Planning a research project and formulating research questions
What did Marx (1997) mean when he suggested that “intellectual puzzles and contradictions” can be a possible source of research questions?
The researcher may feel that there is a contradiction in the literature, presenting a “puzzle” to be solved
Students can develop their IQ levels by attempting to solve intellectual puzzles
Unless you can find a logical contradiction, you have no basis for conducting research
All of life is a puzzle, so any aspect of life can be researched
The researcher may feel that there is a contradiction in the literature, presenting a “puzzle” to be solved
Marx (1997, cited on page 79) presented a list of thirteen possible sources of research questions, including personal experience, the existing literature, new methods and theories and so on. Included in the list is “intellectual puzzles and contradictions”, which prompted Hodson (2004, cited on page 80) to set up two “rival hypotheses” about views of the modern workplace as being either intrinsically attractive environments for workers, or simply sources of wages. It is well worthwhile studying the complete list, even if you feel fairly confident of your own research questions, because you may gain insight into your questions’ theoretical origins.
Reference: Bryman: Social Research Methods: 5th Edition Page(s) 79-80
Reference: Bryman: Social Research Methods: 5th Edition Page(s) 79-80
The researcher may feel that there is a contradiction in the literature, presenting a “puzzle” to be solved Marx (1997, cited on page 79) presented a list of thirteen possible sources of research questions, including personal experience, the existing literature, new methods and theories and so on. Included in the list is “intellectual puzzles and contradictions”, which prompted Hodson (2004, cited on page 80) to set up two “rival hypotheses” about views of the modern workplace as being either intrinsically attractive environments for workers, or simply sources of wages. It is well worthwhile studying the complete list, even if you feel fairly confident of your own research questions, because you may gain insight into your questions’ theoretical origins.
Reference: Bryman: Social Research Methods: 5th Edition Page(s) 79-80
Reference: Bryman: Social Research Methods: 5th Edition Page(s) 79-80
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What can you do to ensure your physical safety during your research?A. Be alert to the possibility of exposure to danger
B. Avoid interviewing alone in the respondent’s residence
C. Make sure someone knows where you are and how you can contact them in an emergency
D. All of the above
Which of the following should be included in a research proposal?
A. Your academic status and experience
B. The difficulties you encountered with your previous reading on the topic
C. Your choice of research methods and reasons for choosing them
D. All of the above
Which of the following should you think about when preparing your research?
A. Your sample frame and sampling strategy
B. The ethical issues that might arise
C. Negotiating access to the setting
D. All of the above
You can manage your time and resources best, by:
A. Working out a timetable
B. Finding out what resources are readily available to you
C. Calculating a budget for likely expenditure
D. All of the above
Which of the following requirements for a dissertation may depend on your institution?
A. Whether an abstract should be included
B. The format for referencing
C. The word limit
D. All of the above
How can you tell if your research questions are really good?
A. If they guide your literature search
B. If they are linked together to help you construct a coherent argument
C. If they force you to narrow the scope of your research
D. All of the above
Why is it helpful to keep a research diary or log book while you are conducting your project?
A. To give you something to do in the early stages of your research when nothing is happening
B. Because funding councils generally demand to see written evidence that you were working every day during the period of the research
C. To keep a record of what you did and what happened throughout the research process
D. It can be added to your dissertation to ensure that you reach the required word limit
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