Basic Research Steps

EDU 504-Day 1
 Research Question
• Clear
• Specific
• Answerable
• Interconnected
• Relevant

Sub-questions narrow the broader focus of the overarching

question
 Hypothesis
• It is a predicted answer to a research question.
• We make prediction before we carry out the research-a priori
 Literature Review
• Style of the research
• The overall research strategy
• The objectives of the proposed study
• The nature of the substantive problem
• How well developed the literature in the area is
• How closely the study wants to follow the directions
established by that literature.
 Literature review

The entire point of writing a literature review is to synthesize, or

write about the relationships between, the articles you’re using,
defining the connection between them and explaining how they
come together to represent a body of knowledge on a subject.
Three techniques:
1.Summarizing
2.Paraphrasing
3.Direct quoting
Format of writing literature review chapter
Start your writing with a brief introduction and presenting the
themes and sub-themes.
 Lit review
Process of Literature Review:

Literature review should be based on the following considerations:

•Selecting literature relevant to the research problem and

topic – theories, concepts, case studies, examples, research
done already, issues that need further research and are linked
to the research

•Review literature linked to the categories, themes or

indicators important for the research questions. Categories or
themes should be written as sub-headings and different
concepts, information or findings about these categories or
themes from different sources should be placed under a
specific sub-heading
 Conceptual Framework
• It brings clarity and focus, helping us to see and
organize the research questions more clearly

• It helps to make explicit what we already know

• It can help considerably in communicating ideas about

the research

• It encourages selection and assists in focusing and

delimiting thinking during the planning stage.
 Conceptual Framework (an e.g.)
1. Howparents continue to exercise choice after selecting
a school?
 Research tool/instrument

• Questionnaire/survey
• Focus group discussion (FGD)
• Interview
• Observation
 Research Design
1. Strategy
2. Framework
3. From whom will the data be collected
4. How will the data be collected
 Sampling

• In quantitative research sampling is a critical

component of the data collection process. Therefore,
you should discuss briefly how the set of respondents
that you selected from a larger target population
represent the whole statistically.

• In qualitative research you are expected to provide

detailed description. Since qualitative research does
not aim to generalize the data, there is no need for
statistical sampling.
 Ethical concerns

“Brad is a student in Key Stage 3. He is in the autistic spectrum and he

has also been diagnosed as having attention deficit hyperactivity
disorder (ADHD). When Brad enters the room for our interview he seems
angry and reluctant to talk to me. He says: ‘Who am I to give you an
interview? Brad Pitt?’ He turns his back on me and doesn’t talk at all. I
don’t know the reason he is upset” (Extract from research diary).
‘ethically important moment’
The specific incident pointed to the need to make constant efforts to
‘bridge the gap’ between the researcher and the students’ world.

There are certain behaviors in research such as a) causing harm to any

individual or informant; b) breaching confidentiality, c) using information
improperly, and d) introducing bias etc. are considered unethical. The
term “unethical” means these practices are not ‘in accordance with the
principles of conducting research.’
 Construction of the Study
Critical
Analysis reflection
Phase

Data analysis
and
interpretation

Data
Collection
Research
Phase

Methodology

Research Looking for Created by Manjuma

meanings and
questions concepts
Understanding the

(Research gap)
Review of
literature
>contexts and Research interest
(School Choice)
context

debates
> Theoretical
framework 13
References
Joshi, P. (2014). Continuing to exercise choice after selecting a school: Insights
into parents decision making in local education markets in Nepal.
International Journal Educational Development, 37, 57-67.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijedudev.2013.12.002
Punch, K.F. (1998). Introduction to social research: Quantitative & qualitative
approaches. Thousand Oaks, London: Sage Publications
Punch, S. (2002). Research with children: the same or different from research
with adults? Childhood 9 (3), 321–341.
Rossman, G. B., & Rallis, S.F. (2010). Everyday ethics: reflections on
practice. International Journal of Qualitative Studies in Education, 23
(4), 379–391. https://doi.org/10.1080/09518398.2010.492813