Study Notes on Qualitative and Quantitative Research Methods

QUALITATIVE AND QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH METHODS

Facilitator Information

• Name: Ismael Kato

• Position: Lecturer

• Location: Kampala, Uganda

CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW

• Importance of Literature Review:

  • Knowledge is cumulative; every piece of research contributes to subsequent studies.

  • Research should begin with a review of related literature to determine if existing data sources can inform the problem (i.e., secondary research).

  • Each study relies on earlier work and will serve as a basis for future research.

Objectives of Literature Review

• Core Functions of a Literature Review:

  • Provide an explanation of the theoretical rationale behind the problem.

  • Summarize previous research and its findings relevant to the issue being studied.

  • Organize the literature into sub-topics for clarity and ease of understanding.

Quality Assessment in Literature Review

• Critical Evaluation of Sources:

  • Assess the quality of the literature; not all published work is reliable (e.g., Wikipedia content).

  • Use critical assessment to evaluate the appropriateness of methodologies employed in studies reviewed.

Role of Secondary Research

• Benefits of Secondary Research:

  • Extremely useful in exploratory research for providing background information.

  • Economical and accessible source of information to understand the problem's scope.

  • Forms the basis for formulating hypotheses.

Purpose of Writing Literature Review

Practical Reasons:

• Demonstrates the author's knowledge in the field.

• With modifications, can become publishable scholarly material.

• Helps the researcher identify renowned researchers and research groups.

Scientific Reasons:

• Core Scientific Motivations:

  • Define the limits of the research problem.

  • Open new lines of inquiry and avoid unproductive approaches.

  • Gain insights into methodology and identify recommendations for further research.

  • Contextualize research historically and facilitate the relationship between ideas and applications.

  • Identify what has or hasn't been done in the field, discover variables of interest, and rationalize the significance of the problem.

  • Acquire vocabulary and structure around the subject.

Literature Search Strategy

• Stages of the Search:

  • Choose a search topic.

  • Determine the scope of the search (date, geographic area, etc).

  • Identify relevant keywords and types of information (journals, books, etc.).

  • Identify sources of information (libraries, internet, databases).

  • Execute the search, review progress, and obtain copies of relevant materials.

  • Evaluate the relevance of material and proceed to write up findings.

Considerations for Research Materials

• Key Issues to Consider:

  • Maintain proper record keeping and consistent referencing (APA format).

  • Utilize diverse types of information resources:

  • Libraries (physical and virtual), articles, reports, theses, dissertations.

  • Databases, journals, books, newspapers, government documents.

  • Conference proceedings and internet sources.

Recommended Databases

• List of Databases:

  • Google Scholar

  • Scopus

  • Web of Science

  • Elsevier/Science Direct

  • IEEE Xplorer Digital Library

  • Sage Research

  • Emerald Insight

  • Wiley Online Library

  • Semantic Scholar

  • Sci-Hub

  • Oxford

  • ACM Digital Library

  • Research Gate

  • Springer Online

  • etc.

Information Systems Design in Developing Countries

Success Factors:

• Key Factors for Success:

  • Skills and opportunities.

  • Government policies.

  • Environmental conditions.

  • Access to 5G internet.

  • IT infrastructure and access to data and innovations.

  • Cited Study: Tondro (2025).

Challenges Faced:

• Major Challenges:

  • Limited access to IT and internet in some regions.

  • Financial barriers.

  • Poverty and education gaps.

  • Negative attitudes towards new technologies (e.g., 5G).

  • Energy and infrastructure limitations.

  • Cited Study: López-Vargas et al. (2021).

Proposed Research Example

• Digital Divide Case Study:

  • Focus on Makerere University Business School for master's students.

  • Theoretical aspects combined with practical ICT training proposals.

  • Aims to bridge the gender digital divide amongst university students in Uganda.

  • Explores the problem, proposed solutions, and relevant case studies.

Assessment and Evaluation Structure

• Components of Assessment:

  • Coursework 1: Sit-in test.

  • Coursework II: Research proposal (take-home assignment).

  • Final Exam: Sit-in exam; students complete 4 out of 6 questions.

Evaluation of Relevant Material

• Criteria for Relevance:

  • Quality over quantity: Assess relevance, appropriateness of publication date, author credibility, and source reputation.

  • Avoid biased sources and ensure the work is accessible and factually substantiated.

Classification and Taxonomy of Literature Review

Classification Characteristics:

• Cooper's Classification includes:

  • Focus, goal, perspective, coverage, organization of the review, audience.

Focus Areas:

• Types of Focus:

  • Research outcomes: Findings and conclusions from previous studies.

  • Research methods: Investigating the effects and strengths of different methodologies.

  • Theories: Examining existence and relationship substantiation.

  • Practices/applications: Application of interventions in real-life scenarios.

Goals of a Literature Review:

• Primary Goals:

  • Generalization of findings across various units and treatments.

  • Resolve existing debates and sensitive issues in the field.

  • Critically analyze prior research and identify significant issues.

Perspectives in Literature Review:

• Possible Approaches:

  • Neutral and objective representation of findings.

  • Subjective approach addressing potential biases influencing the review.

Coverage Considerations:

• Coverage Strategies:

  • Comprehensive Reviews: Exhaustively gather all related articles, published and unpublished.

  • Selective Citation: Include key articles while limiting extensive citation.

Organization of Literature Review:

• Common Formats:

  • Historical format: Presenting literature chronologically to show changes over time.

  • Conceptual format: Organizing literature around specific theories and concepts.

  • Methodological format: Structuring as an empirical paper (introduction, method, results, discussion).

Audience Considerations

• Target Audience:

  • Primary: Supervisors and reviewers of the dissertation.

  • Secondary: Other scholars in the field.

• Avoid Non-Academic Writing:

  • Academic writing differs from general reading material. Mixture of formats is permissible.

Common Mistakes in Literature Reviews

• Frequent Errors:

  • Failing to relate findings back to the current study.

  • Inadequate identification of reputable authors and sources.

  • Over-reliance on secondary sources without synthesis.

  • Neglecting contrary findings and reporting isolated results rather than synthesizing them.

Requirements for Literature Review

• Expectations:

  • Each assertion should relate to existing literature without incorporating personal opinions.

  • Only use published, recognized literature; classroom notes are not acceptable.

  • Prioritize recent sources; avoid material predating the 1990s.

  • All sources must follow APA citation format.

Acknowledgment of Authors

• Crediting Sources:

  • Acknowledgment should occur in three areas:

  • List of authors.

  • Acknowledgments of contributions from others.

  • Reference lists or citations.

Referencing in Academic Writing

Importance of Referencing:

• Reasons to Reference:

  • Give credit to authors whose ideas have influenced your work, avoiding plagiarism.

  • Enable readers to locate sources for additional information.

  • Show comprehension of academic writing conventions.

When to Reference:

• Necessary Situations:

  • Direct quotations from another’s work.

  • Indirect references or paraphrasing—summarizing ideas or arguments.

  • Incorporating data, definitions, or known phrases from established works.

Understanding Plagiarism

• Definition:

  • Plagiarism is the unauthorized use of someone else's work without proper citation.

  • Term originates from a Latin word meaning "kidnapping".

Quoting Guidelines:

• Types of Quotations:

  • Short quotations: Integrated within text and enclosed in quotation marks with page number.

  • Long quotations: Indented and presented as separate paragraphs without quotation marks, also includes page number.

Examples of Quoting:

• Short Quote: - Brown (2008 P.8): “referencing is a pain I could do without.”

• Long Quote:

  • Toye (2007 P.1): “David Lloyd George and Winston Churchill were the two most important figures…”

Paraphrasing Concerns:

• Plagiarism via Paraphrasing:

  • Reproducing others' ideas in own words still requires referencing.

How to Reference

Summary Steps:

• Citation:

  • Insert the author(s) last name and publication year, page numbers if quoting.

• Reference List:

  • Include complete citation details at the end of your paper, organized alphabetically by the author's last name.

• Bibliography:

  • List additional works consulted but not directly cited in the text.

Referencing Styles

Common Styles:

• Styles include but are not limited to:

  • APA (American Psychological Association)

  • IEEE

  • Turabian

  • Chicago

  • Harvard

  • ISO 690

  • GOST

Examples of APA Citations

No Direct Quotation:

• When author(s) name occurs naturally:

  • Grushkin (1991) claims that…

  • Payne and Phillips (1985) claim that…

  • Brewster, Fenton and Morris (2005) claim that…

  • Roeder et al. (1967) claim that…

No Direct Quotation (when names do not occur in text):

• “It has been claimed (Grushkin 1991) that…”

• “It has been claimed (Payne and Phillips 1985) that…”

Same Author Multiple Works:

• Differentiating Years:

  • Use a letter suffix: (Brown 2008a and Brown 2008b).

Reference List Formatting (APA Style)

Essential Guidelines:

• References must appear for all cited works in a research paper.

• Arrange alphabetically by authors' last names.

• Use initials for all authors and ampersands for multiple authors.

• Titles: Capitalize the first word of the title and proper nouns only.

Pagination and Formatting:

• Use "p." or "pp." for page numbers in non-volume articles.

• Indentation: Use hanging indent for references.

• Use italics, not underlining, for titles.

For Online Works:

• Internet Address:

  • Provide URLs or DOIs.

• Include retrieval date if the work is subject to change.

Citation Examples (APA Style)

Articles:

• Must include authors, publication date, article title, journal title (italicized), volume/issue numbers, and page range.

Books:

• Must include authors/editors, publication date, title, place of publication, and publisher's name.

Here is a quiz based on the content of the notes:

Quiz on Qualitative and Quantitative Research Methods

1. What is the primary purpose of a literature review?
   a. To summarize personal opinions
   b. To provide an explanation of the theoretical rationale behind the problem
   c. To present new methodologies
   d. To engage in empirical research

2. Which of the following is NOT a benefit of secondary research?
   a. Economical information source
   b. Provides background information
   c. Forms the basis for hypotheses
   d. Guarantees original findings

3. What is one of the core scientific motivations for writing a literature review?
   a. To define the limits of the research problem
   b. To demonstrate personal knowledge
   c. To criticize past research
   d. To create a new theory

4. In which situation is it essential to reference a source?
   a. When expressing personal thoughts
   b. When using data, definitions, or known phrases from established works
   c. When writing in an informal style
   d. When conducting exploratory research

5. What is a common mistake in literature reviews?
   a. Including a comprehensive bibliography
   b. Relating findings back to the current study
   c. Over-reliance on secondary sources without synthesis
   d. Properly credited citations

6. What is the main focus of Cooper's Classification in literature reviews?
   a. Theories and results of studies
   b. Methodologies employed in research
   c. Types of focus and coverage strategies
   d. Audiences for literary work

7. Which referencing style is mentioned in the notes?
   a. MLA
   b. APA
   c. Chicago
   d. Turabian

Answers:

1. b

2. d

3. a

4. b

5. c

6. c

7. b