DSM0720 - RESEARCH AND EVALUATION METHODS IN INFORMATION SYSTEMS

Module Identifier

DSM0720

Module Title

RESEARCH AND EVALUATION METHODS IN INFORMATION SYSTEMS

Academic Year

2007/2008

Co-ordinator

Dr Christine J Urquhart

Semester

Available all semesters

Other staff

Ms Tanya C Rogers

Assessment

Assessment Type	Assessment Length/Details	Proportion
Semester Assessment	Report SPSS report	25%
Semester Assessment	Report NVivo report	25%
Semester Assessment	Critical appraisal report	50%

Learning outcomes

On successful completion of this module students should be able to:

distinguish approaches to research and evaluation in information systems and identify the complexities and challenges involved in social research

describe various research designs (including citation analysis and meta-analysis, and be able to decide which designs would be appropriate for particular research questions

identify different approaches to evaluation and relate these to planning evaluation projects

explain the principles of research design

outline the principles of data collection in practice

explain why consideration of ethics is so important

explain key terms in quantitative data analysis

analyse quantitative data using SPSS to enter data, define variables, run parametric and non-parametric tests, print and interpret results

prepare and enter data into a qualitative data analysis software package, code and memo and demonstrate various methods of analysing the data for later display and discussion

apply the study of research and evaluation methods to the critical appraisal, or review, of information systems research articles.

Brief description

This module is designed to give you a flavour of doing research, as well as helping you critique other people'r research. Some of the guidelines provided should help you in designing a project of your own. The module introduces the concepts and practice of research and evaluation, including the use of data analysis software, to help you understand how the results on the pages of a research article, or research report, might have been obtained. Unit 1 introduces various philosophical approaches to research, and contrasts quantitative and qualitative approaches to research design. Various types of research design (e.g. experimental, cross-sectional, longitudinal, case study, meta-analysis) are discussed in the Unit 2. For information systems, evaluation is important, and various evaluation philosophies and approaches are considered in Unit 3. Unit 4 deals with the principles of research design (comparison, standardisation, measurement, validity, sampling). Unit 5 deals with methods for collecting data, and Unit 6 covers some of the ethical issues to be considered when planning and conducting research. Unit 7 provides guidance on using SPSS, and Unit 8 provides guidance on using qualitative data analysis software (NVIVO), for the tutorials on the CD enclosed in the pack. Unit 9 concludes the module by discussing how to critique research articles.

Reading Lists

Books
** General Text
Bryman, Alan (2004.) Social research methods /Alan Bryman. 0199264465
Bryman, Alan. (2004.) Social research methods /Alan Bryman. 0199264465

Notes

This module is at CQFW Level 7