Page 9 - CAPE Caribbean Studies Study Guide Sample_Neat

Caribbean Studies – an overview

Module 3 – Investigating issues in the Caribbean

This module is closely related to the School-Based Assessment. The module
introduces you to an advanced form of research that will be useful in later study.
It focuses on many of the areas that relate to conducting research, and certain
aspects of it are assessed in Paper 1 of the examination. The following
10 subthemes are covered.
1 and 2: Nature and purpose of research and the research problem

You are taught to understand the significance of conducting research and its
various types. You will also learn about identifying a research problem or topic
from the syllabus.
3: Research objectives

Research must have specific objectives to be achieved in order to meet its aims.
You are shown that characteristics of research objectives should be understood, as
having knowledge of these characteristics will help you to form research objectives
correctly.
4: Sources of information

The choices for sources of information are important in terms of the reliability of
research. You must assess the advantages and disadvantages of different sources
and understand criteria for selecting the most appropriate source of information.
5: Methods of enquiry

The methodology used for conducting research is integral to determining not
only the reliability of research but also its validity. You must be able to assess the
difference between quantitative and qualitative research, and understand the various
strategies employed in methodology and forms of data-collection techniques.
6: Sampling

You will need to understand the rationale behind choosing a sample for research
purposes. You must also be aware of the difference between probability and non-
probability sampling, various types of sampling techniques, and the advantages
and disadvantages of each.
7: Forms of presenting data and techniques for analysing data

Once you have gathered data you must represent them in various forms, either
tabular, textual or graphical. This theme introduces you to this.
8: Conclusion and recommendations

In this theme the importance of having a conclusion and including
recommendations in research is explained.
9: Referencing styles

For your research project you are required to read widely on a particular topic, but you
should understand that without proper referencing within your writing you may be
guilty of plagiarism, copying someone else’s work, a form of academic misconduct. This
theme will outline one of the most widely used referencing styles.
10: Principles of ethical conduct
Ethical considerations are important in research. Breaches of research ethics may
result in research not being published or the researcher facing legal action. You must
be aware of different ethical considerations and the importance of each of these.
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