Diving In...
Whenever I take on a new project, I tend to immerse myself in it. I call it being at least three questions deep - being able to answer three consecutive questions about the how, why or what of something.
Right now, I'm immersed in the Research Methods Lab and trying to understand research methodologies that are used in the field of Organization Development. It's beginning to look like three questions deep doesn't even scratch the surface.
Something I'm finding interesting is how, in research, things can go wrong before you even start. A common mistake is to go out and ask a lot of research questions before the problem is fully understood. The process should start by identifying the problem.
A research problem is found where there is a void of knowledge (something we don't know) and from there, a research question is formulated (what we want to know). How this research question is formulated (how we will fill the knowledge void) begins to determine the methodology used to answer the question. This can be a circular, iterative process. The research question is important in determining the methodology and concurrently, the methodology for how the question will be answered helps shape the question. All of this happens before we can start the research!
With that in mind, here are my top five goals for the Research Method Labs course.
1. Stay Patient. - Methodology comes from the Greek methodikas meaning methodical or systematic. Oh, this will be hard for me.
2. Keep the jargon in check. - Hermeneutics and epistemology are important concepts for a researcher to learn and understand but probably off-putting as small talk at the dinner table.
3. Keep the "practical" in practice - both words coming from the Greek praktikos meaning "fit for action, fit for business". As a scholar-practitioner, I want to understand how to formulate research questions that produce relevant "practical" research results.
4. Keep the "search" in research - I can see how it would be possible to become so focused on methodological rigor that we lose sight of the goal of answering questions. A good researcher should stay open and curious, regardless of the methodology being used.
5. Find my "Methodology Match" - This involves learning as much about myself as methodologies. Research is not a one-size-fits-all proposition. Everyone has natural inclinations and preferences with different methodologies resonating differently based upon a person's interests and experiences. It's important for me to "try on" different methodologies to see how they fit so I can eventually gravitate toward those methodologies that suit me best and, for which I am best suited.
A research problem is found where there is a void of knowledge (something we don't know) and from there, a research question is formulated (what we want to know). How this research question is formulated (how we will fill the knowledge void) begins to determine the methodology used to answer the question. This can be a circular, iterative process. The research question is important in determining the methodology and concurrently, the methodology for how the question will be answered helps shape the question. All of this happens before we can start the research!
With that in mind, here are my top five goals for the Research Method Labs course.
1. Stay Patient. - Methodology comes from the Greek methodikas meaning methodical or systematic. Oh, this will be hard for me.
2. Keep the jargon in check. - Hermeneutics and epistemology are important concepts for a researcher to learn and understand but probably off-putting as small talk at the dinner table.
3. Keep the "practical" in practice - both words coming from the Greek praktikos meaning "fit for action, fit for business". As a scholar-practitioner, I want to understand how to formulate research questions that produce relevant "practical" research results.
4. Keep the "search" in research - I can see how it would be possible to become so focused on methodological rigor that we lose sight of the goal of answering questions. A good researcher should stay open and curious, regardless of the methodology being used.
5. Find my "Methodology Match" - This involves learning as much about myself as methodologies. Research is not a one-size-fits-all proposition. Everyone has natural inclinations and preferences with different methodologies resonating differently based upon a person's interests and experiences. It's important for me to "try on" different methodologies to see how they fit so I can eventually gravitate toward those methodologies that suit me best and, for which I am best suited.
Hi Lisa,
ReplyDeleteGreat blog post put up by you. You can literally teach this course. I learned a lot from your excerpt.
Jesse
Hi Lisa,
ReplyDeleteGreat blog post put up by you. You can literally teach this course. I learned a lot from your excerpt.
Jesse
Hi Lisa,
ReplyDeleteI definitely agreed with your thought about research problem and research question. I think those two constructs are essential and need careful consideration. A research problem in a qualitative research provides the blue print or the primary purpose for studying a particular phenomenon. Research question on the other hand, narrows the purpose of the research (p. 138). Yes, you are also right, sometimes researchers tend to ask too many questions before understanding the problems.
Jesse
Hi Lisa,
ReplyDeleteI definitely agreed with your thought about research problem and research question. I think those two constructs are essential and need careful consideration. A research problem in a qualitative research provides the blue print or the primary purpose for studying a particular phenomenon. Research question on the other hand, narrows the purpose of the research (p. 138). Yes, you are also right, sometimes researchers tend to ask too many questions before understanding the problems.
Jesse
Hi Lisa,
ReplyDeleteI definitely agreed with your thought about research problem and research question. I think those two constructs are essential and need careful consideration. A research problem in a qualitative research provides the blue print or the primary purpose for studying a particular phenomenon. Research question on the other hand, narrows the purpose of the research (p. 138). Yes, you are also right, sometimes researchers tend to ask too many questions before understanding the problems.
Jesse
Hi Lisa,
ReplyDeleteI definitely agreed with your thought about research problem and research question. I think those two constructs are essential and need careful consideration. A research problem in a qualitative research provides the blue print or the primary purpose for studying a particular phenomenon. Research question on the other hand, narrows the purpose of the research (p. 138). Yes, you are also right, sometimes researchers tend to ask too many questions before understanding the problems.
Jesse
Hi Lisa,
ReplyDeleteI definitely agreed with your thought about research problem and research question. I think those two constructs are essential and need careful consideration. A research problem in a qualitative research provides the blue print or the primary purpose for studying a particular phenomenon. Research question on the other hand, narrows the purpose of the research (p. 138). Yes, you are also right, sometimes researchers tend to ask too many questions before understanding the problems.
Jesse
Hi Lisa,
ReplyDeleteI definitely agreed with your thought about research problem and research question. I think those two constructs are essential and need careful consideration. A research problem in a qualitative research provides the blue print or the primary purpose for studying a particular phenomenon. Research question on the other hand, narrows the purpose of the research (p. 138). Yes, you are also right, sometimes researchers tend to ask too many questions before understanding the problems.
Jesse