MD4035 Research methodologies and design. During the module, you have explored the philosophies, conceptual frameworks and methods that can be used to design and carry out your research project.
ASSIGNMENT BRIEF
During the module, you have explored the philosophies, conceptual frameworks and methods that can be used to design and carry out your research project. This assignment requires you to reflect upon what you have learned and apply the knowledge, skills and tools to your own research project. You are asked to critically evaluate what you have learned, looking at the strengths and weaknesses of the research philosophies and methodologies to identify their value and appropriateness in relation to your own research question. This is a valuable exercise, not only to achieve a pass in this module, but to inform your research process in these early stages.
Assignment
Produce a critical report that evaluates the research methods and philosophies that are relevant to your particular area of research.
The critical report should include the following elements:
1. Your research question and aims of your research Outline the subject area you wish to research and the research question you hope to answer.
2. The research context Demonstrate your understanding of the potential philosophical approaches that could underpin your research. You should discuss the research philosophies that have been applied to similar studies in your subject area, using appropriate academic sources.
3. Research plan Outline the research philosophies, methods, and steps you might use to answer your research question. ( don’t explain the meaning of the philosophies or methods in theory, explain why you choose them) Critically evaluate these philosophies and methods and justify your choices.
The indicative length of the report should be 4,000 words (excluding bibliography). Minimum 15 academic references ( Journals) .
You must carefully reference your report using the Harvard Referencing System and provide a bibliography. Failure to use correct referencing procedures is not only poor academic practice, but it may be perceived as academic misconduct (plagiarism). Plagiarism is the act of passing off someone else’s work as your own and brings associated penalties (please refer to UCLan assessment handbook – https://www.uclan.ac.uk/legal/student-policies/research).
Assessment
On successful completion of this module, a student should be able to:
Understand the different philosophical approaches to research design.
Critically evaluate the methodologies used in business and management research.
Your assignment will be assessed to see whether you have satisfied these learning outcomes.
Your assignment will be assessed according to the following (weighted) criteria:
Criteria
Weighting
1.
Demonstration of an understanding of a variety of research philosophies and methodological alternatives using a wide range of academic sources.
40%
2.
A coherent, balanced critical evaluation of research philosophies and methods in relation to a clear and concise research question.
40%
3.
A well-structured, well-written and well-reasoned argument.
10%
4.
Appropriate use of Harvard Referencing System.
10%
What is the difference between Research Design and Research Method?
Research design is a plan to answer your research question. A research method is a strategy used to implement that plan. Research design and methods are different but closely related, because good research design ensures that the data you obtain will help you answer your research question more effectively.
Which research method should I choose?
It depends on your research goal. It depends on what subjects (and who) you want to study. Let’s say you are interested in studying what makes people happy, or why some students are more conscious about recycling on campus. To answer these questions, you need to make a decision about how to collect your data. Most frequently used methods include:
One particular method could be better suited to your research goal than others, because the data you collect from different methods will be different in quality and quantity. For instance, surveys are usually designed to produce relatively short answers, rather than the extensive responses expected in qualitative interviews.
What other factors should I consider when choosing one method over another?
Time for data collection and analysis is something you want to consider. An observation or interview method, so-called qualitative approach, helps you collect richer information, but it takes time. Using a survey helps you collect more data quickly, yet it may lack details. So, you will need to consider the time you have for research and the balance between strengths and weaknesses associated with each method (e.g., qualitative vs. quantitative).