TY  - BOOK
AU  - KUMAR RANJITH
TI  - RESEARCH METHODOLOGY A STEP BY STEP GUIDE FOR BEGINNERS
SN  - 978-8131704967
PB  - PEARSON
KW  - Research: a way of thinking Research: a way of examining your practice Applications of research Definitions of research Characteristics of research Types of research Application Objectives Inquiry mode Paradigms of research Summary  The research process: a quick glance The research process: an eight-step model Steps in planning a research study Step I: formulating a research problem Step II: conceptualising a research design Step III: constructing an instrument for data collection Step IV: selecting a sample Step V: writing a research proposal Steps in conducting a study Step VI: collecting data Step VII: processing data Step VIII: writing a research report. Formulating a research problem  Reviewing the literature Place of literature review in research Bring clarity and focus to your research problem Improve your methodology Broaden your knowledge base in your research area Contextualise your findings Procedure for reviewing the literature Search for existing literature Review the literature selected Develop a theoretical framework Develop a conceptual framework Writing up the literature reviewed Summary  Formulating a research problem The research problem The importance of formulating a research problem Sources of research problems Considerations in selecting a research problem Steps in the formulation of a research problem The formulation of objectives Establishing operational definitions Summary  5 Identifying variables The definition of a variable The difference between a concept and a variable Concepts, indicators and variables Types of variable From the viewpoint of causation From the viewpoint of the study design From the viewpoint of the unit of measurement Types of measurement scale The nominal or classificatory scale The ordinal or ranking scale The interval scale The ratio scale Summary  Constructing hypotheses The definition of a hypothesis The functions of a hypothesis The characteristics of a hypothesis Types of hypothesis Errors in testing a hypothesis. Conceptualising a research design  ' The research design The definition of a research design The functions of a research design Summary  Selecting a study design Study designs based on the number of contacts The cross-sectional study design The before-and-after study design The longitudinal study design Study designs based on the reference period The retrospective study design The prospective study design The retrospective–prospective study design Study designs based on the nature of the investigation The experimental study designs Others—some commonly used study designs Action research Feminist research The cross-over comparative experimental design The replicated cross-sectional design Trend studies Cohort studies Panel studies Blind studies Double-blind studies Case studies Summary  "_ Constructing an instrument for data collection  Selecting a method of data collection Methods of data collection Collecting data using primary sources Observation Types of observation Problems with using observation as a method of data collection Situations in which observation can be made The recording of observation The interview Unstructured interviews Structured interview The questionnaire Choosing between an interview schedule and a questionnaire. Different ways of administering a questionnaire The contents of the covering letter Advantages of a questionnaire Disadvantages of a questionnaire Advantages of the interview Disadvantages of the interview Forms of question Advantages and disadvantages of open-ended questions Advantages and disadvantages of closed-ended questions Considerations in formulating questions The construction of a research instrument Asking personal and sensitive questions The order of questions Prerequisites for data collection Collecting data using secondary sources Problems with using data from secondary sources Summary  Collecting data using attitudinal scales Functions of attitudinal scales Difficulties in developing an attitudinal scale Types of attitudinal scale The summated rating or Liken scale The equal-appearing interval or Thurstone scale The cumulative or Guttman scale The relationship between attitudinal and measurement scales Summary  Establishing the validity and reliability of a research instrument The concept of validity Types of validity Face and content validity Concurrent and predictive validity Construct validity The concept of reliability Factors affecting the reliability of a research instrument Methods of determining the reliability of an instrument External consistency procedures Internal consistency procedures. Sampling The concept of sampling The concept of sampling in qualitative research Sampling terminology Principles of sampling +actors affecting the inferences drawn from a sample Aims in selecting a sample Jvpes of sampling Random/probability sampling designs Non-random/non-probability sampling designs `Mixed' sampling designs The calculation of sample size Summary  Step V Writing a research proposal . Writing a research proposal The research proposal Contents of a research proposal Preamble/introduction The problem Objectives of the study Hypotheses to be tested Study design The setting Measurement procedures Ethical issues Sampling Analysis of data Structure of the report Problems and limitations Appendix Work schedule Summary  Step VI Collecting data . Considering ethical issues in data collection Ethics Stakeholders in research Ethical issues concerning research participants Collecting information Seeking consent Providing incentives Seeking sensitive information The possibility of causing harm to participants Maintaining confidentiality
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