The process of research

The process of research

1. Stages in carrying out research

   • Normative
     • How it should be done
   • Descriptive
     • How it is actually done

2. Normative

   • Conceptualising the issues, getting a focus, developing a research question
   • Choose a research strategy
   • Select methods
   • Organise the practicalities
     • Access
     • Sampling
     • Instruments
   • Collect data
     • Fieldwork
     • Transcribe
     • Code
   • Analyse data
   • Report and possibly
   • Act on findings

3. Descriptive

   • Do in a different order
   • Re-do parts if they didn't work
   • Start againg from the beginning
   • Key
     • Not following to the letter, but to the spirit
   • Careful, and self-critical development

4. Developing a research question

   • Research area
     • Very broad
     • The search of ideas
     • Theories
     • Social worlds
   • Research topic
     • Part of the above
   • Classic approach
     • Do this first
       • In experiment, need hypothesis
   • But others take varying view
     • The groundes theory approach
   • Still no harm in trying to develop research question

5. Developing a research question 2

   • Need to narrow
   • Need to know background literature
   • Group decisions
   • Negotiate with sponsors
   • Be realistic