Download Introduction to Research

Overview of Emerging IT2
• Focus on dissertation-related data
– How obtained, analyzed, reported
• Many of following slides come from
– Practical Research by Leedy and Ormrod
• Form of data depends on the type of
dissertation study
Research Cycle
Practical Research
by Leedy and Ormrod
Research Process
Practical Research
by Leedy and Ormrod
Data Analysis Spiral
Practical Research
by Leedy and Ormrod
Research Report Schema
Practical Research
by Leedy and Ormrod
Data versus Truth
Practical Research
by Leedy and Ormrod
Primary and Secondary Data
• Data are not “Absolute Truth”
• Primary data
– Data closest to “Absolute Truth”
– The most valid and illuminating data
• Secondary data
– Derived from primary data
– The form of data usually used by the researcher
in attempting to discover the truth
Primary and Secondary Data
Fingerprint Example
• “Absolute Truth” = true identity of person
• Primary data
– Fingerprint image, possibly only partial or distorted
• Secondary data
– Features (minutiae points) taken from the image
– The form of data usually used by the researcher to
discover the truth, in this case the person’s identity
Data Type Depends on Research Area
Research Area
Type of Data
Pattern Recognition, Data Mining,
Artificial Intelligence
Visual Images, Speech Waveforms,
Medical Data, etc.
Historical Research
Historical Data
Qualitative Research
Surveys, Interviews