Facilitators:   
Professor Pam Denicolo, Universities of Reading and Surrey
Dr Dawn Duke, University of Surrey

This workshop aims to clarify the different approaches to research to aid in the selection of methodology, design and techniques appropriate to given research problems. It covers:

•Choice of overarching paradigm or philosophy, and how this might be determined by discipline;

•How this determines research questions or hypotheses;
•The range of possible research designs, building in strength to combat inevitable weaknesses;
•The selection of appropriate and coherent techniques;
•A review of different data types and their implications;
•When and what to consider about analysing your data.

There will be a particular emphasis on interpretative (qualitative) approaches and methods, though other methods producing quantitative data will be reviewed and considered in the light of participants’ interests.

Participants are requested to provide on signing up a short paragraph (about 200 words) describing what they would like to research or have begun looking into. They should expect to contribute within an active workshop designed to help them formulate plans for their own research. 

Pam is an Emeritus Professor of Professional and Postgraduate Education at the University of Reading and a Consultant Professor of Researcher Education and Training at the University of Surrey. Having previously published widely in academic journals and produced a range of books and SRHE Guides on teaching, learning and research, Pam now co-edits and writes for a book series with Sage, Success in Research, aimed at supporting early career researchers in their endeavours, and a series with Sense, Critical Issues in the Future of Learning and Teaching aimed at supporting educators across all sectors but especially those in Higher, Further and Professional Education.

Dawn is the Researcher Training and Development Officer. She has a BS in Psychology from Western Michigan University, a MS in Behavioural Neuroscience from Rutgers University and completed her PhD in Neuropathology at Imperial College London. Dawn is responsible for workshop design and delivery within the Postgraduate Skills Development Programme (PGSDP) of the Doctoral College at Surrey University and authors/edits books in the Success in Research Series.