There are a few potentially confusing concepts in research, particularly if you’re using a mixture of qualitative and/or quantitative research approaches! Let’s examine a few. Mixed Methods research is usually considered as incorporating both qualitative and quantitative approaches. However, some authors include a mix of multiple qualitative methods or a mix of multiple quantitative methods […]
Mixed Methods vs Multiple Methods Research Read More »
Theoretical and conceptual framing in academic writing is a challenge for many students. So why do you need theory at all? Why not simply identify a problem, conduct an interview or a survey, and report your results without using a theoretical base? Well, first, as a postgraduate student, you are required to use a theoretical
Do You Find it Challenging to Introduce Theory into Your Thesis or Dissertation? Read More »
Presenting your problem as a RESEARCH problem is one of the most important tasks early on in a thesis or dissertation. You have to convince your readers – your supervisor(s), panel and examiners – that your problem is researchable, i.e., that it is a RESEARCH Problem. Van de Ven (2007), provides 4 essentials for you
The 4 Essentials of a RESEARCH Problem Read More »
In your first chapter, your thesis or dissertation makes all sorts of promises. But can it do what it says it’s going to do? Can it actually fulfil its promises? Well, that’s largely up to you. You need to set it up so that it can. Here are 5 essential points that you need to check:
5 Checks to Ensure that Your Thesis Can Fulfil its Promises Read More »
A dissertation or thesis is somewhat like a chain – a chain of interlinked stages from identifying the problem to the conclusion. Of course, you can revisit and improve a previous stage. Nevertheless, a dissertation or thesis is only as strong as its weakest stage, like a chain that is only as strong as its
Is Your Dissertation or Thesis STRONG? Read More »
Whether you’re writing your proposal or the introduction to your dissertation or thesis, you will need to convince your supervisor or examiner that you’ve identified a researchable problem. The trouble is that not every problem is a research problem. Methodologists like Van de Ven (2007) provide guidance on how to distinguish between an ordinary problem and a research problem.
Is your problem a RESEARCH problem? Read More »
You may wonder why my sympathy for Cronbach’s Alpha (also called Coefficient Alpha). Well, it’s because alpha is one of the most frequently misunderstood and misinterpreted statistics in theses, dissertations, proposals and other academic publications involving measurement 🥲. SO, WHAT IS CRONBACH’S ALPHA? Cronbach’s alpha is a measure of the internal consistency
8 Misuses of Poor Cronbach’s Alpha Read More »
One aspect of research methodology that often confuses students is the topic of reliability. This is because there are really two main types of reliability: MEASUREMENT reliability and RESEARCH reliability. These two reliabilities are very different. Measurement reliability is all about assessing the reliability or consistency of the scores of your measurement instruments. These assessments
Reliability: Measurement vs Research Read More »
The Purpose Statement is your time to shine. This is the time when you can tell your reader exactly what you’ve designed your research to do. Of course, the Purpose Statement must address the knowledge gap that you described in your Problem Statement. However, the Problem Statement is focused on the problem, and not directly on
Writing the Purpose Statement Read More »
By the time you write the abstract of your thesis or dissertation, you will need to have completed your study, finalised your results, and appreciated the implications of your findings. And you’re probably exhausted. However, academic formatting styles provide valuable guidance on the content and format of the abstract. These should help you over the
Crafting the ABSTRACT Read More »