HPCOS81

Research Project for Honours

Learning Unit 3:

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 Assignment 1
Preparing for Research
Referencing Manager / Unisa Library Access
 
 

Literature Review

Assignment 2 & 3
RESEARCH PROBLEM STATEMENT
 

RESEARCH QUESTION(S)
 

OBJECTIVES OF THE RESERCH

 

Assignment 4 & 5
RESEARCH Strategy
Survey; Design and Creation; Experimentation; Case Study; Action Research;
 
 

RESEARCH Design
 
QUANTITATIVE: Theoretical framework, conceptual model or formal theory
QUALITATIVE: Meta-theoretical or philosophical grounding and foundational assumptions at the different levels
Mixed methods Design

RESEARCH APPROACH
Sampling: (Including site and participant sampling and sampling frames)
Data collection: Instruments and the process of data collection
Data analysis:
Quantitative: Including basic statistics to be used based on level of measurement
Qualitative: Give an indication of the basic process of analysis of data
Scientific rigour: Reliability and validity or trustworthiness
Ethical considerations: Participants, institutions/sites and the researcher’s integrity
 
 
 
Assignment 6

Writing up the Research Proposal

 

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1 Contents
2 Introduction..................................................................................................................................3
3 Academic writing.........................................................................................................................4
4 Developing a methodology section for a proposal for Surveys.............................................4
4.1 Key references....................................................................................................................4
4.1.1 Czaja and Blair (2005)................................................................................................4
4.1.2 Kumar (2011)...............................................................................................................5
4.2 Preparing to write a methodology section for a proposal..............................................5
5 Basic concepts of research methodology chapters................................................................5
5.1.1 Quantitative:.................................................................................................................6
5.1.2 Qualitative:...................................................................................................................7
5.1.3 Mixed methods:...........................................................................................................7
5.2 Data collection.....................................................................................................................7
5.3 Data analysis.......................................................................................................................8
5.4 Data and design quality......................................................................................................8
5.5 Ethical considerations.........................................................................................................9

2 Introduction
As indicated in the document title ‘HPCOS81_2023_Assignment 6_Portfolio.docx’, a methodology
section in a proposal (the portfolio) should address the following aspects (Note that these are not
supposed to also be headers in your final portfolio. The actual headers you use will be guided by the
specifics of your topic and focus):

 A short overview and references regarding different methodologies.

 An indication of which methodology you will use for your study. Explain why this
methodology is most appropriate (how to do it will be left for later when you write your
dissertation).
o Discuss the methodology of choice
o Discuss data that will be collected (this should relate to the conceptual framework
and literature from previous sections)
o Sources of data and participants (who are the participants from whom you are going
to get data from and why are they the most appropriate for doing so)
o Data collection method (e.g. interviews, questionnaires, observation, measurement,
etc.)
o Data treatment (or data analysis)
o Discuss ethics requirements according to Unisa, School of Computing

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The intention of Assignments 4 and 5 is to guide your through the process of developing a
methodology section that aligns with your problem statement, research questions, and literature
review.

To simplify the learning process for this proposal module it is suggested

that all students design a survey with a combination or open-ended
questions and closed-ended questions that align with the literature themes
that have been developed so far.
A video lecture will be done to guide students through the process and resources to develop the
methodology section.

3 Academic writing
It is important that ALL students do the MOOC on UOL001-Academic Writing. This is to help with
developing your academic writing skills:

1. Step 1: Click on the following URL to access the Unisa Open Learning Portal:
https://mooc.unisa.ac.za
2. Step 2: Click on New Account. You can create your own account by inserting your own
username and password. This is not provided by Unisa, you create your own. Once
completed, click “Create Account”.
3. Step 3: You are now logged into the Unisa Open Learning portal. Click on “membership”,
then “joinable sites”. Look for UOL001-Academic Writing, then click “join”. You will now find
the course under “My Current Sites”. You can now commence with the course at your own
pace.

4 Developing a methodology section for a proposal for Surveys

4.1 Key references
4.1.1 Czaja and Blair (2005)
Go to Sage Research methods by clicking here https://0-methods-sagepub-
com.oasis.unisa.ac.za/. Login with your Unisa login and password.

Read the SAGE book by Czaja, R. and Blair, J., 2005. An introduction to surveys and to this
book. Designing Surveys. DOI:
https://0-dx-doi-org.oasis.unisa.ac.za/10.4135/9781412983877

Read Chapter 1: “An Introduction to Surveys and to This Book”

Read Chapter 2: “Stages of a Survey”

Read Chapter 3: “Selecting the Method of Data Collection”

 Read about the advantages and disadvantages of surveys

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4.1.2 Kumar (2011)
Read the text book by Kumar, R. 2011. Research methodology: a step-by-step guide for
beginners. 3rd edition. Los Angeles Sage. (A PDF version of the book is available at:
http://www.sociology.kpi.ua/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Ranjit_Kumar-
Research_Methodology_A_Step-by-Step_G.pdf)

Read Chapter 9: “Selecting a Method of Data Collection”

 Read about the differences between:

o “interviewing” and “questionnaires”
o Qualitative and quantitative data
o Primary data sources and secondary data sources
 Read about how to do interviews
 Read about recording interviews
 Check out the example of an interview on page 138 of Kumar (2013)
 Administering questionnaires
 Advantages and disadvantages of questionnaires and interviews
 Read about open-ended questions

Read Chapter 10: “Collecting Data Using Attitudinal Scales”

 Read about Likert Scales (Page 159 onwards)

Read Chapter 11: “Establishing the Validity and Reliability of a Research Instrument”

 Read about the concepts of ‘validity’ and ‘reliability’ qualitative and quantitative
research

4.2 Preparing to write a methodology section for a proposal

For your proposal you should be able to answer and address the follow questions:

 What does a survey mean in academic research?

 Why is a survey appropriate for my study?
 What basic themes from my review of literature will be addressed in the survey?
 Will I do interviews with open ended questions or will I use a questionnaire with a
Likert Scale, and why?
 Why should I do a pilot study?
 Where will I collect data? (e.g. the community, company, department, etc.)
 Who are the people (participants) from whom I will collect the data?
 Why are they able to give me the data I need?

5 Basic concepts of research methodology chapters

Firstly, you should choose between a research strategy that will be used to gather data for your
research. Some research designs include:

Strategy Explanation

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 Survey Focusses on obtaining the same kinds of data from a large group of people
(or events), in a standardized and systematic way. You tend to look for
patterns in the data using statistics so that you can generalize to a larger
population than the group you targeted.

Design and Focuses on developing new IT products or artefacts. Often the  new IT
Creation product is a computer-based system, but it can also be some element of the 
development process such as a new construct, model or method.

Experimentation Focuses on investigating cause and effect relationships, testing hypothesis

and seeking to prove or disprove a causal link between a factor and an
observed outcome. There is a "before" and "after" measurement and all
factors that might affect the results are carefully excluded form the study,
other than the one factor that is thought will cause an "after" result.

Case Study Focuses on one instance of the "thing" that is to be investigated: an

organization, a department, an information system, a discussion forum, a
systems developer, a development project, a decision and so on. The aim is
to obtain a rich, detailed insight into the "life" of that case and its complex
relationships and processes.

Action Research Focusses on research into action. The researchers plan to do something in a
real-world situation, do it, and then after reflect on what happened or was
learned, and then begin another cycle of plan-act-reflect.

You should read extensively about research design from several textbooks before selecting the one
most appropriate to your study. The paradigm within which you work will give an initial indication of
the research design that you will use. However, designs should also be skilfully and creatively
adapted and changed to fit your research problem. It is especially in qualitative research where an
emergent design is called for.

First, you should decide on which research design (quantitative or qualitative) would be most
appropriate to your research problem and purpose. A suitable research design should then be
selected. Some of the main research designs according to paradigm are:

5.1.1 Quantitative:
Quantitative research typically draws on quantitative data, like numbers, frequencies, rating scales,
etc. Typically, statistical methods are used to analyse quantitative date. Examples include
Experimental – true experimental (controlled clinical trial) or quasi-experimental (non-
experimental); correlational (model-testing, predictive (case-control), descriptive); descriptive
(classical descriptive or comparative descriptive).

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5.1.2 Qualitative:
Generally qualitative research draws on qualitative data, such as interviews, observations,
perceptions, context, etc. Examples of qualitative methodologies are phenomenology; grounded
theory; ethnography; qualitative research; concept analysis; participative action research; design
science; thematic analysis, content analysis.

5.1.3 Mixed methods:

Typically mixed methods use a combination of qualitative and quantitative data, either with two
phases following each other or two phases concurrently: i.e., quant-qual, qual-quant, etc.

Before you select a design, you should read extensively about research as the more traditional
designs listed above are further sub-divided in the research literature. The following is a useful
structure for discussing your research design:

Describe the main characteristics of the selected design. Indicate how the chosen design will assist in
attaining the set objectives of the study, answer the research questions and/or support or refute the
stated hypotheses.

5.2 Data collection

NB: No existing data, or any data collected for some other, even broader study, may be presented as
data for your research. Data must be newly collected under the supervision of your supervisor. Data
collection can only commence once your supervisor has approved the project as well as the
following sections of your dissertation/thesis: Chapter 1 (Introduction and orientation), Chapter 2
(Literature review), Chapter 3 (Methodology and research design), plus the data collection
instrument you are going to use.

Explain which data collection approach, method(s) and instrument(s) you intend to use. Your choice
must be in accordance with the research paradigm. This is mainly a choice between structured or
unstructured data collection.

Indicate the following with regard to the chosen approach (structured or unstructured):

 definition of the chosen approach from the point of view of at least three authors main
characteristics of the chosen approach
 advantages and disadvantages of the chosen approach
 the way in which the advantages of the approach will aid in attaining the set objectives of
the research, answering the research question or support or refute the set hypotheses
 the way in which the disadvantages of the approach will be counteracted during the
research

The reader must be informed about the data collection method(s) (e.g. interviews; observations) you
intend to use. Indicate and explicate the following, keeping in mind the technical and standard
requirements:

 definition of the chosen method

 main characteristics of the chosen method
 advantages and disadvantages of the chosen method

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  the way in which the advantages will aid in attaining the research objectives, answer the
research questions or support or refute the set hypotheses
 the way in which disadvantages will be counteracted during the research

Information is also required about the data collection instrument that you intend to use (especially
in the case of quantitative research). Explicate the following:

 definition of the chosen instrument

 main characteristics of the chosen instrument
 advantages and disadvantages of the chosen instrument
 the way in which the advantages will aid in attaining the research objectives, answer the
research questions or support or refute the set hypotheses
 the way in which the disadvantages be counteracted during the research

5.3 Data analysis

In the case of quantitative research, indicate which statistics you intend to use to analyse the data.
Both descriptive and inferential statistics need to be referred to. You probably will not be able to
name specific procedures. However, you need to give an indication of the basic statistics involved,
based on whether you use of research objectives, questions and/or hypotheses as well as the type of
design you propose to use. In conjunction with the items contained in your measurement
instrument, indicate the levels of measurement at which you are going to measure variables.
Substantiate possible statistical procedures that could be performed with the different levels of
measurement as well as with the aim of achieving your research objectives.

If your proposed research is qualitative in nature, indicate which qualitative data analysis steps you
would follow. Also substantiate way the specific steps. Also indicate whether data will be analysed
manually or by means of computer software for qualitative data analysis. Again, substantiate your
choice.

5.4 Data and design quality

Validity and reliability in quantitative research and trustworthiness in qualitative research relate to
data quality and as such have vast ethical implications.

If your proposed research is quantitative in nature, you should give an indication of how you plan to
enhance:

 external validity (especially important in descriptive and other

non-hypothesis testing research)
 internal validity (especially important in hypothesis-testing research which is aimed at
measuring the relationships between independent and dependent variables – of utmost
importance in true experimental research to establish causal relationships).

If your proposed research is qualitative in nature, you should explain how you would enhance the
trustworthiness of your research. This includes aspects such as credibility, transferability,
dependability and conformability.

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5.5 Ethical considerations
Indicate the ethical considerations for your proposed study under the following
sub-headings:

 protecting the rights of the participants

 protecting the rights of the institution
 scientific integrity of the research (scientific honesty on the part of the researcher – that is
yourself)

In addition, the research topic itself often poses special ethical considerations as is the case of, for
instance, doing research on the impact of HIV/AIDS on aspects of technology use. The ethics relating
to these sometimes need to be explicated pertinently under a specific heading.

[Once you have passed the research project module, you will have to apply formally for ethical
clearance for your project at the School of Computing Ethics
sub-committee. Without a clearance certificate from this committee, you are not allowed to proceed
with the actual research. Instructions on this process are contained in the other tutorial letters for
this module.]

UNISA

2023