Research Methods

The research process, designing the research question; aims and objectives

• The context of qualitative research.

• Exploratory, descriptive and explanatory research.

• The reflective practitioner.

• Ethical issues.

• Principles of action research, case studies.

• Phenomenology, ethnography and grounded theory.

• Inductive and deductive approaches.

• Action research.

• Data collection and analysis techniques.

• Literature critique and review.

• Qualitative sampling, access, resources.

• Observation, interviews and surveys.

• Cross-sectional and longitudinal studies.

• Triangulation.

• The quantitative paradigm.

• Inferential statistics.

• Introduction to p values.

• Hypothesis testing.

• Confidence intervals.

• Estimation.

• Type I and type II errors.

• Power analysis. 

4000 word essay weighting 100%

Students will be asked to select a research topic from a list and explore:

• The significance and relevance of the research question.

• Relevant qualitative and quantitative approaches.

• Identify and justify an appropriate methodology.