Teaching introductory graduate research methods

摘要

This paper describes a graduate research methods course taught at a business school. The course serves as an introduction to most of the commonly used research methods and methodologies, be they quantitative, qualitative or critical. All of the main research paradigms are covered (functionalist, interpretive and critical/postmodern) at the introductory level. Students studying any aspect of social science find value in the course. Students complete the course with an appreciation of how to develop a literature review, determine a gap in the literature and formulate research questions, specify methods for addressing this gap, and design a study using the identified method(s). This approach differs from the usual (North American) approach to teaching research methods, which in business schools, traditionally focuses mainly on positivistic, statistical methods. It further addresses calls in the literature for pluralism and cross-paradigmatic approaches to research.