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Introduction to Research
Learning Objectives
Know the meaning of research and its types.
Identify the process of research.
Distinguish between quantitative and
qualitative research methodologies.
Know the technique to decide a topic for
research.
Create a research topic, aim, objectives and
research questions.



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What is Research?
Systematic investigation to establish facts or
principles or to collect information on a
subject. (Collins English Dictionary)
Careful search or enquiry; endeavour to
discover facts by study or investigation;
course of critical investigation.
(The Little Oxford Dictionary)
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Research:
Is a process of collecting facts (data)
Is systematic
Reviews, questions and synthesises
existing knowledge
Involves analysis
Possibly increases knowledge
Is a combination of all these
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Research is about:
the process (the approach you take)
and
thinking (questioning, synthesis,
analysis, evaluation, criticality)
Types of research
Exploratory:
is usually carried out to gather preliminary information which
will help to determine the research objective rather than
solve the problem.
Descriptive:
will help to gain a clearer understanding of the problem in
more detail.
Predictive:
entails testing a cause and effect association in order to determine
possible outcomes, for example if the price of a product was increased by x
sales may decrease by y.
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The Process of Research
1. Identify your goal
2. Read around the subject
3. Plan your approach
4. Collect your data
5. Analyse your data
6. Discuss your findings
7. Present your findings
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1. Identify your goal
Think of a topic area
Carry out a literature search
Read the material
Focus and refine your topic area
Articulate your research in terms of
aims/objectives/research questions or
hypotheses
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After deciding on your research area you
will need to:
Carry out a systematic literature review
Read and make notes
Structure your literature review
Reference your work
Construct a bibliography
2. Read around the topic
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Which overall approach is appropriate?
Quantitative/qualitative/combination?
What methods will you use?
Questionnaires/interviews/case study etc
Who will be involved?
How will you select them?
3. Plan your approach
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Design your research instrument
Pilot it
Adjust your research instrument
Method of distribution/administration
Sampling
Collection
4. Collect your data
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Quantitative data
Statistical analysis of data perhaps from
questionnaires

Qualitative data analysis
Textual data perhaps from interviews,
texts, focus groups, questionnaire open
questions
5. Analyse your data
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Interpret the data what does it mean?
Discuss the data how does it relate to
the literature you have read? Does it
agree with the theories? Does it
contradict the theories?
What conclusions can you draw?
6. Discuss your findings
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7. Present your findings
Write up your dissertation

Introduction what were you trying to achieve and
why? Research questions?
Literature Review what are the theories/concepts
and models you have based your research on?
Methodology how did you carry out your research,
why did you do it this way and how well did it go?
Findings what did you find out, how does it relate
to the literature?
Conclusions what are your conclusions, have you
answered your research questions?
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Research Methodologies
Two common broad methodologies
Quantitative research
Qualitative research
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Quantitative Research
Associated with a positivist paradigm
(reality is out there)
Empiricist (factual)
Scientific (facts can be observed or
measured)
Objective (researcher can be unbiased)
Imposed (researcher makes decisions)
Often based on hypotheses (can be
tested)
Uses quantitative methods
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Qualitative Research
Associated with a phenomenological
paradigm (how people make sense of the
world)
Constructionist (meanings are constructed
and people are different)
Subjective (researcher is biased)
Interpretivist (researcher interprets
meanings)
Often based on research questions
Uses qualitative methods

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Combined approaches?
Research often does not fall neatly into
either quantitative or qualitative
research
Very often a combination of
methodologies/methods is needed
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Most research is based on concepts,
theories and models
Your research will/should be based on a
concept(s), and on testing and applying
theories and/or models
So what are they?
Concepts, theories & models
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What is a concept?
A word or set of words that expresses a
general idea concerning the nature of
something or the relations between
things, often providing a category for the
classification of phenomena.

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What is a theory?
A theory is a set of interrelated principles
and definitions that present a systematic
view of phenomena by specifying
relationships among variables with the
purpose of explaining natural
phenomena.
e.g. theories of motivation, branding,
learning, business strategy, training etc
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What is a model?
Any simplified abstract of reality.
Physical e.g. a model train
Analogue e.g. a watch
Conceptual e.g. diagrams, maps, graphs,
charts, circuit diagrams, flow charts etc
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Ethical Issues in Research
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Informed Consent
Giving information to the respondents
which is relevant to their decision about
whether to take part
Ensuring that participation is voluntary
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Be Open and Honest about
Your role in the research
The aims of the research
How the participants were selected
What the research involves for participants
The time it will take to complete
What happens to the results

Choosing and Focusing a
Topic
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How do you think of a topic?
Personal experience
Something someone has said
Something you have read
Something you have studied
Something you have not studied
Your career aspirations
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It must be interesting to you
This is the key point.
Motivation rises and falls.
No or little interest to start with, then
difficult to lift that interest should you
encounter problems and a drop in
motivation later on.
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What are the requirements?
Must be in the area of your specialism.
Suitable for the level of study.
Has to be a literature base that explores
a range of associated theories that
underpin the topic.
It must be small and focused enough to
enable you to study something in depth.
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How to narrow your focus
I am interested in human resource management
READ SOME GENERAL HRM TEXTS
I am now interested in management performance and
how managers can be developed to manage more effectively
READ SOME TEXTSBOOKS AND ARTICLES AND SEARCH
THE INTERNET FOR MANAGEMENT PERFORMANCE
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OK, now I know there are lots of ways to improve
management performance and I am most interested in
how appraisals can achieve this
MORE READING ON MANAGEMENT PERFORMANCE
AND APPRAISALS AND THE LINKS BETWEEN THE TWO
(Might even narrow further at this stage)
OK, so I now know I want to look at whether appraisal systems
are effective in improving management performance.
But what type of managers? Where?
DECIDE ON A CONTEXT
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OK, I am on a hospitality course and I want to work in
contract catering. So Ill look at contract catering managers!
But contractors operate in many areas shall I do
Schools? Business? Hospitals?
IS THERE ANYTHING WRITTEN ON THESE SECTORS?
WHICH AM I MORE INTERESTED IN?
I am most interested in schools, so Ill do that.
But there are school contract catering managers all over the
world! How can I narrow this down?
DECIDE ON A LOCATION
Well I am based in Ealing and so Ill look at Ealing schools!
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There are various ways of articulating the
focus of your research:
Title
Aims and Objectives
Research Question(s)
Hypothesis

How do I put all that into words?
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Title should:
Indicate the focus of research
Be short (12 words max)
Be concise
Be interesting
Appraisal systems and management
performance in school contract catering
in Ealing

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The Aim of the Research
An aim is a sentence which clearly
outlines what the intent of the research
is.
The aim of this research is to evaluate
the extent to which appraisal systems
are effective in improving the
performance of contract catering
managers in schools in Ealing.
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Objectives
Objectives are what you will do to help
you achieve your aim - they all begin
with the word To followed by a verb
To identify
To establish
To analyse
To evaluate
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Example
To research theories relating to management
performance and appraisals and the relationship
between these two concepts
To establish what type of appraisal systems are used
in school contract catering companies
To establish how these are designed to improve
performance
To canvas opinion as the efficacy of such appraisal
systems in terms of their design and implementation
To draw conclusion whether appraisal systems in
contract catering in schools in Ealing are in line with
good practice and are effective in improving
management performance
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Research Question
A good research question is one that:
no-one has as yet answered satisfactorily
you want to answer
will sustain your interest
has significance - the answer matters.
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Research Question
A good research question implies:
an explanation of some phenomenon
a relationship between variables
a comparison between variables
prediction
analysis
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Example
RQ1 - What are the theoretical links
between appraisals and management
performance?
RQ2 - What types of management
appraisal systems are used by contract
catering companies in schools in
Ealing?
RQ3 How effective are such appraisal
systems in improving management
performance?
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Hypothesis
Is a proposition about the area that you are
studying and is expressed as a statement of
fact or what you believe to be true.
A good hypothesis is:
Based on current knowledge/understanding
Compares two variables
Can be tested by the collection and analysis
of data.
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Example
Usually phrased as a Null Hypothesis:
Appraisal systems used by contract
caterers in schools in Ealing have no
effect on management performance
If we find evidence that appraisals do
have an effect we find in favour of
the Alternative Hypothesis:
Appraisal systems do have an impact on
management performance
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But which of these do I need?
All research needs a TITLE
Good to use AIMS AND OBJECTIVES
as they help to clarify what you are
doing step by step.
Then choose either a RESEARCH
QUESTION or HYPOTHESIS (most
research better articulated as research
questions).
Reference
Veal, A. J (1997) Research Methods for
Leisure and Tourism A Practical
Guide, 2
nd
Ed, Harlow:FT Prentice Hall
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