RWD Lecture 04
RWD Lecture 04
RWD Lecture 04
Lecture 4
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
to appreciate the nature and the importance
of the research proposal
to know how to put together the contents of
the research proposal
to understand the important issues involved
in the research
Lecture 4
LECTURE OUTLINE
recommended reading
the purpose of the research proposal
the importance of the research proposal
a headline contents list of the research proposal
expressing your research as
aims
research questions
hypotheses
Recommended reading:
Chapter 4: The Research Proposal, in the associated book:
Horn, R. (2009) Researching and Writing Dissertations.
London: CIPD
PURPOSE
CONTENTS
1 Title
2 Background to the research
3 The research problem
4 The objectives of the research
5 Literature
6 Methodology
7 Ethical issues
8 Access issues
9 Time-scale.
10 Bibliography
Work-alone activity:
AN AIM STATEMENT
Time allowed: 10 minutes preparation
2 minutes feedback
RESEARCH QUESTIONS
Using research questions is a more specific way to state the research
problem.
The normal arrangement is to list a number of questions that the
research will answer, such as:
RQ1 What are the current attendance levels at SEDO Ltd?
RQ2 What is the pattern of absence for individual employees (using
the Bradford factor to measure this absence)?
RQ3 What aspects of the work design is affecting absence at SEDO
Ltd?
RQ4 What are the employee issues around ability to attend?
RQ5 What aspects are reported that lie outside the Steers and
Rhodes (1978) absence model?
Using this method expresses your research problem in a much
tighter manner from the start, and is suitable where you have a clear
set of issues arising from the literature that addresses the research
problem.
Work-alone activity:
RESEARCH QUESTIONS
Time allowed: 15 minutes preparation
3 minutes feedback
HYPOTHESES
The research problem can also be specified using a set of
testable hypotheses a set of logical, reasonable, tentative
explanations of the subject under investigation.
It is normal to reject the null hypothesis (H0) before
testing alternative hypotheses.
The null hypothesis states that the two variables under
consideration occurred solely by chance.
If the null hypothesis is rejected, alternative hypotheses may
be developed.
HYPOTHESES
Continuing with our example of absence management, the following
hypotheses could be tested (Burton, Lee and Holtom, 2002):
Hypothesis 1: Ability to attend will be positively related to the frequency of
absenteeism that is attributed to family issues.
Hypothesis 2: Ability to attend will be positively related to the frequency of
absenteeism that is attributed to transportation problems.
Hypothesis 3a): Motivation to attend will be negatively related to the
frequency of absenteeism that is attributed to illness.
Hypothesis 3b): Ability to attend will be positively related to the frequency
of absenteeism that is attributed to illness.
Hypothesis 4: Motivation to attend will be negatively related to the
frequency of absenteeism that results in a failure to notify the organisation.
Note that Hypothesis 3 is split into a) and b), in which a) tests the negative
relation and b) tests the positive relation to that factor.
HYPOTHESES
Hypotheses are never proved or disproved. In a research
study it is normal to either support or reject a hypothesis.
For a hypothesis to be rejected would commonly lead to
the substitution of a new hypothesis that is then either
supported or rejected.
If a hypothesis is supported by the data in your study, it
may later be supported by further studies. Eventually, a
hypothesis that is well supported from multiple sources
may be developed into a well-grounded theory. It could be
that your research is testing, in a different context,
hypotheses from earlier research studies.
Work-alone activity:
HYPOTHESES
Time allowed: 15 minutes preparation
3 minutes feedback
Work-alone activity:
RESEARCH OBJECTIVES
Time allowed: 10 minutes preparation
2 minutes feedback
ETHICAL ISSUES
All research has ethical implications and in this section
some thought should be given to the ethical issues of your
research.
In some areas of research such as research involving
children, medical research, psychological research there
are formal procedures to be followed, and ethical
approval is required from an ethics committee.
If you think your research will address one of these
areas or will include any human- or animal-based
research data that may cause harm, you must indicate
this clearly in the research proposal.
Ethical issues:
Work-alone activity:
SCHEDULING MY DISSERTATION
Preparation for the next learning session
REFLECTION
on the learning points of this lecture
The research proposal is the gateway to your
research.
Develop a clear set of aims and objectives.
If your research warrants it, use research questions
and/or hypotheses.
Consider the ethical implications of your research.