Introduction Research Methodology

Hans van der Zwan

2020-02-10

Research Methodology

  • The Research process
  • Empirical cycle
  • Theses topics
  • Some dos and don’ts

Structure

Structure paper/research project/master thesis: 5 chapters

Research papers: Some examples

Good example
Example
Guidline for quantitative research paper

Few words about APA style

  • More than references
  • Paper Structure
  • Text layout
  • Lay-out of figures and tables
  • Reporting results statistical analysis

Guidlines APA style

  • American Psychological Association. (2020). Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (7th ed.). Washington, DC: Author.
  • Website1
  • Website2
  • Library THUAS

Chapters/process of a master thesis

Standard table of contents:

Chapter 1: Introduction
Chapter 2: Literature study
Chapter 3: Research methodology
Chapter 4: Fieldwork
Chapter 5: Conclusions, recommendation(s) and implications

  • title, foreword, table of contents, appendices etc.


“If I were given one hour to save the planet, I would spend 59 minutes defining the problem and one minute resolving it.”

Basic steps

  1. Identify broad area of research
  2. Select research topic (feasible, acceptable & measurable)
  3. Decide research approach
  4. Literature study
  5. Formulate project proposal
  6. Data collection
  7. Data analysis
  8. Conclusion, recommendation, implementation, implication
  9. Write your master thesis

In short: the research process/cycle

  • Research start with ideas and facts
  • Lead to predictions, propositions and theories
  • New theories and predictions lead to new ideas and facts, and a new cycle starts:

EMPIRICAL CYCLE



Degree of difficulty (5 = highest) (I)

  • Defining research problem (5)
  • Setting context of research (2)
  • Justifying purpose of research (2)
  • Establishing objectives (3)
  • Selecting data collection method (2)
  • Selecting measurement techniques (2)

Degree of difficulty (5 = highest) (II)

  • Selecting sample (1-2)
  • Identifying resource requirements (1-2)
  • Specifying time/milestones (3-4)
  • Specifying financial cost (3)
  • Preparing research proposal (2)

Choosing your topic

  • Outline or bullet your ideas
    • Capitalize on your expertise and interests
    • Research your ideas during coursework
  • Research your ideas
    • What has been studied?
    • When your searches lead to common themes, change direction.
  • Narrow your search/topic
    • How can you expand current research?
    • How can you move current research in a new direction?

Topic selection

  • Is it interesting?
    • Is the topic overly ambitious?
    • Is the topic researchable?
    • Is the topic linked too closely to emotional issues within your environment? (I.e. either personal or organizational?)
  • Are the variables (under construction) measurable?

Topic selection

  • Has the topic the potential for you to make an original contribution?
  • Have you looked at previous years’ dissertations?
  • Can you ‘fall in love with the topic’?

Relevant questions (I)

Ask yourself continuously the following questions:

  • What am I going to research?
  • Why do I do this research?
  • Whom am I going to research?
  • How am I going to conduct this research?
  • Where am I going to conduct my research?
  • When am I going to my research?

Relevant questions (II)

Keep asking these questions during your entire research period.
Not only at the beginning; research is a process.

  • Am I still on the right track?
  • Where do I need to adjust issues?
  • What was the direction/ objective of my research again?
  • What is the problem definition and associated research questions?
  • Is the planning still realistic?

Exercise

This research is about ……………… and ……………… is central.
This results in the following research objective.

The research objective comes in twofold:
I) gaining an insight in …………………, in order to
II) formulate an advice for …………, how to …………… etc.

Central question:
………………………………………………………………?

Research questions:
……..
……..

## MBA-BDA topics

### Required - emperical - relation with MBA-BDA work field

Examples

  • fraude detection or prevention model
  • customer churn model
  • customer recommendation model
  • advice a company to become more data driven
  • advice a company about most cost effective way to deploy resources
  • advice a company about most efficient way to serve the customers (company working from different locations with customers spread over the country)
  • bankruptcy predicton model

Example

Topic: Customer churn prediction

Objective: Develop a data-driven model that gives a predictive perception into the propensity of customer churn.

RQ: How can the company identify their potential churn customers through a data-driven predictive model, …… ?

Example (continued)

RQ1: What are suitable data-driven, predictive modelling techniques to apply in customer churn projects?
RQ2: What variables are expected to contribute to a succesvful prediction model?
RQ3: What are important practical concerns in data quality and applying algorithms to (big) data?
RQ4: What is a practical and measurable churn definition for the comapny involved?
RQ5: Which variables can be identified as key predictors for churn?

Dos and Don’ts

Dos

  • correct Dutch
  • page numbers
  • start new pages on odd page
  • consistent lay-out
    • line spacing (advice: 1.5)
    • font
  • APA style
  • kill your darling

Dos and Don’ts

Don’ts

  • use future tense (write active instead)
    • e.g. not: This chapter will introduce the methodology …,
      but: This chapter describes the methodology.
  • use sentences like: The aim of this research is to try to advice the board …..;
    instead use: The aim of this research is to advice ….. .
  • use first person singular (instead use third person)