Information and communication university Zambia

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NAME : BUPE CHEWE

COURSE : RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

PROGRAM :

SIN : 2211188023

MODE OF STUDY : DISTANCE EDUCATION

 Question 1
Objectives
1. To understand the impact of technology on agriculture.
2. To access the effect of population growth on agricultural productivity.

Research questions
1. What is the impact of technology on agriculture?
2. What is the effect pf population growth on agricultural productivity?

Hypothesis
1. If technology can be advanced, then agriculture can be advanced.
2. If population increases a lot the agricultural outputs will not be enough to carter the
masses

Conceptual framework

agricultural efficiency technology adopted excessive population growth

Agricultural productivity

labour supply
v.

Step 1: Identify the Problem

Finding an issue or formulating a research question is the first step. A well-defined research
problem will guide the researcher through all stages of the research process, from setting
objectives to choosing a technique.

Step 2: Evaluate the Literature

A thorough examination of the relevant studies is essential to the research process. It enables
the researcher to identify the precise aspects of the problem. Once a problem has been found,
the investigator or researcher needs to find out more about it.

Step 3: Create Hypotheses

Formulating an original hypothesis is the next logical step after narrowing down the research
topic and defining it. A belief solves logical relationships between variables. In order to
establish a hypothesis, a researcher must have a certain amount of expertise in the field.

Step 4: The Research Design

Research design is the plan for achieving objectives and answering research questions. It
outlines how to get the relevant information. Its goal is to design research to test hypotheses,
address the research questions, and provide decision-making insights.

The research design aims to minimize the time, money, and effort required to acquire
meaningful evidence.

Step 5: Describe Population

Research projects usually look at a specific group of people, facilities, or how technology is
used in the business. In research, the term population refers to this study group. The research
topic and purpose help determine the study group.

Suppose a researcher wishes to investigate a certain group of people in the community. In

that case, the research could target a specific age group, males or females, a geographic
location, or an ethnic group. A final step in a study’s design is to specify its sample or
population so that the results may be generalized.

Step 6: Data Collection

Data collection is important in obtaining the knowledge or information required to answer the
research issue. Every research collected data, either from the literature or the people being
studied. Data must be collected from the two categories of researchers

Step 7: Data Analysis

During research design, the researcher plans data analysis. After collecting data, the
researcher analyses it. The data is examined based on the approach in this step. The research
findings are reviewed and reported.

Data analysis involves a number of closely related stages, such as setting up categories,
applying these categories to raw data through coding and tabulation, and then drawing
statistical conclusions. The researcher can examine the acquired data using a variety of
statistical methods.

Step 8: The Report-writing

After completing these steps, the researcher must prepare a report detailing his findings. The
report must be carefully composed with the following in mind:

Layout: On the first page, the title, date, acknowledgments, and preface should be on the
report. A table of contents should be followed by a list of tables, graphs, and charts if any.

Introduction: It should state the research’s purpose and methods. This section should
include the study’s scope and limits.

Summary of Findings: A non-technical summary of findings and recommendations will

follow the introduction. The findings should be summarized if they’re lengthy.
Principal Report: The main body of the report should make sense and be broken up into
sections that are easy to understand.

Conclusion: The researcher should restate his findings at the end of the main text. It’s the
final result.

Research proposal

i. Statement of the problem

The problem statement is your opportunity to explain why you care and what you
propose to do in the way of researching the problem. A problem statement is an
explanation in research that describes the issue that is in need of study. What problem
is the research attempting to address

ii. Objectives
Research objectives describe what your research project intends to accomplish. They
should guide every step of the research process, including how you collect data, build
your argument, and develop your conclusions

iii. Research design

Research design is a blueprint of a scientific study. It includes research
methodologies, tools, and techniques to conduct the research. It helps to identify and address
the problem that may rise during the process of research and analysis
iv. Sampling design
Sampling design is the method you use to choose your sample. There are several
types of sampling designs, and they all serve as roadmaps for the selection of your
survey sample

v. Data collection methods

Some common data collection methods include surveys, interviews, observations,
focus groups, experiments, and secondary data analysis. The data collected through
 these methods can then be analysed and used to support or refute research hypotheses
and draw conclusions about the study's subject matter.

Question 2

Assumption Types Positivism: Interpretivism:

[Natural Science] [Social Science]
Ontology Real Nominal Relativism
What is the nature of reality? Universalism Socially constructed
What is the world like? External
[Ontological philosophical
assumptions]*
Epistemology Facts Opinions
What is considered acceptable Numbers Narratives
legitimate knowledge? Observable law like Attributed meanings and
What constitutes good quality data? Generalizations content specifics
What kinds of contribution to
knowledge can be made?
Axiology Value free
What is the role of values in
research?
How would you deal with the
values of research participants?
Typical Methods Experimental Case studies
What are the typical methods used? Non experimental Ethnography
Qusai experimental Grounded theory
Cross sectional Action research design

Question 3

1 Case study

A case study is a research approach that is used to generate an in-depth, multi-faceted

understanding of a complex issue in its real-life context. It is an established research
design that is used extensively in a wide variety of disciplines, particularly in the
social sciences. A case study has also been described as an intensive, systematic
investigation of a single individual, group, community or some other unit in which the
researcher examines in-depth data relating to several variables.

2 Ethnography

Ethnographic methods are a research approach where you look at people in their
cultural setting, with the goal of producing a narrative account of that particular
culture, against a theoretical backdrop. As part of this you will look at: Deeds done as
well as words used. Data are collected through observations and interviews, which are
then used to draw conclusions about how societies and individuals function.
Ethnographers observe life as it happens instead of trying to manipulate it in a lab.
Because of the unpredictability of life.

3 Grounded Theory
Grounded theory is a research method concerned with the generation of theory,1
which is 'grounded' in data that has been systematically collected and analysed. 2 It is
used to uncover such things as social relationships and behaviours of groups, known
as social processes. Grounded theory is a qualitative method that enables you to study
a particular phenomenon or process and discover new theories that are based on the
collection and analysis of real world data.

Unlike traditional hypothesis-deductive approaches of research, where you come up

with a hypothesis and then try to prove/disprove it, grounded theory is an inductive
approach where new theories are derived from the data.

The process of data collection, data analysis, and theory development happen in an
iterative process. Iterative data collection and analysis occurs until you reach
theoretical saturation, the point at which additional data adds no additional insight
into your new theory. (Daniel Muijs ,2010).

4 Action Research Design

Action Research Designs Action research can be defined as “an approach in which the
action researcher and a client collaborate in the diagnosis of the problem and in the
development of a solution based on the diagnosis” It is applied in order to improve
specific practices. Action research is based on action, evaluation and critical analysis
of practices based on collected data in order to introduce improvements in relevant
practices.

4 Phenomenology

Phenomenological research is a qualitative research approach that seeks to understand

and describe the universal essence of a phenomenon. The approach investigates the
everyday experiences of human beings while suspending the researchers’
preconceived assumptions about the phenomenon. In other words, phenomenological
research studies lived experiences to gain deeper insights into how people understand
those experiences. Phenomenology uses criterion sampling, in which participants
meet predefined criteria. The most prominent criterion is the participant's experience
with the phenomenon under study. The researchers look for participants who have
shared an experience, but vary in characteristics and in their individual experiences.
(Carrie A. Picardi, Kevin D. Masick · 2013)

Quantitative Research

1 experimental design

Experimental research is a study conducted with a scientific approach using two sets
of variables. The first set acts as a constant, which you use to measure the differences
of the second set. Quantitative research methods, for example, are experimental.
Purpose
To demonstrate causality or causation

R0a1 x R0a2 = diff 0a2- 0a1

R0a3 R0a4 = diff 0a4 -0a3

R = Randomize
0 = group
X = Treatment

Steps to conduct.
o Identify the elements to be studied
o II. Randomly assign the elements into control and experimental groups
o Treat the experiment group
o Make sure that the two groups have the same conditions
o Isolate the two groups

2 Non experimental Designs

Non experimental designs include research designs in which an experimenter simply

either describes a group or examines relationships between pre-existing groups. The
members of the groups are not randomly assigned and an independent variable is not
manipulated by the experimenter, thus, no conclusions about causal relationships
between variables in the study can be drawn. Generally, little attempt is made to
control or threats to internal validity in non-experimental designs. On-experimental
designs are used simply to answer questions about groups or about whether group
differences exist. non experimental research are primarily descriptive in nature.
(Daniel Muijs ,2010)

R0a1 0a2 =diff 0a2 - 0a1

R0a3 0a4= diff 0a4 - 0a3

 No experiments
 No control
 No treatment
 No manualpulation

Purpose: Used to demonstrate association or relationship

3 Casual Design

Causal Research is a type of conclusive research, which attempts to establish a cause-

and-effect relationship between two or more variables. Causal Research is widely
employed by several companies. It assists in determining the impact. of a change in
process and existing methods.

 Appropriate time order

 Collaborative research
 Randomize research
 Unsperious of results
 Empirical association
 Works well under NS.

4 Qusai design
Quasi-experimental research involves the manipulation of an independent variable
without the random assignment of participants to conditions or orders of conditions.
Among the important types are non-equivalent groups designs, pretest-posttest, and
interrupted time-series designs. (Bruce A Thyer, 2012).

5 Cross-sectional
Cross-sectional study design is a type of observational study design. In across-
sectional study, the investigator measures the outcome and the exposures in the study
participants at the same time. Unlike in case–control studies (participants selected
based on the outcome status) or cohort studies (participants selected based on the
exposure status),
theparticipantsinacrosssectionalstudyarejustselectedbasedontheinclusionandexclusion
criteriasetforthestudy.

This produces a clear snapshot of the outcome and the characteristics associated with
it, at a given period of time, works well in the short run

 Provides a clear snapshot

 Works well in the short run
 High structured research
 Shows the rate or prevalence of a phenomenon in a population
 No causation
 No association
Simple random sampling is the suitable method for this above design.

References

Bruce A Thyer, (2012) Quasi-Experimental Research Designs, Oxford University

Press, USA.

Carrie A. Picardi, Kevin D. Masick · (2013), Research Methods Designing and

Conducting Research with a Real-World Focus

Daniel Muijs (2010), Doing Quantitative Research in Education with SPSS, SAGE
Publications.