Task One.
Describe the key elements of Research Methodology.
There are many different ways of undertaking research and all involve the use of Primary and Secondary research.
A key part of research is the primary research. This is research which is undertaken first hand. The researcher can carry out primary research in a number of ways which include:
- Questionnaires
- Interviews
- Questions on message boards
- Observations
- Analysis of the text.
The method or methods chosen for the research will depend on what the researcher thinks will generate the most useful information. The researcher will consider carefully what it is he/she hopes to gain from the primary research and the information needed for the project. It is also important to consider the time available and the limitations of completing the research. There are some things that should be done before beginning to do primary research:
- Be realistic about the amount of information that can be collected.
- Think about how it will fit in with the overall project.
- Be prepared to follow up any requests for interviews/meetings with a telephone call.
- Be prepared for the request to be turned down.
- Be realistic about who will participate.
Questionnaires:
Questionnaires are a useful way of collecting information from a larger sample of people. If the researchers are limited in the time available they may think about qualitative questionnaires where they can ask a small sample of people and focus on getting as much information as possible from them. There are a number of questionnaire types and each will be used for different types of research and in different ways.
Unstructured Questionnaire:
Most of the questions are open ended and the researcher is free to change the order of asking questions and to explain them. The questionnaire may take the form of a checklist for discussion and is normally used in “depth” interviews and group discussions.
Semi-structured Questionnaire:
This usually constitutes a mixture of closed or fixed response questions and open-ended questions. Semi-structured questionnaires are useful in enabling the researcher to “stage manage” the interview so that all the open-ended questions are fully answered. There is always a better response if the researcher is present whilst people complete the questionnaire. This allowes the researcher to answer any queries the person may have about it. Also questionnaires sent in the post have only a 30% return rate. As with any research the results will depend on the quality of the questions.
Interviews:
- Individual – Interviews are likely to be in-depth conversations with individuals concerning a particular topic. The individual interviewed will depend on what the researcher wants to find out. The research would normally make contact with the individual through a letter or email and would follow this up with a phone call. An interview is a very effective method of getting lots of information as it is likely that open-ended questions will generate conversation.
- Group – Another type of interview involves putting together a group of people to discuss a particular topic. This is often referred to as a focus group where the group is selected because of a common interest or because the people in it represent a particular “type”. This sort of focus group needs careful selection and handling because being with other people will have some impact on how they respond to questions compared to an individual interview. Also when several people are present it may be difficult for the interviewer to keep track of what is being said. It may be useful to gain consent from those present to record the interview and transcribe it for analysis later.
- Questions on message boards – In some cases a most effective way of getting information from a diverse range of sources is by posting questions on an internet message board. This can often generate a range of responses from readers of the message board who may have a detailed understanding of the area. As with the other methods the quality if the responses will depend on the quality of the questions. This method of research can be a quick and effective way of gathering primary information.
- Observations – Another form of primary research is the researchers own observations which would include watching how people react to certain questions. The researcher would have to plan carefully how this would fit into the research project and what was hoped to be achieved before organising observations.
- Own analysis of media text – For some research topics it may be appropriate to undertake an analysis of a media text. This would include analysing a text that is closely related to the research topic. It would require the researcher to trust his/her academic skills as they would have to make comment about the text and how it links to the topic and is relevant.
