Research Methods & Field Studies

What independent research is; the difference between research, method and methodology; the importance, purpose and scope of research and field studies in architecture; how research applies across design, technology, environment, economic and behavioural areas; and how research differs from design (and where 'research through design' fits).

The research sequence — aim, objectives, scope and limitations; a good research question; the hypothesis (null vs alternative, directional vs non-directional) and hypothesis testing; identifying the research problem; variables — independent, dependent, control, confounding and extraneous; and Type I vs Type II error.

Groat & Wang's three tiers — systems of inquiry, strategies and tactics — and the seven research strategies: interpretive-historical, qualitative, correlational, experimental and quasi-experimental, simulation and modelling, logical argumentation, and the case study (and combined methods), each with its question type, data and architectural example.

Pilot studies; field surveys and the collection of physical, architectural, environmental and organisational samples; probability sampling (random, systematic, stratified, cluster) vs non-probability sampling (convenience, purposive, quota, snowball); reliability vs validity; questionnaire design (open vs closed, the Likert scale, questions to avoid); and the sample-size calculation (Cochran).

Preparing and analysing data sheets and questionnaires; arriving at conclusions; the research-report and dissertation structure; report writing; referencing styles; and the ethics of writing and publication — plagiarism (and self-plagiarism), fabrication, falsification, citation, authorship and informed consent — illustrated by presenting a pilot study.