Research approaches for a good dissertation

A gentle reminder to the readers of this blog. In this blog I am following a systematic approach to introduce various tips and tricks for producing a valuable dissertation for top universities in the world especially in UK. The inputs can be utilised for doing an effective dissertation especially in management subjects and is specifically focused on getting good marks for the dissertation. Most of the students end up with bad grades since they have not fully understood the overall evaluation method by the University. Here, it is handled in a simple way with professional inputs to guide you through the complex task of producing a  dissertation. Please refer to all the other chapters for a better understanding and keep track of the developments.

Again and again I prefer to remind you that , it is better, stick to simple ideas and produce a fully sensible research. The universities and the evaluators are looking for the over all logical connection made at each chapter , the skills you have shown in choosing each tool and how you have implemented it in your investigation. 

So a dissertation that is too complex to understand may put you in to big trouble !..... the thumb rule here is 

KEEP IT SIMPLE AND STUPID ( K.I.S.S.).

The section following philosophy (last blog)  is the approach we are going to take when conducting the current research. That is how you are planning to approach the execution of research. Management students are very familiar with a top-down approach and bottom up approach that are very common in business analysis. whenever there is a need for analysing the strategy the management usually fix a particular approach such as a top down approach or a bottom up approach in accordance with the requirements of the situation. This practice in fact follows from the fundamental approaches in scientific and non-scientific research . 

This section is much easier to understand than the philosophy ( don't remind me about that..... !!!) .  

As I mentioned earlier,all the researches can be classified into 2 groups scientific and non-scientific research approaches or 'inductive' and 'deductive' approaches. The word deductive itself provides a clue about how it is conducted ,that is it moves from theory to data. This means you first create a theory and experiment with the theory.

In this stage we may remember how Einstein created relativity theory and gave a tough time to all the other scientists to prove it with experiments (data). it is difficult to understand the way in which scientist think since they think first and then make equations. Unfortunately in most of the educational system across the world the students are taught to learn those equations and do not get the time for creative or irrational thinking.

Let us  first discuss the deductive approach. the following points will make it very clear on the logic of deduction. 

• The deductive approach is based on scientific principles.
• This approach fundamentally moves from a specific theory to generation of data.
• This approach is strictly based on a structure such as procedures in a controlled (laboratory) experiment and obviously suitable for quantitative data.
• The statistical methods have a high influence on the outcomes and is less biased with the involvement of researcher.
• all the advantages and disadvantages of statistical data collection, classification and analysis are applicable to this approach.
• The outcomes of the research are generated from available facts.
• This approach is usually known as the top down approach.
• The deductive approach progress from the theory to hypothesis, observation and finally conformation.

Now you know this is not what you are not looking for right ? ( provided you are a management student). 

Fine, for a research conducted in a social setting an inductive approach is usually used . However, most of the researchers now try to select a particular approach for individual research objectives which gives more clarity on the outcomes.

The inductive approach is suitable for a research conducted to investigate various attributes that are not quantifiable. I hope the following points will make it more clear.

• The inductive approach is expected to provide more understanding about human attachments to certain events.
• This is the most suitable approach when dealing with qualitative data.
• There is high flexibility to change or update the structure of the research  as we progress with the investigation.
• In this approach the researcher is part of the research which sometimes create personal bias, but most suitable in case it is necessary to reflect the experience of the researcher in the outcomes.
• It begins with the creation of data and these data's are well explained with the existing theoretical foundation.
• This approach is usually known as the bottom up approach.
• The inductive approach begins with observation to identification of patterns and creates tentative hypothesis and develops the theory.

so when you select your particular approach for the research, have a  word with your guide and choose separate approaches for each research objective. sometimes they may advise you to follow one particular approach in that case better you do that :) .