SUMMARY LECTURES -
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
FOR HUMAN-ENVIRONMENT
INTERACTIONS - YRM21306
Summary based on the lectures in YRM21306 by
Jurian Meijering
LECTURE ONE
Scientific research is:
- Systematic (Reliable, Valid)
- Objective (Unbiased, Non-normative)
- Theoretical (Undertaken within a framework of a set of philosophies, Adding to existing
knowledge/theory)
Distinctions in scientific research:
- Descriptive (exploratory): describes something in the world
- Correlational: Investigated the relationship between two things
- Explanatory: explains why things are as they are
Primary data: data you collected yourself.
Secondary data: primary data that were collected by others.
Empirical research: knowledge acquired through measurements in the real world.
Non-empirical research: knowledge based on logic, definition or authority.
Quantitative research:
- Measure characteristics of the world in the form of numbers
- Identifying regularities that apply to many cases (reductionist approach)
Qualitative research:
- Describe the world in terms of words
- Identifying specifics in purposively selected cases (holistic approach)
Empirical cycle:
- Goal: building and testing of theories
- Start: knowledge problem
- Phases:
o Observation (Building)
, o Induction (Building) = reasoning from specific to the general -> bottom-up reasoning
o Deduction (Testing) = reasoning from the general to the specific -> top-down reasoning
o Testing of hypothesis (Testing)
o Evaluation (Testing)
Regulative cycle:
- Problem identification: What is the problem?
- Diagnosis: What is the cause of the problem?
- Design: What can we do to solve the problem?
- Implementation: Intervention is implemented and monitored
- Evaluation: Has the problem been solved?
(Part of) the empirical cycle can be used in a single phase of the regulative cycle.
What does a research proposal look like?
Research objective
Conceptual
Reseach questions
research design
Operationalization
research proposal
Study design
Technical research
Sampling
design
Data collection
methods
Conceptional design: what do you wish to achieve through and in your research project? Fill a knowledge
gap!
Technical design: how to realize all this in the course of your research project?
Research process:
1. Formulating a research problem
2. Conceptualizing a research design
3. Constructing an instrument for data collection
4. Selecting a sample
5. Writing a research proposal
6. Collecting data
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
FOR HUMAN-ENVIRONMENT
INTERACTIONS - YRM21306
Summary based on the lectures in YRM21306 by
Jurian Meijering
LECTURE ONE
Scientific research is:
- Systematic (Reliable, Valid)
- Objective (Unbiased, Non-normative)
- Theoretical (Undertaken within a framework of a set of philosophies, Adding to existing
knowledge/theory)
Distinctions in scientific research:
- Descriptive (exploratory): describes something in the world
- Correlational: Investigated the relationship between two things
- Explanatory: explains why things are as they are
Primary data: data you collected yourself.
Secondary data: primary data that were collected by others.
Empirical research: knowledge acquired through measurements in the real world.
Non-empirical research: knowledge based on logic, definition or authority.
Quantitative research:
- Measure characteristics of the world in the form of numbers
- Identifying regularities that apply to many cases (reductionist approach)
Qualitative research:
- Describe the world in terms of words
- Identifying specifics in purposively selected cases (holistic approach)
Empirical cycle:
- Goal: building and testing of theories
- Start: knowledge problem
- Phases:
o Observation (Building)
, o Induction (Building) = reasoning from specific to the general -> bottom-up reasoning
o Deduction (Testing) = reasoning from the general to the specific -> top-down reasoning
o Testing of hypothesis (Testing)
o Evaluation (Testing)
Regulative cycle:
- Problem identification: What is the problem?
- Diagnosis: What is the cause of the problem?
- Design: What can we do to solve the problem?
- Implementation: Intervention is implemented and monitored
- Evaluation: Has the problem been solved?
(Part of) the empirical cycle can be used in a single phase of the regulative cycle.
What does a research proposal look like?
Research objective
Conceptual
Reseach questions
research design
Operationalization
research proposal
Study design
Technical research
Sampling
design
Data collection
methods
Conceptional design: what do you wish to achieve through and in your research project? Fill a knowledge
gap!
Technical design: how to realize all this in the course of your research project?
Research process:
1. Formulating a research problem
2. Conceptualizing a research design
3. Constructing an instrument for data collection
4. Selecting a sample
5. Writing a research proposal
6. Collecting data
