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(Also called "empirical" or "primary" research)
(Also called "empirical" or "primary" research)
Original resesarch involves collecting your own data in a structured, methodical way. After you've used the information created by others in various media sources, sometimes you still have questions. That's where original research begins. In the MISO acronym, interviews, surveys, and observations fall into this category. So do experiments.
Original resesarch involves collecting your own data in a structured, methodical way. After you've used the information created by others in various media sources, sometimes you still have questions. That's where original research begins. In the MISO acronym, interviews, surveys, and observations fall into this category. So do experiments.
This page covers experiments and observations that don't involve other people. If you collect data that involves others, please see the section on Use of Human Participants
NOTE: This page is not finished. Ultimately, it will contain info all all sorts of primary data collection--from surveys to interviews to experiments to focus groups to observational studies. But right now, it's still a work in progress...
The Basics
The Basics
Interviews
Interviews
Make sure you're prepared for all your interviews! Even if you intend for the interview to be informal, laid back, and spontaneous, you should still have a list of topics and questions you want to cover.
You should ask open questions, covering who, what, why, how and when.
You should take notes or record the interview. Afterwards you can write up a summary or transcribe the entire session. If you are interviewing through email, keep a copy of the whole email conversation. You may wish to use these notes or transcripts in your process journal as evidence of research, collaboration or communication skills. In formal research reports, you add the entire interview transcript to an appendix and create an MLA formatted citation for your interview on your Works Cited page.
For further advice/help:
Used with permission from ISS Personal Project by Lenny Dutton
Surveys
Surveys
Observations
Observations
Experiments
Experiments
More Advanced
More Advanced
Quantitative, Qualitative, and Mixed Method
Triangulation
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