Chapter 2

FORMULATING AND CLARIFYING

THE RESEARCH TOPIC

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 Learning Objective

 identify the attributes of a good research topic;

 generate ideas and explore sources that will help
you to choose a suitable research topic;
 turn research ideas into a research project that has
a clear research question(s) and objectives;
 write your research proposal.

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 Chapter Outline

2.1 Attributes of a good research topic

2.2 Generating research ideas

2.3 Refining research ideas

2.4 Turning ideas into research projects

2.5 Writing your research proposal

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 2.1. Attributes of a good research topic

Capability: is it feasible?
 Are you fascinated by the topic?

 Do you have the necessary research skills?

 Can you complete the project in the time available?

 Will the research still be current when you finish?

 Do you have sufficient financial and other resources?

 Will you be able to gain access to data?

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 2.1. Attributes of a good research topic

Appropriateness: is it worthwhile?
 Will the examining institute's standards be met?

 Does the the topic contain issues with clear links to

theory?

 Are the research questions and objectives clearly stated?

 Will the proposed research provide fresh insights into the

topic?

 Does the research topic match your career goals?

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 2.2. Generating research ideas
Useful Techniques
 Rational thinking  Creative thinking

 Examining your own  Keeping a notebook of

strengths and interests your ideas

 Looking at past project  Exploring past projects

titles
 Relevance Trees
 Discussion
 Brainstorming
 Searching the literature

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 2.2. Generating research ideas
Rational thinking
Examining your own strengths and interests
 Having some academic knowledge
 Look at those assignments for which you have
received good grade.
 You may, as part of your reading, be able to
focus more precisely on the sort of ideas about
which you wish to conduct your research

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 2.2. Generating research ideas
Rational thinking
Looking at past project title
 Dissertations; Theses.
 Scan your university’s list of past project titles
for anything that captures your imagination
 Actual research projects.
 You need to beware. The fact that a project is in
your library is no guarantee of the quality of the
arguments and observations it contains.

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 2.2. Generating research ideas
Rational thinking
Discussion
 Colleagues, friends
 University tutors
 Practitioner
 Professional groups

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 2.2. Generating research ideas
Rational thinking
Searching the literature
 Article in academic and professional journals;
 Reports;
 Books;
 Review articles

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 2.2. Generating research ideas
Rational thinking
Scanning the media
 Keeping up to date with items in the news can
be a very rich source of ideas.

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 2.2. Generating research ideas
Creative thinking
Keeping a notebook of ideas
 One of the more creative techniques that we all
use is to keep a notebook of ideas.
 All this involves is simply noting down any
interesting research ideas as you think of them
and, of equal importance, what sparked off your
thought.
 You can then pursue the idea using more
rational thinking technique later.

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 2.2. Generating research ideas
Creative thinking
Exploring personal preferences
using past project
1. Select six projects that you like
2. For each of these six projects, note down your
first thoughts in response to three:
 What appeals to you about the project?
 What is good about the project?
 Why is the project good?

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 2.2. Generating research ideas
Creative thinking
Exploring personal preferences using
past project
3. Select three projects you do not like.
4. For each of these three projects that you do not
like.
 What do you dislike about the project?
 What is bad about the project?
 Why is the project bad?

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 2.2. Generating research ideas
Creative thinking
Relevance tree
 You start with a broad concept from which you
generate further topics.
 Each of these topics forms a separate branch from
which you can generate further, more detailed sub
branches.
 As you proceed down the sub branches more ideas
are generated and recorded.
 These can then be examined and a number
selected and combined to provide a research idea

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 2.2. Generating research ideas
Creative thinking
Brainstorming
1. Define your problem.
2. Ask for suggestions, relating to the problem.
3. Record all suggestions.
4. Review all the suggestions and explore what is meant
by each.
5. Analyze the list of suggestions and decide which appeal
to you most as research ideas why.

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 2.3. Refining research ideas
 Using the Delphi Technique

 Conducting a preliminary study

 Continually testing out your ideas

 Integrating ideas

 Refining topics given to you by your organisation

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 2.4. Turning ideas into research projects

Writing research questions

Write research questions that are
 Consistent with expected standards
 Able to produce clear conclusions
 At the right level (not too difficult)
 Not too descriptive
 Use the “Goldilocks Test”
“research questions are either too big two small
too hot or just right”

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 2.4. Turning ideas into research projects

Writing clear research objectives

 Check your examining body’s preferences for
stated objectives
 Use a general focus question to achieve
precise objectives

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 2.4. Turning ideas into research projects

Include SMART Personal objectives

Specific: What precisely do you hope to achieve from
undertaking the research?
Measurable: What measures will you use to determine
whether you have achieved your objectives?
Achievable: Are the targets you have set for yourself
achievable given all the possible constraints?
Realistic: Given all other demands upon your time, will you have
the time and energy to complete the research on time?
Timely: Will you have time to accomplish all your objectives?

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 Determine the Relevant Variables and
Hypotheses
 To determine what characteristics of the unit
of analysis will be measured by the
researchers.
 These characteristics may vary within the
same unit of analysis.
 For instance, Research Objective: to identify
the ways of increasing marketing
performance.
 Unit of analysis: firm
 Variable: marketing performance
 Different firms’ marketing performance may
be different.
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 Definition of Variable
• What is a Variable?
– Anything that varies or changes from one
instance to another; can exhibit differences in
value, usually in magnitude or strength, or in
direction.
• What is a Constant?
– Something that does not change; is not useful
in addressing research questions.

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 Determine the Relevant Variables and
Hypotheses
Types of Variables
• Continuous variable
• Can take on a range of quantitative values.
• Categorical variable
• Indicates membership in some group.
• Also called classificatory variable.
Dependent variable

A process outcome or a variable that is predicted

and/or explained by other variables.
Independent variable

A variable that is expected to influence the dependent

variable in some way.
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 Determine the Relevant Variables and
Hypotheses
Research Questions
• In order to achieve research objectives,
researchers should develop research questions,
and try to answer them through research.
• Research questions are about the nature of
relations among variables.
• Examples of research questions:
• What are the reasons of sales decline?
• What are the drivers of customer satisfaction?
• What are the relations between new designs
and customer satisfaction?
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 Determine the Relevant Variables and
Hypotheses
Hypothesis
• An unsupported proposition to answer a research
question to be tested by research

• H1: Decline in the purchasing power of the clients

decreases the total sales of the industry.
• H2: New designs increase customer satisfaction.

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 Formulating Research Hypothesis

• An unproven proposition
• A possible solution to a problem
• Guess

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 A hypothesis
is a formal statement explaining some outcome.
In its simplest form, a hypothesis is a guess.
A sales manager may hypothesize that the salespeople who are highest in
product
knowledge will be the most productive
A hypothesis is a proposition that is empirically testable.
In other words, when one states a hypothesis, it should be written in a
manner that can be supported or shown to be wrong through an empirical
test.
For example, using the color of the background for a Web site
the researcher may use theoretical reasoning to develop the following
hypothesis:
 H1: A web site with a blue background will generate more sales than
an otherwise identical Web site with a red background.
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 Hypotheses Are the Empirical
Counterparts of Propositions

 Abstract level PROPOSITION

Treat More Loyal
Employees Employees
Better

 Empirical level HYPOTHESIS

Increase Reduce Annual
Retirement Turnover
Benefits 5%

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 2.5. Writing your research proposal

Purposes of the research proposal

 To organise your ideas
 To convince your audience
 To contract with your client (your tutor)
 To meet ethical requirements

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 2.5. Writing your research proposal

Content of your research proposal

 Title
 Background
 Research questions and objectives
 Method
 Timescale and Resources
 References

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 2.5. Writing your research proposal

Evaluating research proposals

 How the components of the proposal fit
together
 Viability of the proposal
 Absence of preconceived ideas

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 Steps to Problem Solving

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 FOR YOUR LISTENNING

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