Assignment: 3
Length: 2500-3000 words (Not in" rel="nofollow">includin" rel="nofollow">ing excerpt of coded data or bibliography) Present the fin" rel="nofollow">indin" rel="nofollow">ings of the research project undertaken throughout the semester. Buildin" rel="nofollow">ing on the Research Proposal
assignment the assignment should outlin" rel="nofollow">ine the:
• Title: in" rel="nofollow">indicatin" rel="nofollow">ing the topic of the study
• Aims and Objectives: the study’s main" rel="nofollow">in aims and the key research questions.
• Literature Review: what we know about the topic and what we do not; and therefore how your study contributes to knowledge.
• Methodology: the actual research design and methods adopted, with justification for the methods used and reflections on the study’s limitations.
(Roughly 750 – 1000 words)
Presentation of fin" rel="nofollow">indin" rel="nofollow">ings: an analytical presentation of your qualitative data, outlin" rel="nofollow">inin" rel="nofollow">ing the key themes that you have identified. There should be some evidence of the use of qualitative data
analysis techniques, and possibly of ‘grounded theory’ techniques.
• Discussion and Conclusions: reflectin" rel="nofollow">ing on your fin" rel="nofollow">indin" rel="nofollow">ings, how do they contribute to answerin" rel="nofollow">ing the research question?
• Evaluation of Practical Experience: provide a critical evaluation of your research experience, in" rel="nofollow">includin" rel="nofollow">ing reflectin" rel="nofollow">ing on the methods that you have used over the semester. (500 words maximum)
• Excerpt of ‘coded data’: Include a brief excerpt of coded data, illustratin" rel="nofollow">ing your application of qualitative data analysis techniques. This should be no longer than a couple of paragraphs
in" rel="nofollow">in length.
• References: List any books, articles, reports, web sites etc. you have cited in" rel="nofollow">in the report.
Paper Structure
• Introduction: scene settin" rel="nofollow">ing and rationale.
• Contexts (literature; theoretical perspectives; academic debates; current policy).
• Research Design and Methods.
• Fin" rel="nofollow">indin" rel="nofollow">ings.
• Discussion: re-visits issues raised earlier in" rel="nofollow">in light of data.
• Optional short conclusion.
Title and Abstract
• Draft a title that sums up what the paper is about, usin" rel="nofollow">ing key words if possible:
• ‘Health, ethics and environment: a qualitative study of
• vegetarian motivations’.
• Draft an abstract: this will help you organize your paper as you write it.
• When you have drafted the paper, review and revise the title and abstract.
Contexts
• Relevant literature; this section may also explore:
• Current issues or events.
• Theoretical perspectives or debates.
• Policy issues
Design and Methods Explain" rel="nofollow">ins and justifies:
• Epistemological commitments (in" rel="nofollow">interpretive, naturalistic, etc.).
• Research design/methodology (ethnography, three-stage in" rel="nofollow">interviews etc.).
• Methods (observation, and in" rel="nofollow">interviews.).
• Settin" rel="nofollow">ing (who, where, when).
• Data analysis methods.
Fin" rel="nofollow">indin" rel="nofollow">ings
• Fin" rel="nofollow">indin" rel="nofollow">ings will usually be 30 – 40% of paper.
• Fin" rel="nofollow">indin" rel="nofollow">ings need to ‘tell a story’.
• Write down your sub-headin" rel="nofollow">ings (max = 4), perhaps relatin" rel="nofollow">ing to themes in" rel="nofollow">in the analysis.
• The fin" rel="nofollow">indin" rel="nofollow">ings section should be ‘topped and tailed’: in" rel="nofollow">introducin" rel="nofollow">ing the themes and summarisin" rel="nofollow">ing the fin" rel="nofollow">indin" rel="nofollow">ings
Use of quotations
• Quotations are used to in" rel="nofollow">increase the credibility of your fin" rel="nofollow">indin" rel="nofollow">ings.
• Never expect a quotation to speak for itself.
• Summarise the fin" rel="nofollow">indin" rel="nofollow">ing in" rel="nofollow">in your own words, and then illustrate it with a quotation.
• One quotation is usually enough to illustrate a fin" rel="nofollow">indin" rel="nofollow">ing; not all fin" rel="nofollow">indin" rel="nofollow">ings need a quotation.
Discussion and Conclusion
• Refer back to the contexts, re-in" rel="nofollow">interpreted in" rel="nofollow">in the light of the data.
• Practice, policy or theoretical implications.
• Shortcomin" rel="nofollow">ings.
• Future research.
• Conclusion summarises the answer to the research question.
Fin" rel="nofollow">indin" rel="nofollow">ings or Discussion?
• Fin" rel="nofollow">indin" rel="nofollow">ings section is where you impose an analytical structure on your data.
• Discussion is where you make lin" rel="nofollow">inks between your analysis of the data and the literature, theory or relevant policy, and where you show the importance of your fin" rel="nofollow">indin" rel="nofollow">ings for scholarship,
practice or policy.
Usin" rel="nofollow">ing theory
• Some journals may not accept papers that do not engage with theory.
• Grand theory: (e.g. post-structuralism).
• Middle-order theory (e.g. stigma, medicalisation).
• Hypotheses (e.g. patients use Internet to research illnesses)
Uses of theory
• Theory can be used to:
• Defin" rel="nofollow">ine your over-archin" rel="nofollow">ing perspective (e.g. social model of illness).
• Give you a structure within" rel="nofollow">in which to analyse your data (e.g. explanatory models).
• Situate your fin" rel="nofollow">indin" rel="nofollow">ings (e.g. patriarchy).
• Add ‘value’ to your research, by showin" rel="nofollow">ing how it enhances or develops broader theory.
Gettin" rel="nofollow">ing the balance For an 8000 word paper, rough balance is: (for my assignment 2000-2500 words.)
• Abstract 150
• Introduction 500
• Literature Review and Contexts 1300
• Research Design and Methods 800
• Fin" rel="nofollow">indin" rel="nofollow">ings 2500
• Discussion and Conclusion 1500
• References 1200
Some hin" rel="nofollow">ints and tips
• Write your question and your audience on a postit note on your computer screen,.
• Choose your theoretical perspective before you start analysin" rel="nofollow">ing data.
• Make sure you know your conclusions before you fin" rel="nofollow">inalise the Introduction and Contexts.
• In a WORD document, create all the sub-headin" rel="nofollow">ings for the paper, then fill in" rel="nofollow">in the content to length.
Improve the quality
• Use simple language and avoid jargon.
• Get a friend or colleague to read the draft and offer criticisms.
• Ask yourself: what is new about what I am sayin" rel="nofollow">ing here?
• Proof-read, and don’t rely on spell-check.
References:
Johnson-Russell JM. Copin" rel="nofollow">ing, functionin" rel="nofollow">ing, and satisfaction in" rel="nofollow">in families with a spin" rel="nofollow">ina bifida child of school age, Dissertation Abstracts International, 1993,vol. 53 pg. 3444
A National Approach for Child Protection: Project Report. A report to ...
https://aifs.gov.au/cfca/sites/default/files/publication-documents/cdsmac.pdfThe project was commissioned by the Community and Disability Services Min" rel="nofollow">inisters' Advisory Council (CDSMAC). ...
AustralianStatutory Child Protection Sample. ... Care and child protection services in" rel="nofollow">in Australia: Key Challenges and strategic .... fin" rel="nofollow">indin" rel="nofollow">ing that a child is subsequently abused or harmed by a
parent/ carer).