Basics of Research Defined: Research Problem Selected: Do you know how to Develop your Research Design and Methodology? James & Slater (2014)

1. Writing Your Doctoral Dissertation
or Thesis Faster
A Proven Map to Success
by E. Alana James and Tracesea Slater
Do You Know How To Develop Your Research
Design and Methodology?

3. Research Design: Part 1

4. • Explanation of topic
• Discussion of the context for the study
• Links or references to previous research
• Theory or point of view
• Rationale for the importance of the problem
Each and every one of these subheadings offer you an excuse
for continuing to tease out your ideas in your research journal.

5. Research Design: Part 2
• The logic of the design
• Questions and/or
hypotheses
• The methodological
model to be employed
• Scope
• Procedure(s) for data
collection
• Data analysis
techniques
• Statistical and narrative
analyses
• Limitations
• Contribution or
significance
• Conclusion

6. Interaction between parts
of the research design

8. Methods Versus Methodology
Sort the articles you read into a table focused on methods / methodologies
Reference Methodology Methods
Finkelstein, L. M., Allen, T. D., &
Rhoton, L. A. (2003). An
Examination of the Role of Age
in Mentoring Relationships.
Group Organization
Management, 28(2), 249-281.
Mixed Methodology Quantitative surveys backed up with a
variety of qualitative: observational data,
interviews, etc.
Godshalk, V. M., & Sosik, J. J. (2000).
Does Mentor-Protégé
Agreement on Mentor
Leadership Behavior Influence
the Quality of a Mentoring
Relationship? Group
Organization Management,
25(3), 291-317.
First separated paired mentoring teams
into 3 classifications and then surveyed
regarding transformational qualities of
mentors
Quantitative: multivariate analysis of
variance
Dingus, J. E. (2008). "I'm Learning the
Trade": Mentoring Networks of
Black Women Teachers. Urban
Education, 43(3), 361-377.
Qualitative comparative case studies
examining mentoring networks
Interviews and qualitative surveys

9. Turning Ideas into Methodology
• Research framework consists of many parts, each dependent
on the logic of the sections before it
• Charting your ideas can help you assess logical development
and the strength of your research design
• Compare your ideas to model dissertations for points of
comparison

11. Considerations of Purpose
• Personal and professional purposes
• Your purpose must align with the desires of stakeholders to
ensure you have the permissions needed to complete your
study
• Purpose is your reason for going forward with 1) this
particular research design and 2) in this particular context
• It is also the reason that participants may feel compelled to
participate and give you data
• Your purpose needs to align with the methods you will be
using

12. Creating a Problem Statement

13. • A Problem statement should be specific and brief (no
more than ½ page long. A good problem statement:
– Demonstrates the problem’s importance with a
compelling opening statement
– Explains the problem in the perspective of the
larger field of study
– Shows how the problem generalizes to or across
other issues/fields
– Limits the problem through its focus in/on your
study
– Is brief Gives the reader a perspective on the whole
study being proposed
– Sets the time frame and scope of the project
(Krathwohl & Smith, 2005, p. 49)

14. Stage 2 of Developing Research Questions

15. • Look at your research questions again in
light of your recent research design work
• Think about your instruments and/or
interview protocols and how well they
will work toward answering your
research questions
• If appropriate (quantitative research),
develop a hypothesis and examine your
research questions and instruments in
light of this hypothesis

16. An excerpt from ‘Writing Your Doctoral Dissertation
or Thesis Faster’
Click here to see it on Amazon

17. Where Should I Go to Dig Deeper?
Suggested Resources to Consider
• Creswell, J. W. (2002). Educational research: Planning, conducting, and evaluating quantitative
and qualitative research. London: Pearson Education. Pages 75 through 80 go in-depth and
with great detail into the audience identification, explanation of deficiency of evidence,
guidelines, justification for and writing strategies of problem statements.
• Creswell, J. W. (2009). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods
approaches (3rd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. Pages 112 though 126 gives several examples
and a detailed discussion of purpose statements specifically targeted to a number of
particular methodological formats.
• Herr, K., & Anderson, G. L. (2005). The action research dissertation: A guide for students and
faculty. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. The only book to date that considers constraints of action
research for dissertations and thesis development.
• Krathwohl, D. R., & Smith, N. L. (2005). How to prepare a dissertation proposal: Suggestions for
students in education and the social and behavioral sciences (1st ed.). Syracuse, NY: Syracuse
University Press. Part 2, pages 45 through 118 offer another in-depth look at the logics behind
these same methodological design considerations.

18. • Maxwell, J. A. (2005). Qualitative research design: An interactive approach (2nd ed.).
Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. Gives a good overview of various types of qualitative research
methodologies.
• Maxwell, J. A. (2012). A realist approach for qualitative research. Thousand Oaks: SAGE. Two
excellent resources by one of the acknowledged great authors on qualitative research
design.
• Piantanida, M., & Garman, N. B. (1999). The qualitative dissertation: A guide for students and
faculty. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press. Chapters 3, 4, and 5 cover similar design
considerations from other angles and with more depth. This is an excellent secondary
resource for consideration.
• Robson, C. (2002). Real world research: A resource for social scientists and practitioner-researchers
(2nd ed.). Oxford, UK: Blackwell Publishers. Pages 79 through 220 discuss
methodological-design issues for social sciences and practical research in detail. General
designs, fixed designs, flexible designs, and those for a particular purpose are all covered.

19. • Thomas, R. M. (2003). Blending qualitative and quantitative research methods in theses and
dissertations. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press. Pages 100 through 145 outline several
specific types of studies targeted to fulfill a variety of social science issues. Included are
evaluating teaching, political marketing, ESL curriculum, juvenile delinquents lifestyles,
cheating, conducting a public opinion poll, and so forth.
• Weiss, C. H. (1998). Evaluation: methods for studying programs and policies (2nd ed.). Upper
Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall. Outlines the specific research methodology appropriate to
study a program or a policy that has already been implemented and is ready for review.