CMA603: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

About This Course

Students have the chance to put their prior knowledge to use in this course. Students must select a research topic, write a well-organized literature review, a research question, and a hypothesis. The population must be identified, and the students must select the proper methods and resources for their research. At least seven consultations with each supervisor, lasting two hours each, are needed from students each semester. Students' progress will be monitored using a log book. After completing the problem statement, study objectives, literature review, hypotheses (if desired), and research design, which may include a draught questionnaire or laboratory flowchart, students will be evaluated. 10% of the overall dissertation grade is determined by the frequency of consultation.It is forbidden to plagiarise. Students have numerous opportunities to put the reference, citation, and analytical abilities they have learned from their supervisor and Research Methodology Class into effect while working on their dissertations.

Topics In This Course

1. Introduction to Research

1.1) Research philosophy, theory and causality

1.2) Selecting a focus for a study

1.3) Identifying and selecting a research paradigm, either qualitative research (inductive approach) or quantitative research (deductive approach) or a combination of both (triangulation)

1.4) Type of research design for construction management research which includes: action research, ethnographic, surveys (cross sectional and longitudinal studies, experiments and grounded theory.

2. Selection of a Research Topic and a Paradigm

2.1) Identifying and writing a research topic by describing it succinctly.

2.2) Drafting a working title and considering whether it is researchable.

2.3) Choosing a paradigm, either quantitative, qualitative or a combination of both.

3. Problem Statement, Objectives and Hypotheses

3.1) Identifying and writing a clear, right and important problem statement

3.2) Developing and writing clear objectives that are relevant to the problem statement

3.3) Developing and writing relevant, testable and resolvable objectives in hypothesis form of otherwise

4. Reviewing the Literature

4.1) Conducting literature search and writing literature review

4.2) Producing conceptual/theoretical framework

5. Methodology

5.1) Identifying and writing research variables and reliable research population.

5.2) Identifying and explaining measuring instruments

5.3) Identifying and explaining the limitations of research design

5.4) Identifying and writing appropriate research methodology

6. Analysis

6.1) Descriptive statistics and exploratory data analysis

6.2) Frequency distribution, descriptive or inferential statistics

6.3) Qualitative data analysis methods

6.4) Discussion of analysis results

6.5) Appropriate writing of analysis results and discussion

7. Conclusion

7.1) Developing consistent conclusion

7.2) Identifying limitations of research

7.3) Presenting research recommendation