Instructor: Dr. M.
Usman Ashraf
Department of Computer Science
GC Women University, Sialkot. Pakistan
https://sites.google.com/site/musmanashrafpk/
PHASE I DECIDING WHAT TO RESEARCH
PHASE II: PLANNING A RESEARCH STUDY
PHASE III: CONDUCTING A RESEARCH STUDY
STEP-I: Formulating a research problem
A research problem identifies your destination
It should tell you,
your research supervisor
your readers what you intend to research.
Be specific and clearer about everything that follows in the research
process
study design,
measurement procedures,
sampling strategy,
Frame of analysis
The style of writing of your dissertation or report.
STEP-I: Formulating a research problem (Evaluation)
It is extremely important to evaluate the research problem in the light
of:
The financial resources at your administration,
The time available,
Your research supervisor’s expertise and knowledge in the field of study.
Step II: Conceptualizing a research design
An extremely important feature of research is the use of appropriate
design
The main function of a research design is to explain how you will find
answers to your research questions.
A research design should include the following
Study design and logistical arrangements that you propose to undertake
Measurement procedures
Sampling strategy
Frame of analysis and the timeframe
Step III: Constructing an instrument for data collection
Anything that becomes a means of collecting information for your
study is called a ‘research tool’ or a ‘research instrument’, for example
observation forms, interview schedules, questionnaires and interview
guides.
The construction of a research instrument is the first ‘practical’ step in
carrying out a study. You will need to decide how you are going to
collect data for the proposed study and then construct a research
instrument for data collection.
Step IV: Selecting a sample
The accuracy of your findings largely depends upon the way you select
your sample. The basic objective of any sampling design is
To minimize,
Within the limitation of cost,
The gap between the values obtained from your sample and those
prevalent in the study population.
When selecting a sample, you should attempt to achieve two key aims
of sampling
1. The avoidance of bias in the selection of a sample.
2. The attainment of maximum precision.
Step IV: Selecting a sample
There are three categories of sampling design
Random/probability sampling designs
Non-random/non-probabilitysampling designs
‘mixed’ sampling design.
Step V: writing a research proposal
Having done all the preparatory work, the next step is to put
everything together in a way that provides adequate information
about your research study, for your research supervisor and others,
this plan is called Research proposal.
Universities and other institutions may have differing requirements
regarding the style and content of a research proposal, but the
majority of institutions would require most of what is set out here
Step V: writing a research proposal
A research proposal must tell you, your research supervisor and a
reviewer the following information about your study:
What you are proposing to do?
How you plan to proceed?
Why you selected the proposed strategy?
Step V: writing a research proposal
Therefore it should contain the following information about your
study
Step VI: Collecting data (Chapter 14)
Having formulated a research problem, developed a study design,
constructed a research instrument and selected a sample, you then
collect the data from which you will draw inferences and
conclusions for your study.
As a part of the research design, you decided upon the procedure
you wanted to adopt to collect your data.
In this phase you actually collect the data. For example, depending
upon your plans,
You might commence interviews,
Mail out a questionnaire,
Conduct nominal/focus group discussions or make observations.
Step VII: Processing and displaying data (Chapter 15)
The way you analyze the information you collected largely depends
upon two things:
The type of information (descriptive, quantitative, qualitative or
attitudinal);
The way you want to communicate your findings to your readers
Step VIII: Writing a research report (Chapter 17)
The way you analyze the information you collected largely depends
upon two things:
The type of information (descriptive, quantitative, qualitative or
attitudinal);
The way you want to communicate your findings to your readers
Thanks
