Alan Bryman

Social Research Methods

Chapter 4: Planning a research
project and formulating questions

© Alan Bryman, 2016. All rights reserved.

 What is expected of you?

• Most social science degrees require a written

dissertation
• Find out what your own institution requires
– word limit
– format / presentation
– abstract
– referencing system
– deadline

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Bryman: Social Research Methods, 5th edition

 Using your supervisor

• Your supervisor is allocated to you or chosen by you

because of their own fields of research
interest, so they can probably help you to identify
useful research areas

• Almost certainly they will be well versed in the

research process and so can help you at every stage

• Follow their suggestions – they are given in your

best interests
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Bryman: Social Research Methods, 5th edition

 Managing time and resources

• Work out a timetable - start and finish dates for every

stage of research

• Find out about the resources available – if any – for

travel expenses, stationery, photocopying, postage
costs, recording and transcription equipment

• Is software available, such as SPSS or NVivo?

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Bryman: Social Research Methods, 5th edition

 Identifying research questions

• Start thinking about your research early on.

• Totally open-ended research is risky.

• Research questions help to focus your literature

searches, data collection, analysis and writing.

• Make sure your research questions have a clear,

social-scientific angle.
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Bryman: Social Research Methods, 5th edition

 Sources of research questions
(Marx 1997)
• Intellectual puzzles and • Gaps between official
contradictions accounts and facts on the
• Existing literature ground
• Replication • The counter-intuitive
• Structures and functions • Deviant cases and atypical
• Opposition events
• Social problems • New methods / theories
• Personal experience • New social trends
• Sponsors and teachers

Thinking deeply 4.1

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Bryman: Social Research Methods, 5th edition

 Steps in selecting research questions

Figure 4.1
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Bryman: Social Research Methods, 5th edition
 Checklist for a research proposal

 What is the topic; what are the objectives?

 Why is the topic important?
 What are your research questions?
 What does the literature say?
 How will you collect the data?
 Why are these methods appropriate?
 Who will your research participants be, and how will
they be selected?
 Is access required to an organisation?
 What resources will you need?
 What is the timetable?
 What problems do you foresee?
 Are there any ethical problems?
 How will you analyse the data?

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 A few practical hints

• Be aware of safety issues

• Keep a research diary or log book of what you have done
and when
• Keep records of sample recruitment/response rates
• Allow time for transcription
• Familiarize yourself with technical equipment and
computer software packages
• Begin coding as soon as you have some data

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