1. What is the purpose of the investigation?
The purpose may be to describe, explore, understand, explain or acton something and often depends on the task involved and the issue
you are addressing.
2. What science theory paradigm will I use as a starting point?
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3. What research strategy should I adopt?
Here you distinguish between the strategies covered in the science
theory and methodology subject, for example single-case study,
multiple-case study, survey or action research.
4. What approach should I adopt in my investigation?
Here you distinguish between inductive, deductive, abductive and
mixed methods, and your choice must agree with your chosen
science theory paradigm and the overriding purpose of the
investigation, for example is it theory-testing or theory-creating? It
also means that this is where you describe and state your arguments
for how you apply your theory. Are you, for example, testing a
(theoretically defined) phenomenon on the basis of theoretical
concepts or ‘gaps’ in the theory (which you have identified by means
of what is known as a literature review)? Are you working empirically
and studying a phenomenon ‘out there’, to subsequently match your
research results with relevant theory?
5. What time frame should I adopt in my investigation?
Here you must distinguish between a cross-sectional study and a
longitudinal study.
6. What methods should I use?
Here you describe the methods used to collect the best possible data
that will enable you to give a comprehensive answer to the different
parts of the problem statement, for example qualitatively in the form
of observations, interviews, focus groups and ethnographical studies
or quantitatively in the form of questionnaires, quantitative
observations, etc.
7. How do I intend to collect my data?
Here you go into more depth with your considerations regarding the
data collection, for example whom to interview, where, why and how?
How should I design and distribute the questionnaire? What
dependent and independent variables should I include?
8. How do I plan to analyse my data?
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Here you explain your approach to the analysis, for example coding
strategies for qualitative data and the type of statistical tests you will
use for quantitative data.
9. How do I ensure that my data processing is of high quality?
Here you explain your thoughts about validity, reliability and general
applicability of your study. For example, how do you take potential
bias in the data collection into account.