Martin MGMT 605 P2-IP Final_2

Developing a Research Strategy 1

Abstract

Why do we care about having a research strategy or plan? The development of a research

strategy or plan is a critical factor for the success of any research project. Knowing how to find

and evaluate information are basic skills that can substantially increase the chances of success for

a research project. It is essential that the researcher clearly outlines the objectives of the research,

follows a structured plan, and documents the findings in an appropriate format for the research

method that was chosen for the research. A properly developed research plan not only provides a

guideline for the researcher to follow, but it also gives the researcher more credibility to the

readers or audience, and provides a framework from which to present results. The method of

looking for and presenting information in an organized, logical fashion is called a research

strategy. This discussion presents steps that ensure the researcher will find appropriate materials

in an efficient manner, and reduces the chance of neglecting important resources, and guides the

researcher to be ethically and legally responsible for presenting results.


Developing a Research Strategy

The development of a research strategy or plan is a critical factor for the success of any

research project. To someone that is unfamiliar with research projects, they may think that all

that is required is to gather resources that are needed, and then write a paper. Unfortunately,

without a plan or strategy, the researcher could waste a lot of time in areas that are not required,

and then not have enough time to incorporate material thoroughly into a research report. The first

step before engaging in any research project is to clearly outline the objectives of the research

process, and then create an action plan. In order for a full understanding of the research strategy

process, this discussion will address how topics are selected, the importance of the purpose

statement, how a hypothesis is developed, how the null and alternate hypothesis support the

research, and how the research will be measured and analyzed. In addition, the various report

formats and documentation that will be needed for each research method will be addressed, how

to conduct a literature review will be discussed, and the importance of ethical and legal

responsibilities for a research project will be explained.

Selecting Research Topic

Selecting a topic for a research project is the first step of any research effort. This step

usually takes some time and thought. According to Creswell (2009), a topic is the “subject or

subject matter” of a study, and it becomes the central idea that will be explored in a research

project (p. 24). A research topic can be derived in different ways (“Approaches to Research”,

n.d.). For example, an organization may need research for a market, product, customer, or other

needs for decision-making. In other areas, research for a scientific or medical organization may

need a more formal experimental research. Regardless, the topic should be sufficiently narrowed


and easy to comprehend. In addition, there should be sufficient resources available to research

the topic.

A good way to begin is to research the topic that is to be studied. Creswell (2009)

suggests the best way to start is to draft a title of the research or study (p.23). By drafting the title

of the study, it becomes the main focus or topic for the researcher – something tangible to keep

refocusing on and changing as the project proceeds. The researcher would begin by doing a

literature review of the topic, such as reading previous research, reports, dissertations, and

professional journals. According to Creswell (2009), the literature review helps to determine if

the topic is worth studying, and it may provide insight into ways to limit the scope of the

research to an area of inquiry (p. 23). Researching literature for the topic can also help to narrow

it down, and possibly provide recommendations for further research (“Approaches to Research”,

n.d.). According to Creswell (2009), another way to develop a topic is to pose it as a question (p.

24). For example, a researcher may ask, “Why are there more male engineers than females?” The

researcher would then begin a literature review on this topic, and narrow it further to a unique

subject to be studied, such as, “There are a limited amount of female civil engineers that build

dams.” Regardless of how the topic is picked, a considerable amount of time must be spent

examining the research for the topic. The researcher should consider if the topic he or she wishes

to study will have any contribution. Before proceeding with any research, the researcher should

consult others in the field of the topic for their reactions.

Importance of the Purpose Statement

The purpose statement states the intent of the research. Every research project must

include a purpose statement, and it must provide a clear description of the intent or reason for the

research or study (“Research Strategies”, n.d.). The purpose statement guides the scope of the


research, and also provides the expected results or outcomes of the research – it clarifies and

supports the research topic, and defines exactly what is to be studied (“Approaches to Research”,

n.d.).

The purpose statement is the most important statement for the entire research. Thus it

must be clearly written or stated, and is usually set apart from other areas of the research

(Creswell, 2009, p. 112). As mentioned earlier, it provides the overall intent of the study, and it

is written in one or more sentences. The purpose statement will also indicate what type of

research method is to be used (qualitative, quantitative, mixed, or action). The purpose statement

does not answer the problem that needs to be studied, but it sets the objectives or the major idea

for the study, and establishes the direction.

The Development of Research Questions and Hypothesis

Research questions are derived from the purpose statement, and the hypothesis is a

prediction of the outcome of the study. According to Creswell (2009), the central question of the

study asks for the exploration of the phenomenon or the concept of the study (p. 129). It is the

question that you are trying to answer when doing research on a topic. The development of

research questions also helps the researcher narrow the focus and to what will be studied or

investigated. A way a research question can be developed is to start with a general topic and then

narrow it down to a specific question that will be the basis of the research project. Another

approach is to list a number of questions, then select the one that is the most useable for the study

(“Approaches to Research”, n.d.). Typically, qualitative research methods are used with research

questions. Regardless of how the research question is selected, the research effort must not set

out to prove something, but instead to validate findings and further add to the overall body of

knowledge (“Research Strategies”, n.d.).


The hypothesis statement is a prediction of what the outcome or results will be in

relation to variables for the research or study. The key to developing the hypothesis is to ensure

that it can be tested to be accepted or rejected. When developing a hypothesis statement, a prediction

is made if something will come true or not, then it will need to be tested and evidence provided to accept

or reject it (Bowerman, Murphree, O’Connell, & Orris, 2012, p. 343). Research questions can be

made into a hypothesis simply by changing the statement. For example, a research question may

have been, “What is the number of white migrant workers found in the U.S?” This can become a

hypothesis statement by saying, “There are fewer than 5,000 white migrant workers in the U.S.”

The hypothesis statement generally contains or relates to both a dependent and an independent

variable (“Research Strategies”, n.d.). The dependent variable is what is being observed when

the independent variable is controlled by the researcher. Typically, a quantitative research

method is used to test a hypothesis, and it is accepted or rejected based on the results from

statistical analysis. However, before a hypothesis can be accepted or rejected, there are two types

of tests that must be run, null and alternate.

How Null and Alternate Hypothesis Support Research

The null and alternate hypothesis is used to test if a hypothesis for a research project or

study should be accepted or rejected. The null hypothesis is the historical standard or benchmark

from which the results will not deviate. What this means is that it makes a prediction that no

relationship or significant difference exists between groups on a variable. For example, let us say

that a packaging department for a firm has a problem for how best to package their products. A

hypothesis could be, “Plastic packaging provides better protection than cardboard.” The null

hypothesis would be that there is no difference between the plastic and cardboard packaging in

regards to protection, and it would have to be proved otherwise. To refute the null hypothesis, it

would have to be shown statistically through a set of tests that there is a significant difference. If


one of the tests shows a deviation from the standard or benchmark, then the null hypothesis can

be rejected. Thus, the null hypothesis must be worded so that it can be rejected (“Approaches to

Research”, n.d.). However, if the null hypothesis is rejected, then the alternate hypothesis must

be considered and proven if the hypothesis statement can be accepted or rejected.

The alternate hypothesis is the opposite of the null hypothesis, and it is the expectation

for the outcome or the support of the hypothesis statement. If the example used in the previous

paragraph is used again, then the alternate hypothesis could be, “Plastic packaging does provide

more protection than cardboard packaging.” Thus, when a hypothesis is stated, the null and

alternate hypothesis must be tested before it can be accepted or rejected. These tests are used to

support the research or study that is being done.

Measuring and Analyzing Research

The type of measuring and analysis conducted for a research project depends on the type

of research method used and how the results are intended to be validated. For example, if the

research method used is qualitative, the type of measuring and analysis would typically be a case

study strategy. On the other hand, if the method is quantitative, then data would be collected

through experiments and measured and analyzed. The kinds of statistical analysis that may be

used depends on the kind being collected (“Research Strategies”, n.d.). Planning for

measurement analysis can be the most difficult part of the research plan, so a solid strategy is

needed to ensure that results are measured, analyzed and validated (“Approaches to Research”,

n.d.). However it is a very important step as the knowledge from the analysis is needed to

support the research project.

The process for measurement entails observing and recording observations that are

collected. Observations can be collected using a number of methods, such as surveys or other


approaches. First, the researcher must decide on the types of measurement that are required for

the research project, and decide if the data is nominal, ordinal, interval or ratio. Nominal data has

numerical values, ordinal data has attributes that can be ordered by rank, interval data is the

distances between attributes, and ratio data is like interval but has an absolute zero value

(“Measurement”, n.d). Once the measurement process is completed and the data is collected, the

researcher can begin his or her analysis for the research project. Analysis may use descriptive

statistics, inferential statistics, or both. This depends on the research project, what is needed for

results, and the audience that will be reviewing the work. Descriptive statistics describe

quantitatively the features of the collected data, and inferential statistics are used to infer from

the data what a population may think, or to make judgments (“Analysis”, n.d.). Thus,

determining the type of measurement that is needed for the research method chosen, and the

analysis required for supporting the topic, is a crucial step in the research plan.

Research Report Formats and Research Method Documentation

Each research method has a different way in which the report should be formatted

(qualitative, quantitative, mixed, and action). Certain documentation is needed for each research

method report, too. The qualitative report can take the form of the constructivist/interpretivist or

advocacy/participatory format. The constructivist/interpretivist perspective provides an

understanding of the social world by studying the meanings humans construct and negotiate

through their interactions (“Interpretivist Methods”, n.d.), and the advocacy/participatory

perspective holds that an inquiry needs to be intertwined with politics and politico agenda

( Creswell, 2009, p. 9). A qualitative research format for a constructivist/interpretivist

perspective would include an introduction that contains the problem statement, the purpose of the

study, and research questions. The report format would also include a procedures section to


include philosophical questions, research strategy, role of the researcher, data collection

procedures, strategies for validating findings, and proposed narrative structure. Furthermore, the

report format would include sections on anticipated ethical issues, pilot findings, and expected

outcomes (Creswell, 2009, p. 75). The documentation needed for this type of qualitative

research report would include interview questions, forms used for observations, timelines, and

any budget information. This would also be the same for the qualitative report from an

advocacy/participatory perspective. The quantitative research report format includes an

introduction that includes the problem statement, purpose of study, theoretical perspectives, and

research hypothesis. This report format would also include sections on literature reviews,

research methods - which include the research design, population samples, description of data

collection and materials - data analysis, anticipated ethical issues, and preliminary pilot tests

(Creswell, 2009, p. 77). Documentation that would be included with this type of report is any

data collection instruments, timelines, and proposed budget information.

The mixed research method is a combination of the qualitative and quantitative methods,

and has a different report format than previously mentioned. The report format for a mixed

research method brings together the formats for both qualitative and quantitative research

methods (Creswell, 2009, p. 77). The mixed research report format includes an introduction that

includes the research problem, past research problems, deficiencies in past research problems,

and the target audience. This report format would also include a purpose section - including the

purpose of the study and reasons for using a mixed method approach - research questions and

hypothesis, philosophical foundations for using mixed methods research, and a literature review.

There would also be a methods section that includes a definition of mixed research, the type of

design used, challenges in using the design, examples of use in the design, visual diagrams,


quantitative data, qualitative data, data analysis, and validations of data. Finally, the report

format for a mixed research would list the researcher’s resources and skills, potential ethical

issues, a time line for completing the study, and a reference section (Creswell, 2009, p. 78). The

documentation needed for this type of method and report would be the same as those needed for

qualitative and quantitative method report formats.

The action research method is iterative in its approach, so the report format would be

different from that of the other research methods. The action research method includes an

introduction section that states the significance of the problem; a context section that includes the

work/community context and literature review; the research section that includes the research

question, a report on the cycles of research and the evidence used to evaluate the action, as wells

as a reflection on the action; a final reflections section that summarizes the overall learning

process during the action research; and finally, a reference section (Riel, n.d.). The

documentation that is needed for the action research method report is a timeline for the research,

reports that document each cycle, data collected and analysis of each action, details of any media

used, and a final reflection.

Conducting a Literature Review

An extensive literature review is required when conducting any research. Not only does

a literature review help to narrow down a topic, or decide if the topic is worth pursuing in a

research project, but it also is necessary to support the findings in the research effort. Essentially,

a literature review means locating and summarizing information about a topic. Creswell (2009)

suggests that a literature review provides a framework for the study as well as a benchmark for

comparing results with other findings (p. 25). The objective of doing a literature review for a

research project is to inform readers of current information about the topic, and provide grounds


for further research (“Literature Review”, 2010). In addition, a literature review gives the

researcher an opportunity for writing a point of view about the subject in the material, as well as

continuing an ongoing dialogue in the literature. The researcher would review previous research,

reports, dissertations, and professional journals that have any relevance to the topic or

information found during the research effort. According to Creswell (2009), there is no single

way to conduct a literature review, but most researchers proceed in a systematic approach to

summarizing the information (p. 29). Creswell (2009) suggests the following approach (pp.29-

30):

Identify key words.

Using the key words, search a library’s catalog for holdings, such as journals and books.

Locate about 50 reports of research in articles or books related to the topic.

Skim the group of articles or chapters – will it make a useful contribution?

Design a literature map that depicts the groupings of the literature on the topic –

illustrating how your research will contribute to the literature of the larger body of

research.

Draft summaries of the most relevant articles – summaries are combined into the

literature review that is written for the research proposal.

Assemble the literature review by organizing it into important concepts. Explain how

your research will add to the larger body of literature related to the topic under study.

An annotated bibliography is much like a normal bibliography. However, the annotated

bibliography is going to provide a little more information – it highlights key concepts for future

reference. The key difference is that the annotated bibliography has a brief paragraph (100-150

words) that informs the reader of the relevance, accuracy, and quality of the sources cited


(“Annotated Bibliography”, n.d.). In a research project, the annotated bibliography can be used

to help support the research effort by describing any relevancy the sources may have to the

research topic, and provides the reader with additional information for further research. The

annotated bibliography is developed by writing a concise annotation that summarizes the central

theme or scope of the article or book, and includes: the authority or background of the author;

comment on the intended audience; comparison and contrast with other works cited; or

explanation for how this work “illuminates” your bibliography (“Annotated Bibliography”, n.d.).

Thus the annotated bibliography provides further information on the resources used and to help

further support a research effort by providing readers details of relevant information.

Important Ethical and Legal Responsibilities

Ethical and legal responsibilities are critical to a research project. The researcher has an

ethical and legal responsibility to the client and participants to ensure that the research conducted

and the final report is of the highest ethical standards. Ethical and legal responsibilities are

critical to protecting the integrity of organizations, clients, and participants. By being responsible

ethically and legally, the research will be honest, the intellectual property will be protected, the

human subjects will be guaranteed safety and privacy, and finally, the research will be socially

responsible (Martin, 2012). Ethical and legal issues should be anticipated and described in the

research proposal. For example, there should be an agreement that the research will avoid using

any language or words that are biased against persons (Creswell, 2009, p. 92). It is important for

a researcher to be responsible ethically and legally, and to release all the details of the research.

Repercussions from unethical research can be extreme, and credibility could be lost and difficult

to retrieve.


Conclusion

The development of a research strategy or plan is a critical factor for the success of any

research project. It is important that the researcher clearly outlines the objectives of the research,

follows a structured plan, and documents the findings in an appropriate format for the research

method that was chosen for the research. Equally important is conducting a thorough literature

review so as to determine if the topic is suitable for a research, and to obtain information to

support the research effort. Without a research plan and literature review, the researcher could

spend a lot of time with sources that are not needed, and not have enough time to incorporate

appropriate material thoroughly into a research report. Finally, it is very important that the

researcher is ethically and legally responsible, else repercussions by the affected groups could be

extreme and credibility could be lost. Therefore, if the researcher spends time to properly

develop of a research strategy and plan, then the chances for a successful research project are

increased.


References

Analysis. (n.d.). Retrieved November 28, 2012, from Social Research Methods Knowledge Web

site: http://www.socialresearchmethods.net/kb/analysis.php

Approaches to Research Strategy. (n.d.). Retrieved November 24, 2012, from CTU Online:

http://coursebuildercontent.careeredonline.com/Assets/20000/13809.pdf

Bowerman, B., Murphree, E. S. O’Connell, R. T., Orris, J. B. (2012). Essentials of Business

Statistics, 4th Edition. New York, NY: McGraw–Hill Irwin

Creswell, J.W. (2009). Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Methods

Approaches. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, Inc.

Interpretivist Methods. (n.d.). Retrieved November 29, 2012, from: http://www.google.com/url?

sa=t&rct=j&q=interpretivist&source=web&cd=3&cad=rja&sqi=2&ved=0CDwQFjAC&

url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.school-portal.co.uk%2FGroupDownloadFile.asp

%3FGroupID%3D23573%26ResourceId

%3D3039939&ei=cyW4UJuKGumHywHB34DoDQ&usg=AFQjCNEwX1VM21tV2rJ1

gBykkr-twq0MSA

How to do a Literature Review. (n.d.). Retrieved, December 1, 2012, from:

http://dissertation.blogspot.es/

How to Prepare an Annotated Bibligraphy. (n.d.). Retrieved December 1, 2012, from Cornell

University Library: http://olinuris.library.cornell.edu/ref/research/skill28.htm

Martin, G. (2012). Ethics in Research Projects. Unpublished assignment for MGMT 605,

Colorado Technical University.

Measurement. (n.d.). Retrieved November 28, 2012, from Social Research Methods Knowledge

Web site: http://www.socialresearchmethods.net/kb/measure.php

http://www.socialresearchmethods.net/kb/analysis.php


Riel, M. (n.d.). Understanding Action Research. Retrieved November 30, 2012, from the Center

for Collaborative Action Research Web site:

http://cadres.pepperdine.edu/ccar/define.html

Research Strategies. (n.d.). Retrieved November 24, 2012, from CTU Online:

https://campus.ctuonline.edu/courses/MGMT605/p2/hub1/13705.pdf

https://campus.ctuonline.edu/courses/MGMT605/p2/hub1/13705.pdf

Martin MGMT 605 P2-IP Final_2

Documents

Transcript of Martin MGMT 605 P2-IP Final_2