Intro to Computing Research

Research Philosophy

Research Approach

Research Strategies

Time Horizons

Data Collection

Research Onion

Research Philosophy

• Your research philosophy depends on the way that you think about knowledge is developed or created, how we gain understanding of things (“epistemology”). • Your way of thinking will affect the way you go about doing research.

• Generally, there are two key research philosophies, the positivism and phenomenology.

Research Philosophy

Research Approach

Research Strategies

Time Horizons

Data Collection

Phenomenology

Positivism

• You are working with an observable reality. Research can produce laws. Results can be generalised, similar to those produced by natural scientists.

• You are working objectively, with little or no personal interpretation of the data.

• You need a structured methodology to gain quantitative data which is replicable and can be analysed using stats.

Philosophy - Positivism

• You are researching human behaviour. This may be too complex to follow a definite law in the same way as the natural sciences.

• Generalisability is not of crucial importance, since we are focussing on a particular problem or situation

• Phenomenology highlights the details of the situation to understand a reality working behind them.

Philosophy - Phenomenology

Research Philosophy

Research Approach

Research Strategies

Time Horizons

Data Collection

Phenomenology

Positivism

Theory

Hypotheses

Data

Confirmation

Theory

PatternsData

Tentative Hypotheses

Data

Deductive Inductive

The Research Approach

Deductive approach: testing theory

Inductive approach: building theory

Deductive Approach Inductive Approach

Scientific principles Moving from theory to data The need to explain causal

relationships between variables The collection of quantitative

data The application of controls to

ensure data validity A highly structured approach Researcher independence of

what is being researched The necessity to select samples

of sufficient size in order to generalise conclusions

Gaining an understanding of the meaning humans attach to events

A close understanding of the research context

The collection of qualitative data A more flexible structure to

permit changes of research emphasis as the research progresses

A realisation that the researcher is part of the research process

Less concern with the need to generalise

Deductive vs. Inductive

Research Philosophy

Research Approach

Research Strategies

Time Horizons

Data Collection

Phenomenology

Positivism

Deductive

Inductive

Research S

trategies

• The survey method is usually associated with the deductive approach – surveys are “experiments”.

• It allows the collection of a large amount of data from a sizeable population in a highly economical way.

• It is often conducted on questionnaire to answer those ‘What’ and ‘How’ questions. Its data are standardised and so allow easy comparison.

• It gives you more control over the research process, however, it takes time to design and pilot a good questionnaire.

Survey Method

The Experimental Method is a classical form of research that comes from the natural science. The process usually involves: 1.The definition of a theoretical hypothesis.

2.Select a sample of a population.

3.Allocate samples to different experimental conditions.

4. Introduce planned change on one variable (the “independent” variable).

5.Measure the change of an associated “dependent” variable.

6.Control of other variables.

Experimental Method

Research Philosophy

Research Approach

Research Strategies

Time Horizons

Data Collection

Phenomenology

Deductive

Inductive

Experiment

Survey

Case Study

Focus Group

Ethnography

Grounded Research

Positivism

Time Horizons

• Consider the amount of time you have, do you want your research to be a ‘snapshot’ or a ‘diary’?

• The snapshot reflects the cross-sectional studies.

• The diary reflects the longitudinal studies

Research Philosophy

Research Approach

Research Strategies

Time Horizons

Data Collection

Positivism

Phenomenology

Deductive

Inductive

Longitudinal

Cross Sectional

Experiment

Survey

Case Study

Focus Group

Ethnography

Grounded Research

Types of Data

• Quantitative

• Qualitative

Research Philosophy

Research Approach

Research Strategies

Time Horizons

Data Collection

Positivism

Phenomenology

Deductive

Inductive

Longitudinal

Cross Sectional

Quantitative

Qualitative

Experiment

Survey

Case Study

Focus Group

Ethnography

Grounded Research

Wish to do Research

Research Topic,

Questions

Literature Review

Design Research

Approaches

Data Collection

Negotiate Access

Data Analysis

ReportWriting

Report Submitting

Stages in a Research Project

What is a Computing Independent Study?

• Artefact – based– construction of an artefact– primary research on the artefact

• Research – based– secondary research via the literature.