For Whom This Course is Designed

This Course is Designed For:

Data-Set Developers;

Data-Set Utilisers;

Doctoral Students;

Ethnographic Researchers;

Executives;

Managers;

Market Researchers;

Postgraduate Research Students;

Postgraduate Research Supervisors;

Quantitative Researchers;

Research Analysts;

Research Assistants;

Research Commissioners;

Research Project Managers;

Research Team Leaders;

Research Tutors;

Researchers;

Sales and Marketing Managers;

Supervisors;

Team Leaders, Generally;

Undergraduate Dissertation Supervisors;

All others who are desirous of undertaking postgraduate level training in Research Methodology - generally - but more specifically:

Interview Formulation;

Data Elicitation;

Data Analysis;

Date Interpretation;

Research Report Writing.  

Cost includes:

Free Continuous snacks throughout the Event Days;  

Free Hot Lunch on Event Days;                           

Free City Tour;             

Free Stationery;                               

Free On-site Internet Access;

SPSS Data Analysis Software;

Delegates will be given a selection of  the Institute’s Complimentary Products, which include:

HRODC Postgraduate Training Institute’s Polo Shirt.

Design a research project, taking account of important issues;

Assess the value of secondary sources of information as a prelude to the conduct of primary research;

Choose the methodology that best suits the type of investigation being conducted & appropriate to the research objectives;

Choose the most appropriate data elicitation techniques, in relation to the sampling frame, sampling unit, sample size & time span, among other factors;

Advise others of the situations in which participant observation, conversation analysis, documentary analysis, focus groups, interviews & questionnaires, respectively, are appropriate;

Design interviews & questionnaires that will elicit information appropriate to the research objectives;

Design structured & unstructured questions, determining the conditions under which they should be used;

Design questionnaires & interview schedules, with a mixture of open-ended & closed-ended questions, avoiding forced-choice in the latter;

Employ appropriate data analysis techniques, based on the type & volume of data available;

Use SPSS and, or, Excel software packages in analysing data;

Identifying ‘trends’ & ‘patterns’ in information, in an effort to arrive at conclusions;

Produce effective reports, adhering to conventional styles, presenting evidence from the data, & exploiting visual representations;

Make research proposals, taking pertinent factors into account;

Manage research projects, from inception to reporting;

Identify appropriate roles in research project management & produce realistic costing; and

Design a research project that incorporates a high ethical standard.

Course Contents, Concepts and Issues

Part 1: Research Design: Important Considerations

Secondary Sources of Information;

Primary Sources of Information.

Choosing a Broad Research Area;

Preliminary Readings: Familiarising with Broad Research Area;

Narrowing the Field, from Initial Literature Review;

Choosing Relevant Primary Sources of Information;

Techniques of the Literature Review;

Recording Information from Literature Review;

Citations and their Conventions;

Literature Review as the basis for Conceptual Framework;

Literature Review as Empirical Pointers;

Choosing The Empirical Data Elicitation Methods:

Exploring the Qualitative Approaches to Data Elicitation;

Quantitative Approaches to Data Elicitation: Their Value and Practical Issues;

Triangulating’ The Methodology.

Part 2: Employing Data Elicitation Techniques (1)

Longitudinal Surveys.

Participant Observation as a Qualitative Data Elicitation Tool:

Enacting the Complete Observer Role;

Contextualising the Complete Participant Role;

The Participant-Observer Role;

Being an Observer-Participant Role;

The Practicality of the ‘Complete Participant as Observer’ Role.

Conversation Analysis:

Conversation Analysis as Qualitative Methodological Technique;

Quantifying Conversation Analysis;

Combining Qualitative and Quantitative Approaches in Conversation Analysis.

Part 3: Employing Data Elicitation Techniques (2)

Documentary Analysis as Qualitative Methodological Technique;

Quantifying Documentary Analysis;

Combining Qualitative and Quantitative Approaches in Documentary Analysis.

Focus Groups:

Optimising Focus Group Size;

Constituting Focus Groups;

Operationalising Focus Groups;

Quantifying Focus Group Responses;

Analysing Focus Group Output;

Validating Focus Groups in Ethnographic Research.

Interviews and Questionnaires as Data Elicitation Techniques in Qualitative and Quantitative Research Methodologies:

Distinguishing between Interviews and Questionnaires;

Positive Issues associated with the use of Questionnaires;

Negative Issues associated with the use of Questionnaires;

Positive Issues associated with the use of Interviews;

Negative Issues associated with the use of Interviews.

Part 4: Sampling as an Important Element of Research Design

Determining the ‘Population’:

The ‘Theoretical Population’;

A Sample as a Factor of the ‘Theoretical Population’;

What Constitutes a ‘Representative Sample’;

Determining a Suitable Sampling Frame;

Sampling Techniques:

Systematic Sample.

Simple Random Sample;

Bases of Stratification;

Multi-stage Sampling: Its Organisation and Execution.

Part 5: Interview and Questionnaire Design and Administration (1)

Salient Issues in Questionnaire Design;

Designing Structured Questions for Questionnaires;

Designing Structured Closed-Ended Questions for Questionnaires;

Designing Structured Open-Ended Questions for Questionnaires;

Multiple-choice Format as the basis for Designing Structured Closed-Ended Questions in Questionnaires;

Avoiding ‘Forced-choice’ in Structured Closed-Ended Questions in Questionnaires;

Questionnaire Administration:

Personal Questionnaire Administration;

Timing of Questionnaire Administration;

Web-based Questionnaire Administration:

Protecting against multiple-responses;

Anti-bot Security Measures.

Part 6: Interview and Questionnaire Design and Administration (2)

Designing the Interview Schedule:

Designing Structured Interview Questions;

Designing Structured Closed-Ended Interview Questions;

Designing Structured Open-Ended Interview Questions;

Multiple-choice Format as the basis for Designing Structured Closed-Ended Interview Questions;

Avoiding ‘Forced-choice’ in Structured Closed-Ended Questions;

Incorporating Prompts and Guides;

Arranging and Conducting Interviews:

Determining an appropriate Time-Frame for the Interview Administration;

Establishing Standard for Interview Administration;

Keeping to a common duration;

Using Unstructured Questions in Interviews;

Using Open-ended Questions in Interviews;

Recording General Responses during an Interview;

Recording responses to Open-ended Questions;

Recording responses to Closed-ended Questions;

Recording Multiple-Responses from an Interviewee;

Recording Verbatim Comments, during an Interview;

Recording Verbatim Comments, as an addition to responses to Closed-ended Questions;

Dealing with the unexpected occurrences during an Interview.

Part 7: Data Analysis and Interpretation

Instruments of Analysis:

Using SPSS Package;

Using Excel Package.

Data Interpretation:

Making Sense of the Information;

Identifying ‘Trends’ & ‘Patterns’ in Information;

Arriving at Conclusions.

Part 8: Presenting the Research Findings

Report Planning;

Report Format:

Formatting the Report;

Revising the Drafts;

Reviewing the Appearance of Draft;

Preparing the Final Copy;

Logical Ordering of Information;

Exploring the Evidence.

Presenting the ‘Evidence’;

Revising and Editing the Report;

Writing Style and Lapses:

Choosing a Writing Style;

Frequently Occurring Writing Lapses (FOWLs);

Electronic Tools in Identifying FOWLs;

Collaborative Writing.

Report Illustration:

Impact of Visuals;

Determinants of Effective Visuals;

Selecting and Developing Visuals;

Generating Graphs and Charts from Tables;

Graphics Tools for Developing Visuals.

Part 9: Research Project Management

Project Initiation;

Project Execution;

Project Evaluation.

Project Completion;

Cost Budgeting;

Cost Control.

Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)

Process Breakdown Structure

Responsibility Matrix;

Project Planning Process;

Project Life Cycle Management;

Project Portfolio Management System;

Project Co-ordination;

Project Sustainability;

The Project Manager’s Role.

Defining the Project Scope:

Project Objectives;

Deliverables;

Milestones;

Technical Requirements;

Limits and Exclusions;

Reviews with Project Owner/s.

Project Priority.

Part 10: Writing a Research Proposal

Establishing Research Objectives;

Presenting the Research Synopsis

How the proposed research fits with existing theories and empirical research findings;

How the proposed research paper will address any gaps in knowledge created by pre-existing research;

The theoretical base that will be employed;

The general approach that will be adopted;

The broad research methods - qualitative research method, quantitative research method, or a combination of both - that will be employed;

The data elicitation techniques to be adopted;

The anticipated types, or likely direction, of any recommendations that might emerge from the research findings.