An Example of Exam of The Research Methods Course
PL (451) Research Methods. Instructor: Dr. Anas Almughairy
Master of Planning Program
Department of Urban Planning
College of Architecture & Planning
1- define research methods and methodology. What is the major difference
between them?
Methodology is a strategy or a plan of action that links methods to outcomes (e,g.
experimental research, survey research, ethnography, etc.)
Research methods are techniques and procedures that researcher use to answer
his research questions (e.g. questionnaire, interview, focus group, etc.)
The major difference between research methods and methodology is that the
later governs our choice and use of methods.
2- what constitutes successful research proposal? Identify its elements in details.
A successful research proposal consist of the following elements:
a) A research proposal title that does not exceed 12 words.
b) An introduction: it is the part of the research proposal or paper that
provides readers with the background information for the research
reported in the proposal. Its purpose is to establish a framework research,
so that readers can understand how it is related to other research. A
successful introduction starts with a brief review of the phenomenon
subject of the research. This review should include important definitions of
terminologies used by the researcher.
c) A purpose statement: it is the most important statement in an entire
research study. It orients the reader to the central intent of the research.
The purpose statement indicates why you want to do the study and what
you intend to accomplish. It could take a separate paragraph in the
introduction however it should be stated clearly.
d) Research objectives or questions: achieving the research objectives is
and indication of the success of the study. Objectives or research
questions delineate boundaries of the study. For that reason, they need to
be with in the researcher means or reasonable to be achieved.
e) Conceptual framework: it is a simple model that explains major
components in the study and how they relate to one another.
f) Conclusion: it is the final part of the research proposal that summarizes
the previous elements and tells what lays a head in to complete the study.
g) References: it is a list of scholarly work that researcher uses in writing his
proposal. They could be per-reviewed journal articles, books, and
government publications.
3- Research approaches are divided into qualitative, quantitative, and mixed
methods, explain what are these approaches and what are research
purposes that they serve?
Qualitative Research:
• Qualitative methods facilitate study of issues in depth and details.
• Approaching fieldwork without being constrained by by predetermined
categories of analysis contributes to the depth, openness and details of
qualitative inquiry.
• Qualitative methods are often used in evaluations because tell program
stories by capturing and communicating the participants’ stories.
• Qualitative method procedures include:
ü Emerging methods.
ü Open-ended question,
ü Interview data, observation data, document data, and audiovisual data.
ü Text and image analysis.
Quantitative Research:
• In quantitative research, your goal is to determine the relationship
between one thing (an independent variable) and another (a dependent or
outcome variable) in a population.
• Quantitative research designs are either descriptive (subjects usually
measured once) or experimental (subjects measured before and after a
treatment). A descriptive study establishes only associations between
variables. An experiment establishes causality.
• Quantitative method procedures include:
ü Predetermined instrument based questions,
ü Performance data, attitude data, observational data, and census data
ü Statistical analysis
Mixed Methods Research:
• It combines advantages of quantitative and qualitative methods .
• Mixed method procedures include:
ü Both predetermined and emerging methods,
ü Both Open and closed ended questions.
ü Multiple forms of data drawing on all possibilities.
ü Statistical and text analysis.
4- Define the conceptual framework and how significant is it to the design of
research proposal?
The conceptual framework of your study—the system of concepts, assumptions,
expectations, beliefs, and theories that supports and informs your research—is a
key part of your design. It explains, either graphically or in narrative form, the
main things to be studied—the key factors, concepts or variables—and the
presumed relationships among them. It helps the researcher to assess and refine
his goals, develop realistic and relevant research questions, select appropriate
methods, and identify potential validity threats to his conclusions. It also helps
him to justify his research.
