Working on primary research can be a daunting process for a lot of students, even to those who are familiar with the writing process. There are about ten steps that serve as the guide to dissertation writing. We shall show you step 1 to 10 for every data collection method.

Steps for Primary Research on Dissertation

You can follow these steps when carrying out your primary research for the dissertation:

• Step 1: Decide the Type of Data

  This stage is where you make up your mind on the type of data to use for your research. There are three main sources of data, namely; Primary data, secondary, and big. This article will focus on primary data, the data you collect yourself.

• Step 2: Determine the Primary Research Methodology

  You can decide to use qualitative, quantitative, or mixed methodologies when working on your primary research. To each of these methodologies, there are specific steps to follow to complete your primary research. Let’s take a look at each of the steps.

• Step 3: Be aware of limitations and strengths

  The strength of the qualitative analysis is that you can obtain more detailed information from the research. However, you can’t establish the quality of the study.

  The quantitative method lets you test hypotheses, determine casualties, and many other advantages. However, there can’t be the certainty that participants were honest. The strength of the mixed method overcomes the limitations of the other two.

• Step 4: Choose a specific method

  You have methods such as observations, focus groups, interviews, and case studies to choose from under the qualitative approach.

  Under the quantitative method, you have experimental, descriptive, correlational, and quasi-experimental methods.

  You choose from concurrent nested design, concurrent triangulation, and sequential exploratory design under a mixed method.

• Step 5: Select participants

  Your participants are the people you’ll be dealing with under the qualitative method you choose. You deal with a much higher number of participants under the quantitative approach. Under the mixed method, you will most likely have two groups of participants.

• Step 6: Select measures

  There is a need for the use of measures. However, no matter what informs your choice of measure, always consult your supervisor for advice. Quantitative research mainly involves the use of measurement tools. Since the mixed method deals with the two, you’ll have to use both measures.

• Step 7: Select analyses

  You might need to code and find themes within your research when using the qualitative method. Statistical analysis is the primary method of analysis under the quantitative method. A mixed research method will require you to use both methods of analysis.

• Step 8: Understand the procedure

  Draw up a plan to collect the needed data, analyze it, and write your report. Under the quantitative method, the procedure for collecting data is by categorizing participants, counterbalancing, and debriefing participants. The process for the mixed method is dependent on the type of qualitative and quantitative procedure you chose.

• Step 9: Think about Ethics

  Regardless of the research method you choose, ensure the process is ethical, especially when dealing with vulnerable people.

• Step 10: Put your level of education and training into consideration

  The primary research method you choose is dependent on your level of education and your training. Undergraduate research requires less complicated research methods compared to graduate studies.

Writing a dissertation takes time. But, with the steps above, you can cut the time used in preparing your primary research.