Research Design in using social science research methods
Before we start, you need to keep in mind that this task has a draft component which means you MUST complete a draft copy a day or two before the due date so that any issues will be rectified before the final submission. The details Of the assessment piece will be uploaded, but very important pieces of information that you need to pay attention to are:
1. The LEARNING OUTCOME of this course which needs to be demonstrated in this research design are as follows;
I Describe and explain the theoretical tenets of quantitative and qualitative methodological approaches to research design;
ii Demonstrate skills in identifying and researching relevant literature and documents, including academic and empirical research and policy documents;
iii Explain the theoretical principles underlying research question/s and research hypothesis/es and demonstrate an ability to construct appropriate research question/s and research hypotheses/es for a specified research project;
iv Describe, explain and select an appropriate methodological approach and sampling strategy and design data collection instrument/s for a specified research project;
v Describe and apply principles of ethical research;
vi Report the key elements of a written research according to American Psychological Association guidelines;
vii Be aware of the range, complexity and value of criminological research
2. The assessment piece comes with a template that guides how it should be written. It is important to follow this guide as it mirrors the marking criteria. The most important piece in this assessment is the PROCEDURE and MEASURES in the methodologies section. They both carry 20% each compared to the rest of the other section, which attracts 10%. You must ensure to be a lot more clear and more precise in filling the requirements in this section.
3. The Introduction of the research design NEEDS a review of empirical research examining the relationship between variables outlined in the research question. To guide the reader more closely, you could ever have a subsection in the introduction called a Literature review, but this is not a requirement but will help organise the paper.
4. You will need to do extensive research so that you are effectively and faithfully presenting the current ‘thinking’ in relation to each topic. Each key point you make needs to be validated with empirical research – this is what will validate your argument and makes your work informative. It would be best if you spent more time understanding what is required of you based on the marking criteria.
