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SA 452.3A Conceptualising the Research Process, © Dr Sunil Kumar, Social Policy, LSE
RESEARCHQUESTION
RESEARCHLOCATION
ARGUMENT
CONCLUSIONS
CONCEPTUALFRAMEWORK
LITERATURESEARCH
LITERATUREREVIEW
INTRODUCTION
Topic
ResearchParadigms
Validation
Method
Before
After
Value-adding
Value-adding
Value-adding
SA 452.3A
Conceptualising the Research Process
© Dr Sunil Kumar, Department of Social Policy
RESEARCH QUESTION
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04 Research Question | …
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SA 452.3A Conceptualising the Research Process, © Dr Sunil Kumar, Social Policy, LSE
RESEARCH QUESTION
• What is a research question• How does it link to the literature
review and conceptual framework• Link between a research question and
a hypothesis• Types of research questions• Hierarchy of research questions
Learning Outcomes – week 6
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SA 452.3A Conceptualising the Research Process, © Dr Sunil Kumar, Social Policy, LSE
RESEARCH QUESTION
A Research Question embodies a gap in the literature. It is a Question or Questions posed so that an answer or answers to it will add knowledge in a particular area or subject
What is a RESEARCH QUESTION
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SA 452.3A Conceptualising the Research Process, © Dr Sunil Kumar, Social Policy, LSE
RESEARCH QUESTION
Role of a RESEARCH QUESTION
A research question is the core of the dissertation
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SA 452.3A Conceptualising the Research Process, © Dr Sunil Kumar, Social Policy, LSE
RESEARCH QUESTION
Role of a RESEARCH QUESTION
Answering it is the purpose of the dissertation
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SA 452.3A Conceptualising the Research Process, © Dr Sunil Kumar, Social Policy, LSE
RESEARCH QUESTION & HYPOTHESIS
RESEARCH QUESTION
andHYPOTHESI
S
The early identification of a Research Question will help in the formulation of a hypothesis
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SA 452.3A Conceptualising the Research Process, © Dr Sunil Kumar, Social Policy, LSE
HYPOTHESIS - Definition
What is aHYPOTHESI
S
A hypothesis“ is a proposition which can be put to the test to determine it's validity ”Goode and Hatt, 1952: 56-57
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SA 452.3A Conceptualising the Research Process, © Dr Sunil Kumar, Social Policy, LSE
HYPOTHESIS - Definition
InPLAIN
ENGLISH
A hypothesis is a tentative answer to a research question•It is a hunch•A possible explanation for a cause
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SA 452.3A Conceptualising the Research Process, © Dr Sunil Kumar, Social Policy, LSE
HYPOTHESIS - Definition
Yet again inPLAIN
ENGLISH
A hypothesis is aPOTENTIAL ARGUMENT
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SA 452.3A Conceptualising the Research Process, © Dr Sunil Kumar, Social Policy, LSE
HYPOTHESIS - Nature
Nature of aHYPOTHESI
S
A hypothesis“ … may seem contrary to or in accordance with common sense ”Goode and Hatt, 1952: 56-57
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SA 452.3A Conceptualising the Research Process, © Dr Sunil Kumar, Social Policy, LSE
HYPOTHESIS - Nature
Nature of aHYPOTHESI
S
A hypothesis“ It may prove to be correct or incorrect ”Goode and Hatt, 1952: 56-57
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SA 452.3A Conceptualising the Research Process, © Dr Sunil Kumar, Social Policy, LSE
HYPOTHESIS - Testing
Testing aHYPOTHESI
S
“ In any event, however, it leads to an empirical test ”Goode and Hatt, 1952: 56-57
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SA 452.3A Conceptualising the Research Process, © Dr Sunil Kumar, Social Policy, LSE
HYPOTHESIS - Testing
Testing aHYPOTHESI
S
A hypothesisis not held to be true until proven
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SA 452.3A Conceptualising the Research Process, © Dr Sunil Kumar, Social Policy, LSE
HYPOTHESIS - Testing
When proven
aHYPOTHESIS becomes
a
THESIS
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SA 452.3A Conceptualising the Research Process, © Dr Sunil Kumar, Social Policy, LSE
HYPOTHESIS - Purpose
The purpose of
a HYPOTHESI
S
It's defined purpose is to indicate the direction of the investigation or the research and to suggest what facts are to be collected
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SA 452.3A Conceptualising the Research Process, © Dr Sunil Kumar, Social Policy, LSE
HYPOTHESIS - Origins
Some origins of HYPOTHESE
S
•Personal Experience
•As exceptions to accepted theory
•Analogy•Review of the literature
•Research question
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SA 452.3A Conceptualising the Research Process, © Dr Sunil Kumar, Social Policy, LSE
HYPOTHESIS - Formulation
A well formulated HYPOTHESIS
should
•Contain conceptual clarity
•Avoid subjective referents
•Be specific and precise
•Relate to a body of knowledge
•Relate to the Research question
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SA 452.3A Conceptualising the Research Process, © Dr Sunil Kumar, Social Policy, LSE
FORMULATING HYPOTHESIS - Difficulties
3Main
difficulties in
formulating HYPOTHESIS
•Phrasing the hypothesis properly
•Absence of a conceptual or theoretical framework
•Not using that theoretical framework logically
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SA 452.3A Conceptualising the Research Process, © Dr Sunil Kumar, Social Policy, LSE
RESEARCH QUESTION - Origins
Origins of the
RESEARCH RESEARCH QUESTIONQUESTION
•PRACTICE•THEORY •THEORY & PRACTICE
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SA 452.3A Conceptualising the Research Process, © Dr Sunil Kumar, Social Policy, LSE
RESEARCH QUESTION - Types
Types ofRESEARCH RESEARCH QUESTIONSQUESTIONS
•WHAT questions•HOW questions•WHY questions
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SA 452.3A Conceptualising the Research Process, © Dr Sunil Kumar, Social Policy, LSE
RESEARCH QUESTION - Types
WHATWHATRESEARCH QUESTIONS
•Tend to be descriptive
•Do not offer explanations
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SA 452.3A Conceptualising the Research Process, © Dr Sunil Kumar, Social Policy, LSE
RESEARCH QUESTION - Types
WHYWHYRESEARCH QUESTIONS
•Tend to produce reasons
•Tend to words such as because
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SA 452.3A Conceptualising the Research Process, © Dr Sunil Kumar, Social Policy, LSE
RESEARCH QUESTION - Types
HOWHOWRESEARCH QUESTIONS
•Tend to suggest outcomes of causes
•Offers insights for practice & policy change
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SA 452.3A Conceptualising the Research Process, © Dr Sunil Kumar, Social Policy, LSE
LITERATURE REVIEW - 6
Task for
Week
7
Write down your research question and examine it to see if it is aWHAT, HOW or WHY QUESTION
Change its wording to convert it into aWHAT, HOW and WHY QUESTION
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SA 452.3A Conceptualising the Research Process, © Dr Sunil Kumar, Social Policy, LSE
TOPICfor Week
7
CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK
S
RESEARCHQUESTION
RESEARCHLOCATION
ARGUMENT
CONCLUSIONS
CONCEPTUALFRAMEWORK
LITERATURESEARCH
LITERATUREREVIEW
INTRODUCTION
Topic
ResearchParadigms
Validation
Method
Before
After
Value-adding
Value-adding
Value-adding
SA 452.3A
Conceptualising the Research Process© Dr Sunil Kumar, Department of Social Policy