SaIF - Research journey

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Presenter: Dr Muavia Gallie (PhD)

Education Moving Up Cc. [email protected]

http://muavia-gallie.blogspot.com http://supervisingwithadifference.blogspot.com

www.slideshare.net

SaIF – Research Students ��

The Research Journey�- Do you know your coordinates? - �

33 Baker Street, Rosebank, 2196 PO Box 5486, Johannesburg, 2000 www.sasol.com

Content 1.  Awareness - Navigation Map (3); 2.  Research Journey (4-14); 3.  Details of RJ: Step 1 - 11 (15-33); 4.  System Views (34-35); 5.  Supervisory Tracking System (36-41); Conclusion (42-44).

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Awareness Test

Do you know what it takes to navigate you through your

research? Do you know the Map?

(Turns, fill up points, slow down and speed up, etc.)

Research Journey 1 Step 1.

Identify the Discipline and

Paradigm

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Paradigm

Step 2. Determine the

Area of Investigation



Paradigm



Step 3. Identify the Approach

4



Paradigm




Step 4. Conduct the

Literature Review



Paradigm




Step 4. Conduct the

Literature Review

Step 5. Determine the Data

Types

5



Paradigm




Step 4. Conduct the

Literature Review

Step 6. Choose the Data

Collection Instruments/

Methods


Types



Paradigm




Step 4. Conduct the

Literature Review

Step 7. Identify

Where, When and Who data will come from



Methods


Types

6



Paradigm




Step 4. Conduct the

Literature Review

Step 7. Identify




Methods


Types

Step 8. Obtain Ethical

Approval



Paradigm




Step 4. Conduct the

Literature Review

Step 7. Identify




Methods


Types


Approval

Step 9. Data

Collection

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Paradigm




Step 4. Conduct the

Literature Review

Step 7. Identify




Methods


Types


Approval

Step 9. Data

Collection

Step 10. Analyse the

data (Findings)



Paradigm




Step 4. Conduct the

Literature Review

Step 7. Identify




Methods


Types


Approval

Step 9. Data

Collection

Step 10. Analyse the

data (Findings)

Step 11. Write up

Findings and Conclusion

(Discussion)

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Step 1 – Identifying the Discipline and the Paradigm

• Positivist or Post-positivists; • Interpretivist / Constructivist; • Pragmatic; • Transformative

Paradigms Language commonly associated with major research paradigms

Adapted from Mertens (2005) and Creswell (2003) Positivist / Post- Constructivist Transformative Pragmatic •  Experimental •  Quasi-

experimental •  Correlational •  Reductionism •  Theory

verification •  Causal

comparative •  Determination •  Normative

•  Naturalistic •  Phenomenological •  Interpretivist •  Ethnographic •  Multiple participant

meanings •  Social and

Historical construction

•  Theory generation •  Symbolic

interaction

•  Critical theory •  Neo-Marxist •  Feminist •  Critical race theory •  Freirean •  Participatory •  Emancipatory •  Advocacy •  Grand narrative •  Empowerment

issue oriented •  Change-oriented •  Interventionist •  Queer theory •  Race specific •  Political

•  Consequence of action

•  Problem-centred

•  Pluralistic •  Real-world

practice oriented

•  Mixed models

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Step 2 - Determine the Area of Investigation

•  One of the major causes of ‘failure’ in research projects, is that the student is attempting to ‘solve the problems of the world’, rather than focusing on a specific portion, and making sense of that portion.

•  Is it about “a mile wide, and an inch deep” or “an inch wide and a mile deep”?

Step 3 - Identify the Approach

For example: • Historical; • Descriptive; •  Feminist; • Developmental; • Case study; •  Field study;

•  Correlational; •  Causal-

comparative; •  Experimental; •  Quasi-

experimental; •  Action.

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Step 4 - Conduct the Literature Review

• To assist you in defining your Research Problem;

• By defining the problem in the of literature, you can generate your Research Question or Research Issue.

Step 5 - Determine the Data Types

• Quantitative; • Qualitative; • Mixture of Qualitative and Quantitative;

• Mixed Method.

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Mixing Paradigms, Methods and Tools Paradigm Methods (primary) Data collection tools

(examples) Positivist/ Post- Quantitative – “Although qualitative

methods can be used within this paradigm, quantitative methods tend to be predominant …” (Mertens, 2005, p.12)

•  Experiments •  Quasi-experiments •  Tests •  Scales

Constructivist Qualitative methods predominate although quantitative methods may also be utilised.

•  Interviews •  Observations •  Document reviews •  Visual data analysis

Transformative Qualitative methods with quantitative and mixed methods – “Contextual and historical factors described, especially as they relate to oppression.” Mertens, 2005, p.9)

Diverse range of tools - particular need to avoid discrimination, eg. Sexism, racism, homophobia.

Pragmatic Qualitative and/or quantitative methods may be employed. Methods are matched to the specific questions and purpose of the research.

May include tools from both positivist and constructivist paradigms, e.g. interviews, observations, and testing and experiments.

Qualitative or Quantitative? Methodology or Method?

“At one level quantitative and qualitative refers to distinctions about the nature of knowledge - how one understands the world and the ultimate purpose of the research. On another level of discourse, the terms refer to research methods – how data are collected and analysed – and the types of generalisations and representations derived from the data.” (McMillan and Schumacher, 2006, p.12)

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Framework for Research Methodology

Strengths and Deficiencies of Different Research Methods ... 1

Method Strengths Deficiencies Opinion Suited for research on attitudes,

futures research, can use large samples, easiest method to use, and lends itself to many types of data analysis. Herzberg's work on hygiene factors and motivators is an example.

Opinion is not fact, perceptions differ from reality. Methodology is subject to bias in the survey instrument, and in biases in the way people respond to questions. Opinions are unstable over time, and group opinion is difficult to capture and analyse.

Empirical Based on facts, not opinions. Best suited to analysing actual behaviour, fact finding and seeking reality. Gets the researcher involved. Case and field studies provide a rich context for research. Laboratory studies provide the most control. Can use sophisticated techniques such as gaming and simulation.

Only a small number of situations can be studied in detail and there is limited ability to generalise from these isolated cases. It is restricted to the present and is the most time consuming method. Case research lacks experimental design and control. Field research has experimental design, but lack control. Laboratory has experimental design and control, but observations may be deficient for several reasons.

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Strengths and Deficiencies of Different Research Methods ... 2

Method Strengths Deficiencies Archival Best suited for analysis of

data, in documents, historical analysis, gathering hard evidence, extrapolation of trends, etc. Ability to access a large quantity of hard, often factual information.

Selective depositing - only certain things are recorded, e.g. the accomplishments of the dominant group. Selective survival - much is lost, unpublished, revised, etc. Selective retrieval - subject to bias and sampling errors. Filling in the gaps - editorialising.

Analytic There is no need to search for additional data and analytic research is not limited by existing data. It provides the broadest scope for imagination and creativity. Best suited for the use of logic, philosophy, operation research techniques.

The most abused strategy and the most difficult to criticise. Requires a first rate mental ability that is rare. Can more readily be used to mislead. Often sloppy. It is subject to logical errors, problems of sematics, etc. Temptation to focus on trivial and irrelevant problems. Can only create theory, never proof.

Buckley et al (1976)

Flowchart for Classifying Methodology

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Step 6 - Choose the Data Collection Instruments/ Methods •  Surveys; •  Interviews; •  Document analysis; •  Observations •  Focus groups; •  Experiments; •  Tests.

Step 7 - Identify Where, When and Who data will come from

• Developing timeline; • Determining Who will collect data; • Developing or identifying data

collection tools; • Piloting data collection tools; • Refining data collection tools.

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Step 8 - Obtain Ethical Approval

• Type of approval is determined by the type of research you do;

• And where the data are coming from.

Step 9 - Data Collection

• Storage and management of data;

• Organising and sorting of data; • Coding and displaying of data.

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Step 10 - Analyse the data (Findings)

• Thematic analysis; and/or • Statistics.

• Data analysis may lead to further data collection.

Step 11 - Write up Findings and Conclusion (Discussion)

•  Return back to the literature prior to start writing the findings and conclusions;

•  Ensure that these are ‘your findings and conclusions’. If not, indicate them as supporting and clarifying the findings and conclusions of other studies;

•  Make recommendations for further studies.

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Reference: •  Buckley, J.W., Buckley, M.H. and Chiang, H.

(1976), Research methodology and business decisions, National Association of Accountants.

•  Creswell, J.W. (2003), Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches (2nd ed.), Thousand Oaks, Sage.

•  McMillan, J. and Schumacher, S. (2006), Research in Education (6th ed.), Boston, Pearson Education.

•  Mertens, D.M. (2005), Research methods in education and psychology: Integrating diversity with quantitative and qualitative approaches (2nd ed.), Thousand Oaks, Sage.

Hierarchical View

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Spiral View

PhD - 32 Steps to your doctoral degree Step Core Function Ch Description of the function P-D M-D Weeks Hours % Size

1 Understanding the expectations of the programme

Adm This step is intended to ensure that the student knows in advance the expectations of the programme, as stated in the administrative documents of the university, faculty and/or department.

3 2.0 0.5 6 0.5%

2 Develop and Agree on delivery expectation by student to supervisor

Adm This process allows the student and supervisor to agree on delivery timeframes, output frequency, feedback and response time by supervisor.

3 2.0 0.5 6 0.5%

3 Engaging in a conceptual conversation

Intro This step is the heart of the planning process for your dissertation. This is a conversation in which you (and, ideally, your supervisor) map out the research proposal for your dissertation.

6 4.0 1 12 1.0% 18

4 Read through a few well crafted research proposals

Intro This will allow you to get a sense of the layout, flow and detail necessary to make the pre-proposal acceptable. (Ensure that you adhere to the required amount of pages per your research proposal.)

3 2.0 0.5 6 0.5%

5 Creating the dissertation pre-proposal

Intro In this step, you make the key decisions about your dissertation--research question, categories of your literature review, data, methods of collecting and analyzing your data, significance of your study, and what your chapters will be.

3 2.0 0.5 6 0.5% 22

6 Approval of the pre-proposal by your supervisor

Intro Here's where you talk through your pre-proposal with your supervisor, modifying it as necessary. You want to end this conversation with agreement on the elements of your pre-proposal.

3 2.0 0.5 6 0.5% 28

7 Collecting the literature Lit You collect the literature relevant to your project, which you mapped out in your pre-proposal and more.

18 12.1 3 36 3.0% 9

8 Coding the literature Lit Review, code and make notations of your literature. 30 20.1 5 60 5.0% 8 9 Writing the literature review Lit Create a conceptual schema for the literature review and write the review. 24 16.1 4 48 4.0% 10

10 Writing the research proposal Intro Write the research proposal using your pre-proposal as your guide. 18 12.1 3 36 3.0% 16 11 Review of the research

proposal by your supervisor Intro Your supervisor reads and suggests revisions to your research proposal. (During this time,

you will continue with work in order to move the dissertation forward.) 12 8.0 2 24 2.0% 11

12 Revising the research proposal

Intro Revise your proposal in line with your supervisor's suggestions. The revisions should not be major because the proposal follows the pre-proposal your supervisor approved earlier.

6 4.0 1 12 1.0% 19

13 Defending the research proposal

Intro If your department requires a defense of your proposal, defend it before your supervisor and members of your committee. (This isn't all time on task but allows time for proposal committee members to read the proposal.)

30 20.1 5 60 5.0% 3

14 Obtaining ethical approval Adm Obtaining the approval to collect your data from your faculty's ethical committee. (You can continue with the writing of the literature review chapter while you wait for ethical clearance.)

30 20.1 5 60 5.0% 20

15 Collecting the data Data Collect your data through whatever method as indicated in your research methodology. 60 40.2 10 120 10.0% 1 16 Transforming the data to

codable form Data Transcribe your interviews or run your statistics or do whatever is required to get your data in

a form you can work with and analyze. 60 40.2 10 120 10.0% 2

17 Coding the data Data Code your data based on your research question. 24 16.1 4 48 4.0% 12

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18 Developing a schema to explain the data

Data Develop an explanatory schema that explains and captures in an insightful and coherent way the major pieces of your data.

6 4.0 1 12 1.0% 21

19 Writing a sample analysis Rec Write a sample section of your analysis--something along the lines of five pages--so that your supervisor can take a look at it and tell you if there are any problems with your approach. You want to know before you've written up a whole chapter or chapters in that same way.

6 4.0 1 12 1.0% 23

20 Review by of the sample analysis

Rec Your supervisor reviews and provides feedback on your sample analysis. 6 4.0 1 12 1.0% 29

21 Writing the findings chapter or chapters

Rec Write your findings or analysis chapter(s) featuring your explanatory schema. (Based on assumption that you will have tlhree chapters - 40 hours per chapter.)

72 48.2 12 144 12.0% 4

22 Writing the final chapters Conc Write the final chapter of your dissertation--the discussion, recommendations and/or conclusion chapter.

30 20.1 5 60 5.0% 17

23 Transforming the proposal into a chapter or chapters and preparing the front matter

Intro Revise your proposal to turn it into your first chapter or your first three chapters, depending on the format you are using for your dissertation. Also prepare your abstract, table of contents, acknowledgments, and lists of figures and tables.

6 4.0 1 12 1.0% 24

24 Editing the chapters Adm Editing all of your chapters for substance and form. 48 32.2 8 96 8.0% 7 25 Review of the dissertation

by your supervisor Adm Your supervisor reads the dissertation and makes suggestions for revision. (Of course, you

are doing other work during this time, such as formatting the manuscript.) 42 28.1 7 84 7.0% 5

26 Revising the dissertation Adm Following your supervisor's suggestions, revise the dissertation. 24 16.1 4 48 4.0% 13 27 Approval of the dissertation

by tsomeone in the department.

Adm The final dissertation will be reviewed by a senior colleague in the department, just to ensure that the work is on a standard as expected.

24 16.1 4 48 4.0% 14

28 Making final formatting revisions

Adm Make any formatting changes required by the faculty. 6 4.0 1 12 1.0% 25

29 Review of the dissertation by the external committee

Adm After your supervisor has approved your dissertation, distribute the dissertation to the other members of your external review committee and give them two weeks to read it.

48 32.2 8 96 8.0% 6

30 Defending the dissertation Adm Defend your dissertation. 6 4.0 1 12 1.0% 26 31 Revising the dissertation Adm Complete any revisions your committee wants you to make. 24 16.1 4 48 4.0% 15 32 Submitting the dissertation Adm Submit the dissertation either electronically and/or in hard copy, whichever your department

requires. 24 16.1 4 48 4.0% 27

Total Hours Hrs 1398 Total Weeks (12 hours) Wks 116.5 Total Months (4 weeks) Mths 29.12

5 Total Years (12 months) Yrs 2.427

Step Core Function Ch Description of the function P-D M-D Weeks Hours % Size

1hr Actions Y M W Me

et Stu Su

p

PhD - Dates MEd Full -

Dates Share copy of administrative requirements with student. 1 1 1 1 6 1 7 13-Mar-12 13-Mar-12 Student consults with family in order to identify the frequency time that will be appropriate to work on thesis.

1 1 1 2 6 1 7 16-Mar-12 15-Mar-12

Supervisor and student get together to identify the different protocols and sections of the research proposal, and defense date.

1 1 2 3 12 1 13

19-Mar-12 17-Mar-12 Student will read Introductory chapters of numerous dissertations (at least 4) in the libraryin the same filed of study.

1 1 3 4 6 1 7

25-Mar-12 21-Mar-12 Student submitting the pre-proposal, It only contains detail of the research questions, the background and importance of the study, and notations of limited literature.

1 1 3 6 2 8

28-Mar-12 23-Mar-12 Agreement is reached on the pre-proposal. 1 1 4 5 6 1 7 31-Mar-12 25-Mar-12 Collect literature. 1 2 5-7 36 36 03-Apr-12 27-Mar-12 Make notations of literature. 1 2-3 8-12 60 60 21-Apr-12 08-Apr-12 Create schema of literature review. 1 4 13-16 48 48 21-May-12 28-Apr-12 Write the research proposal. 1 5 17-19 36 36 14-Jun-12 14-May-12 Supervisor assess the research proposal, and give feedback.

1 5-6 20-21 24 5 29 02-Jul-12 26-May-12

Revise the research proposal in line with feedback. 1 6 22 12 2 14 14-Jul-12 03-Jun-12 Research proposal defense. When successful, complete the ethical clearance report as soon as possible.

1 6-7 23-27 60 5 65 20-Jul-12 07-Jun-12

Ethical clearance for ethical committee. 1 7-8 28-32 60 60 19-Aug-12 27-Jun-12 Collecting of data. 1 9-11 33-42 120 120 18-Sep-12 17-Jul-12 Transcribe the data. 1-2 11-2.1 43-2.4 120 120 17-Nov-12 26-Aug-12 Link data with research question(s). 2 2 5-8 48 48 16-Jan-13 06-Oct-12

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Create schema of data analysis. 2 3 9 12 12 09-Feb-13 22-Oct-12 Write a sample data analysis for supervisor. 2 3 10 12 12

15-Feb-13 26-Oct-12 Supervisor review and give feedback on sample analysis.

2 3 11 12 2 14 21-Feb-13 30-Oct-12

Write your data chapters. Give drafts to your supervisor.

2 3-6 12-23 144

6 150 27-Feb-13 03-Nov-12

Write your final chapters. Give drafts to your supervisor.

2 6-7 24-28 144

4 148 10-May-13 21-Dec-12

Write your introductory chapter(s). Give drafts to your supervisor.

2 8 29 12 1 13 09-Jun-13 10-Jan-13

Editing of draft dissertation. 2 8-9 30-37 96 96 15-Jun-13 14-Jan-13 Review and give feedback on draft dissertation. 2 9-11 38-44 84 6 90 02-Aug-13 15-Feb-13 Student revising the feedback and suggestions. 2 12 45-48 48 48 13-Sep-13 15-Mar-13 Review of dissertation by departmental colleague. 3 1 1-4 48 1 49 07-Oct-13 31-Mar-13 Review format of dissertation. 3 2 5 12 12 31-Oct-13 16-Apr-13 Review of dissertation by external review committee.

3 2-4 6-13 96 5 101 06-Nov-13 21-Apr-13

Defend your dissertation. 3 4 14 12 12 24-Dec-13 23-May-13 Revise your final dissertation in line with advise by committee.

3 4 15 12 12 30-Dec-13 27-May-13

Submit your dissertation both hard copy and electronically.

3 4 16 12 1 13 23-Jan-14 12-Jun-13

Supervision Hours 43 16-Feb-14 28-Jun-13

Start with the End in Mind! Hours per Week Weeks Months Years Completion date

PhD Student 30 46.6 11.7 1.0 15-Feb-13

MEd Full 12 78.1 19.5 1.6 03-Oct-13

MEd Course 12 58.3 14.6 1.2 11-May-13

13-Mar-12 339.79

13-Mar-12 569.15

13-Mar-12 424.73

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Supervisor Tracking System (STS) 32 Steps Year One Year Two Year Three 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 1. M.Ed (Course work) Course Work Modules Administration Pre-proposal Research Proposal 15-20 Pages

Mini-Dissertation 90 Pages 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 2. M.Ed (Dissertation only) Administration Pre-proposal Research Proposal 20-30 Pages

Dissertation 120 Pages 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 3. PhD (Dissertation only) Administration Pre-proposal Research Proposal 25-35 Pages

Dissertation 180 Pages

Motivational … Period

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Muhammad Ali – Hard Work

“The fight is won or lost far away from witnesses – behind the lines, in the gym, and out there on the road, long before I dance under those lights.”

Good Luck or Hard Work!

Thank You!!

SaIF - Research journey

Education

Transcript of SaIF - Research journey