Reference no: EM132806648

MOD002395 Research Design and Methods - Anglia Ruskin University

Task

You are required to produce 1 A3 poster (maximum 1500 words) that explores the various research options available to you in developing a research proposal. This assignment 010 will provide the impetus for early thinking and the generation of ideas to inform your full proposal for assignment.

The poster should contain seven sections covering the following:
1. Working Title and Abstract
2. Research Context and Rationale
3. Ontological considerations and choice
4. Epistemological considerations and choice
5. Data collection options and choice
6. Ethical risks and comparison
7. References

The aim is to have a common thread running through the poster. Ontology and epistemology should be congruent with the research context and the choice of data collection.

Students should acknowledge there are many different avenues to pursue when researching any particular topic and the final design will be the result of a series of choices. This assignment allows you to explicate those choices by exploring and eliminating alternative approaches.

Assessment Description

This assignment allows you to demonstrate your understanding of the epistemological approaches (the nature of knowledge -objectivism, subjectivism and constructivism [Gray pg16] ) and theoretical perspectives (philosophical worldviews -positivism, and interpretivism, [Gray pg 17], transformativism and pragmatism [Creswell pg 6] ). Consider major methodological approaches to research [Gray pg 25] also termed Methodological Designs [Creswell pg 12] (including quantitative, qualitative and mixed designs), and Methodological Styles[Fellows & Liu pg 21] (including data collection techniques through Experiments, Surveys, Case studies, Ethnographies, and Action Research). The assignment requires you to dissect your research topic and consider the suitability of research approaches and designs. It also tests your understanding of the way in which research develops from an initial identification of a research problem, through to ontologies (The study of being [Gray pg 16]) and epistemologies [Gray pg 17] and onto a methodological [Cresswell pg 16] stance. The assignment requires that you demonstrate the use of methodological literature to explore inductive and deductive reasoning and therefore justify decisions in designing research .

This theoretical knowledge will be key to the design of your research project.