Description

Assessment discipline

Element 010 is part 1 of 2 assignments. A research paper; theoretical perspective and methodological options, 50% of the marks (1500 words).

This assignment is submitted via Turnitin and, the Turnitin class will be made available to you before the submission date.

Introduction

This assignment allows you to demonstrate your understanding of the epistemological approaches (the nature of knowledge – objectivism, subjectivism and constructivism [Gray pg.16]) and theoretical perspective (philosophical worldviews – positivism, and interpretivism [Gray pg. 17], transformativism and pragmatism [Creswell pg. 6]). Consider major methodological approaches to research [Gray pg.25] also termed methodological Designs [Creswell pg. 12] (including quantitative, qualitative and mixed designs) and methodological styles [ Fellows & Liu pg. 21] (including data collection techniques through experiment, surveys, case studies, ethnographies, and action research). The assignment allows you to assess the research topics and purposes to which each is suited. It also tests your understanding of the way in which research topics and purposes to which each is suited. It also tests your understanding of the way in which research questions are developed from an initial identification of a research problem, through the definition of aims, objective and hypotheses to an alignment with an ontological (The study of being [Gray pg. 16]) and epistemological [Gray pg. 17] and therefore methodological [Creswell pg. 16]

Stance. The assignment requires that you demonstrate the use of methodological literature to explore inductive and deductive reasoning and therefore justify decisions in designing research. This theoretical knowledge will be key to the design of our own research project.

Tasks

• Become familiar with methodological textbooks.
• Locate and explore technical peer reviewed journals available from the resources provided on canvas and those accessible via digital databases using our ARU digital library.
• Choose at least six research papers (two with qualitative data, two with quantitative data and two with mixed methods of data designs) that help you explore theoretical perspective and methodological possibilities for your own discipline.
• Declaring your specific research discipline (eg Mechanical Engineering, civil Engineering, Construction Management, Project Management, Town Planning etc.), decide upon a research field that is relevant to your career (eg sustainability, resilience, artificial intelligence, efficacy quality, value or risk etc. – the choice is entirely yours). This allow you to focus upon a research topic to be developed in Assignment 2 (Research Proposal)
• Choose further two papers (using either qualitative, quantitative or mixed methods of collecting data) that relate more closely to your declared research interests (eg the implication of town planning policy upon flood resilience).

You should therefore be considering at least 8 eight research papers.

Show how the development of research questions, aim(s), objectives and/or hypotheses evolve within these papers to align with the authors’ selected approach to research design. Demonstrate how these research examples provide a spectrum of approaches that might inform your own research project, Analyse the strengths and weaknesses of each approach.

Use references to substantiate the options, strengths and weaknesses of different methodological approaches.

How to approach this assignment;

• Write an introduction, setting out the nature and purpose of your (minimum of) eight chosen research papers, and a rationale of your choice.
• Summarise, in tabular form, the research aims and objectives/research questions/hypotheses, research design, and methodological choices of your chosen papers. Identify the strength and weaknesses in each paper. The design of our table(s) and exact contents are up to you; however, you must convey the salient features of your chosen papers in a compressed, efficient manner.
• Critically analyse and discuss:
• The overall research design and theoretical approach adopted in the papers you have selected.
• The problems, aims, objectives, research questions, hypotheses, and methodological choices made in the papers you have selected.
• The nature of the methodological and subject specific literature included in your selected papers.
• You should conclude, including references to key methodological textbooks, how you preferred research topic might be influenced by the exemplar research papers you have found.