Planning Step 8
Description and Justification of Research Methods
Why is this necessary?
 An in depth evaluation of the research methodology that you have used in
your dissertation is a vital part of the whole planning process.
 Not only will it help you to be clear about your hypothesis but it is worth,
together with your aims, 10 marks.
 You will be judged, on the variety and relevance of your research
methodology.
 The planning section of your dissertation then must include an overview
of the research methods you have used.
 It can be done in the introductory section or in the appendix.
 It is better to do it at the outset in the introductory section because it gives
the reader a clearer overview of how you have approached your topic.
 However, put it in the appendix if you are over the word limit of 5000, as
the appendices do not count in the final word total.
Which research method?
 Although the choice and mix of research methods will depend on the
nature of the dissertation topic you have chosen, at this level of study you
should consider using both primary and secondary research methods.
 All your research methods should be described, explained and justified in
detail.
What to do?
 However, it is not necessary to evaluate every textbook you have read or
voting returns you have examined!
 Group the research methods you have used in each aim. For example,
you first aim might rely heavily on academic textbooks. Explain why this
was necessary and then evaluate their advantages and disadvantages of
this type of research.
Secondary sources
 Secondary sources (academic textbooks and journals, periodicals, quality
newspapers etc) will provide concepts, theories and empirical evidence,
which you will need to develop your hypothesis.
 Remember though, secondary sources represent the analysis, concepts
and theories of others.
 Begin by explaining why you used secondary sources e.g. academic
textbooks were used because since they are written by academics who
need to be impartial in their appraisal of a variety of subject matter, they
provide detailed information in an objective way
 You might specify why you used a particular academic textbooks e.g. if
you were writing your dissertation on ‘New Labour and the Third Way’,
you could say that you used a particular textbook by Anthony Giddens
because he is one of the architects of ‘’the Third Way’ and a close adviser
of Tony Blair.
 Be critical of the nature of secondary sources.
 Mention their limitations. For example, they may contain bias because
they rely on a great deal of personal evaluation.
 This is particularly so if the secondary source has been produced on
behalf of a political party.
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Refer also to problems that you may have come across when researching
e.g. a lot of repetition when reviewing various sources on a particular
subject or that you could not access a specific critique.
All this highlights to the marker that you are thinking about and analysing
your research methods.
Primary sources
• Primary sources include evidence you have generated yourself by carrying
out a survey, questionnaire, writing a letter or email as well as the use of
official statistics (voting returns), official publications, opinion polls (MORI),
media presentations and participant and non-participant observation.
• These sources tend to deal more with facts, figures and people’s views on a
subject.
• Primary research methods can provide up-to-date information, albeit ‘snap
shots’, but also ‘historical’ information that allows you to identify and examine
trends, relationships and even correlations.
• They are particularly useful in that they allow you to make generalisations
which can be used to support a particular point you wish to make.
• Some sources can allow computer analysis, which is quick and accurate. The
computer can also be used to present the findings in graphic and
diagrammatic form.
• You must ensure that you acknowledge the advantages of primary research
methods but also their limitations, especially how the research was carried
out.
• The accuracy of opinion polls has greatly improved of late but they still
contain bias and the extent of this will depend on the sampling technique
used and size of the sampling frame.
Using your own primary research
 If you have carried out your own survey or questionnaire, it is
very important that you explain fully why did so – what perspective
it gives that you cannot get elsewhere. It may be that it is being
carried out to compare the public’s perception on an issue with
that of a politician’s.
 There is no point in carrying out a survey for the sake of it. The
information you obtain must be used to support your hypothesis.
 Remember also to specify the size and composition of the
sample, where and when it was carried out.
 Finally, remember to highlight any problems encountered and
the limitations, if any of this research method.
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Exemplar 1
Research Methodology
Aim 1: Election results and opinion polls will be used to investigate this aim.
These sources have the advantage of being easily accessible and quantitative in
nature which makes it easier to analyse and draw conclusions from. In addition,
election results are likely to be reliable and unbiased. Using this data, it will be
possible to gauge the gap which exists between the Conservatives and Labour in
terms of seats, and so evaluate how much progress needs to be made for the
Conservatives to win the next general election. Opinion polls, although their
reliability could be called into question, will provide an indication of the current
position of the party and, depending on the sampling technique used, could also
provide an estimate of the voting intentions of the electorate. Since this data will
be more up to date than past election results, it can be used to identify and
evaluate any progress the Party has made since the last general election.
Exemplar 2
Aims 2 and 3: In these aims, a combination of primary and secondary data will
be used. A sample of Conservative MPs will be contacted by e-mail and asked a
number of ‘open’ questions on the problems facing the party and the steps that
are being taken by the party to win back voters. Since the same questions will be
asked of a number of MPs, it should be possible to quantify the results and reach
conclusions from them. However, since the questions are ‘open’ this will allow
the respondents to answer at length and so providing additional information.
Finally, as the questions are not being asked face-to-face, interviewer bias should
be reduced. However, as with postal questionnaires, there is the risk of low return
and so to supplement this primary data, media reports and opinion polls from
recent years will also be studied in order to identify the main problems affecting
the party and to evaluate the extent to which they affect the party’s image and
voter’s perceptions of the Conservatives.
Exemplars 1 and 2
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These are good examples of how you should describe and justify your
research methodology.
Firstly, a variety of primary and secondary methods have been used.
Secondly, the methods are clearly identified and then described in some
depth.
Thirdly, the methods have been justified. In other words, the candidates
have explained why they have used them i.e. the information they will
provide which will enable him/her to fulfil the aim.
In other words, the candidates have demonstrated a clear
understanding of why the methods have been used.
Exemplar 3
Aim One and two – Research Methods
Aim One – What are the factors which influence voting behaviour in the UK?
Aim Two – What role does the Press play in the British electoral process?
These aims require both primary and secondary research methods. A public
questionnaire will be distributed to around fifty people in Edinburgh to try and
determine the public’s opinion on the influence of the press on the UK’s elections.
The validity of this method of primary research has long been debated as there are
many questionnaires which have a poor variety of questions, and not only this but
also do not offer a representative section of the public. The sample size is essential.
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If the sampling frame is too small, it will not offer a representative sample of the
population.
However, it cannot be too large because of time constraints. As the questions shall
be asked in the form of a structured interview, it is likely that the information given will
be accurate, if interview bias is kept to a minimum. In addition there is generally an
excellent rate of response as the questionnaire will be completed when asked and it
is also open to people of all levels of education, whether they can read, write or not.
The simple fact of illiteracy excludes many people from completing postal
questionnaires and this is something that a structured interview will not do. There are
also some limitations to this type of research. There are time constraints which limit
the size of the population sample. If the questions are ‘closed’ questions, they will not
allow the respondents to develop their answers and so the information gathered will
be basic…
Exemplar 3
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In this exemplar, the candidate has demonstrated an in depth knowledge
and understanding of the research methodology used.
However, this level of evaluation is more worthy of an answer to a
research question in Section B of the examination.
It is not necessary to go into such depth.
In doing so the danger is that you will use up a sizeable amount of your
word allowance even before you start your analysis.
The secret is to achieve a balance. Demonstrate that you understand why
you used your research methods but don’t overdo it.
Learning and Teaching Scotland 2006