Research methodologies and methods
Introduction
The first generic quality refers to the higher degree by research student's comprehensive and up-to-date knowledge of the literature of the research area, detailed knowledge of appropriate research methodologies, ability to perform critical analysis and, most importantly, ability to produce original knowledge.
The following information applies to the stages of the research process.
The content is not definitive but will guide you to relevant literature and
resources.
UniSA resources
On campus workshops
Research Education Support Activities (RESA) offers on campus workshops relevant to research methodologies and methods as part of the core series (all disciplines). Check the calendar for details of when these workshops are offered.
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Online workshops, courses and resources
Methodology index (RESA) provides links to online workshops, courses and resources.
Doing research (Library) links you to online book sections about types of research.
Other
Concepts for PhD design and examination (Ideas Research Group, Division of Business) covers a range of topics relevant to thesis preparation such as:
- About bias in research
- Doing research in Business and Management
Other resources
General
The Australian Code for the Responsible Conduct of Research (replaces the NHMRC/AVCC Statement and Guidelines on Research Practice) aims to 'guide institutions and researchers in responsible research practices.'
PhD Stages, University of Queensland, offers the following resources
Obtaining a PhD: Research and Publishing (Re-envisioning the Ph.D, University of Washington Graduate School) offers strategies for researching and writing polished articles as well as some general sites useful for research.
Research Design Explained student webpages is a resource developed by Mark Mitchell, Psychology Department, Clarion University, containing chapter quizzes, glossaries, summaries, concept maps, downloads and study tips to accompany the textbook Research Design Explained (fifth edition). An overview of the fourth edition of this book is provided.
Doing research (USQ Library, The PostGrad Toolbox) links to web resources on research design and methods.
Research Methods Resources on the WWW (School of Library, Archival and Information Studies, University of British Columbia) has a comprehensive contents list which includes general survey research, measurement, validity and reliability, qualitative ethnographic, qualitative group methods, qualitative and quantitative interviews and more. Each heading in the contents has extensive links to resources on the web.
Software
Analyse-it statistical software is 'the most popular statistical software add-in for Microsoft® Excel® for Windows' which 'includes over 30 parametric & non-parametric statistics, including descriptive statistics, box-whisker plots, correlation, multiple linear regression analysis, ANOVA, & chi-square statistics for general statistical research'. Offers a 30 day free trial.
Statistics: making sense of data is a wonderful introductory statistics reference.
Web Chi Square Calculator allows you to perform the chi square test for statistical significance.
Calculating a one -way between groups ANOVA - performs a simple analysis of variance. This resource is a section in Research design explained, a site for Psychology students at Clarion University.
Free statistical software contains links to free software packages that you can download and install on your computer for stand-alone (offline, non-internet) computing.
McGuire & Spickard Software has downloads such as Survey Statistics and the Statistical Chart Tutor.
Subject resources
Resources for methods in evaluation and social research links to free on line books, manuals, articles on how to do social research, including surveys, interviews, observations and more. Also links to research about research methods, free software, and sites on how to present data. This site also has a review of free statistical resources.
Methodologies and theories (elearnspace) is an Education resource, providing an annotated list of world wide web resources divided into the topics: General; Emotional Intelligence; Multiple Intelligence; Learning Styles; Brain-based Learning; and Adult Learning.
Methods in behavioral research: Resources for research in Psychology and the Behavioral Sciences is an e-book on research methods by Paul C Cozby. This e-book has chapters on ethical research, studying behaviour, measurement concepts, observing behaviour, survey research, experimental design, understanding research results and more. Each chapter has links to internet resources on the topic.
Qualitative research
Qualitative Research in Information Systems (Association for Information Systems) provides a useful summary of qualitative research that includes information on research methods, techniques for data collecting, modes of analysis, writing up qualitative research.
Forum: Qualitative Social Research (FQS) is a peer-reviewed multilingual online journal for qualitative research with features such as a search facility and thematic issues.
Online articles (CAQDAS Networking Project) provides links to information on qualitative data: research and analysis. Regularly updated.
QualPage: resources for qualitative research is regularly updated and has links to collections of resources for qualitative research, conceptual and philosophical foundations, disciplines, discussion forums, dissemination of research on the internet, electronic journals, methods, papers and more.
Qualitative research resources on the Internet has links to webpages, papers and other textual sources, journals and The Qualitative Report: An online journal dedicated to qualitative research since 1990.
Quantitative research
HyperStat Online Statistics Textbook (David M Lane) includes a link to free statistical analysis software and a range of information including probability, normal distribution, sampling distributions, point estimation, confidence intervals, testing hypotheses with standard errors, power, factorial between-subjects ANOVA etc.
Training and development
Teach-yourself NVivo 7: the introductory tutorials has 10 do-it-yourself tutorials for researchers and students who wish to learn NVivo 7. The tutorials are designed as exercises to take learners through all the basic functions of the NVivo 7 software, with guidance to its interface and processes.
Australian Consortium for Social and Political Research
Incorporated (ACSPRI)
'Currently, Summer, Winter and Special Workshop Programs offering
courses in social research methods and research technology are conducted
by ACSPRI to support its objectives. These programs are designed to
cater for fundamental, changing and emerging research strategies, and to
serve a wide variety of needs for training and professional development
within the academic, public and private sectors. Courses cater not only
for researchers in the social and political sciences, but also in areas
such as behavioural, health and medical sciences, policy research,
education, economics, epidemiology, law, management, marketing, public
relations and human resource management.'
Fee schedule
UniSA is an ACSPRI member institution so staff and postgraduate students
will receive a generous discount on course fees. Discounts will not be
granted if membership fees are in arrears. All fees are GST inclusive.
Summer
Program details
Winter
Program details
Contact the Graduate Studies Office for further details.