Modules/Module1/Mod1Home.html
Module 1 – Home
Assessment of Data Sources for the Research Problem
Modular Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this module, the student will be able to satisfy the following outcomes:
Case
Review methodology for the dissertation.

SLP
Identify secondary data sources for the dissertation.
Review Excel procedures.

Discussion
Evaluate the impact of secondary and primary data on dissertation research.

Module Overview
Video Introduction to the Course
One of the main objectives of this course is to assist you with preparing the research methodology section of the proposal for your doctoral project. Research methodology refers to the structure of data and data collection techniques which we employ to get the information needed to answer our research questions. In previous courses, you have identified your research problem, developed your research questions, and prepared a review of research literature and related material in support of your project. Now it’s time to solidify what you plan to do with your project and how you will do it.
Like most Trident courses, this course has two main parts: the Case Assignments and the Session Long Project. In this course, the project assignments are organized around different kinds of data and data analysis issues; each assignment is a self-contained unit. On the other hand, the Cases are organized around the five main components of research methodology. These components are:
Research design
Measures
Sample
Procedures
Analysis

Collectively, these components make up your methodology section. In the Cases, you will work on each of these components in turn, developing your ideas and fitting them into the other components of your study. When you finish the course, you will have a fully developed methodology section for your project proposal.
In this module, our major focus is to understand the advantages and disadvantages of different designs and data types in addressing research questions of varying forms, and to understand how your choices about research questions and approaches often commit you to specific research methods.
Research designs typically follow rather directly from these research questions—that is, the way we phrase a question usually carries within it the seeds of the design. Not all designs are adapted to answer all questions. Thus, the ability to select the most efficient and effective design, one that is no more complicated or costly than necessary, is one of the marks of a good researcher.
A research design is the set of arrangements governing data collection that conditions how inferences can be drawn from the data. The basic distinction here is between experimental designs, which to a degree can be used to support causal inferences, and non-experimental designs, which can support associational inferences but not causal ones. An important note—even the strongest experimental designs in the behavioral sciences cannot prove causality—there are always too many “threats to validity” for that in the real world.
Non-experimental designs may be in turn be largely descriptive, or may be more associational in nature, depending on the degree to which they attempt to relate the different aspects of the research situation to one another.
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Modules/Module1/Mod1Background.html
Module 1 – Background
Assessment of Data Sources for the Research Problem
Required Reading
Bloomberg, L. D., & Volpe, M. (2007). Presenting methodology and research approach. In Completing your qualitative dissertation. Sage Publishing. Retrieved April 30, 2018, from https://www.sagepub.com/sites/default/files/upm-binaries/18533_Chapter3.pdf

Chapters 1 and 2 in:
Cooperrider, D. L., Whitney, D., & Stavros, J. M. (2008). Appreciative inquiry handbook: For leaders of change. Oakland, CA: Berrett-Koehler Publishing. Available in the Trident Online Library: Follow these instructions for Finding Skillsoft Books. Enter 36089 in the search bar.
Greener, S. (2008). Business research methods. Ventus Publishing. Retrieved from http://web.ftvs.cuni.cz/hendl/metodologie/introduction-to-research-methods.pdf

Chapter 1 in:
Goodyear, L., Barela, E., Jewiss, J., & Usinger, J. (2014). Qualitative inquiry in evaluation: From theory to practice. Jossey-Bass: Hoboken, NJ. Available in the Trident Online Library: Follow these instructions for Finding Skillsoft Books. Enter 80713 in the search bar.
Research Methodology. (n.d.). Research Design. Retrieved from https://research-methodology.net/research-methodology/research-design/

Chapters 1 and 2 in:
Ng, W., & Coakes, E. (2014). Business research: Enjoy creating, developing and writing your business project. Krogan Page: London, UK. Available in the Trident Online Library: Follow these instructions for Finding Skillsoft Books. Enter 58388 in the search bar.
Chapter 1 in:
Phillips, P. P., Phillips, J. J., & Aaron, B. C. (2013). Survey basics. Association for Talent Development. Available in the Trident Online Library: Available in the Trident Online Library: Follow these instructions for Finding Skillsoft Books. Enter 53520 in the search bar.
Chapter 4.3 in:
Rothenberg, J. (n.d.). Introduction to sociology. OpenStax, Creative Commons. Retrieved from https://cnx.org/contents/[email protected]:[email protected]/Ethical-Concerns

Chapters 1 and 2 in:
Swanson, R. A., & Holton, E. F. (2005). Research in organizations: Foundations and methods of inquiry. Berrett-Koehler Publishers: Oakland, CA. Available in the Trident Online Library: Follow these instructions for Finding Skillsoft Books. Enter 11859 in the search bar.
USC Libraries. (n.d.). Organizing your social sciences research paper: 6. The methodology. Retrieved April 30, 2018, from http://libguides.usc.edu/writingguide/methodology

Chapters 1 and 2 in:
Walker, S. (2012). Employee engagement & communication research: Measurement, strategy, & action. Krogan Page: London, UK. Available in the Trident Online Library: Available in the Trident Online Library: Follow these instructions for Finding Skillsoft Books. Enter 47012 in the search bar.
ZeePedia.com. (n.d.). Classification of research. Retrieved April 30, 2018, from http://www.zeepedia.com/read.php?classification_of_research_goals_of_exploratory_research_research_methods&b=71&c=3

Video Material
Altee, R. (2009, June 16). Types of research and research design [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=49_u-pXwx7g

ChrisFlipp. (2014, January 15). Qualitative vs. Quantitative [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2X-QSU6-hPU

Gibbs, G. (2014, January 22). The nature of social research [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pQ4RAHXtvS0&list=PLirEzjzoHKvxaX8zZuFUSAi4jdukeexwx

Gibbs, G. (2014, January 22). Documents in social research Part 1 of 2 on documents and diaries [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hk1i4aWuass&index=16&list=PLirEzjzoHKvxaX8zZuFUSAi4jdukeexwx

Center for Research Quality. (2015, January 23). Introduction to research design [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GYywR7SA03E

RanYwayZ. (2016, September 20). Research design [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WY9j_t570LY

Collaborative Statistics Textbook
Dean, S., & Illowsky, B. (2014). Preface. Collaborative Statistics. Connexions: Rice University. Creative Commons License 3.0. Retrieved from https://cnx.org/contents/[email protected]:[email protected]/Preface

Chapter 1 in:
Dean, S., & Illowsky, B. (2014). Collaborative Statistics. Connexions: Rice University. Creative Commons License 3.0. Retrieved from https://cnx.org/contents/[email protected]:[email protected]/Video-Lecture-1-Sampling-and-Data