Foundation Course at Beijing Foreign Studies University drawn from Saunders et al

1. Slide 1.1

2. Slide 1.2
What is research?
What does research mean to you? Write down some ideas, notes or definition.
Share these with the people around you ...

3. Slide 1.3
What is research?
Tongue in cheek definition:
“Research is … about: proving your pet theory … is done by academics … is
about establishing the facts … is objective … is about justifying what your
funder wants to do … can prove anything you want … is time consuming …
is scientific…is removed from reality … can not change anything”.
Blaxter, Highes & Tight (2001 p.4)

4. Slide 1.4
What is research?
 “Research is the investigation of an idea, subject or topic for a purpose. It enables the
researcher to extend knowledge or explore theory. It offers the opportunity to investigate an
area of interest from a particular perspective.”
 “investigation and discovery. An opportunity to investigate a theory that requires further
interpretation and greater understanding.”
 “A rigorous enquiry about an area which is of interest for various reasons, e.g. it may be an
area about which little is known, or an area which is causing concern.”
 “Discovery, finding out, study, looking in depth, investigation, reaching new ideas /
conclusions.”
 “The term research is for me a way of describing a systematic investigation of a phenomenon
or are of activity. It can sometimes be accurately measured scientifically or data collected can
be analysed and compared to identify trends, similarities or differences”.

5. Slide 1.5
What is research?
 “Research is the investigation of an idea, subject or topic for a purpose. It enables the
researcher to extend knowledge or explore theory. It offers the opportunity to investigate
an area of interest from a particular perspective.”
 “investigation and discovery. An opportunity to investigate a theory that requires further
interpretation and greater understanding.”
 “A rigorous enquiry about an area which is of interest for various reasons, e.g. it may be an
area about which little is known, or an area which is causing concern.”
 “Discovery, finding out, study, looking in depth, investigation, reaching new ideas /
conclusions.”
 “The term research is for me a way of describing a systematic investigation of a phenomenon
or are of activity. It can sometimes be accurately measured scientifically or data collected can
be analysed and compared to identify trends, similarities or differences”.
Clough & Nutbrown 2007 p. 6

6. Slide 1.6
Module Objectives
On successful completion of the module you should be able to engage in a
considered process of research within an academic and business context.
With reference to the above aim you should be able to:
Define a research process (from construction of research question
through to reporting of findings)
Understand the differences between qualitative and quantitative
research methods
Appreciate what these methods can (and can not) offer to a deliberate
process of inquiry
Deploy these methods in a business context
Report on your findings in a coherent and consistent fashion


7. Slide 1.7
In addition, you should be able to demonstrate your personal ability to
engage with academic sources to support your research investigation(s).
With reference to the above aim you should be able to:
Identify key (academic) sources for your subject discipline / area of
research
Undertake a systematic literature review on a given topic in your
subject area
Appreciate the key arguments in the literature and be aware of its
strengths (and limitations) in an academic context
Summarise academic papers in order to convey meaning and develop
an argument
Apply academic insight to a ‘real world’ problem

8. Slide 1.8
Why is this module important?
Chat with your neighbour about why you think this module
may be important to you ...
For example,
Who does research?
What do they research?
Why? (What are they seeking to find out?)

9. Slide 1.9
Teaching Approach
Core Lectures over 16 weeks
Presentation of ideas / Sharing of thoughts / Discussion of
practice
Key Readings
Quick Quizzes – to test your understanding (but no marks)
Engagement in a Research Project (40%)
Supported by your ‘Research Scrapbook’
Thinking about YOUR Research Practice (30%)
Writing about this in your Wiki
Examination (30%)

10. Slide 1.10
Research Project (40%)
Working in groups of 8 students (allocated by myself) you will engage in a
piece of research that draws on the ‘quantitative’ and ‘qualitative’
dimensions.
For Example: “Examine the luxury car market within Beijing to identify the
market segment of the key players and determine the satisfaction of their
owners (or principal users)”
Complete a ‘research scrapbook’ during the course (i.e. NOT at the end !)
Present a 15 min. Presentation on the key findings
Group Mark is 40% of the module

11. Slide 1.11
Think about this now
How would you go about conducting this research project?
What are the important considerations that you would need
to think about?
Discuss this in groups 3-4 people and be prepared to share
your ideas

12. Slide 1.12
Thinking about research (30%)
At FIVE key stages in the research process I want you to deliberately
consider A) what you are doing, B) why this is important and C) how you
could develop your practice.
5 key stages:
Note taking &/or idea generation
Reviewing the Literature
Data gathering approaches
Data analysis techniques
Presenting your findings
Each entry can be up to 1,000 words long (plus diagrams, tables etc.)
I will look at TWO of these and award a mark. Each counts as 15% of the
module mark.

13. Slide 1.13
Thinking About Research: What does good look
like?
EXCELLENT: You have linked in your thoughts on the ‘theories’ with YOUR
practice for YOUR research project. You supplement the entry with
EVIDENCE of practice
VERY GOOD: Further thoughts on how to deploy this are drawn from your
guided (and independent) READING.
GOOD: You have explained WHY this is important.
ADEQUATE: You have TOLD ME about the importance of this stage
FAIL: Not completed the entry on time, copying a colleagues work, not
addressing the topic of the entry, failing to convey the importance and
meaning of the topic

14. Slide 1.14
Examination (30%)
50 Multiple Choice Questions (total 50 marks)
You will have seen at least 25 of these questions in the Quick Quizzes
10 Short Answer Questions (total 50 marks)
You will have seen at least 5 of these questions in the Quick Quizzes

15. Slide 1.15
Example of a Multiple Choice Question ...
What can pilot studies be used for?
 A As a way of getting to know Pilots
 B Any problems can be adjusted
 C B,D and E
 D To check standardised procedures
 E To test your design

16. Slide 1.16
Example of a Short Answer Question
What type of interview would you use in each of the following situations:
A) market research project?
B) a research report seeking to understand whether university student
attitudes have changed?
C) following the analysis of a questionnaire?

17. Slide 1.17
Example of a Short Answer Question
What type of interview would you use in each of the following situations:
A) market research project? Standardised and structured interview to
develop response patterns.
B) a research report seeking to understand whether university student
attitudes have changed? An exploratory approach to research therefore in-
depth approach would be most appropriate.
C) following the analysis of a questionnaire? An exploratory approach to
data collection therefore semi-structured interview would be most
appropriate.

18. Slide 1.18
A Guide to the next 15 weeks
Individual Research Skills: Note Taking
Individual Research Skills: Reviewing the Literature
Individual Research Skills: Writing it up
Research process and process of researching
Clarifying the research topic
Critically reviewing literature
Qualitative methods
Quantitative methods
Analyzing qualitative date
Analyzing quantitative data
Writing up research project

19. Slide 1.19
Some important dates !
Week 3 (20th
/ 21st
Sept) Wiki Entry on “Note taking &/or idea generation”
Week 5 (11th
/12th
Oct) Wiki Entry on “Reviewing the Literature”
Week 10 (15th
/16th
Nov) Wiki Entry on “Data gathering approaches”
Week 12 (29th
/30th
Nov) Wiki Entry on “Data analysis techniques”
Week 14 (13th
/14th
Dec.) Wiki Entry on “Peer Presentations”
Week 11 (22nd
/23rd
Nov) Practice presentations on your research (focus on
the topic background, objectives, design, methods etc.)
Week 14 Group presentations (& submission of the group project)

20. Slide 1.20
“there is no one best way for undertaking all research”
Saunders et al. (2009)