COP // Dissertation // Organising your research project

Doing your research project - Judith Bell

Approaches to research -
Quantitative VS Qualitative
Are these the best for getting the answer you need for the research project

Action Research
research themes, idea etc, actually doing these and experimenting with them - document and find results to apply and use within project.

Planning the project
Start now if haven't

- write down all questions to investigate
- consider each on their own merits and focus on two points. primary and secondary
- one main theme and a second question to work on if first doesn't give enough
- write 'first thoughts' sheet for each area
- what is the purpose of the study? is your question researchable?
- Decide on working title

Project Outline
- consider timing
- consider holidays / work / life
- think about your working title and the different component parts the need researching
- allocate timings to each
- draw up a project outline based on the above
- allow generous time for initial reading and writing up
- tutorials

Literature Search & Review
- quarter time research and reading
- key texts
- focus reading on initial assessment of this survey
- find key texts and plan time to read these
- find secondary sources
- journals

Referencing
- compile bibliography from beginning
- name, forename, date, place, publisher, page

Questionnaires
- is this the best way to investigate topic?
- begin to word questions and discuss
- right sort of questions
- avoid presuming or offensive questions
- take personal opinion out of it
- how to structure question - question type

Interviews
- is this the best way of investigating topic

Critical diaries / reflective logs
- what is the purpose of doing it
- be disciplined about what you are uploading

Checklist
- Don't procrastinate
- plan research methods carefully
- select the most appropriate research methods for the project
- complete an ethics self assessment
- complete literature review
- document al stages of the process carefully
- produce a detailed project outline - stick to it
- get most from your supervisor