Research Methodology Essay: Approaches, Designs, And Data Collection Methods.

Write a report on research methodology.

Research methodology refers to a systematic way to bits of help in identifying techniques and processes that can be used in information collection and analysis. Research methodology deals with the procedure that helps a researcher to proceed in the study and explaining different methods used in the research. However, research methodology evaluates different concepts and theories that have been included in the research. A particular research needs to follow a specific approach to complete the entire study. The utilization of theories and concepts helps the researcher in conducting the research in a specific manner. The selected methods have been related to data collection methods and analysis represented in below sections.  This section consists of various subsections including approach, and design, Data collection method, sampling method, data analysis method and ethical considerations.  All subsections have been discussed respectively with proper justification for its selection in the research.

Research methods are the strategies and techniques that are used by the researcher to proceed in the research study. This can be of various types including observation, face-to-face interviews, Survey, Questionnaires and case studies. This research has selected interview as research methods.

Interviews have been carried out with a person in face-to-face mode or using telephonic round. Interviews can be held at offices or their homes. Therefore, it is important for the interviewee for speaking freely about the particular issue and determined questions (Brinkmann 2014). The interviewer might adopt an informal or formal approach for the interview. This help to provide a comfortable environment for the interviewee to speak freely on an issue or desired questions. A semi-structured approach has been enabling interviewee for speaking relatively at same time help researcher for ensuring certain issues have been covered. However, while conducting an interview, the research has to create a checklist or a form for recording all questions to be asked to the interviewee. This might even take a form of questionnaire need to be asked during the interview (McCusker and Gunaydin 2015). Therefore, taking notes have been important for maintaining the flow of conversation. It has been difficult for paying attention to non-verbal aspects of communications. Therefore, it becomes important for the researcher to make records of answers provided by the interviewee.

An interview refers to conversation for collecting data and information of the research. Therefore, a research interview include an interviewer, who helps in coordinating process of the conversation and asks questions, an interviewee, who used to responds to questions. Interviews have been conducted over face-to-face or telephonic (Brown and Stowers 2013). Interviews are the best way to collect in-depth data and knowledge regarding the research topic. This is helpful when topic is related any issues requiring complex questioning and probing.

There are three types of interviews including Structured, semi-structured interviews and unstructured interviews.

Structured interviews: The interviewer used to ask a set of standard and some predetermined questions related to research topic. The interviewer might help in providing clarification on some of the questions.

Semi-structured interviews: The interviewer uses a set of predetermined questions in the semi structured interviews (Mitchell and Jolley 2013). The respondents have to answer them in own words. Some interviewers used to select a topic guide and helps in creating checklist for ensuring all respondents have been providing information on same topics. Semi-structured interviews are used when there is a need of collecting in-depth information and data in a proper way from number of respondents.

Research Approach

Unstructured interviews: In this type of interview, the interviewers do not have any guidelines and predetermined questions (Leedy and Ormrod 2013). The interviewer used to ask some broad questions for engaging respondents in an open and informal discussions. The interviewer probes with proper questions and explore various inconsistencies for gathering in-depth information on the topic. Unstructured interviews have been useful for getting stories behind experiences of respondents. It has been based on quantifiable approach and observation which deals with the statistical analysis of gathered data and information (Taylor, Bogdan and DeVault 2015). It includes differences between human and social factors. However, this research philosophy deals with the integration of social life and social science. It has been found that the use of positivism have helped in developing a hypothesis for the research and found a scientific approach to it (McCusker and Gunaydin 2015). The selection of interview approach has helped the researcher in testing and identifying research questions.  

Research approach focuses on the plan prepared for conducting the research. It helps in providing details about research plan. There are three types of research approach including deductive, inductive and adductive approach. The deductive research approach focuses on the dissection of the data and hypothesis that might be required by the research (Panneerselvam 2014). Researches based on deductive approach mainly focuses on hypothesis, theory and observations of ideas. However, inductive researches do not involve the formulation of hypothesis. In a deductive approach, a hypothesis has been created and analyzed properly. Therefore, inductive research approach used to be applied in the researches that depend on research objectives and questions. The inductive approach deals with new theories and concepts that are related to the research topic (Choy 2014).  This research has been depended in the exiting research theories and concepts. There is no use of new theories and concepts related to a research topic. Therefore, deductive research approach will be used in the research. Deductive research approach will be selected in the research. The research topic has been depended on the factors and existing theories and concepts. Inductive research used to depend on new theories and concepts.  Therefore, it has not been selected in the research.

Research design has been an important aspect of the study. It has been helping in identifying the set of processes and methods for the collection of measurable data and information related to the research. It has been defined as a systematic way of conducting a research study (McCusker and Gunaydin 2015). The utilization of theories and concepts helps the researcher in conducting the research in a specific manner. The selected methods have been related to data collection methods and analysis represented in below sections. The identification of research design has been appropriate for proper guidance of data collection method. There have been three types of research designs including descriptive, explanatory and exploratory designs. The exploratory design helps in focusing on the exploration of new concepts and ideas related to the research topic. IT helps in exploring various aspects of the study (Al 2013). However, it does not help in reaching a final conclusion from an analysis of the data and information collected from the sources. The explanatory research design helps in focusing on explaining different concepts and ideas of the research topic (Brown and Stowers 2013).

Research Design

Data Collection methods have been helping in formulating answers of research questions. There have been two types of data collection method including primary and primary data collection method.

Primary data collection method: Primary data collection deals with raw data related to the topic of the research. There have been various approaches of primary data collection method including questionnaire, surveys, observations and interview (Chandra and Sharma 2013). Interviews for primary data collection can be performed in a telephonic manner.

Primary data collection method: It is a method of data collection from primary sources including online books, journals and articles. Therefore, there is a huge opportunity for the researcher to collect a lot of information from the primary method of data collection (Leedy and Ormrod 2013). However, information and data collected from these primary sources can be reliable but cannot be valid. The primary data collection has been a favorable method for the researcher as it provides the huge number of information regarding research topic.

Data Collection Method selected for research has been primary data collection method. The researcher will use a primary source of data collection. The entire research will depend upon data collection related to the research topic (Mitchell and Jolley 2013). Interview has been selected for the data collection method. Face to face interview will be conducted by the researcher to gather information. Quantitative data analysis has been focused on the primary data collection method. The main objective of the quantitate data analysis so that it quantifies data. The analysis has been done using a certain phenomenon. Therefore, the sample size is required for performing a quantitative data collection method. Quantitative data analysis deals with the testing hypothesis and provides a future prediction.  The use of quantitative analysis has been restricted by classification of rules and numbers. Therefore, this has been wide ranged and multi-faced (Brannen 2017). Quantitative data analysis cannot be used in generalizing populations. The quantitative data analysis has been dealing with close-ended questions and gathered information are statistically analysed using SPSS and regression. However, the selection of appropriate data analysis used to do based on the requirements the research. However, in this study, the researcher has selected quantitative data analysis method.

The sampling method is a process by which participants can be selected from the population. The population is referred to as the overall total number of journals selected. A sample size is an accurate number of participants that are selected for the data collection from total population. Sampling has been done using random non-probability sampling method. Sampling has been done based on answers provided by the total population. Interview has been conducted using three managers of the management company.  

Data Analysis method has been classified into two types of qualitative and quantitative data analysis method. Qualitative data analysis is a method by which data cannot be quantified. Qualitative data analysis helps in following a range of procedures and processes that have been based on the classification of objects based on their properties and matters (Novikov and Novikov 2013). Data used to be collected in small and unrepresentative samples in an unstructured manner in qualitative data analysis. Open-ended questions are used during the data collection process in qualitative data analysis. However, qualitative data analysis has been focused on non-statistical data (Salaberry and Comajoan 2013).

Data Collection Methods

Quantitative data analysis has been selected in this research. Quantitative data analysis method has been depended on the primary data collection method. Interviews will be done with managers of management companies. There will be three themes created based on the objectives of the research. (Brannen 2017). The research has been based on the primary data collection method.  Therefore, the use of primary qualiitative data analysis method has been justified.

Different types of researches have to follow their ethical guidelines and values included by academic councils. There have been various ethical considerations followed by the research in order to maintain the positive impact of the research study. The privacy and confidentiality of the data and information of the research have been kept secure.  The confidentiality of participants of the survey has been secured using the Data Protection 1998 (Bernard 2017). It is the responsibility of the researcher to maintain the privacy of all data and information of the research until the completion of the research. Therefore, there will be no publication of the outcomes and results of the research until it is completed. It has been essential for taking permission of the participants before conducting a survey for data collection. However, all participants have been set free to leave the study at any point of time. Their personal data and information have been kept secret and not shared with anyone without their permission (Punch 2013). The transparency of data and information have been kept in the research. No data and information have been changed or tampered during data analysis.The use of proper research resources has helped in maintaining a keen approach to the development of the research.

Interviews have been an important part of the data a collection method. The use of the interview has been helpful in maintaining a keen approach to the data collection method. The advantage of organizing interview has been mentioned in the report. The interview helps in ensuring valid answers form the officials of the company. The use of interview has been already validated as these answers have been provided by top officials of the companies. It helps in getting a deeper understanding of the research topic and questions asked in the interview (Chandra and Sharma 2013). It also helps in generating quick assessment report based on the interview questions asked in the interview. During the face-to-face interview, it becomes helpful in quickly assessing the attitude of the interviewee. It also helps in getting validated answers to form the interviewee as it is face-to-face. It also helps in enabling broad data collection form interviewee and for the research. The time taken for the interview helps in maintaining a broad approach towards the attitude of the interviewee. A good communication in the interview helps in the proper organization of the interview.

However, with all these benefits, there are some limitations to these interviews. As argued by Novikov and (Novikov 2013), a qualitative interview relies on the respondent’s ability to know about the research topic. The mental condition and attitude of the respondent have been an important factor for quality answers during the interview.

There have been various limitations in the research. Generally, limitations have been detected in the data collection method. The research has selected primary data collection method.  Therefore, data has been collected from interviews. Budget and time have been major limitations for the research. The time frame provided for the research has been less in order to complete with proper results. Financial problem has been faced by the researcher.  Therefore, advanced tools for analyzing gathered data have not been used. It has been difficult to get an appointment with managers of the company due to their busy schedule.

Conclusion

This section deals with various tools and techniques utilized for the completion of the research within the deadline. There has been proper identification of tools and techniques that are essential for planning the research. The descriptive design has been selected as a research design in the study. Therefore, the sample size is required for performing the quantitative data collection method. Quantitative data analysis deals with a testing hypothesis and provides a future prediction.

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