Complete and up-to-date summary of Research Methodology by J. Vennix (2019). This book is the basis of the course 'Methods of Research and Intervention' (MRI) at Radboud University for the first year bachelor course Business Administration/Bedrijfskunde.
,Table of Contents
Chapter 1: The origins of science.................................................................................................................. 3
Chapter 2: The Scientific Method.................................................................................................................. 5
Chapter 3: A Dominant Paradigm................................................................................................................. 9
Chapter 4 Quantitative research................................................................................................................. 14
Chapter 5: Research objective, research question and conceptual model..................................................25
Chapter 6: Operationalization..................................................................................................................... 32
Chapter 7: Data collection........................................................................................................................... 38
Chapter 8: Data preparation and scale construction................................................................................... 45
Chapter 9: Analysis of Quantitative data..................................................................................................... 48
Chapter 10: Qualitative research: methodological background..................................................................55
Chapter 11: Qualitative research Data collection and analysis....................................................................62
Chapter 12: Dynamic theories and models................................................................................................. 66
Chapter 13: Practice oriented research and the role of problem structuring..............................................69
Chapter 14: Logic of inquiry and research design........................................................................................ 74
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, Chapter 1: The origins of science
Science has to do with how things are and why, therefore the two
foundations of science are observation and logic.
Science: a method of inquiry – a way of learning and knowing things about the
world around us.
Science deals with logic and with the real world (empirie).
Making sense of the world in a specific way.
Generation of new knowledge through systematic research.
Scientific assertion must have logical and empirical support.
Epistemology: The science of knowing, systems/science of knowledge.
Methodology: The science finding out; procedures for scientific investigation.
How is it investigated? Why is it investigated this way?
Ontology: The way how we see the world .
the way two people look at the world may have much in common but may
also differ at essential points (how do we know what is real?).
Agreement reality:
We need watching, thinking and knowing (Goethe).
Reach an agreement on the way we work as scientists, how we watch, how we
translate our observations into knowledge (epistemology).
Learning and knowing are two interrelated concepts.
Empirical research relies on sensory perception (observation) to generate
knowledge as opposed to generating knowledge through pure reasoning.
Philosophy heavily relies on reasoning. Knowing and learning are interrelated
concepts.
Learning is a pervasive characteristic of human life. However, learning is quite
hard, examples of debating fallacies (invalid or faulty reasoning) are:
Reasoning abilities: we are not clear thinkers in general
Inaccurate observation
The impression that debate is good for learning: due to emotions and
“spectators” this is not always the case (Argumentum ad hominem;
verbally attacking a person during a discussion)
All relevant theory should be consulted, which is hard because:
There might be just too much information on a topic
‘Selective perception’: you select what you believe is relevant
information
Confirmation bias: is the tendency to search for, interpret, favor, and
recall information in a way that affirms one’s prior beliefs or hypotheses
Explaining things away or over rationalizing: coming up with explanations
or all...are... “all women are better then men”
Self-fulfilling prophecies: we tend to behave towards our expectations
which results.
Illogical reasoning
3
, The exception that proves the rule; heard in many conversations:
nonsense
An exception must make us alert that the proposition or the statement
may be incorrect
Many statements begin with “everybody knows” based on horse
sense
Authority and tradition both might be helpful or an obstacle for scientific
work.
Authority:
Might help to steer your research in the right direction.
Might hinder you to develop your own ideas.
Tradition:
Helpful to stand your ground as the public opinion does not agree with your ideas
of working.
Might hinder your work because of promoting no-go areas for research .
Methodolgy is about learning how to learn and has its roots many centuries
back.
For science, an anarchic-democracy is needed.
Anarchic linking to the fact that there should be no one person who is
arbiter of truth and the best way to get at truth.
Democratic because everybody should be able to freely voice their
opinion, whatever it is, as long as it is based on arguments/evidence.
Characteristics of science:
It is common for incorrect ideas to exist for a very long time
Cumulative effort: researchers build on each other’s work
Can be slow, but suddenly there is a breakthrough
The progress can be very powerful halted by preconceived ideas that are
either tacit or considered so normal that most people would not even
consider to question them
The processing of Information is almost never neutral.
As a scientist and philosopher you need to have a few (5) characteristics
to be successful:
1. Curiosity
2. Skepticism and perseverance: they tend to disbelieve what they are told.
To prove your point you have to come up with new knowledge (different
from school, were old knowledge is brought over to new generations)
3. Perseverance (being persistent)
4. Thinking: superior critical, independent thinking skills
5. Creativity: coming up with something that did not exist yet that can also
concern new ideas.
The ancient Greeks are very important in the development in science over time.
Therefore, we call the ancient Greeks the first scientist. They were the first to
ask the why and create therefore new knowledge.
Their knowledge however was initially deduced by other civilizations, like the
Jews, the Phoenicians, the Egyptians and the Babylonians.
4
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