Research Methodology
- Management Sciences
- 300 level
- 3 credit units
- 164 pages
- 15 units
This course introduces students to research methodology, covering the nature of research, scientific investigation skills, and problem identification. It explores various research methods, including naturalistic inquiries and case studies. Students will learn about population and sampling techniques, statistical tools for analysis, and the essentials of writing research reports and proposals. The course also addresses research referencing, proposal contents, and ethical considerations, equipping students with a comprehensive understanding of the research process.
About this course
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Study hours
- 208 hours
- Maths
- Intermediate
- Content
- Theoretical, practical, case study, problem solving, research
- Practical work
- Yes
- Basic Statistics
- Introduction to Social Sciences
- Assignments
- Tutor marked assessments
- Final examination
What you'll read
The real module and unit structure of FMS304, taken from the course material NOUN publishes.
One paragraph, so you can see how it reads
FMS304 · UNIT 1 CONCEPTUAL FRAME WORK OF RESEARCH
Your first unit in this course will take you through the concept of research, characteristics, types and purposes to enable you make up your mind on what research as a technical subject is all about.
What you should be able to do
- Describe different research methodologies.
- Apply appropriate data collection techniques.
- Analyze data using statistical tools.
- Write a comprehensive research proposal.
- Understand and apply ethical principles in research.
What it prepares you for
- Research Analyst
- Data Scientist
- Market Researcher
- Policy Analyst
- Academic Researcher
- Education
- Healthcare
- Business
- Government
- Social Sciences
- SPSS
- Microsoft Excel
- NVivo
Where it gets hard
The units students slow down on, and what makes each one heavy.
- Module 3:
Unit 3: Statistical tools of Analysis
Requires understanding of statistical tests and their appropriate application, which builds on prior knowledge of statistical concepts.
- Module 3:
Unit 5: Research Referencing, Proposal and Ethnical Issues
Involves understanding and applying ethical guidelines in research, which requires critical thinking and awareness of potential biases.
A suggested way through it
13 weeks, about 45 hours in total. Yours will differ.
- Week 1Module 1: Conceptual Frame Work of Research
Unit 1: Conceptual Frame Work of Research · 3 hours
Understand the concept of research and its characteristics.. Differentiate between types of research.. Explore the purpose of research..
- Week 2Module 1: Conceptual Frame Work of Research
Unit 2: Skills of Scientific Investigation · 3 hours
Discuss scientific investigation.. Explain facts and theories.. Differentiate between hypothesis and theory.. List the purpose of theory.. Describe the levels of theorizing..
- Week 3Module 1: Conceptual Frame Work of Research
Unit 3: Methods of Data Collection in Research – 1 · 3 hours
Explain data collection in research.. Explain the types of data.. Describe the questionnaire.. List the characteristics of a questionnaire.. Construct a typical research questionnaire..
- Week 4Module 1: Conceptual Frame Work of Research
Unit 4: Interviews and Observations · 3 hours
Describe an interview as a data collection method.. Explain the types of interview.. List the steps in the arrangement of an interview.. Conduct an interview and record the responses..
- Week 5Module 1: Conceptual Frame Work of Research
Unit 5: Problem Identification in Research · 3 hours
Explain the concept of problem in research.. Enumerate the characteristics of a research problem.. Identify the various sources of suitable research problems.. Select a research topic for investigation.. Shape and refine the problem..
- Week 6Module 2:
Unit 1: Steps in Research Agenda · 3 hours
List the steps in a research process.. Explain the components of setting the problem.. Propose some hypotheses for your study.. Discuss the types of variables.. Explain the feasibility of a research problem..
- Week 7Module 2:
Unit 2: The Typologies of the Research Methods I · 3 hours
Explain empiricism.. Describe the empirical research process.. Explain the meaning of phenomenology.. Discuss the phenomenological approaches in social science research.. Describe the elements of critical research.. Describe the approaches in critical social research..
- Week 8Module 2:
Unit 3: Philosophical and Historical Research · 3 hours
Explain Philosophical research.. List the main steps in Philosophical inquiry.. Explain Historical research.. Discuss the main features of Historical research.. List the main steps in Historical research..
- Week 9Module 2:
Unit 4: Naturalistic Inquiry and Case Study · 3 hours
Explain the meaning of naturalistic inquiry.. Discuss the uniqueness of the naturalistic inquiry.. Describe the main steps in naturalistic inquiry.. Explain case study research.. Mention the characteristics of case study.. List the main steps in case study..
- Week 10Module 2:
Unit 5: Descriptive Research · 3 hours
Explain descriptive research.. Describe the main steps in conducting descriptive research.. Discuss the types of descriptive research..
- Week 11Module 3:
Unit 1: Experimental and Action Researches · 3 hours
Explain the experimental research.. Give the characteristics of experimental research.. List the steps in experimental design.. Explain the types of experimental designs.. Describe action research.. Discuss the stages of action research..
- Week 12Module 3:
Unit 2: Population and Sampling · 3 hours
Define a population.. Describe a sample.. Differentiate between probability and non-probability samples.. Explain the sampling techniques..
- Week 13Module 3:
Unit 3: Statistical tools of Analysis · 3 hours
Explain data analysis.. Describe the concept of statistics.. Differentiate between parametric and nonparametric statistics.. Calculate each of the measures of central variability.. Explain How to use each of the measures of variability.. Discuss the use of measures of association.. Distinguish between parametric and non parametric tests..
Unit 4: Writing Research Reports and Proposals · 3 hours
Explain research referencing.. Write reference from variety of sources.. List differences between research reports and proposals.. Discuss ethnical issues in research.
Unit 5: Research Referencing, Proposal and Ethnical Issues · 3 hours
Explain research referencing.. Write reference from variety of sources.. List differences between research reports and proposals.. Discuss ethnical issues in research.
Preparing for the exam
- Create concept maps linking research designs to appropriate data analysis techniques (Weeks 6-11).
- Practice writing research proposals based on different problem statements (Weeks 1-5).
- Review ethical guidelines and case studies to understand ethical considerations (Week 13).
- Focus on understanding the assumptions and limitations of different statistical tests (Week 12).
- Practice interpreting statistical output and drawing meaningful conclusions (Week 12).
Questions students ask about this course
What is FMS304 about?
This course introduces students to research methodology, covering the nature of research, scientific investigation skills, and problem identification. It explores various research methods, including naturalistic inquiries and case studies. Students will learn about population and sampling techniques, statistical tools for analysis, and the essentials of writing research reports and proposals. The course also addresses research referencing, proposal contents, and ethical considerations, equipping students with a comprehensive understanding of the research process.
How many units does FMS304 have?
FMS304, Research Methodology, has 15 units across 3 modules, over 164 pages of course material. You can read it one unit at a time.
How many credit units is FMS304?
FMS304 carries 3 credit units, at 300 level in Management Sciences.
Is FMS304 hard?
FMS304 is rated intermediate level, with intermediate mathematical content. It is mostly theoretical, practical, case study, problem solving and research work, and it has a practical component.
How long does FMS304 take to study?
About 208 hours of study, spread across its 15 units.
How is FMS304 assessed?
FMS304 is assessed by assignments, tutor marked assessments and final examination.
What do I need before starting FMS304?
Basic Statistics Introduction to Social Sciences
What can I do with FMS304?
Research Analyst, Data Scientist, Market Researcher, Policy Analyst and Academic Researcher.