Researching Information Systems and Computing

With everything readers need to know about how to execute their research project, this book is written specifically for information systems (IS) and computing students. It introduces key quantitative and qualitative research methods, makes sense of underlying philosophies, and will help readers navigate and assess existing published academic papers. Throughout readers are supported by pedagogical features such as learning objectives, explanations, discussion questions, evaluation guides and suggestions for further reading. Contents......Page 6 List of Figures and Tables......Page 12 List of Abbreviations......Page 14 Preface......Page 15 How to Use this Book......Page 16 Acknowledgements......Page 19 The IS and computing disciplines......Page 20 Evidence-based practice......Page 21 What is research?......Page 23 Let’s have an argument!......Page 26 Evaluating research......Page 27 ‘I just want to develop a computer-based system’......Page 28 Rigour and relevance in research......Page 29 The 6Ps of research......Page 30 Structure of this book......Page 32 References......Page 33 Reasons for doing research......Page 35 Possible products — the outcomes of research......Page 40 Finding and choosing research topics......Page 44 ‘I write therefore I think’......Page 47 Evaluating the purpose and products of research......Page 48 Further reading......Page 49 References......Page 50 3. Overview of the Research Process......Page 51 A model of the research process......Page 52 Alternative models of the research process......Page 58 Evaluating the research process......Page 59 References......Page 60 Background to the Internet and World Wide Web......Page 62 Internet research topics......Page 64 The Internet and research strategies and methods......Page 66 Internet research, the law and ethics......Page 70 References......Page 71 5. Participants and Research Ethics......Page 73 Rights of people directly involved......Page 74 Responsibilities of an ethical researcher......Page 79 Design and creation projects and ethics......Page 82 Internet research and ethics......Page 83 ‘It’s not that simple!’......Page 84 Evaluating research ethics......Page 86 Practical work......Page 87 References......Page 88 Purpose of a literature review......Page 90 Literature resources......Page 92 The Internet and literature reviews......Page 98 Conducting a literature review......Page 99 Practical work......Page 109 Further reading......Page 110 References......Page 111 Defining surveys......Page 112 Planning and designing surveys......Page 113 Grounded theory and surveys......Page 120 The Internet and surveys......Page 121 Examples of surveys in IS and computing research......Page 122 Evaluating survey-based research......Page 123 Further reading......Page 125 References......Page 126 Defining design and creation......Page 127 Planning and conducting design and creation research......Page 130 Creative computing and digital art......Page 137 The Internet and design and creation research......Page 138 Examples of design and creation research in IS and computing......Page 139 Evaluating design and creation research......Page 140 Further reading......Page 142 References......Page 143 Defining experiments......Page 145 Planning and conducting experiments......Page 147 The Internet and experiments......Page 154 Examples of experiments in IS and computing research......Page 155 Evaluating experiment-based research......Page 156 Further reading......Page 158 References......Page 159 Defining case studies......Page 160 Planning and conducting case studies......Page 162 The Internet and case studies......Page 167 Examples of case studies in IS and computing research......Page 168 Evaluating case study-based research......Page 169 Practical work......Page 170 References......Page 171 Defining action research......Page 173 Planning and conducting action research......Page 175 Developments in action research......Page 180 The Internet and action research......Page 185 Examples of action research in IS and computing......Page 186 Evaluating action research......Page 187 Practical work......Page 188 References......Page 189 Defining ethnography......Page 192 Planning and conducting an ethnography......Page 194 Examples of ethnography in IS and computing research......Page 199 Evaluating ethnography-based research......Page 200 Further reading......Page 202 References......Page 203 Defining interviews......Page 205 Planning and conducting interviews......Page 206 Group interviews......Page 213 Internet-based interviews......Page 215 Examples of interviews in IS and computing research......Page 216 Evaluating interview-based research......Page 217 Practical work......Page 219 References......Page 220 Defining observations......Page 221 Planning and conducting systematic observation......Page 223 Planning and conducting participant observation......Page 227 The Internet and observation......Page 231 Examples of observations in IS and computing research......Page 232 Evaluating observation-based research......Page 233 Practical work......Page 235 References......Page 236 Defining questionnaires......Page 238 Planning and designing questionnaires......Page 239 The Internet and questionnaires......Page 247 Evaluating questionnaire-based research......Page 248 Further reading......Page 250 References......Page 251 Defining documents......Page 252 Planning and conducting document-based research......Page 254 The Internet and document-based research......Page 258 Examples of documents in IS and computing research......Page 259 Evaluating document-based research......Page 260 Practical work......Page 261 References......Page 262 Defining quantitative data analysis......Page 264 Types of quantitative data......Page 265 Data coding......Page 267 Visual aids for quantitative data analysis......Page 268 Using statistics for quantitative data analysis......Page 273 Interpretation of data analysis results......Page 281 Evaluating quantitative data analysis......Page 282 Practical work......Page 283 References......Page 284 Introduction......Page 285 Analysing textual data......Page 286 Analysing non-textual qualitative data......Page 292 Grounded theory......Page 293 Computer-aided qualitative analysis......Page 295 Evaluating qualitative data analysis......Page 296 Practical work......Page 297 References......Page 298 ‘Do I have to study this philosophical, airy-fairy stuff?’......Page 300 Positivism and the scientific method......Page 302 Criticisms of positivism......Page 307 Evaluating positivist research......Page 308 References......Page 309 Introduction......Page 310 Interpretivism......Page 311 Critical research......Page 315 Linking research strategies to philosophical paradigms......Page 318 Which paradigm to choose?......Page 322 Further reading......Page 324 References......Page 325 Writing up the research......Page 328 Conference paper presentations......Page 333 Posters and exhibitions......Page 337 Presenting yourself......Page 338 PhD vivas......Page 339 Evaluating presentations......Page 341 References......Page 342 Final Words......Page 344 Index......Page 345 Written specifically for information systems and computing students, this book introduces key quantitative and qualitative research methods, and makes sense of underlying philosophies. It's special features aim at supporting students as they bridge the gap between theory and practice. With everything readers need to know about how to execute their research project, "Researching Information Systems and Computing" is written specifically for information systems and computing students. It introduces key quantitative and qualitative research methods, makes sense of underlying philosophies, and will help readers navigate and assess existing academic papers. Special features support students as they bridge the gap between theory and practice. These include research examples from the IS and computing disciplines; suggestions on how to build Internet research into each method mentioned; and an explanation of how research is constructed that links this with constructing systems. Throughout readers are supported by pedagogical features such as learning objectives, explanations, discussion questions, evaluation guides and further reading With everything readers need to know about how to execute their research project, this book is written specifically for information systems (IS) and computing students. It introduces key quantitative and qualitative research methods, makes sense of underlying philosophies, and helps readers navigate and assess existing academic papers. Special features support students as they bridge the gap between theory and practice. These include: - research examples from the IS and computing disciplines; - suggestions on how to build internet research into each method mentioned; - an explanation of how knowledge is created, drawing an analogy between this and the creation of software systems Throughout, readers are supported by pedagogical features such as learning objectives, explanations, discussion questions, evaluation guides and further reading. The author introduces the key quantitative and qualitative research methods, explains underlying philosophies, and helps readers navigate and assess existing academic papers