CONCEPTUALISING YOUR

RESEARCH

Prof. Dr. Chan Yuen Fook

Faculty of Education
UiTM Shah Alam
Thomas Edison said Genius
is 10% inspiration and 90%
perspiration
It starts with a library
research . . .
 Purposes of A Literature Review

To identify the field, context and focal point of

your research
To identify the approach and methodology of
your research
To acquire a comprehensive knowledge of the
field
To know what others have done and avoid
duplication
To identify key people, organisations and text
relevant to your research
 Purposes of A Literature Review

Home in on a topic
Identifying your approach to the research
and the methodology you wish to adopt
Identify the type of data you might collect
and use, sample size and data analysis
techniques
Gain a thorough and comprehensive
knowledge of the field (Ridley, 2010: 30).
 LITERATURE REVIEW
Identify the Gap
Identify the Contribution
Identify the Conceptual Framework for
Study
Identify the trend
Decide how to present your Literature
Review
 RESEARCH TOPIC
Research Topic a problem, issue or
concern that can be researched

e.g. new method, new concept, new

policy, critical issues, problem areas etc.
 CHOOSING A RESEARCH TOPIC

Personal Interest
Social Developments
Financial Considerations
Previous Research
Accessibility to information / data
 Accessibility
Easy Access people with institutional links,
members of political parties, people who welcome
outside interest (trade unionists), public records
(letters to newspapers).
Difficult access very young children, non-voters,
illegal immigrants, people who do not welcome
attention (criminals, religious cults, terrorists),
closed records (tax records, individual census data)
 Financial Considerations
Factors to consider: interviewing, technical
equipment, text analysis, paper, historical
research (copying documents), number of
people, cross-sectional or longitudinal.
 Practical Considerations
Access to records?
Analyse data using SPSS/NVIVO?
Easily identifiable group but situation very
difficult to observe
Small number of subjects
Limited data
 EXAMPLES: Research Topics
A Study of Creativity and Academic
Achievement among Form Four Malaysian
Students (Descriptive-Correlational Study)

Factors Associated with Occupational

Commitment of Secondary School Teachers in
Kuala Lumpur (Descriptive-Correlational Study)
 EXAMPLES: Research Topics
Psychological Empowerment of Secondary School
Principals in Sarawak (Descriptive-Correlational
Study)
Music Preferences of Teenage Students in
Relation to Listener Psychology and
Environmental Influences (Descriptive-
Correlational Study)
An Alternative Way of Estimating Test Item
Statistics for Test Development in Malaysia
(Experimental Study)
 EXAMPLES: Research Topics
Creating supportive work climates for teachers in
an era of reform: Case studies of two Malaysian
principals and the contexts in which they work
(Case Study).
An Evaluation of the Malaysian Class Reader
Programme (Case Study)
Developing learner autonomy through strategy
training in an ESL classroom (Case Study)
 MORE EXAMPLES

QUALITATIVE EXAMPLE
A Reality Good Art Teacher Would Be Like You, Mrs. C.: A
Qualitative Study of A Teacher and Her Artistically Gifted
Middle School Students

QUANTITATIVE EXAMPLE
Motivational Effects on Test Scores of Elementary Students
 EXAMPLES OF TITLE
Charismatic Leadership Qualities of an Excellent
Principal in an Outstanding School in Malaysia
Variable of study: Charismatic Leadership
Setting: An outstanding school in Malaysia
Subjects of study: Students, Teachers & Principal

The Relationship between Leadership Style and

Coping Style on Job Stress and Job Satisfaction
among Secondary School Teachers in Malaysia
Variable of study: Leadership Style, Job Stress &
Job Satisfaction
Setting: Secondary Schools
Subjects of study: Teachers & Principal
 MORE EXAMPLES
Creating supportive work climates for teachers in an era of
reform: Case studies of two Malaysian principals and the
contexts in which they work
Variable of study: Supportive work climate
Setting: Two secondary schools
Subjects of study: Teachers & Principal

Psychological Empowerment of Secondary School Principals

in Sarawak
Variable of study: Psychological Empowerment
Setting: Secondary Schools in Sarawak
Subjects of study: Teachers & Principal
Research Topic
Creativity: A Study of Malaysian Students

Setting Subject
Variable
 RESEARCH TITLE
T: Title should paint a quick picture for the reader of the
key idea(s) of your project.
I : Important words of the title should appear at the
beginning followed by the less important words.
T: Truncate your title into manageable units of meaning.
L: Limit the use of ambiguous, confusing, or superfluous
words.
E: Encompass the three basic tenets in title construction
namely, the variable/s, the setting, and the subjects of
the study.
 CHAPTERS IN A RESEARCH STUDY
Chapter 1 The Study 6%
Chapter 2 Review of Literature 34 %
Chapter 3 Methodology 18%
Chapter 4 Findings 22 %
Chapter 5 Summary &
Recommendations 20%
 The Research
Proposal

Chapter 1-The Study Chapter 2 Chapter 3-

Topic Literature Review R. Methodology
Background to study Introduction R. Design, Pop & Sample
Research Problem Related lit. Instrumentation, Data
Research Questions Conclusion Show Collection &
Sig. of Study etc. the gap Data analysis
 DEGREE OF DEPTH OF LIT REVIEW
Degree and Function and format of the literature review
research product in research at these levels

BA, BSc, Bed Essentially descriptive, topic focused; mostly indicative of main,
Project current sources on the topic. Analysis is of the topic in terms of
justification.

MA, MSc, MPh Analytical and summative, covering methodological issues,

Dissertation or thesis research techniques and topics. Possibly two literature-based
chapters, one on methodological issues, which demonstrates
knowledge of the advantages and disadvantages, and another on
theoretical issues relevant to the topic/problem.

PhD, DPhil, DLitt Analytical synthesis, covering all known literature on the problem,
Thesis including that in other languages. High level of conceptual linking
within and across theories. Summative and formative evaluation
of previous work on the problem. Depth and breadth of discussion
on relevant philosophical traditions and ways in which they relate
to the problem.

Source Doing a Literature Review by Chris Hart (1998: 15)

 Significance of the study
Give good reasons why your study is important and
worth doing

Incorporate citations from the literature which support

your claim that it should be investigated