Practical Research Methods. A Guide for Post-Secondary Researchers

Contents

1. INTRODUCTION TO RESEARCH
1.1. Definition
1.2. Research: Process
1.3. Difference between research and non-research activity
1.4. Characteristics of Research
1.5. Objectives of Research
1.6. Motivation in Research
1.7. Types of Research
1.7.1. Application of research study
B. Applied research
1.7.2. Viewpoint of objectives
1.7.3. Inquiry Mode
1.8. The Research Process

2. FORMULATING THE RESEARCH PROBLEM
2.1. Sources of research problems
2.2. Aspects of research study
2.3. Considerations in Selecting a Research Problem
2.4. Steps in Formulation of a Research Problem

3. REVIEWING THE LITERATURE
3.1. Overall Strategy
3.2. Types of Literature Review
3.3. Critical Evaluation
3.4. Thematic Structure
3.5. Common problems to avoid

4. METHODOLOGY AND ANALYTICAL FRAMEWORK

5. RESEARCH DESIGN

6. DESIGNING MEASUREMENT TOOLS
6.1. Designing a questionnaire
6.2. Testing the tools

7. DATA MANAGEMENT
7.1. Data capture
7.2. The tools
7.3. Identifiers
7.4. Data Entry and Validation Schemes
7.5. Adding Comments to Cells
7.6. Saving and Protecting Files
7.7. Data Archiving
7.8. Backups
7.9. Storage and access
7.10. Data ownership
7.11. Data Management Strategy

8. DATA ANALYSIS
8.1. Analysis Objectives
8.2. Data analysis
8.2.1. Exploring and describing the data
8.2.2. Confirmatory Analysis
8.3. Regression

REFERENCES