Business

Business

The key components are:

m A description of the research problem.

m An argument as to why that problem is important.

m A review of literature relevant to the research problem.

m A description of the proposed research methodology.

m A description of how the research findings will be used

and/or disseminated.

DESCRIBING A RESEARCH

PROBLEM

34

Empirical Research Methodology

Hypotheses

Specific research hypotheses to be

tested during data analysis.

Research Design

Should the researcher plan to use several

groups, or repeated testing to test

particular hypotheses this should be

explained in this section. Most research

methodology text books discuss the more

commonly used research designs.

Sampling

Empirical research almost always

depends upon a sample which is assumed

to accurately represent a population.

Therefore, the techniques by which the

sample was chosen are vital to a

discussion the validity of the research

findings.

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Empirical Research Methodology (cont.)

Measurement instruments

When particular measurement

instruments are used it is often

important to explain how those

instruments were developed, where

they have previously been used (if at

all), and to what effect.

Data collection procedures

Detailed data collection procedures

should also be included so that other

researchers can replicate your method

exactly if required.

Data analysis

Various techniques of quantitative and

qualitative data analysis exist and

should be described in detail in this

section.

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Emergent Research Methodology

Emergent research methodologies are useful

when the research topic is a very new one

and no established and tested

methodologies exist. In these cases the

researcher might choose to begin with some