Design Research Methodology | Proposal

29/03/2021 - 19/04/2021 (Week 1 - Week 4)
Naim Zuki, (0346615) | Bachelor of Design (Hons) in Creative Media
Design Research Methodology
Research Proposal

LECTURES

    Lecture 1 | What is Research?

Research is the systematic investigation into a study of materials and sources to establish new facts and reach new conclusions. In the pursuit of knowledge, all of those who have done research on their own accord contributed to the increase of knowledge of humans, culture, and society. For students, research allows them to expand their understanding and knowledge of their academic field, ultimately defining their academic, career, and personal interest. Moreover, those who have conducted research will gain academic experience and develop critical thinking, leadership, time management, and communication skills.

The Research cannot be pursued without The Problem. They say that The Problem is at the heart of every research, Research is basically conducted to respond to a problem, whether to solve it or to understand it better. Without a problem statement, it would be challenging, if not outright impossible, to provide direction to the research and to come up with a solution. Like identifying a destination prior to beginning a journey, a Problem Statement requires a few factors which needed to be considered before formulation. Those factors can be referred to below:
 
Fig. 1.0, Considerations in Formulating Research Problem

Thus, we need to look into the steps in Research Problem formulation. There are eight steps in total, those being Identification of Problem, Identification of Subject Area, Problem Definition and Identification, Literature Review, Selecting of Research Design, Subjects and Data Collection Techniques, Data Gathering, Data Processing and Analysis, Implications and Conclusions, and finally Publish and Communicate Results.
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    Lecture 2 | The Problem Statement

A Problem Statement is a description of difficulty or lack that needs to be solved or at least researched to see whether a solution can be found. It can also be described as either a gap between the real and the desired or a contradiction between principle and practice. The ultimate goal of a problem statement is to transform a generalised problem (something that bothers you; a perceived lack) into a targeted, well-defined problem that can be resolved through focused research and careful decision making.

A persuasive problem statement consists of three parts: The Ideal, which describes a desired goal or ideal situations. The Reality, which describes a condition that prevents the goal, state, or value in the ideal from being achieved or realised at this time. Finally, The Consequence, which identifies the way you propose to improve the current situation and move it closer to the ideal goal.

While utilising the knowledge gained in the previous lecture, the following are three simple steps in writing a problem statement. Step one, construct statement one by describing the desired goal of a given situation, phenomenon, and so forth. This will build the ideal situation. Step two, describe a condition that prevents the goal, state, or value discussed from being achieved or realised at the present time. This will build the reality, the situation as it is and establish a gap between what ought to be and what it is. By connecting step one and step two using any disjunctive adverbs, Step Three uses specific details to show how the situation in step two contains little promise of improvement unless something is done. Then emphasise the benefits of research by projecting the consequences of possible solutions as well.
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    Lecture 3 | Research Questions, Hypothesis, & Research Objectives

After identifying the research problem and (by the method of studying existing literature) narrowing the research topic, one might find themselves well prepared in identifying Research Questions. A Research Question is a way of expressing one's interest in a problem or phenomenon. One may have more than one research question for a study. Although, they are not necessarily an attempt to answer the many philosophical questions that often arise in a study, rather it will provide greater focus to the research or clarify the direction of the investigation. A good research question should be specific, clear, refer to the problem or phenomenon, reflect the intervention in experimental research, note the target group of participants. Below are some examples and non-examples of good research questions.

Fig. 1.01, Examples and Non-Examples of Good Research Questions, (Boudah, 2011)

A Research Hypothesis essentially is a declarative statement of how you expect the research to turn out. In a way, it is a possible answer to your research question. It should be brief and, in the case of experimental research and quantitative types of descriptive research, the research question often directly leads to your hypothesis. Therefore, it is good practice to ensure that the research topic or problem statement, research question, and hypothesis use consistent language regarding variables and any anticipated outcomes. A hypothesis needs to be written for each question proposed. Additionally, the term null hypothesis is used on a statement saying that you expect no differences in outcomes between groups or that no relationship exists between the given variables in the hypothesis. Some researchers think null hypotheses are important, some do not, it's best to seek the advisor's opinion. Below is a good example of a hypothesis and a null hypothesis.

Fig. 1.02, Example of Good Hypothesis and Null Hypothesis, (Boudah, 2011)

You may have noticed the adjective significantly in front of the word different in each of the examples above. Significance refers to the notion that differences between two groups or conditions are not simply due to chance or any other known variable (Gall, Gall, & Borg, 2006). The term is also typically used in reference to statistical differences that may be noted in the analysis (Boudah, 2011).

A Research Objective is a clear, concise, and declarative statement of what a researcher expects to accomplish by the end of a study. A research objective is derived from the problem statement or the research question of a study. A simple way to ensure the quality of a research objective is to utilise the S.M.A.R.T. technique; which is Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Time-Bound. Just like research questions, there may be more than one research objectives per study.

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INSTRUCTIONS

Module Information Booklet: Design Research Methodology
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RESEARCH PROPOSAL
FEEDBACKS

REFLECTIONS


FURTHER READING

What Is a Problem Statement: Definition & Examples

APA format for academic papers and essays

Ethos, Pathos, and Logos

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