Research Project: Design, Conduct and Report,
Leading to Diploma Postgraduate - in
Research Project Management, Double Credit, 60 Credit-Hours,
Accumulating to A Postgraduate Certificate, with 120
additional Credit-Hours, and a Postgraduate Diploma,
with 300 Additional Credit-Hours.
Click to download the PDF Brochure for this Course.
Course contents include: Employing Data Elicitation
Techniques, Employing Surveys as a Research Tool:
Cross-Sectional Surveys, Longitudinal Surveys, Participant
Observation as a Qualitative Data Elicitation Tool:
Enacting
the Complete Observer Role, Contextualising the
Complete Participant Role, The Participant-Observer
Role, Being an Observer-Participant Role, The
Practicality of the ‘Complete Participant as Observer’
Role.
Conversation Analysis:
Conversation Analysis as Qualitative Methodological Technique,
Quantifying Conversation Analysis, Combining
Qualitative and Quantitative Approaches in Conversation
Analysis, Documentary
Analysis, Qualitative
Methodological Technique, Quantifying Documentary
Analysis, Combining Qualitative and Quantitative
Approaches in Documentary Analysis, Focus
Groups, Optimising
Focus Group Size, Constituting Focus Groups,
Operationalising Focus Groups, Quantifying Focus Group
Responses, Analysing Focus Group Output, Validating
Focus Groups in Ethnographic Research, Interviews and
Questionnaires as Data Elicitation Techniques in
Qualitative and Quantitative Research Methodologies,
Distinguishing between Interviews and Questionnaires,
Positive Issues associated with the use of
Questionnaires, Negative Issues associated with the use
of Questionnaires, Positive Issues associated with the
use of Interviews, Negative Issues associated with the
use of Interviews, Sampling
as an Important Element of Research Design, Determining
the ‘Population’, The ‘Theoretical Population’, The
‘Accessible Population’, Factors that Define a
‘Population’, A Sample as a Factor of the ‘Theoretical
Population’, Sampling the ‘Accessible Population’,
What Constitutes a ‘Representative Sample’, The
Sampling Frame, Determining a Suitable Sampling Frame,
Factors Mitigating against a ‘Sample Frame Choice’,
Sampling Techniques, Convenience or Non-random
Samples, Quota Sample, Systematic Sample, Probability
or Random Samples?, Simple Random Sample, Stratified
Sampling, Bases of Stratification, Multi-stage
Sampling: Its Organisation and Execution, Interview
and Questionnaire Design and Administration, Salient Issues in Questionnaire Design, Designing Unstructured
Questions for Questionnaires, Designing Structured
Questions for Questionnaires, Designing Structured
Closed-Ended Questions for Questionnaires, Designing
Structured Open-Ended Questions for Questionnaires,
Multiple-choice Format as the basis for Designing
Structured Closed-Ended Questions in Questionnaires,
Avoiding ‘Forced-choice’ in Structured Closed-Ended
Questions in Questionnaires, Questionnaire
Administration, Personal Questionnaire Administration,
Timing of Questionnaire Administration, Web-based
Questionnaire Administration, Protecting against
multiple-responses, Anti-bot Security Measures.
For Whom This Course is Designed
This Course is Designed For:
Data Analysts;
Data-Set Developers;
Data-Set Utilisers;
Doctoral Students;
Ethnographic Researchers;
Executives;
Managers;
Market Researchers;
Postgraduate Research Students;
Postgraduate Research Supervisors;
Quantitative Researchers;
Research Analysts;
Research Assistants;
Research Commissioners;
Research Project Managers;
Research Team Leaders;
Research Tutors;
Researchers;
Sales and Marketing Managers;
Supervisors;
Team Leaders, Generally;
Undergraduate Dissertation Supervisors;
All others who are
desirous of undertaking postgraduate level training in
Research Methodology - generally - but more
specifically:
Ethnographic
Research;
Qualitative Research;
Quantitative
Research;
Research
Triangulation;
Research Design,
Research Project
Management,
Questionnaire Design,
Population and
Sampling Frame Choice,
Sampling Design,
Questionnaire Design;
Interview
Formulation;
Data Elicitation;
Data Analysis;
Date Interpretation;
Research Report
Writing.
Course Coordinator:
Prof. Dr. R. B. Crawford is the Director of HRODC
Postgraduate Training Institute, A Postgraduate-Only
Institution. He has the following Qualifications and
Affiliations:
Doctor of Philosophy {(PhD) {University College London
(UCL) - University of London)};
MEd Management (University of Bath);
Postgraduate (Advanced) Diploma Science Teacher Ed.
(University of Bristol);
Postgraduate Certificate in Information Systems
(University of West London, formerly Thames Valley
University);
Diploma in Doctoral Research Supervision, (University of
Wolverhampton);
Teaching Certificate;
Fellow of the Institute of Management Specialists;
Human Resources Specialist, of the Institute of
Management Specialists;
Member of the Asian Academy of Management (MAAM);
Member of the International Society of Gesture Studies
(MISGS);
Member of the Standing Council for Organisational
Symbolism (MSCOS);
Member of ResearchGate;
Executive Member of Academy of Management (AOM). There,
his contribution incorporates the judging of
competitions, review of journal articles, and guiding
the development of conference papers. He also
contributes to the Disciplines of:
Human Resources;
Organization and Management Theory;
Organization Development and Change;
Research Methods;
Conflict Management;
Organizational Behavior;
Management Consulting;
Gender & Diversity in Organizations; and
Critical Management Studies.
Professor Dr.
Crawford has been an Academic in the following UK
Universities:
University of London
(Royal Holloway), as Research Tutor;
University of
Greenwich (Business School), as Senior Lecturer
(Associate Professor), in Organisational Behaviour and
Human Resource Management;
University of
Wolverhampton, (Wolverhampton Business School), as
Senior Lecturer (Associate Professor), in Organisational
Behaviour and Human Resource Management;
London Southbank University (Business School), as Lecturer and
Unit Leader.
His responsibilities
in these roles included:
Doctoral Research
Supervisor;
Admissions Tutor;
Postgraduate and
Undergraduate Dissertation Supervisor;
Programme Leader;
Personal Tutor
Classroom-Based Duration and Cost:
Classroom-Based
Duration: 10 Days
Classroom-Based
Cost: £10,000.00 Per Delegate
Online (Video-Enhanced) Duration and Cost
Online Duration:
20 Days @ 3 Hours Per Day
Online Cost:
£6,700.00 Per Delegate
Classroom-Based Course and Programme Cost includes:
Free Continuous snacks throughout the Event Days;
Free Hot Lunch on Event Days;
Free City Tour;
Free Stationery;
Free On-site Internet Access;
Postgraduate Diploma/ Diploma – Postgraduate –or
Certificate of Attendance and Participation – if unsuccessful on
resit.
Students and Delegates will be given a Selection of our Complimentary
Products, which include:
Our Branded Leather Conference Folder;
Our Branded Leather Conference Ring Binder/ Writing Pad;
Our Branded Key Ring/ Chain;
Our Branded Leather Conference (Computer – Phone) Bag – Black or
Brown;
Our Branded 8-16 GB USB Flash Memory Drive, with Course Material;
Our Branded Metal Pen;
Our Branded Polo Shirt.;
Our Branded Carrier Bag.
Daily Schedule:
9:30
to 4:30 pm.
Classroom-Based Course
Delivery Locations:
Central London, UK;
Dubai, UAE;
Kuala Lumpur,
Malaysia;
Amsterdam, The
Netherlands;
Brussels, Belgium;
Paris, France; and
Durban, South Africa;
Other International
Locations, on request.
Course Objectives
By the conclusion of the specified learning and development
activities, delegates will be able to:
Design a research
project, taking account of important issues;
Choose sources of
information appropriate for the type of research being
conducted;
Assess the value of
secondary sources of information as a prelude to the
conduct of primary research;
Choose the
methodology that best suits the type of investigation
being conducted & appropriate to the research
objectives;
Choose the most
appropriate data elicitation techniques, in relation to
the sampling frame, sampling unit, sample size & time
span, among other factors;
Advise others of the
situations in which participant observation,
conversation analysis, documentary analysis, focus
groups, interviews & questionnaires, respectively, are
appropriate;
Design interviews &
questionnaires that will elicit information appropriate
to the research objectives;
Design structured &
unstructured questions, determining the conditions under
which they should be used;
Design questionnaires
& interview schedules, with a mixture of open-ended &
closed-ended questions, avoiding forced-choice in the
latter;
Employ appropriate
data analysis techniques, based on the type & volume of
data available;
Use SPSS and, or,
Excel software packages in analysing data;
Identifying ‘trends’
& ‘patterns’ in information, in an effort to arrive at
conclusions;
Produce effective
reports, adhering to conventional styles, presenting
evidence from the data, & exploiting visual
representations;
Make research
proposals, taking pertinent factors into account;
Manage research
projects, from inception to reporting;
Identify appropriate
roles in research project management & produce realistic
costing; and
Design a research
project that incorporates a high ethical standard.
Course Contents, Concepts and Issues
Part 1: Research Design: Important Considerations
What is involved in
Research Design;
Understanding Sources
of Information:
Secondary Sources of
Information;
Primary Sources of
Information.
Choosing a Broad
Research Area;
Preliminary Readings:
Familiarising with Broad Research Area;
Narrowing the Field,
from Initial Literature Review;
Choosing Relevant
Primary Sources of Information;
Techniques of the
Literature Review;
Recording Information
from Literature Review;
Citations and their
Conventions;
Literature Review as
the basis for Conceptual Framework;
Literature Review as
Empirical Pointers;
Choosing The
Empirical Data Elicitation Methods:
Exploring the
Qualitative Approaches to Data Elicitation;
Quantitative
Approaches to Data Elicitation: Their Value and
Practical Issues;
Triangulating’ The
Methodology.
Part 2: Employing Data Elicitation Techniques (1)
Employing Surveys as a Research Tool:
Cross-Sectional
Surveys;
Longitudinal Surveys.
Participant Observation as a Qualitative Data
Elicitation Tool:
Enacting the Complete
Observer Role;
Contextualising the
Complete Participant Role;
The
Participant-Observer Role;
Being an
Observer-Participant Role;
The Practicality of
the ‘Complete Participant as Observer’ Role.
Conversation Analysis:
Conversation Analysis as Qualitative Methodological
Technique;
Quantifying Conversation Analysis;
Combining Qualitative and Quantitative Approaches in
Conversation Analysis.
Part 3: Employing Data Elicitation Techniques (2)
Documentary Analysis:
Documentary Analysis as Qualitative Methodological
Technique;
Quantifying Documentary Analysis;
Combining Qualitative and Quantitative Approaches in
Documentary Analysis.
Focus Groups:
Optimising Focus Group Size;
Constituting Focus Groups;
Operationalising Focus Groups;
Quantifying Focus Group Responses;
Analysing Focus Group Output;
Validating Focus Groups in Ethnographic Research.
Interviews and
Questionnaires as Data Elicitation Techniques in
Qualitative and Quantitative Research Methodologies:
Distinguishing between Interviews and Questionnaires;
Positive Issues associated with the use of
Questionnaires;
Negative Issues associated with the use of
Questionnaires;
Positive Issues associated with the use of Interviews;
Negative Issues associated with the use of Interviews:
Part 4: Sampling as an Important Element of Research
Design
Determining the
‘Population’:
The ‘Theoretical
Population’;
The ‘Accessible
Population’.
Factors that Define a
‘Population’.
A Sample as a Factor
of the ‘Theoretical Population’;
Sampling the
‘Accessible Population’
What Constitutes a
‘Representative Sample’;
The Sampling Frame:
Determining a
Suitable Sampling Frame;
Factors Mitigating
against a ‘Sample Frame Choice’.
Sampling Techniques:
Convenience or
Non-random Samples;
Quota Sample;
Systematic Sample.
Probability or Random
Samples?
Simple Random Sample;
Stratified Sampling;
Bases of
Stratification;
Multi-stage Sampling:
Its Organisation and Execution.
Part 5: Interview and Questionnaire Design and
Administration (1)
Salient Issues in
Questionnaire Design;
Designing
Unstructured Questions for Questionnaires;
Designing Structured
Questions for Questionnaires;
Designing Structured
Closed-Ended Questions for Questionnaires;
Designing Structured
Open-Ended Questions for Questionnaires;
Multiple-choice
Format as the basis for Designing Structured
Closed-Ended Questions in Questionnaires;
Avoiding
‘Forced-choice’ in Structured Closed-Ended Questions in
Questionnaires;
Questionnaire
Administration:
Personal
Questionnaire Administration;
Timing of
Questionnaire Administration;
Web-based
Questionnaire Administration:
Protecting against
multiple-responses;
Anti-bot Security
Measures.
Part 6: Interview and Questionnaire Design and
Administration (2)
Designing the
Interview Schedule:
Designing
Unstructured Interview Questions;
Designing Structured
Interview Questions;
Designing Structured
Closed-Ended Interview Questions;
Designing Structured
Open-Ended Interview Questions;
Multiple-choice
Format as the basis for Designing Structured
Closed-Ended Interview Questions;
Avoiding
‘Forced-choice’ in Structured Closed-Ended Questions;
Incorporating Prompts
and Guides;
Arranging and
Conducting Interviews:
Determining an
appropriate Time-Frame for the Interview Administration;
Establishing Standard
for Interview Administration;
Keeping to a common
duration;
Using Unstructured
Questions in Interviews;
Using Open-ended
Questions in Interviews;
Recording General
Responses during an Interview;
Recording responses
to Open-ended Questions;
Recording responses
to Closed-ended Questions;
Recording
Multiple-Responses from an Interviewee;
Recording Verbatim
Comments, during an Interview;
Recording Verbatim
Comments, as an addition to responses to Closed-ended
Questions;
Dealing with the
unexpected occurrences during an Interview.
Part 7: Data Analysis and Interpretation
Instruments of
Analysis:
Using a ‘Tally
System’;
Using SPSS Package;
Using Excel Package.
Data Interpretation:
Making Sense of the
Information;
Identifying ‘Trends’
& ‘Patterns’ in Information;
Arriving at
Conclusions.
Part 8: Presenting the Research Findings
Report Planning;
Outlining the Report;
Report Format:
Formatting the Report;
Principles of Document Design.
Guidelines for Report
Writing:
Drafting the Report
Revising the Drafts;
Reviewing the
Appearance of Draft;
Preparing the Final
Copy;
Logical Ordering of
Information;
Exploring the
Evidence.
Creating an Outline;
Getting Ready to Compile the Report;
Presenting the ‘Evidence’;
Revising and Editing the Report;
Writing Style and Lapses:
Choosing a Writing Style;
Frequently Occurring Writing Lapses (FOWLs);
Electronic Tools in Identifying FOWLs;
Collaborative Writing.
Report Illustration:
Impact of Visuals;
Determinants of Effective Visuals;
Selecting and Developing Visuals;
Generating Graphs and
Charts from Tables;
Graphics Tools for Developing Visuals.
Part 9: Research Project Management
Project Life Cycle;
Project Life Cycle Phases:
Project Initiation;
Project Planning;
Project Execution;
Project Evaluation.
Project Completion;
Project Commissioning.
Project Cost Management:
Cost Estimating;
Cost Budgeting;
Cost Control.
Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)
Process Breakdown Structure
Responsibility Matrix;
Project Planning Process;
Project Life Cycle Management;
Project Portfolio Management System;
Project Co-ordination;
Project Sustainability;
The
Project Manager’s Role.
Defining the Project Scope:
Project Objectives;
Deliverables;
Milestones;
Technical Requirements;
Limits and Exclusions;
Reviews with Project Owner/s.
Project Priority.
Part 10: Writing a Research Proposal
Establishing Research
Objectives;
Identifying &
Defining The Problem;
Presenting the
Research Synopsis
Ethical Concerns in
the Formulation & Conduct of Research.
The proposed research area;
The importance or relevance of the proposed research
project
How the proposed research fits with existing theories
and empirical research findings;
How the proposed research paper will address any gaps in
knowledge created by pre-existing research;
The theoretical base that will be employed;
The general approach that will be adopted;
The broad research
methods - qualitative research method, quantitative
research method, or a combination of both - that will be
employed;
The data elicitation techniques to be adopted;
The anticipated types, or likely direction, of any
recommendations that might emerge from the research
findings.
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