Research Seminar Manual - Dr Nada Basset

Research Methods – Dr. Nada Basset 2011

1 | P a g e © D r . N a d a B a s s e t , R e s e a r c h P r o j e c t

RM Hand-out (1)

How to Choose a Research Topic

1. Pick an area of interest (OB, IT, Quality, HRM, etc…)

2. Read in this area and specify your personal preference, i.e which chapter

inside this book did you like the most?

3. Start your preliminary research by choosing the keywords

4. Google those keywords and read more about this topic just to double-

check whether you still want to proceed with that topic or to consider

another one.

5. Start your academic search by logging into EBSCO host. It’s important to

mind the keywords you use for the search, as some keywords may be

misleading. You need to use at least 3 different keywords.

6. Categorize your articles into Relevant, Irrelevant and TBD.

7. To break the vicious circle of reading, start on writing the key points you

have marked during your preliminary reading process.



RM Hand-out (2)

Outline of the Research Proposal

Abstract

Acknowledgements

Table of Contents

List of Tables

List of Figures

List of Acronyms

(all the above should be numbered in ROMAN page numbers).

Literature Review

Introduction

Problem Statement

Research Objectives

Research Questions (Qualitative)/Research Hypotheses (Quantitative)

Conceptual Framework

Argument Raised and/or defended

Conclusion

Main Study Implications



RM Hand-out (3)

Handling My Research

Chapter 1 - Introduction

This chapter consists of 2-3 pages, however it is considered the most important

chapter and the hardest to construct simply because it explains the core of your

research. The conceptual framework is a mind-map or a road-map describing

the journey your research walks in order to reach a certain research objective.

Chapter 2 - Literature Review (20 - 30 pages)

In a literature review, the researcher simply explores the concepts previously

discussed and the early research initiatives covering your same area of research.

The purpose is simply to make the previous research’s end point your own

starting point. A literature review is valueless if you do not put your own critique

to it, meaning: we explore an idea either to raise an argument against it or to build

an argument to defend it. Therefore, a researcher needs to make his point

behind mentioning a certain theory/concept in his literature review. The

operative word is relevance.

Each section of the literature review should start with an Operational Definition.

An Operational Definition is a definition you need to put to your research

elements in order to set a standard on how this concept is supposed to mean. For

example,

The impact of Customer Satisfaction on Organizational Performance.



Operational definitions needed: customer, customer satisfaction, organizational

performance.

It is always an asset to include some figures, models and illustrations in your

literature review, however, those are totally irrelevant unless you mark your own

critique to those figures. Remember that anything you include in your literature is

for the purpose of connecting it to your research question and to mark your own

opinion about it (agree, disagree, will put to retest).

How to write Conclusion and Implications (no specific length)

This is the core contribution of your own work. A conceptual paper is expected

to:

a. conclude the main points of the research study,

b. explain how the research has contributed to the area of knowledge,

c. address the main implications to draw based on the literature that has been

reviewed.

Example:

Research finding the raw finding you reached by collecting data.

65% prefer quality to price and 35% prefer price and

don’t care about the quality

Conclusion What those findings tell you as a researcher



Quality is still considered a main criterion in a

consumer buying behaviour whereas price may be the

main criterion for consumers with a lesser purchasing

power.

Implications What are the final issues to draw out of your research?

Quality should still be an important critical success

factor for effective marketing and/or sales activities.



RM Hand-out (4)

Research Project Time Line

The research project is comprised of six lectures (4-hours) every other week.

The course work is divided as follows:

Week Activity

1 A general briefing about Research Methods, how to pick a

research topic and how to get started on doing research.

2 Preparing a bibliography of NOT LESS than 20 articles

3 Student’s progress presentations (5 min.)



6 Last progress review report and main points recapping

7 - 8 Oral Examinations/Presentations

Research Seminar Manual - Dr Nada Basset

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