Dr Jia (Jackie) Rong [email protected] NIT6130 Introduction to Research Week 6: Research Methodology (II) – Creation & InnovationChoose Your Research Methodology & Method(s) NIT6130 – Introduction to Research, 2016 3How to Choose a Methodology/Method? • The choice of methodology and method(s) depends on – Research Topic – Research Questions – Research Aim & Purpose – Researcher’s Beliefs and Values – Researcher’s knowledge & Skills – Time – Funds NIT6130 – Introduction to Research, 2016 4Quantitative Research Methods • Experiments & Quasi-experiments • Behavioural Measures • Questionnaires & Surveys • Social Network Analysis • Archival and Meta-Analysis NIT6130 – Introduction to Research, 2016 5Experiments & Quasi-experiments • An experiment is a A controlled empirical test of a hypothesis. • For example: – Comparing one design or process to another – Deciding on the importance of a particular feature in a user interface – Evaluating a technology or a social intervention in a controlled environment – Finding out what really causes an effect – Finding out if an effect really exists NIT6130 – Introduction to Research, 2016 6Types of Experiments • Randomized – units/participants assigned to receive treatment or alternative condition randomly • Quazi – no random assignment • Natural – contrasting a naturally occurring event (i.e. disaster) with a comparison condition • Experiment design will be coved in Week 8. NIT6130 – Introduction to Research, 2016 7Where can You Start from? • The common approach to start choosing your methodology is going back to your literature collection. – Where did you get your research problems? • Literature collection – Where did you get the solutions to these research problems? • Literature collection • We need to start from where people are… NIT6130 – Introduction to Research, 2016 9Critical Review • Comprehensive critique – Your goal is to locate all existing sources that related to your research problem. • Questions to Ask Yourself while Reading – Which specific issues have been most often studied? Which seem to warrant further research? – Which authors and which studies are most often citied? – What instruments are available? – Which methods are frequently used? – When were the major studies completed? Does the number of research studies seem to be increasing or decreasing? – Which theories are used as a foundation? NIT6130 – Introduction to Research, 2016 10Where can You Find the Methodology/Method(s) in a Paper? • Some authors use “Methodology” as the section title directly in their paper; but some not. • The title of the methodology section can be the name of the proposed research approach, algorithm, model or method. • The methodology section may be written after the “literature review” (or “related work”) section; but it may also be merged with “experiments” and “result analysis”. • It needs you to figure out by yourself. NIT6130 – Introduction to Research, 2016 11What are You Looking for? • Framework – General framework in the focused topic area NIT6130 – Introduction to Research, 2016 15What are You Looking for? • Framework – Author(s) proposed framework for certain research work only NIT6130 – Introduction to Research, 2016 16What are You Looking for? • Then, the details of the method(s) applied – Assumptions, scope, conditions – Instructions, data collection, pre-processing – Equations, notations – Measurements, features • Finally, your analysis on the methodology/method(s) – Strength & weakness – Relevance to your research problem – Whether or not you can adopt the entire or partial method in your work? – Any extension or modification you need to use it? NIT6130 – Introduction to Research, 2016 19Lab 6 – Task 6.1 • Review, analyse and summarize the existing methodologies reported in the collected literatures – Select one sub-problem that you are going to work with. Get all the related literatures ready for further analysis. – Take intensive reading to identify research problems and the methodologies used to solve the proposed problems – Rate the relevance of the literature to your sub-problem – Record your work using the table below NIT6130 – Introduction to Research, 2016 20 Literature # Research Problem Methodology Your Sub-problem RelevanceIdentify Your Methodology/Method(s) • Three common options can be used to choose your methodology/method(s) – to take use of any existing methodology from literature – to use an existing methodology or a set of existing methodologies with your modification (major or minor) – to proposal a novel methodology based on your own understanding if you cannot find any existing methodology from literature that can solve your research problem NIT6130 – Introduction to Research, 2016 22Use Existing Methods from Literature • You can use any existing methods from the literature – Frequently used methods – Methods designed for specific problems (i.e. your research problem) – Methods from other discipline but can be used to solve your problem NIT6130 – Introduction to Research, 2016 23 C4.5 Decision Tree is a well-known classification algorithm Voting-by-majority is also an classic method used for yearsUse Existing Methods with Your Modification • The methods from literature cannot be directly applied on your problem, you need to make some changes. – To extend the existing method for more general cases – To merge two or more methods together for your problem NIT6130 – Introduction to Research, 2016 24 The well-known random forest algorithm was merged with bagging technique Merging methods together to get expected resultsProposal Your Novel Method(s) • You can also design your own solution that has not been developed by others, based on – Your understanding of the problems – Your conclusion from the literature review – Your expertise, knowledge and skill • This happens when you are working on a whole new topic or problem. • This will be a big challenge!!! NIT6130 – Introduction to Research, 2016 25Lab 6 – Task 6.2 • Propose your methodology – There are three common options to identify your methodology • to take use of any existing methodology from literature • to use an existing methodology or a set of existing methodologies with your modification (major or minor) • to proposal a novel methodology based on your own understanding if you cannot find any existing methodology from literature that can solve your research problem – determine which option that you would like to take and justify your reasons – List benefits and limitation of your methodology – Provide a framework of your methodology to show the main processes, steps and tasks to be taken (i.e. flowchart can help to show your framework) with detailed explanations NIT6130 – Introduction to Research, 2016 26Creative Research NIT6130 – Introduction to Research, 2016 27Research is a Creative Process • Research is far more than mere logic. • The logic we can teach, but research is kind of art that we cannot. • Research requires imagination, initiative, intuition and curiosity. • Research includes insight, genius, groping, pondering. NIT6130 – Introduction to Research, 2016 29Fostering Creativity • Gather and use previously developed knowledge • Exchange ideas • Apply deductive logic • Look at things alternate ways • Question or challenge assumptions • Search for patterns or relationships • Take risks • Cultivate to
lerance for uncertainty NIT6130 – Introduction to Research, 2016 30Fostering Creativity • Allow curiosity to grow • Set problems aside … and come back to them • Write down your thoughts • “… frequently I don’t know what I think until I write it” • Freedom from distraction … some time to think. • Creativity may provide the difference between satisfactory and outstanding research. NIT6130 – Introduction to Research, 2016 31