MSc Digital Development

• Introduction to research
• Planning and conducting research
• Designing research
• Literature and secondary data
• Data collection methods: questionnaires observation, interviews, etc.
• Analysing qualitative and quantitative data

The unit aims to:
-provide postgraduate students in the development informatics programmes at GDI with an understanding of research methodologies and techniques
- provide training to design and undertake data gathering and analysis, and critically analyse research literature on development informatics in terms of its methodological foundations.
- provide students with a good grasp of the conventions of using documentary and data sources in the preparation and presentation of written reports or papers.

•  State the nature and scope of information systems and management research

  · Outline the main research strategies

  · Outline the principal research methods that are available to use in the context of those

  strategies

  · Use a research method or methods appropriately in your dissertation and in later research

  · Produce a research proposal for your dissertation

  · Make a start on your dissertation, using your research proposal as a framework

  · Understand specific features of research in developing, transitional and international

  contexts

Each face-to-face 2-hr lecture session includes lecture presentation, case study material, student group activities and exercises, and group discussion. Tutorials provide further practical exercises and ICT4D case studies. Additionally, students are expected to engage with e-learning materials provided via Blackboard to support learning. These include lecture slides and exercises, extensive session notes, model solutions to exercises, links to research papers and websites, etc.
The course is highly participative, encouraging students to share knowledge and experience. It is also practical, encouraging students to apply research tools, techniques and theory to real-world case studies, with a particular emphasis on developing country contexts.

-link theory to real-world practice.
- critically analyse ICT4D research models
- critically analyse research techniques.
- assess the reliability of data analysis and interpret the results of that analysis

- apply ICT4D research skills, using a variety of tools and methods
- apply sensitivity to human and practical issues in research.
- design and scope a research project
- demonstrate competence in assessing, presenting and interpreting data in a critical way from a range of primary and secondary sources

- group working
- discussion and debating skills
- literature reviewing 

Based on January 2021 field work: 1500 words, 40%
Dissertation Research Outline: 2500 words, 60%

Re-sit Assessment: extended dissertation research outline. 4000 words, 100%

Assignment feedback provided via Blackboard

Saunders, M., P. Lewis and A. Thornhill (2016) Research methods for business students, London: Pearson (7^th edition)