Narrowing the Focus: Reflection and Choice

Abstract

This chapter presents the path that one researcher followed in choosing a topic for his Ph.D. dissertation and the decisions he made about how to conduct the research. The research being conducted involves a qualitative case study of how professors at one university adopt the use of Web-based courses. The questions which the researcher asked himself in this process of narrowing the focus are presented to provide insight into his reflective thought process. Insight is gained into how this researcher: chose a topic, decided what conceptual framework to use, approached the literature review, chose research methods, and collected and analyzed data. The importance of reflective thought and the judgement of the researcher are emphasized.