Research Rescue Lab: A Holistic View of the Research Paper

RESEARCH RESCUE LAB:

A HOLISTIC VIEW OF THE RESEARCH PAPER

Dr. Kelley Wood

School of Business and Graduate Studies

Trinity Washington University

Dr. Kelley D. Wood Business and Graduate Studies 1

A Holistic View of the

Research Paper

It is a process from start to finish

The topic of your inquiry leads to the discussion

Topic of

Inquiry

Literature

Survey

Research

Questions,

Problems,

Purpose,

Significance

Abstract Introduction

Literature

Review

Research

Methods

Results /

Findings

Discussion



Research Paper

• Topic of Inquiry

– Investigate an interest in a topic related to your career field

– This is the overarching question that motivates your research

• Does transformational leadership in the federal government agencies provide opportunities for advancement?

• Does social media use promote and facilitate better workplace relationships?

• Do the economic conditions in failed states yield more radicals interested in terrorism?



Research Paper

• Topic of Inquiry

– Discuss this topic of inquiry with your advisor, program chair, and instructors!

– Watch and listen for clues that might help you focus your topic

– Search intensively in the Trinity library databases, your textbooks, and other reliable resources



Research Paper

• Literature Survey

– Ground yourself in the scholarly fields related to this inquiry

– The more you read and the more diverse your readings, the better informed you will be

– This stage is very important!

• You are mastering your topic of inquiry

– Begin developing an annotated bibliography of the material you are collecting

• Organize it into logical groupings – categories and subcategories

• Start to organize the categories and subcategories into a

Dr. Kelley D. Wood narrative

Business and Graduate Studies 5


Research Paper

• Research Question(s)

• Now that you are mastering the topic of your inquiry, you know what to investigate more specifically

– You are narrowing your topic of inquiry

• Moving from broad issues that cannot be resolved within the constraints of your semester

• To narrow, focused issues that you can resolve within the constraint of your semester



Research Paper


• Now that you are mastering the topic of your inquiry, you know what to investigate more specifically

– You might winnow out resources that are not necessary to this narrower topic

• Not to worry, you were informed by them and they will continue to effect your perspective of the topic of inquiry

• Set them aside where you can find them just in case!



Research Paper


• This can be difficult, especially if you have not spent enough time mastering your topic of inquiry

– There is a direct relationship between the time spent in gaining mastery and the relative ease of completing this project

– The more you know, the easier this will be!



Research Paper


• I recommend following along with the exercises in:

– Booth, Colomb, & Williams (2009). The Craft of

Research . Chicago, Illinois: Chicago University Press

• Several are on reserve and in the stacks of the library on campus!



Research Paper

• Abstract

• In APA style we have 150 words in which to accomplish this task

– You must be economical, concise, and coherent

– Continue to polish this as you revise drafts of your paper

• Use a version of the ancient philosophical art of

Syllogism

– Major point (general context)

– Minor Point (specific context)

– Conclusion (statement of the problem)



Research Paper

• Abstract

– 1 sentence regarding the general context of your research topic of inquiry

– 1 sentence of specific context

– 1 sentence stating the research problem

– 1 sentence stating the method of inquiry

– 1 sentence stating the method of analysis

– 1 sentence describing the results or findings

– 1 sentence describing the conclusions, recommendations, implications

• All in 150 to 250 words!



Research Paper

•

Abstract

– Playing it forward

– Where will you use this?

– 1 sentence regarding the general context of your research topic of inquiry

– 1 sentence of specific context

• The Introduction chapter’s preamble (background) section

• The Literature Review chapter’s development of the topic’s context, which starts the chapter

– 1 sentence stating the research problem

• The Introduction chapter’s Statement of the Problem

• The Literature Review section of the context of the



Research Paper

•

Abstract

– Playing it forward

– 1 sentence stating the method of inquiry

– 1 sentence describing the results or findings

• The Introduction chapter’s Research Methods section

• The Literature Review chapter’s guide to Other

Research and Methods section and

• As a guide to the Research Methods chapter



Research Paper

• Abstract – Playing it forward

– 1 sentence stating the method of analysis

– 1 sentence describing the results or findings

• The Results or Findings chapter

– 1 sentence describing the conclusions

• The Discussion Chapter

– These two sentences in the abstract can be held until you have completed the related chapters

– Additionally, the Abstract can become a guide to the

Summary of the Discussion chapter

• What a bonus!



Research Paper

•

Introduction

• This is the roadmap to, or the blueprint of, the first three chapters - the proposal

• The purpose of this chapter is to inform your readers by outlining the proposal

15 Dr. Kelley D. Wood Business and Graduate Studies


Research Paper

• Introduction

• Begin each chapter with a preamble or preface

– This is especially important in the introduction, which provides the background and the build up to the statement of the problem

• You will recognize this as the background section of other publishing styles

– In all other chapters the preamble informs the reader of what lies ahead in the chapter

• End each chapter with a summary

– Remind the readers of the highlights of this chapter before they move on to the next.



Research Paper

• Introduction

• Chapter sections

• Preamble – informed by the abstract

– Statement of the Problem – informed by the abstract

– Purpose of the Study – informed by the abstract

– Significance of the Study – informed by the abstract

– Theoretical Perspective

– Research Question(s)

• Hypotheses (if quantitative or mixed-methods)

– Research Method

– Ethical Considerations

– Definition of Key Terms

– Delimitations

– Limitations

– Summary



Research Paper

• Literature Review

– This chapter builds your argument, through logic, that is the basis of the study

• The result of this is the Theoretical Framework or Theoretical

Construct

• You will use several forms of essay to accomplish this

– Compare and contrast, informational, descriptive, argumentative, etcetera

– Theoretical Framework or Theoretical Construct

• This outlines the theory of your inquiry

• Thus, it informs the data collection instrument

• Mention each dependent and independent variable

(quantitative)

• Or factor (qualitative)



Research Paper

• Literature Review

• Review of Other Research Method s

– Used in investigating similar topics

• Theoretical Framework or Theoretical

Construct

– This is a model of the theory of your inquiry

– Describe and define the elements as they will be used in your study

– It finishes with a figure of the model as a visual representation



Research Paper


– Sections of the chapter

• Review of Other Research Method s

– Used in investigating similar topics


Construct

– This is a model of the theory of your inquiry

– Describe and define the elements as they will be used in your study

– It finishes with a figure of the model as a visual representation



Research Paper


– Sections of the chapter


Construct

– Use the model of the theory of your inquiry to determine the content of the data collection instrument

– See the example in the next few slides



Research Paper

Concept

Concept

Concept

Concept

Concept

Concept

Becomes the…

Business and Graduate Studies Dr. Kelley D. Wood 22


Research Paper

Becomes the…

Dr. Kelley D. Wood

Question

Question

Question

Question

Question

Question



Research Paper

Concept

Question

Concept

Concept

Question

Question

Concept

Question

Concept Question

Concept

Question

Business and Graduate Studies Dr. Kelley D. Wood 24


Research Paper

•

Research Methods

– Determine and discuss the strategy for collecting data

– Think of this as the outline of your experiment, which tests your model (research design) and its ability to reliably predict results

– Discuss how you will collect reliable and valid data in a way that can be replicated

– Develop the Data Collection Instrument

• Is derived from the quantitative Theoretical Framework , or the qualitative Theoretical Construct or Conceptual Map



Research Paper

• Research Methods

• Preamble – informed by the abstract and introduction

– Setting

– Population/ Data Source

– Research Design (Strategy) – informed by the abstract and introduction

• If quantitative – also include measurements for common tests in this section

– Data Collection Instrument Protocol

• Observation, Interview, Questionnaire, Survey

– Data Analysis Strategy

– Summary



Research Paper

• The Proposal

– Written in future tense as you propose to accomplish this research

• Sections of the Proposal

– Title Page

– Abstract

– Table of Contents

– Introduction

– Literature Review

– Research Methods

– Appendices

• Now you can write your IRB Application!



Research Paper

• After you collect data

– Begin on the final two chapters!

– Review the data collected as you go

– Practice your data analysis strategy



Research Paper

• Results (Quantitative and Mixed-methods)

– Data should reflect the Theoretical Framework

• Or

• Findings (Qualitative)

– Data should reflect the Theoretical Construct

• The purpose of this chapter is simply to report on the data you have collected

– Analysis is reporting, describing, and defining your data

• You will use the scholarly skills of analysis

– Define, describe, compare, contrast, differentiate, illustrate, outline, relate, separate, and deconstruct



Research Paper

•

Results

or

Findings

• Sections of the Chapter

• Preamble

– Data Analysis Strategy - informed by the research methods

– Discussion of the Sample

(Discussion of Participants if qualitative)

• Your actual participants



Research Paper

• Results or Findings

• Sections of the Chapter

– Data Coding and Analysis

• Qualitative

– Discussion of the three stage coding process and examples of your findings

– Report and present what is in your data through descriptive and inferential analysis

• Theoretical Framework or Theoretical Construct

– Relate some of your results or findings to each variable or factor

– Reliable, Replicable, Valid

• Summary



Research Paper

• Discussion

– Should address the research questions

– This is the main event

– You will use the scholarly skills of Synthesis and

Evaluation

• Synthesis - categorizes, combines, compiles, composes, creates, devises, designs, explains, organizes, plans, rearranges, reconstructs, relates, reorganizes

• Evaluation - appraises, compares, concludes, contrasts, criticizes, critiques, defends, describes, discriminates, evaluates, explains, interprets, justifies, relates, summarizes, supports



Research Paper

• Discussion

– Sections of the Chapter

– Preamble

• Research Questions - from the introduction and the results or findings

– Hypotheses (If quantitative show how the alternate or the null were proven)

– Discussion of the results or findings in addressing the research questions

– Present examples of data related to your questions



Research Paper

• Discussion


• Conclusions

– What can be inferred from the data analysis completed in the previous chapter?

– Evidence based – data analysis is your evidence

• Recommendations - informed by the delimitations and limitations

• Implications - informed by the delimitations and limitations



Research Paper

• Discussion


• Significant Learning (*Optional)

• Summary

– In this summary you will summarize the whole research project

– Use your abstract as a guide and super size it into an informative narrative


Research Rescue Lab: A Holistic View of the Research Paper

RESEARCH RESCUE LAB:

• Abstract

• Abstract

Abstract

Abstract

• Abstract – Playing it forward

Introduction

Research Methods

• Research Methods

Results

Findings

• Results or Findings

• Sections of the Chapter

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Research Rescue Lab: A Holistic View of the Research Paper

RESEARCH RESCUE LAB:

• Abstract

• Abstract

Abstract

Abstract

• Abstract – Playing it forward

Introduction

Research Methods

• Research Methods

Results

Findings

• Results or Findings

• Sections of the Chapter

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