Doing your research and analysing the results

Category : Research
Date : June 16, 2014

The researcher should keep records of what is done. For this a research diary proves helpful. If a survey is done by postal questionnaire, the researcher should keep good records of who replied so that it is known who should be sent reminders. If participant observation is a part of research, the researcher should remember to keep good filed notes and not to completely depend upon memory.

The researcher should make sure that he/she is familiar with the hardware that is being used in collecting the data like tape recorders for interviewing. The researcher should also ensure that the hardware like batteries are not flat or close to get flat.

The researcher should not wait until the data has been collected to start coding. This recommendation applies to both qualitative and quantitative research. If the researcher is conducting a questionnaire survey, coding should be started with data and entered in to SPSS. In case of qualitative data like interview transcripts, the same concept would apply. It is a clear and specific suggestion of the proponents of grounded theory that data collection and analysis should be interconnected.

The researcher should try to become familiar with any data analysis package as soon as possible. This familiarity would help in establishing whether or not they are definitely required and also ensure that the researcher does not need to learn everything about them at the time of analysis.

The researcher should not take risk with one’s personal safety at any time.


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