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A CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK FOR RESEARCH

A CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK FOR RESEARCH. Dr. Jorge A. Vanegas Fred and Teresa Estrada Professor College of Engineering Associate Professor and Construction Engineering and Management Program Coordinator School of Civil and Environmental Engineering College of Engineering

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A CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK FOR RESEARCH

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  1. A CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK FOR RESEARCH Dr. Jorge A. Vanegas Fred and Teresa Estrada Professor College of Engineering Associate Professor and Construction Engineering and Management Program Coordinator School of Civil and Environmental Engineering College of Engineering Georgia Institute of Technology Atlanta, Georgia 30332-0355 U.S.A. (404) 894-9881 Tel. (404) 894-5418 Fax Email: jvanegas@ce.gatech.edu Spring 2002

  2. THE GENERAL CONTEXT FOR RESEARCH

  3. Research Problem Typologies

  4. Research Typologies: M. S. Level

  5. Research Typologies: Ph. D. Level

  6. The Global Context of Research

  7. The Basic Elements of the Research Process

  8. A CONCEPTUAL ROADMAP FOR RESEARCH PROPOSAL SUCCESS

  9. A Roadmap for the Integration of the Elements of the Research Process in a Proposal

  10. Organization of the Elements of the Research Process in a Proposal

  11. Scope Definition for Each Element of the Research Process

  12. Breakdown of the Elements of a Research Proposal (1) What is the magnitude, significance, and importance of the problem, need, or opportunity addressed by the research?

  13. Breakdown of the Elements of the Research Proposal (2) What is the explicit and specific question that the research will answer, and why would the answer have intellectual merit and broader impact?

  14. Evaluation Criterion 1: What is the intellectual merit of the proposed research activity? • How important is the proposed research activity to advancing knowledge and understanding within its own field or across different fields? • How well qualified is the individual PI or the Research Team to conduct the proposed research activity? • If appropriate, what is the quality of prior work done by the individual PI or the Research Team ? • To what extent does the proposed research activity suggest and explore creative and original concepts? • How well conceived and organized is the proposed research activity? • Is there sufficient access to resources?

  15. Evaluation Criterion 2: What are the broader impacts of the proposed research activity? • How well does the proposed research activity advance discovery and understanding while promoting teaching, training, and learning? • How well does the proposed research activity broaden the participation of underrepresented groups (e.g., gender, ethnicity, disability, geographic, etc.)? • To what extent will the proposed research activity enhance the infrastructure for research and education, such as facilities, instrumentation, networks, and partnerships? • Will the results be disseminated broadly to enhance scientific and technological understanding? • What may be the benefits of the proposed research activity to society?

  16. Other Issues to Consider (1): What is the broad perspective of the proposed research activity ?

  17. Other Issues to Consider (2): How are research, education, outreach, and service integrated?

  18. Breakdown of the Elements of the Research Proposal (3) What quantitative and/or qualitative, rigorous, and scientifically-based research strategies and methodology will be followed, which research methods will be used, and what research plan will be executed in finding an answer to the research question?

  19. Key Issue to Consider: DATA • Types of Data: • What is (or are) the fundamental type (or types) of data that will be used in the proposed research activity? • What is the level of availability of this type of data? • Sources of Data: • What is (or are) the principal source (or sources) of data that will be used in the proposed research activity? • What is the level of accessibility to these sources of data? • Attributes of Data: • What is the relevance of the type of data that will be used in the proposed research activity? • What is the level of reliability of this type of data?

  20. Research Methodology Resources • Research Methods Knowledge Base • http://trochim.human.cornell.edu/kb/ • Research Methodology and Statistics • http://www.pscw.uva.nl/sociosite/TOPICS/research.html • Research Methods Tutorials • http://trochim.human.cornell.edu/tutorial/TUTORIAL.HTM

  21. Breakdown of the Elements of the Research Proposal (4) What is the intellectual foundation that supports the research?

  22. Literature Review Process (1)

  23. Literature Review Process (2)

  24. Literature Review Database Structure

  25. Breakdown of the Elements of the Research Proposal (5) How will the research strategies and methodology that will be used in finding an answer to the research question be implemented and applied in the collection and analysis of data?

  26. Breakdown of the Elements of the Research Proposal (6) What is the anticipated result and contribution of finding an answer to the research question?

  27. Summary The proposal needs to be a cohesive and integrated whole…

  28. A GENERAL FRAMEWORK FOR MANAGING DOCTORAL DISSERTATIONS

  29. Managing a Dissertation (1) • • Clear definition and monitoring of key research tasks • each task corresponds to the full development of each element defined in the research proposal • • Clear definition of key research milestones, and advisory committee approval of work completed to date at each milestone • each milestone corresponds to a specified % completion of each research task • • Monitoring the completion of each dissertation chapter • each chapter documents and reports the process followed and results achieved within each research task

  30. Managing a Dissertation (2) • • Focus onscholarship, within the dissertation and beyond (i.e., dissemination through publications) • • Continuous communication and feedback between doctoral student and principal advisor • • Regular communication and feedback between doctoral student and doctoral advisory committee • • Rigorous documentation of the process followed in each research task • • Excellent written and oral communication of results achieved in the partial execution (i.e., progress reports) and final completion of each research task

  31. Research Tasks of a Dissertation (1)

  32. Research Tasks of a Dissertation (2)

  33. Milestones of a Dissertation (1)

  34. Milestones of a Dissertation (2)

  35. Chapters of a Dissertation (1)

  36. Chapters of a Dissertation (2)

  37. GENERAL FORMAT FOR APRELIMINARY RESEARCH PROSPECTUS(3 PAGES MAXIMUM)This prospectus helps define the general parameters for the research, prior to investing time in the preparation of a full proposal…

  38. (1) Define the Research Context • A. Identify a general research question (no question, no research...) • B. Describe the general background and importance of the research question. • C. Identify the basic references and sources of information. • D. Conduct a broad preliminary literature review. • E. Determine the current state-of-the-art in the general research question domain. • F. Establish a general point of departure for the investigation (i.e., current state of knowledge).

  39. (2) Research Question (the why...) • A. Establish: what is the specific fundamental research question that the investigation will address? • what is the purpose of the investigation? • B. Establish: what are the principal research drivers for the investigation? • what is the magnitude, significance, and importance of the investigation? • C. Establish: what is your vision for the investigation? • what is(are) the potential contribution(s) or impact(s) of the investigation? • what is(are) the anticipated product(s)or deliverable(s) of the investigation?

  40. (3) Research Objectives (the what...) • A. Establish: what are the general goals of the investigation? • B. Specify: what are some specific objectives of the investigation? • C. Specify: what is the anticipated outcome of the investigation, i.e., what will it accomplish? • D. Specify: what are the accompanying measurable deliverables or products of the investigation? • E. Specify: what are the principal quantitative or qualitative parameters against which the results of the investigation will be measured in terms of merit, impact, quality, and performance?

  41. (4) Research Methodology (the how...) • A. Establish: what is the type of research you will pursue? (i.e., exploratory, synthesis, experimental, qualitative, quantitative...) • B. Establish: what is the general methodological research approach to the investigation? (i.e., experiments, surveys, interviews, programming...) • C. Establish the general research tasks of the investigation, and for each task, determine: Inputs -----> Process -----> Outputs (what you need to do the task) (what the task is) (what comes out of the task) • D. Prepare a task timeline, including key milestones and anticipated deliverables at each milestone. • E. Determine the principal resources required to do the investigation. (i.e., manpower, equipment, hardware, software, travel, money...)

  42. (5) Research Contribution (the so what...) • A. Establish: what are the anticipated specific contributions of the investigation? • B. Identify: what are the main potential implications or action items that may result from the findings of the investigation? • C. Establish: what are the main potential impacts or measurable changes that may result from the findings of the investigation? • D. Identify: what are possible extensions to the investigation?

  43. EXPECTATIONS FOR PH. D. STUDENTS FROM AN ADVISOR’S PERSPECTIVE

  44. A Doctoral student is someone who… (1) • Knows what he/she wants to do in the dissertation (in terms of a specific research question in a given context to which he/she will attempt to find an answer through a rigorous fundamental research effort), or at least, someone who has a clear picture of the knowledge domain(s) to which he/she wants to make a contribution. • Has an understanding of the doctoral process, what the process requires from the student, what the process will give to the student, and someone who has the inner drive and passion to go through the process and come out triumphant. • Does whatever needs to be done to complete a dissertation (i.e., no excuses, no justifications, no good intentions only).

  45. A Doctoral student is someone who… (2) • Needs to continuously display intellectual leadership, excellent technical skills, excellent management skills, excellent oral communication skills, and excellent writing skills, and someone who is, and feels comfortable being, the driver of the process. • Is an independent thinker, yet rigorously anchors his/her thoughts in established bodies of knowledge; someone who challenges ideas with substantive arguments, yet is capable of acknowledging and objectively assessing their value; someone who in the process of learning new things, becomes a teacher him/herself.

  46. A Doctoral student is someone who… (3) • Is meticulous and rigorous in documenting the research process (from problem statement and definition of state-of-the-art, objectives, and methodology, to data collection, analysis, and synthesis) and all the findings along the way, and through his/her writing, someone who communicates results. • Is committed and focused. • Regularly communicates progress (in writing) to his/her advisor and advisory committee without waiting to be asked. • Is self-sufficient and self-reliant. • Continuously adds value to the life of his/her advisor through all of his/her work and interactions.

  47. Other Expectations • An expectation inherent to doctoral research is that it should have a potential for being funded by a research sponsor. • Thus, any doctoral student should work closely with his/her advisor during the first year of studies in preparing a formal proposal to specifically fund the proposed doctoral research. • In this case, although the advisor might have to serve as the project's Principal Investigator due to institutional requirements from Georgia Tech and the funding organization, the funds would be directly applied to support the student's doctoral research efforts. • These awards can include tuition wavier, a monthly stipend, and funds to cover direct costs related to the investigation (such as for travel, data collection, or equipment) for the duration of the project

  48. EXPECTATIONS FOR A PH. D. ADVISOR FROM A STUDENT’S PERSPECTIVE(Based on feedback from students...)

  49. A Ph.D. Advisor is someone who… (1) • Provides unwavering support, not necessarily of every crazy idea, but always of the student as a person. • Takes the time that's necessary to really understand what the student is trying to communicate, and propose alternate methods of communication or third party facilitation when communication has clearly broken down. • Actively engages in the development of the ideas of the student. • Understands the level at which the student exists at any given point in time. • Always provides a climate of professional respect - no yelling, missing meetings, taking phone calls or other distractions during meetings, or dredging up past problems.

  50. A Ph.D. Advisor is someone who… (2) • Benchmarks performance and provide structure if you want to see results before the student naturally evolves to a level of being able to generate them. • Does not put pressure at the end of the process. • Is not disappointed if students stumble or fall occasionally while learning to walk (metaphorically speaking). • Doesn't EVER tolerate mediocrity. • Keeps on hand tangible examples of what you consider to be exemplary work. • Engages students outside the office. • Encourages students to step outside their comfort zone, and reward them when they do.

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