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Background
The aim of this section is to identify and introduce the theories and the literature. Many books have been written about research methods and theories. My impression of the literature is that there are many books about the subject but the general approach is usually the same.
Research methods in general
Wisker (2001) emphasises that researchers have to have a clear picture of what kind of research best suits the research field and what kind of methods are most appropriate to acquire, handle,and process the information in the most accurate way. Wisker (2001) also highlights the importance of selection of the right title. The title should help decide the right methodologies that are in line with the information that the researcher wants to collect or, as Robson (1995) calls it, “to find a focus”.There are many different kinds of information that the researcher wants to collect. Häckner
(1988) divides this information generally into two kinds: hard and soft data. Hard data can be easily identified, systematised, and is collected and presented in numbers. On the other hand, soft data “consists of pictures, ideas and cognitive structures” (Häckner, 1988). Shrivastava (1982) in Häckner’s (1988) article defines soft information also as “conceptual schemes in the form of frames of references or worldviews and can be characterised as broad, general and subjective”. Hard data usually serves defensive actions and soft data is used more often for offensive actions (Häckner, 1988). de Vaus (2002) defines research as “an art aided by skills of inquiry, experimental design, data collection, measurement and analysis, by interpretation, and by presentation”.Every research process involves searching for answers to research questions, in other words, the researcher looks for knowledge or deeper understanding of the research topics.The basis of the research are enquiry methods and hypotheses (Wisker, 2001). Robson (1995) argues that there is tradition in presenting hypotheses inside experimental methodology.Wisker (2001) suggests breaking down the concept of the research by questions such as“how it is constructed?”, “how does it work?”, “what are the implications of the research?”etc. Later we use hypotheses to test the questions by experiments and research outcomes(Robson, 1995).There are five different kinds of enquiry methods according to Wisker (2001):
• Descriptive research looks for the phenomenon and collects detailed information. The problem of collecting detailed information is that research is valid for only a short period. However, it helps building an understanding about the subject. The questions usually asked are “what?” instead of “why?” By stating that kind of questions, the results are more related to the situation than to the causes of the situation.
• Exploratory research follows descriptive research and asks both “what?” and “why?” questions. It begins with the question “what if this happens?” and then tries to find the answer to “why this happens”. Those questions help to study both simple and more complex issues. We use exploratory research when we want to discover new knowledge.
• Explanatory research also asks “why?” questions. Its aim is to search for cause-andeffect relationships between two or more different phenomena. This research can be related to the predictive research model.
• Predictive research considers numerous variables and tries to predict the results. A commonly asked question is “what if?” The hypothesis relies on data that has already been collected. Predictive research builds on possibilities to predict. To do a predictive research we need to use knowledge collected from previous research or events. The researcher controls selected variables in order to test if the results change in the expected way.
• Action research asks the same question as predictive research, “what if?” and relies on experiments. The researcher uses action research in order to solve the problem or to try out the hypotheses that lead into an improvement of the life situation.
The outline of the research process follows in five general steps:
• problem/experience/observation
• hypotheses
• investigation and experimentation and test of hypotheses
• data gathering; data analysis and interpretation, and
• confirmation or disapproval of the hypotheses (Wisker, 2001)
• Validation of hypotheses has to be tested further
• The action upon the result of enquiry will generate further issues which can lead to further investigations
• The process is in most cases cyclical, which means that any step of data gathering will result in further steps.
This leads us to Boehm’s more traditional model of research (see figure 2-1).
1 Introduction
2 Background
2.1 Research methods in general
2.1.1 Perspectives in research
2.1.1.1 Positivistic approach
2.1.1.2 Relativistic approach
2.2 Types of research
2.3 Sampling
2.3.1 Random Sample
2.3.2 Stratified Sample
2.3.3 Cluster sampling
2.3.4 Systematic sampling
2.3.5 Accidental sampling
2.3.6 Quota sampling
2.3.7 Theoretical sampling
2.3.8 Purposive sampling
2.3.9 Systematic matching sampling
2.3.10 Snowball techniques
2.3.11 Conclusion
2.4 Qualitative research
2.4.1 Interviews
2.4.1.1 Structured interviews
2.4.1.2 Semi-structured interviews
2.4.1.3 Unstructured interviews
2.4.2 Focus groups
2.4.3 Participant observation
2.4.4 Personal learning logs
2.5 Conclusion
2.6 Quantitative research methods
2.6.1 Questionnaires
3 Ethics in research
4 Conclusion
5 Specification of the problem
6 Purpose and method
7 Delimitations
8 Method used
8.1 Data collection
8.1.1 The day of the interview
8.1.1.1 Introduction to the interview
8.1.1.2 During the interview
8.1.1.3 Closure of the interview
8.1.2 Data processing
8.1.3 Problems and weaknesses
9 Up-lift in Vaggeryd – Outcome of the interviews
10 Analysis
11 Conclusions
References
12 Appendix
