EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH

Scope of the Breakfast Workshop Planning your research. Conduct a basic research design. Conduct the research. Compile the research findings. Produce a final, written research

report.

Research Report

HOW MENTORNET PORTFOLIOS ARE UNPACKED

US TITLE AND PURPOSE

STEP 3

STEP 2

STEP 1

AC 3AC 2AC 1

SO 3SO 2SO 1

Step 1: Planning your research

Select a research question or problem

1. Formulate the purpose

of your research

5. Prepare a time-frame

4. Describe the sequence of research activities

6. Identify potential research

participants

3. Explain the scope of your

research

2. Describe your research

paradigm

7. Identify and list sources

Research paradigm

A general perspective – explaining

your research idea in

simple terms

Epistemology versus ontology

The research question or problemWrong because of the objectives: Is the peace support training delivered at the PMTC targeted at all personnel

deployed in peace missions?

Aim and objectives: The aim of the research project is to evaluate the impact of peace support operation training as well as the feasibility of the peace mission training centre’s (PMTC) involvement in combat readiness and mission specific training for SANDF members before

their participation in peace missions.

Better: The current South African PMTC training is not sufficient.

The purpose of the research

Better: The purpose of the research project is to determine if PMTC training is sufficient.

KEEP IT SIMPLE AND TO THE POINT!

Aim and objectives (acceptable with the new research question): The aim of the research project is to evaluate the impact of peace support operation training as well as the feasibility of the peace mission training centre’s (PMTC) involvement in combat readiness and mission

specific training for SANDF members before their participation in peace keeping missions.

The significance of the research

Better: Judging from reports on the performances of peace keeping forces they are not always sufficiently trained to do a professional job...

Jumping the gun: The importance of conducting this research is that the training gap in peace support

training would be closed, SANDF members at all levels would be better informed about PSO which would minimize negative incidents that are caused by the

members deployed in peace missions due to lack of education and unawareness of how peacekeepers

should conduct him- or herself. PSO modules should also be integrated in all corps training.

The research paradigm – shows the approach to the research

• Can be positivist, interpretive or constructionist.• Positivist – test what is right or wrong.• Interpretive – analyse a situation.• Constructionist – philosophy about reality; often a

different approach to what we experience.• KEEP IT SIMPLE: Always choose an interpretive

approach so that you can solve a problem and not just philosophy.

• You can also specify your research design/method here, namely quantitative or qualitative.

• You can also specify your data collection methods here.

The scope of the research

Better: The research will cover the following:• What is expected from peace keeping forces. This

will be based on SOPs, international practices and the opinions of experienced leaders in peace keeping operations.

• What is currently happening. This will be based on interviews with people who were recently involved in peace keeping operations.

• An analysis of the strong and weak points of peace keeping force training.

• Recommendations.

Wrong: Not given at all, or a general discussion of peace keeping operations

The sequence of research activities and time-frame combined

Better: The research will be conducted as follows:• 1 to 9 January: Do literature study.• 10 to 20 January: Prepare research instruments,

make appointments with interviewees and recruit suitable people to complete questionnaires.

• 21 to 30 January 2013: Send out questionnaires and hold interviews.

• 1 to 10 February: Process completed questionnaires and interview notes.

• 11 to 20 February: Prepare research report.

Wrong: Not given at all or unrealistic

Sources (literature review)

Better: The following sources of information will be consulted:

• Official documents:o NATO Peace Keeping Operations SOPs.o SANDF Doctrine on Peace Keeping Operations.

• Books:o Macduff, P.E. 2001. Keeping Peace for Economic

Growth. Juta: New York.o Interviews: …

Wrong: Don’t discuss the background or factual information here already – just say which sources of

information you will consult

Potential research participants

Interviewees and those who complete questionnaires can also be listed as sources to be consulted – see previous

slide.

List all stakeholders here, for example the target group for interviews, who will complete questionnaires, who you will use as subject experts to check your research

report, who will do the language editing, etc.

Step 2: Construct a basic research design

2. Confirm your data gathering methods

3. Confirm selection of

research participants

4. Prepare instruments for gathering

data

5. Describe methods to

organise and analyse the data

1. Revisit Step 1

Step 3: Conduct the research

3. Refine and use the data

gathering instruments

1. How will you ensure ethical

research practices?

4. Extract meaningful

findings

2. Pilot your data gathering

instruments

Data analysis

• Do NOT use closed-ended questions.• Do NOT do senseless calculations.• Do NOT include irrelevant information that has no

impact on the purpose of your research.• Do NOT use fancy sounding language – keep your

arguments logical and simple.• Come to logical conclusions that you can motivate

and explain.• Keep ethical considerations in mind – do not cook

your findings.• ALWAYS FOCUS ON YOUR PROBLEM STATEMENT

OR QUESTION!

Step 4: Compile the research findings

1. Describe

the results of

your findings

4. Explain the

limitations of your

research

3. Ensure conclusions and recommendations are justified

2. Ensure linkage

between data and findings

Step 5: Produce a final, written research report

The abstract Evaluate your report

Bibliography

• Harvard system: Mafinikan, M and Motau, TL (2012) Keeping Law and Order, Third edition, Mc Graw-Hill, London.

• American Psychological Association (APA) system: Mafinikan, M. & Motau, T.L. (2012). Keeping Law and Order (Third Edition). London: Mc Graw-Hill.

• Author-date system: The above are both examples.• Vancouver system: Refer to sources by number.• Journal articles: Francis, W. 2011. International Law.

The Peace Keeping Journal, 125, 12 – 14.• The internet: Naidoo, P. Holding on to Peace.http://www.peacekeepers.co.uk/rules-of-conduct. Accessed on 2013/01/07.

QUESTIONS?The slides can be downloaded

from the Mentoring

Network web site:

www.iNtgrty.co.za

THANK YOU!