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Things are going to be a little different. There is less guidance you are on your own now
Excel(lence)
Later this semester you are going to learn and practice data analysis
Well be using spreadsheets so you will want to familiarise yourself with spreadsheet software (Excel)
Course Introduction
For an overview of the course and a weekly programme, consult the manual
Today we will
Review what you know about research Discuss goals for this semester Get to work on your next big assignment, which you will work on throughout the semester
To conduct research
Gathering and evaluating sources through desk research and an Annotated Bibliography Interviewing
Critical Thinking
Analysing information Avoiding bias and fallacy Reaching reasonable, logical conclusions using Reasoning Trees and other tools
To present research
Writing an APA style report with proper documentation
You are going to study and practice questionnaire design and explore other methods
You are going to work together in small groups (no more than three people)
And this time, youre also going to grade each other
This course consists of a mix of informative and interactive lectures/workshops, feedback sessions and conferences
Throughout the semester you will work on a new research project
A feasibility study based on desk research, a questionnaire, and another method of your own choosing
Assessment
This semester, you will hand in
1. A Research plan for Feedback 2. A questionnaire and Pilot test report for 30% of your final grade 3. A Final Report including processed data for 70% of your final grade 4. A peer assessment in which you give your teammates a grade that will count for 10% of the grade for your report
Details are in your manual and deadlines are forthcoming. Consult your manual and the Blackboard
Informed Decisions
Informed decisions require research and critical thinking Governments, NGOs and businesses always do extensive research before taking decisions Before any new policy, product or strategy is launched, extensive research is done to determine
The likelihood of success How the general public (voters, donors, consumers) and other stakeholders will react.
In the coming weeks, you will learn how to conduct feasibility research by doing it You will start by coming up with an idea and designing a research plan to test its feasibility
You will do extensive desk research on your topic (and keep track of it with an annotated bibliography)
You will conduct a questionnaire to determine public opinion (and to practice quantitative methods)
Dont Panic
That sounds like a lot of work, but dont worry Its a step by step process and were going to go through it together, step by step Right now were just getting started and to do that, the first thing you need is a topic
Topics
You are free to choose your own topic
Research Questions
The Central question is the focus of the whole project
The main thing you want to know. In this course, the central question is about feasibility
Sub-questions
Break the main topic down into smaller elements Answering each sub-question should provide an answer to the central question
Reviewing methods
Once you have clear questions, you can choose methods that will help you answer them Qualitative Research aiming for in-depth, quality of information
Desk Research required in every case Interviews an option in this course Focus Groups an option in this course
Quantitative Research Information that can be gathered, expressed and analysed in terms of numbers
Surveys required in this course Statistical Analysis required in this course
Quality control
Remember the criteria for research and research methods:
Reliability: when the research is done twice, it should lead to the same results
Validity: does the research measure what it intends to measure? Generalization: can these results be generalized to other cases?
Desk Research
Desk Research is usually done first
Most research projects start with a Literature Review General sources are usually consulted first Stakeholders (experts or organisations involved with the subject of your research) are considered and investigated
It should
Have theoretical relevance
Filling in gaps in (your) scientific knowledge
You should always consult multiple sources and be careful about credibility. Should you trust a source and why? Make sure your conclusion is logical and backed up by the evidence
Homework
Next week, we will partner up and get started on your feasibility research. To do that, everyone must
1. Come up with 1-3 ideas
Review the directions in the manual and pick something that meets the criteria, but make sure its something that interests you Feel free to look at your other courses for inspiration you are welcome to use a topic youre working on in another course
2. 3.