Measures of Central Tendency: Mean, Median and Mode
SaIF - Research journey
1. SaIF – Research Students
The Research Journey
- Do you know your coordinates? -
Presenter:
Dr Muavia Gallie (PhD)
Education Moving Up Cc.
muavia@mweb.co.za
http://muavia-gallie.blogspot.com
http://supervisingwithadifference.blogspot.com
www.slideshare.net
33 Baker Street, Rosebank, 2196
PO Box 5486, Johannesburg, 2000
www.sasol.com
Content
1. Awareness - Navigation Map (3);
2. Research Journey (4-14);
3. Details of RJ: Step 1 - 11 (15-33);
4. System Views (34-35);
5. Supervisory Tracking System (36-41);
Conclusion (42-44).
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Search SaIF - Research Journey
1
2. Awareness Test
Do you know what it takes to
navigate you through your
research?
Do you know the Map?
(Turns, fill up points, slow
down and speed up, etc.)
Research Journey 1
Step 1.
Identify the
Discipline and
Paradigm
2
3. Research Journey 2
Step 1. Step 2.
Identify the Determine the
Discipline and Area of
Paradigm Investigation
Research Journey 3
Step 1. Step 2. Step 3.
Identify the Determine the Identify the
Discipline and Area of Approach
Paradigm Investigation
3
4. Research Journey 4
Step 1. Step 2. Step 3. Step 4.
Identify the Determine the Identify the Conduct the
Discipline and Area of Approach Literature
Paradigm Investigation Review
Research Journey 5
Step 1. Step 2. Step 3. Step 4.
Identify the Determine the Identify the Conduct the
Discipline and Area of Approach Literature
Paradigm Investigation Review
Step 5.
Determine
the Data
Types
4
5. Research Journey 6
Step 1. Step 2. Step 3. Step 4.
Identify the Determine the Identify the Conduct the
Discipline and Area of Approach Literature
Paradigm Investigation Review
Step 6. Step 5.
Choose the Data Determine
Collection the Data
Instruments/ Types
Methods
Research Journey 7
Step 1. Step 2. Step 3. Step 4.
Identify the Determine the Identify the Conduct the
Discipline and Area of Approach Literature
Paradigm Investigation Review
Step 7. Step 6. Step 5.
Identify Choose the Data Determine
Where, When Collection the Data
and Who data Instruments/ Types
will come from Methods
5
6. Research Journey 8
Step 1. Step 2. Step 3. Step 4.
Identify the Determine the Identify the Conduct the
Discipline and Area of Approach Literature
Paradigm Investigation Review
Step 7. Step 6. Step 5.
Identify Choose the Data Determine
Where, When Collection the Data
and Who data Instruments/ Types
will come from Methods
Step 8.
Obtain Ethical
Approval
Research Journey 9
Step 1. Step 2. Step 3. Step 4.
Identify the Determine the Identify the Conduct the
Discipline and Area of Approach Literature
Paradigm Investigation Review
Step 7. Step 6. Step 5.
Identify Choose the Data Determine
Where, When Collection the Data
and Who data Instruments/ Types
will come from Methods
Step 8. Step 9.
Obtain Ethical Data
Approval Collection
6
7. Research Journey 10
Step 1. Step 2. Step 3. Step 4.
Identify the Determine the Identify the Conduct the
Discipline and Area of Approach Literature
Paradigm Investigation Review
Step 7. Step 6. Step 5.
Identify Choose the Data Determine
Where, When Collection the Data
and Who data Instruments/ Types
will come from Methods
Step 8. Step 9. Step 10.
Obtain Ethical Data Analyse the
Approval Collection data
(Findings)
Research Journey 11
Step 1. Step 2. Step 3. Step 4.
Identify the Determine the Identify the Conduct the
Discipline and Area of Approach Literature
Paradigm Investigation Review
Step 7. Step 6. Step 5.
Identify Choose the Data Determine
Where, When Collection the Data
and Who data Instruments/ Types
will come from Methods
Step 8. Step 9. Step 10. Step 11.
Obtain Ethical Data Analyse the Write up
Approval Collection data Findings and
(Findings) Conclusion
(Discussion)
7
8. Step 1 – Identifying the
Discipline and the Paradigm
• Positivist or Post-positivists;
• Interpretivist / Constructivist;
• Pragmatic;
• Transformative
Paradigms
Language commonly associated with major research paradigms
Adapted from Mertens (2005) and Creswell (2003)
Positivist / Post- Constructivist Transformative Pragmatic
• Experimental • Naturalistic • Critical theory • Consequence
• Quasi- • Phenomenological • Neo-Marxist of action
experimental • Interpretivist • Feminist • Problem-
• Correlational • Ethnographic • Critical race theory centred
• Reductionism • Multiple participant • Freirean • Pluralistic
• Theory meanings • Participatory • Real-world
verification • Social and • Emancipatory practice
• Causal Historical • Advocacy oriented
comparative construction • Grand narrative • Mixed models
• Determination • Theory generation • Empowerment
• Normative • Symbolic issue oriented
interaction • Change-oriented
• Interventionist
• Queer theory
• Race specific
• Political
8
9. Step 2 - Determine the Area of
Investigation
• One of the major causes of ‘failure’ in
research projects, is that the student is
attempting to ‘solve the problems of the
world’, rather than focusing on a specific
portion, and making sense of that
portion.
• Is it about “a mile wide, and an inch
deep” or “an inch wide and a mile deep”?
Step 3 - Identify the Approach
For example:
• Historical; • Correlational;
• Descriptive; • Causal-
comparative;
• Feminist;
• Experimental;
• Developmental;
• Quasi-
• Case study; experimental;
• Field study; • Action.
9
10. Step 4 - Conduct the
Literature Review
• To assist you in defining your
Research Problem;
• By defining the problem in the
of literature, you can generate
your Research Question or
Research Issue.
Step 5 - Determine the Data Types
• Quantitative;
• Qualitative;
• Mixture of Qualitative
and Quantitative;
• Mixed Method.
10
11. Mixing Paradigms, Methods and Tools
Paradigm Methods (primary) Data collection tools
(examples)
Positivist/ Post- Quantitative – “Although qualitative • Experiments
methods can be used within this paradigm, • Quasi-experiments
quantitative methods tend to be • Tests
predominant …” (Mertens, 2005, p.12) • Scales
Constructivist Qualitative methods predominate although • Interviews
quantitative methods may also be utilised. • Observations
• Document reviews
• Visual data analysis
Transformative Qualitative methods with quantitative and Diverse range of tools -
mixed methods – “Contextual and historical particular need to avoid
factors described, especially as they relate discrimination, eg. Sexism,
to oppression.” Mertens, 2005, p.9) racism, homophobia.
Pragmatic Qualitative and/or quantitative methods May include tools from both
may be employed. Methods are matched positivist and constructivist
to the specific questions and purpose of paradigms, e.g. interviews,
the research. observations, and testing and
experiments.
Qualitative or Quantitative?
Methodology or Method?
“At one level quantitative and qualitative refers
to distinctions about the nature of knowledge -
how one understands the world and the
ultimate purpose of the research. On
another level of discourse, the terms refer to
research methods – how data are collected
and analysed – and the types of
generalisations and representations derived
from the data.” (McMillan and Schumacher, 2006, p.12)
11
12. Framework for Research Methodology
Strengths and Deficiencies of Different
Research Methods ... 1
Method Strengths Deficiencies
Opinion Suited for research on attitudes, Opinion is not fact, perceptions differ
futures research, can use large from reality. Methodology is subject to
samples, easiest method to use, bias in the survey instrument, and in
and lends itself to many types of biases in the way people respond to
data analysis. Herzberg's work questions. Opinions are unstable over
on hygiene factors and time, and group opinion is difficult to
motivators is an example. capture and analyse.
Empirical Based on facts, not opinions. Only a small number of situations can
Best suited to analysing actual be studied in detail and there is limited
behaviour, fact finding and ability to generalise from these isolated
seeking reality. Gets the cases. It is restricted to the present
researcher involved. Case and and is the most time consuming
field studies provide a rich method. Case research lacks
context for research. experimental design and control. Field
Laboratory studies provide the research has experimental design, but
most control. Can use lack control. Laboratory has
sophisticated techniques such experimental design and control, but
as gaming and simulation. observations may be deficient for
several reasons.
12
13. Strengths and Deficiencies of Different
Research Methods ... 2
Method Strengths Deficiencies
Archival Best suited for analysis of Selective depositing - only certain
data, in documents, historical things are recorded, e.g. the
analysis, gathering hard accomplishments of the dominant group.
evidence, extrapolation of Selective survival - much is lost,
trends, etc. Ability to access unpublished, revised, etc. Selective
a large quantity of hard, often retrieval - subject to bias and sampling
factual information. errors. Filling in the gaps - editorialising.
Analytic There is no need to search for The most abused strategy and the most
additional data and analytic difficult to criticise. Requires a first rate
research is not limited by mental ability that is rare. Can more
existing data. It provides the readily be used to mislead. Often
broadest scope for sloppy. It is subject to logical errors,
imagination and creativity. problems of sematics, etc. Temptation
Best suited for the use of to focus on trivial and irrelevant
logic, philosophy, operation problems. Can only create theory,
research techniques. never proof.
Buckley et al (1976)
Flowchart for Classifying Methodology
13
14. Step 6 - Choose the Data
Collection Instruments/ Methods
• Surveys;
• Interviews;
• Document analysis;
• Observations
• Focus groups;
• Experiments;
• Tests.
Step 7 - Identify Where, When
and Who data will come from
• Developing timeline;
• Determining Who will collect data;
• Developing or identifying data
collection tools;
• Piloting data collection tools;
• Refining data collection tools.
14
15. Step 8 - Obtain Ethical Approval
• Type of approval is
determined by the type
of research you do;
• And where the data are
coming from.
Step 9 - Data Collection
• Storage and management of
data;
• Organising and sorting of data;
• Coding and displaying of data.
15
16. Step 10 - Analyse the data (Findings)
• Thematic analysis; and/or
• Statistics.
• Data analysis may lead to
further data collection.
Step 11 - Write up Findings
and Conclusion (Discussion)
• Return back to the literature prior to start
writing the findings and conclusions;
• Ensure that these are ‘your findings and
conclusions’. If not, indicate them as
supporting and clarifying the findings and
conclusions of other studies;
• Make recommendations for further studies.
16
17. Reference:
• Buckley, J.W., Buckley, M.H. and Chiang, H.
(1976), Research methodology and business
decisions, National Association of Accountants.
• Creswell, J.W. (2003), Research design:
Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods
approaches (2nd ed.), Thousand Oaks, Sage.
• McMillan, J. and Schumacher, S. (2006), Research
in Education (6th ed.), Boston, Pearson Education.
• Mertens, D.M. (2005), Research methods in
education and psychology: Integrating diversity
with quantitative and qualitative approaches (2nd
ed.), Thousand Oaks, Sage.
Hierarchical View
17
18. Spiral View
PhD - 32 Steps to your doctoral degree
Step Core Function Ch Description of the function P-D M-D Weeks Hours % Size
1 Understanding the Adm This step is intended to ensure that the student knows in advance the expectations of the 3 2.0 0.5 6 0.5%
expectations of the programme, as stated in the administrative documents of the university, faculty and/or
programme department.
2 Develop and Agree on Adm This process allows the student and supervisor to agree on delivery timeframes, output 3 2.0 0.5 6 0.5%
delivery expectation by frequency, feedback and response time by supervisor.
student to supervisor
3 Engaging in a conceptual Intro This step is the heart of the planning process for your dissertation. This is a conversation in 6 4.0 1 12 1.0% 18
conversation which you (and, ideally, your supervisor) map out the research proposal for your dissertation.
4 Read through a few well Intro This will allow you to get a sense of the layout, flow and detail necessary to make the pre- 3 2.0 0.5 6 0.5%
crafted research proposals proposal acceptable. (Ensure that you adhere to the required amount of pages per your
research proposal.)
5 Creating the dissertation pre- Intro In this step, you make the key decisions about your dissertation--research question, 3 2.0 0.5 6 0.5% 22
proposal categories of your literature review, data, methods of collecting and analyzing your data,
significance of your study, and what your chapters will be.
6 Approval of the pre-proposal Intro Here's where you talk through your pre-proposal with your supervisor, modifying it as 3 2.0 0.5 6 0.5% 28
by your supervisor necessary. You want to end this conversation with agreement on the elements of your pre-
proposal.
7 Collecting the literature Lit You collect the literature relevant to your project, which you mapped out in your pre-proposal 18 12.1 3 36 3.0% 9
and more.
8 Coding the literature Lit Review, code and make notations of your literature. 30 20.1 5 60 5.0% 8
9 Writing the literature review Lit Create a conceptual schema for the literature review and write the review. 24 16.1 4 48 4.0% 10
10 Writing the research proposal Intro Write the research proposal using your pre-proposal as your guide. 18 12.1 3 36 3.0% 16
11 Review of the research Intro Your supervisor reads and suggests revisions to your research proposal. (During this time, 12 8.0 2 24 2.0% 11
proposal by your supervisor you will continue with work in order to move the dissertation forward.)
12 Revising the research Intro Revise your proposal in line with your supervisor's suggestions. The revisions should not be 6 4.0 1 12 1.0% 19
proposal major because the proposal follows the pre-proposal your supervisor approved earlier.
13 Defending the research Intro If your department requires a defense of your proposal, defend it before your supervisor and 30 20.1 5 60 5.0% 3
proposal members of your committee. (This isn't all time on task but allows time for proposal
committee members to read the proposal.)
14 Obtaining ethical approval Adm Obtaining the approval to collect your data from your faculty's ethical committee. (You can 30 20.1 5 60 5.0% 20
continue with the writing of the literature review chapter while you wait for ethical clearance.)
15 Collecting the data Data Collect your data through whatever method as indicated in your research methodology. 60 40.2 10 120 10.0% 1
16 Transforming the data to Data Transcribe your interviews or run your statistics or do whatever is required to get your data in 60 40.2 10 120 10.0% 2
codable form a form you can work with and analyze.
17 Coding the data Data Code your data based on your research question. 24 16.1 4 48 4.0% 12
18
19. Step Core Function Ch Description of the function P-D M-D Weeks Hours % Size
18 Developing a schema to Data Develop an explanatory schema that explains and captures in an insightful and coherent 6 4.0 1 12 1.0% 21
explain the data way the major pieces of your data.
19 Writing a sample analysis Rec Write a sample section of your analysis--something along the lines of five pages--so that 6 4.0 1 12 1.0% 23
your supervisor can take a look at it and tell you if there are any problems with your
approach. You want to know before you've written up a whole chapter or chapters in that
same way.
20 Review by of the sample Rec Your supervisor reviews and provides feedback on your sample analysis. 6 4.0 1 12 1.0% 29
analysis
21 Writing the findings chapter Rec Write your findings or analysis chapter(s) featuring your explanatory schema. (Based on 72 48.2 12 144 12.0% 4
or chapters assumption that you will have tlhree chapters - 40 hours per chapter.)
22 Writing the final chapters Conc Write the final chapter of your dissertation--the discussion, recommendations and/or 30 20.1 5 60 5.0% 17
conclusion chapter.
23 Transforming the proposal Intro Revise your proposal to turn it into your first chapter or your first three chapters, depending 6 4.0 1 12 1.0% 24
into a chapter or chapters on the format you are using for your dissertation. Also prepare your abstract, table of
and preparing the front contents, acknowledgments, and lists of figures and tables.
matter
24 Editing the chapters Adm Editing all of your chapters for substance and form. 48 32.2 8 96 8.0% 7
25 Review of the dissertation Adm Your supervisor reads the dissertation and makes suggestions for revision. (Of course, you 42 28.1 7 84 7.0% 5
by your supervisor are doing other work during this time, such as formatting the manuscript.)
26 Revising the dissertation Adm Following your supervisor's suggestions, revise the dissertation. 24 16.1 4 48 4.0% 13
27 Approval of the dissertation Adm The final dissertation will be reviewed by a senior colleague in the department, just to 24 16.1 4 48 4.0% 14
by tsomeone in the ensure that the work is on a standard as expected.
department.
28 Making final formatting Adm Make any formatting changes required by the faculty. 6 4.0 1 12 1.0% 25
revisions
29 Review of the dissertation Adm After your supervisor has approved your dissertation, distribute the dissertation to the other 48 32.2 8 96 8.0% 6
by the external committee members of your external review committee and give them two weeks to read it.
30 Defending the dissertation Adm Defend your dissertation. 6 4.0 1 12 1.0% 26
31 Revising the dissertation Adm Complete any revisions your committee wants you to make. 24 16.1 4 48 4.0% 15
32 Submitting the dissertation Adm Submit the dissertation either electronically and/or in hard copy, whichever your department 24 16.1 4 48 4.0% 27
requires.
Total Hours Hrs 1398
Total Weeks (12 hours) Wks 116.5
Total Months (4 weeks) Mths 29.12
5
Total Years (12 months) Yrs 2.427
1hr
Actions Y M W Me Stu Su MEd Full -
et p PhD - Dates Dates
Share copy of administrative requirements with student. 1 1 1 1 6 1 7 13-Mar-12 13-Mar-12
Student consults with family in order to identify the 1 1 1 2 6 1 7
frequency time that will be appropriate to work on thesis. 16-Mar-12 15-Mar-12
Supervisor and student get together to identify the different 1 1 2 3 12 1 13
protocols and sections of the research proposal, and
defense date. 19-Mar-12 17-Mar-12
Student will read Introductory chapters of numerous 1 1 3 4 6 1 7
dissertations (at least 4) in the libraryin the same filed of
study. 25-Mar-12 21-Mar-12
Student submitting the pre-proposal, It only contains detail 1 1 3 6 2 8
of the research questions, the background and importance
of the study, and notations of limited literature. 28-Mar-12 23-Mar-12
Agreement is reached on the pre-proposal. 1 1 4 5 6 1 7 31-Mar-12 25-Mar-12
Collect literature. 1 2 5-7 36 36 03-Apr-12 27-Mar-12
Make notations of literature. 1 2-3 8-12 60 60 21-Apr-12 08-Apr-12
Create schema of literature review. 1 4 13-16 48 48 21-May-12 28-Apr-12
Write the research proposal. 1 5 17-19 36 36 14-Jun-12 14-May-12
Supervisor assess the research proposal, and give 1 5-6 20-21 24 5 29
feedback. 02-Jul-12 26-May-12
Revise the research proposal in line with feedback. 1 6 22 12 2 14 14-Jul-12 03-Jun-12
Research proposal defense. When successful, complete 1 6-7 23-27 60 5 65
the ethical clearance report as soon as possible. 20-Jul-12 07-Jun-12
Ethical clearance for ethical committee. 1 7-8 28-32 60 60 19-Aug-12 27-Jun-12
Collecting of data. 1 9-11 33-42 120 120 18-Sep-12 17-Jul-12
Transcribe the data. 1-2 11-2.1 43-2.4 120 120 17-Nov-12 26-Aug-12
Link data with research question(s). 2 2 5-8 48 48 16-Jan-13 06-Oct-12
19
20. Create schema of data analysis. 2 3 9 12 12 09-Feb-13 22-Oct-12
Write a sample data analysis for supervisor. 2 3 10 12 12
15-Feb-13 26-Oct-12
Supervisor review and give feedback on sample 2 3 11 12 2 14
analysis. 21-Feb-13 30-Oct-12
Write your data chapters. Give drafts to your 2 3-6 12-23 14 6 150
supervisor. 4 27-Feb-13 03-Nov-12
Write your final chapters. Give drafts to your 2 6-7 24-28 14 4 148
supervisor. 4 10-May-13 21-Dec-12
Write your introductory chapter(s). Give drafts to 2 8 29 12 1 13
your supervisor. 09-Jun-13 10-Jan-13
Editing of draft dissertation. 2 8-9 30-37 96 96 15-Jun-13 14-Jan-13
Review and give feedback on draft dissertation. 2 9-11 38-44 84 6 90 02-Aug-13 15-Feb-13
Student revising the feedback and suggestions. 2 12 45-48 48 48 13-Sep-13 15-Mar-13
Review of dissertation by departmental colleague. 3 1 1-4 48 1 49 07-Oct-13 31-Mar-13
Review format of dissertation. 3 2 5 12 12 31-Oct-13 16-Apr-13
Review of dissertation by external review 3 2-4 6-13 96 5 101
committee. 06-Nov-13 21-Apr-13
Defend your dissertation. 3 4 14 12 12 24-Dec-13 23-May-13
Revise your final dissertation in line with advise by 3 4 15 12 12
committee. 30-Dec-13 27-May-13
Submit your dissertation both hard copy and 3 4 16 12 1 13
electronically. 23-Jan-14 12-Jun-13
Supervision Hours 43 16-Feb-14 28-Jun-13
Start with the End in Mind!
Hours per Week Weeks Months Years Completion date
PhD Student 30 46.6 11.7 1.0 15-Feb-13
MEd Full 12 78.1 19.5 1.6 03-Oct-13
MEd Course 12 58.3 14.6 1.2 11-May-13
13-Mar-12 339.79
13-Mar-12 569.15
13-Mar-12 424.73
20
22. Muhammad Ali – Hard Work
“The fight is won or lost far
away from witnesses –
behind the lines, in the
gym, and out there on the
road, long before I dance
under those lights.”
Good Luck or
Hard Work!
Thank You!!
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