Chapter 18 — Research methods I

Chapter 18 — Research methods I

Lesson map

Lesson 18 published. Map, example, EX052.

flowchart TD
  N0["Learning outcomes"]
  N1["18.1 A research question"]
  N2["18.2 Choosing methods"]
  N3["18.3 Ethics"]
  N4["Synthesis"]
  N0 --> N1 --> N2 --> N3 --> N4
  N4 --> EX["Worked example"]
  EX --> Q["Exercise EX052"]

Logical drawing

flowchart LR
  N0["Learning outcomes"]
  N1["18.1 A research question"]
  N2["18.2 Choosing methods"]
  N3["18.3 Ethics"]
  N4["Synthesis"]
  N0 --> N1 --> N2 --> N3 --> N4 --> Q["EX052"]

[Learning outcomes]
    |
    v
[18.1 A research question]
    |
    v
[18.2 Choosing methods]
    |
    v
[18.3 Ethics]
    |
    v
[Synthesis]
    |
    v
[Worked example] --> [Exercise EX052]

Learning outcomes

You will (1) form a researchable question about governance; (2) choose interviews or surveys appropriately; (3) plan ethical data collection.

18.1 A research question

Sofia's first research project asks why some Elmfield teams complete security tasks on time and others do not. She narrows it to the quarterly access review: what helps or hinders managers in completing it? She learns that good questions are specific, answerable with available data and useful to someone. Asking whether security culture is good would be too vague; asking what helps managers complete a defined task can lead to practical improvements. Focusing on the quarterly access review also gives her a task with dates and completion records she can examine.

18.2 Choosing methods

With only twelve managers, a survey would give little statistical power. Sofia chooses semi-structured interviews, which let managers explain their reasons in their own words. She writes an interview guide with open questions and prompts, pilots it with one manager and revises two confusing questions. She learns that interviews suit small groups and why questions, while surveys suit large groups and how-many questions, and that the choice should follow the question rather than habit. Piloting with one manager caught the two confusing questions before they could distort the other eleven interviews.

18.3 Ethics

Sofia submits a short ethics application to Brightwater College. Participation is voluntary, interviews are recorded only with consent, transcripts remove names and Elmfield's director will see only themes, not who said what. She learns that even low-risk research about workplaces needs care, because managers might fear criticism. Protecting their identity encourages honest answers. Her ethics approval arrives within two weeks, and she begins interviews with clear information sheets for each participant. Showing the director only themes protects the managers who criticised the review process.

Worked example

Sofia frames a specific question about access review completion, chooses interviews for twelve managers and secures ethics approval.

Synthetic case. The study is synthetic.

Errors and limits

Interviews reflect what people say, not always what they do. Small groups limit generality.

Exercises

• EX052 — Narrowed question. What did Sofia's question narrow to? Rubric: 3 = what helps or hinders managers completing the access review;; 2 = specific;; 1 = culture;; 0 = none.
• EX053 — Method choice. Why interviews rather than a survey? Rubric: 3 = only twelve managers and a why question;; 2 = small group;; 1 = vague;; 0 = none.
• EX054 — Director access. What will Elmfield's director see? Rubric: 3 = only themes, not who said what;; 2 = themes;; 1 = transcripts;; 0 = none.

Synthesis

Specific questions, fitting methods and careful ethics make governance research useful.

Continue studying — chapter 18 of 40

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