research skills pocket lecture - how to write a research proposal
TRANSCRIPT
What we will review today (briefly)
Literature review ◉ How to narrow
your literature review
◉ Merge theory and context
Research gap ◉ How to find the
research gap ◉ How to write
about the research gap
Methodology ◉ How to design
your research ◉ How to write your
methodology
The topic: the general area under study
Literature review
Research opportunity What is known and not known
about the topic already?
Your specific study
Research question
Research aim
Research objectives
Remember the research funnel?
Source: Adapted from Roberts, 2010
“
A literature review contains information, ideas, data and evidence; it is a selection of
available documents on the topic and you should evaluate them
critically
(Fisher and Buglear, 2010)
Your topic and
purpose
the impact of interior design on health and well being
Interior design
Health
Ergonomics
Materials
Interior design in different eras
1. Know the basics first (Main theories? Main frameworks?)
Interior design (main authors, main theories, main frameworks?)
Health and design; health and interior design
Ergonomics + Ergonomics and interior design
Materials; materials and interior design
2. From the basics, ask yourself questions related to your research topic and purpose
What is related to your topic
What is not related to your topic What is not related to
your topic
What is related to your topic
1. Know the basics first (Main theories? Main frameworks?) 2. From the basics, ask yourself questions related to your
research topic and purpose
Colour has an impact in interior design and in health (colour psychology) Different cultures give different meanings to colours Opportunity to research colour in interior design in different cultures and its effect in well being (e.g. anxiety, etc.)
Think about the context ◉ In which context can you
apply the theory? ◉ What is the purpose of
your research?
Points to remember when looking at your assignment 1 feedback…
Think about the theory ◉ What are the theories that
could support your study in that context?
◉ Think about main theories, main frameworks
Think about your research purpose
◉ What do you want to know?
◉ What is the purpose of your research?
◉ Look at your conceptual map for help
“
Research gap is the opportunity to research something; it is the missing part of the existing
literature
http://mypages.iit.edu/~aroback/research_paper/topic/topic2.html
Colour has an impact in interior design and in health (colour psychology) Different cultures give different meanings to colours Opportunity to research colour in interior design in different cultures and its effect in well being (e.g. anxiety, etc.)
Writing the research gap
◉ Explain the main issues, ideas, concepts and frameworks identified in the literature review
◉ Explain how they relate to each other
◉ Explain that there is a need to research the area that you’ve identified as an opportunity (lack of research in this area, importance for contemporary studies in Design Management, etc.)
◉ Ask the research question
“
The research question will guide the study and it provides
structure for the presentation of the results of the research
(Roberts, 2010, p136)
Framing the research question
◉ Clear and objective concepts and variables
◉ They are open-ended questions
◉ It should come from your research opportunity
◉ The key elements from your research question should be in your literature review / it should make sense!
1. How can colour in interior design reduce anxiety of young adults in the UK?
https://cirt.gcu.edu/research/developmentresources/tutorials/question
Framing the research question
◉ How can colour in interior design reduce anxiety of young adults in the UK?
HOW Understand Explain Explore Discover… The other elements of the RQ should appear in
your literature review and research gap
http://www.socscidiss.bham.ac.uk/research-question.html
“
The research aim should be clear and concise; it is an intention, aspiration, what you hope to
achieve at the end of the project
Framing the research aim
◉ What will be done (outcome), who is it for (beneficiaries) and why it needs to be done (purpose)
What is the potential research outcome?
◉ This is not what you expect from your results, this is what you expect from your research
◉ What you hope your research will achieve
Framing the research aim
To _____________ ______________ _________ ____________ ________________ (verb) (outcome) (verb) (beneficiaries) (purpose)
To develop a set of design guidelines to help interior designers to design spaces that could reduce anxiety in young adults (verb) (outcome) (verb) (beneficiaries) (purpose)
“
Research objectives are goals/steps; they are specific statements that define measurable outcomes
http://learn.solent.ac.uk/mod/book/view.php?id=2744&chapterid=1293
Framing the research objectives
To… Identify Classify Understand Make recommendations Explore Explain Comprehend Outline
…something
Something specific that should fit your research aim and research question
Methodology The methodology comes after the research gap and the identification of the research question
3
The topic: the general area under study
Literature review
Research opportunity What is known and not known
about the topic already?
Your specific study
Research question
Research aim
Research objectives
Remember the research funnel?
Source: Adapted from Roberts, 2010 Methods
“
The methodology proposes your data collection methods; this
should be related to your research objectives and aims
Data collection methods
◉ Observations, focus groups, interviews, surveys and questionnaires, analysis of archival material (Desk analysis) and case study
◉ How do they fit your research objective?
◉ What are the implications from your chosen method? (e.g. ethics, etc.?)
◉ You may want to explore the problem first through secondary research and then do primary research => depends on your objectives
Objectives Description Method
Objective 1
Objective 2
Objective 3
Your turn
To understand the types of colour application in interior design
Case study analysis of colour application in young adults’ bedrooms
Tips to write the methodology
◉ Merge your research objectives with the chosen methods ◉ Explain why the methods fit the objectives ◉ Consider the limitations and the implications of the chosen methods ◉ Do you need to consider ethics? How are you going to access the data?
◉ Don’t forget: Consider the strategy analysis of your data. How are you going to analyse it? How does it fit within your research? ◉ Write a plan
(what?) Packaging designed using unsustainable materials is becoming
a major issue for multinational brands (why?) that exacts an enormous
toll on the planet’s natural resources. Understanding the causes of this
escalation, thus, is an imperative research agenda. This research,
(when?) to be carried out in summer 2015, will survey (who?) a sample
of 30 – 55 year old health and beauty product consumers (where?) in
Hampshire, UK. (how?) It will use a qualitative approach, combining
focus groups and in-depth interviews to identify consumer
perceptions of these issues.
Source: Rudestam and Newton (2007)
Using who, what, why, when, where and how?
Data analysis
◉ How are you going to analyse your data? ◉ For that, you need to know the main frameworks from the literature review
◉ Go back to your conceptual map ◉ What are the main theories? ◉ What are the important elements for your research? ◉ What are the important factors for your research?
Objectives Description Method Analysis
Objective 1
Objective 2
Objective 3
Your turn
To understand the types of colour application in interior design
Case study analysis of colour application in young adults’ bedrooms
Visual analysis of colour application; looking for colour saturation, pigment, etc.
Tips to design your research
◉ You could link methods and the objectives using the Double-Diamond framework for research
RESEARCH PROBLEMS STATEMENT There is a rising popularity of social media that might help local brands to enable two-way communication with customers worldwide (Gensler et. al., 2013). However, the idea of using social media as a powerful brand communication tool is still being underestimated; almost half of brand professionals did not feel they had the ability to use social media effectively other than just as a marketing tool (Interbrand, 2012).
POTENTIAL OUTCOME A design-led strategy and framework that use social media as a platform, in order to improve local brand’s online customer engagement in order to build long-term relationship with their customers and enhance local brand’s online presence and experience.
CREATION IDEA DEVELOPMENT
PRIMARY RESEARCH DISCOVERIES
IN-DEPTH RESEARCH
DEFINE
Literature search and review
Contextual analysis
Customer Survey
Case studies Focus groups
Brand owner questionnaire Expert interviews Framework
development
Follow up interviews Framework
finalisation
AIM To create a strategic design-led framework for local brands using social media as a platform in order to get global customers to build long-term relationship with them.
METHODOLOGY
KEY RESEARCH QUESTION How can local brands maximise the use of social media in order to be well received in multiple countries and get the customers to build long-term relationship with them?
OBJECTIVES 1 To study factors that affect brand-customer relationship & review existing branding strategies that influence customer loyalty. 2 To compare and contrast the level of local brands’ current online presence as compared to its physical retail presence. 3 To discover challenges that local brands currently face upon communicating their brands within the social media during the customer journey experience. 4 To investigate the key variables that different range of social media platforms have, and identify opportunities and barriers that social media might have as a brand communication tool for local brands.
Soucrce: Adapted from Wikimedia Commons, Shelley Graves and Elegant Themes
Adapted from Irene Wikanta 2013
Your turn Research problem statement
Key research question
Aim
Objectives
Methodology
Potential outcome