, yearbooks, atlases

ii. Specialized reference books: They are grouped according to subject area-biology, business,

literature. . .,

b.Electronic

Reference works available as electronic databases are usually online or on CD- ROM OR DVD-ROM

Types of reference works:i. reference works that provide data about research materials, like indexes and bibliographies, they are lists of publications usually classified by subjects

ii.collections of abstracts

Present summaries of journal articles and other literature.

Guides to research

Guides to research direct you to the most source of information in the area you are searching.

B. Reference works that give basic information about subjects:

b.1.Dictionaries provides information, usually concise definitions about words or topics.

B.2.

Encyclopedias give introductory information about subjects.

B3.biographical sources describe the lives of prominent persons.

B4.year books present facts about years in the past.

B5.atlases are collections of maps

B.6.Almances

Almanacs are annual publications containing data, espicially, statistics about many subjects

Lecture3 Searching a reference database

•Learning Objectives:

1.To know types of searches for a reference database.

2.To Evaluate sources .

In MLA Bibliography is written in two:

electronic and print versions.

Types of searches

-author searches

-title searches

-subject searches

-expanded searches

-Boolean searches

Author searches

By entering the name of a scholar you can obtain a list of the title by the author that are collected in the database. For example:

Gibaldi Joseph, Brown Douglass

Activity 1

Enter the name of the following authors:

1.Rod Ellis

2.Richards, J.& Schmidt, R 3.McDonough, S .

4.Littlewood

5.W. Krashen, S .

Title searches

By entering the title of a work you can obtain a complete bibliographic information the work. For example:

Applied linguistics in language education

Foreign and second language learning

Second language acquisition and second

language learning.

Enter the following titles:

1.Principles of language learning and teaching

2.Social psychological aspects of second language acquisition

3.Attitudes and motivation in second language learning

Subject searches

Subject searches is accompanied by description, a term that describes the work .For example:

language learning

Expanded searches

You can expand or narrow your searches to get a broad sense of possibilties.If you have a general idea

About a topic ‘detective fiction’ you can find a related subjects by entering the word ‘detective’ you can have:

Detective drama

Detective novel

Detective story

Boolean searches

You send request search by entering and, or, not. For examples:you can use Boolean ‘or’ to expand your search:

3.McDonough, S. Or W. Krashen

If you want to perform narrower searches the Boolean ‘not’ and ‘and’ can limit the

field of titles accessed .

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Learning Objectives:

2.To Evaluate sources.

2.To know and write statement of the problem.

Bibliographic information provided

The databases allow you to print out or download bibliographic information. This includes: author name, title,and publication

details(year,publication type .,

,language of publication, international standard serial number ISSN, update code, accessed number and sequence number.See figure 2 page19.

Evaluating sources•It is difficult to evaluate sources.

Not all sources are equally reliable or of equal quality. Some material may be based on incorrect or outdated information or on poor logic ,and the author view or knowledge is biased or too limited.

How to evaluate sources?

The focus should be on:

a.Authority ,

b.accuracy ,

and c.currency of the sources.

Authority

Most scholarly journals and academic book publishers pass through a policy of consultant review by ‘peer review’ and

‘editorial board.’

In ‘peer review’ the publishers seek the advice of expert readers or

referees before publication .

Each consultant read the work and send the publisher a report evaluating the manuscripts, either recommending or not recommending. Readers comment on : The importance of the subject, the originality and soundness of the argument, the accuracy of the facts, and the currency of the research

Editorial board

An editorial board also reviews the manuscript.

Evaluating the authority of an Internet source

Considerations:

1.author: The of the author of the work should be identified and the persons responsible for the site.

2.text: Use reliable editions, look at who the editor of the text and when.

3.Editorial policy:

Look for statement of mission and purpose and the evidence that the document underwent consultant review(e.g. the lists of an editorial board.

4.Publisher or sponsoring organization :

The name of the publisher or sponsoring organization should be clearly stated with access to information about the organization(e.g.www.npr.org

b.accuracyCheck to see the work sources that appear in the list of works cited. The titles in the list might also tell you about the author knowledge about the subject and about any bias. A web publication might supply hypertexual links to the sources. Note whether there is email address to the author or org.

CurrencyAlthough online documents and sites have potential for continual updating ,many may be out -of -date. A document should record all dates of publication.

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Learning Objectives:

1.To define and write objectives.

2.To define and write statement of the problem.

2 .To know types of note taking..

RESEARCH OBJECTIVES

Definition

A research objective is a clear, concise, declarative statement, which provides direction to investigate the variables. Research objectives focus on the ways to measure the variables , such as to identify or describe them.

Activity

•Define objectives

Guidelines for objectives

The objectives should be presented briefly &concisely. They cover the different aspects of the problem &its contributing factors in a coherent way

& in a logical sequence .

The objectives are clearly phrased in operational terms, specifying exactly what researcher is going to do,

where, & for what purpose .

TYPES OF OBJECTIVES

• Broad objective states what is to be achieved by the study in general terms. Usually only one per study, related to core problem and topic of the study, shows target population and place , use action verb.

•etc Example: To determine the factors associated with increased number of diarrhea cases among under fives in X village

Specific objectives

Describe the variables that are measured by the study . Several in one study . Use action verb Example:Examples of action verbs are: to assess, to identify, to find out, to determine, to compare, to find, to verify, to calculate, to describe, to analyse, to establish

• Qualities of specific objectives

• Stated in logical sequence, clear and unambiguous . What is to be done? Specific addressing one thing only, measurable,can be evaluated , use proper action verbs (Determine, Find out, Identify)

• Should be SMART :Specific ,Measurable ,Attainable ,Realistic ,Time bound.

Activity

Explain types of objectives.

homework

Write your objectives

Statement of the problem

What is problem statement?

A "Problem Statement" is a description of a difficulty or lack that needs to be solved or at least researched to see whether a solution can be

found  .

It can also be described as either a gap between the real and the desired or a contradiction between principle and practice. It includes

•What is the issue/problem that to solve?

•What disadvantages you have observed?

What is the goal of a statement of problem?

•-1.The ultimate goal of a problem statement is to transform a generalized problem (something that bothers you; a perceived lack) into a targeted, well-defined problem one that can be resolved through focused research and careful decision-making.

2.It should help you clearly identify the purpose of the project you will propose.

3.Other:

a.The Problem Statement will also serve as the basis for the introductory section of your final

proposal  ,

b.directing your readers attention quickly to the issues that your proposed project will address and

, c. providing the reader with a concise statement of the proposed project itself.

What are the key characteristics of a statement

of problem?A good research problem should at minimum:

1. Address a gap

2. be significant enough to contribute to the existing body of research.

3.be one that will lead to more research

A good research problem should at minimum:

1. Address a gap

2. be significant enough to contribute to the existing body of research.

3.be one that will lead to more research

• 4. renter itself to be investigated via  collection of data

• 5.be interesting to the researcher and suit his/her skills, time and resources

• 6. be ethical

What is the format (parts of a problem statement)?

• What is the issue/problem that what to solve?

• What disadvantages you have observed?

• Step 1

• Desired goal or ideal situation; explains how things should be.

• By describing a goal or desired state of a given situation, phenomenon etc. This will build the ideal situation (what should be, what is expected, desired)

•   Step 2

• Describe a condition that prevents the goal, state, or value discussed in step 1 from being achieved or realized at the present time. This will build the reality, the situation as it is and establish a gap between what ought to be and what is

•Step 3

•Connect steps 1 and 2 using a term such as "but," "Unfortunately," or "in spite of";

• Step 4

• Using specific details show how the situation in step 2 contains little promise of improvement unless something is done.  Then emphasize the benefits of research by projecting the consequences of possible solutions as well.

Example on the sheet

homework

Write the statement of your problem

Lec 5 3.To practice note taking