Lecture Notes 12: Research Paradigms

• "Process is more important than outcome. When the outcome drives the process we will only ever go to where we've already been. If process drives outcome we may not know where we're going, but we will know we want to be here." ~ An Incomplete Manifesto for Growth - Bruce Mau Design In. 2006
• <=> Stimulated Approach <=> Intuitive Approach <=>
• "Research is what I'm doing when I don't know what I'm doing." ~ Wernhr von Braun
• "Research is creating new knowledge." ~ Neil Armstrong
• Research is finding out by asking the questions:
  - "How?"
  - "Why?"
  - "What if?"
  -  Carrying out experiments
  - Talking to people and
  - Analysing that information
• Primary Research
  - Research that is developed and collected for a specific end use, usually generated to help solve a specific problem.
  - Research that involves the collection of data that does not yet exist.
• Secondary Research
  - Publish or recorded data that have already been collected for some purpose other than the current study.
  - The analysis of research that has been collected at an earlier time (for reasons unrelated to the current project) that can be.
• Quantitative Research
  - Deals with facts, figures, and measurements, and produces data which can be readily analysed.
  - Measurable data is gathered from a wide range of sources, and it is the analysis and interpretation of the relationships across this data that gives the information researchers are looking for.
  - Generates numerical data or data that can be converted into numbers
  The gathering and analysing of measurable data.
  - Research that is objective and relies on statistical analysis, such as surveys.
• Qualitative Research
  - Explores and tries to understand people's beliefs, experiences, attitudes, behaviour and interactions. It generates non-numerical data. The best- known qualitative methods of inquiry include in-depth interviews, focus groups, documentary analysis and participant observation.
  - A way to study people or systems by interacting with and observing the subjects regularly.
  - Research that is involved in quality. It can describe events, people, etc, without the use of numerical data.
  - Qualitative research is the gathering of information that is not statistical but that gives an idea about the perceptions of views.
• What is Information?
  - Any communication of representation of knowledge such as facts, data, or opinions in any medium or form, including textual, numerical, graphic, cartographic, narrative or audio/visual forms.
  - Information is the result of processing, manipulating and organising data in a way that adds to the knowledge of the person receiving it.
  - Data that has been processed to add or create meaning and hopefully knowledge for the person who receives it. Information is the output of information systems.
  - Information should be sufficient, competent, relevant, and useful.
• <=> Assimilation <=> General Study <=> Communication <=> Development <=>
• <=> Analysis <=> Research <=> Solution <=> Evaluation <=>
• "Research is formalised curiosity. It is poking and prying with a purpose." ~ Zora Neale Hurston
• Ontology
  - The philosophical analysis of what is or can be known.
  - A theoretical analysis of facts, properties and processes that form knowledge.
  - The conceptualisation or categorisation of existing knowledge and what can be known.
• Epistemology
  - The philosophical analysis of the scope and the nature of knowledge and how we can 'know' something.
  - The 'Theory of Knowledge' and how it relates to concepts such as truth, belief and justification.
  - Distinguishes between 'Knowing by acquaintance', 'Knowing that...' and 'Knowing how...'
• "If we knew what it was we were doing, it would not be called research, would it?" ~ Albert Einstein
• Methodology
  - Refers to how you will find out what you are looking for (Approaches)
  - Identifies who will be involved and how (Techniques)
  - Specifies how you will turn source material (Data) into evidence (Analysis)
  - Considers how you will generate meaning from your evidence (Interpretation)
• Points to Remember:
  - Research is contextual, conditional, individual.
  - There is more than one form of knowledge.
  - The knowledge that you are trying to develop will affect what and how you research.
  - Your opinions, beliefs and experiences will shape the focus of your research.
• Research is about bringing new ways of seeing what is already known or has been seen before.
• In order to gain knowledge your research should have purpose.
• The purpose of your research should be formulated into a research question.
• Both the purpose of your research and your research question can and will chance and develop as you find out more about your subject.
• Developing Research Proposals
  - Start with what you already know.
  - Identify what you want to know more about.
  - Plan how you are going to find out about it.