CQP Advanced Level

Research Project / Workshop Case Presentation cheat sheet

Every chapter's key points, formulas and definitions on one page, for the last week before the exam. Each heading links to the chapter that explains it.

Introduction to research

Research is the systematic investigation of a question: what separates it from opinion is a method that is stated, defensible and capable of being repeated by somebody else.
A CQP project is applied research: it investigates a quality problem in a real organisation or sector and produces recommendations that could be implemented.
The proposal is approved before fieldwork begins and becomes chapters one to three of the project, rewritten in the past tense with what actually happened.
A plausible study passes four tests: researchable, feasible, significant and original in some respect. A topic failing any of them should be abandoned early rather than defended.
Narrow a broad topic by adding constraints to it (the aspect of quality, the population, the geography, a measurable variable, the period) rather than by changing subject.

Key terms

Research: The systematic investigation of a question in order to produce new knowledge or to establish facts. The word systematic carries the definition: what distinguishes research from opinion is that the method is stated, defensible and capable of being repeated by somebody else.
Basic and applied research: Basic research seeks knowledge for its own sake; applied research addresses a practical problem. A CQP project is applied research: it investigates a quality problem in a real organisation or sector and produces recommendations that could be implemented.
Quantitative and qualitative research: Quantitative research measures and analyses numerically, seeking to test relationships and to generalise. Qualitative research explores meaning, process and context through non-numerical data, seeking depth rather than generalisation. Mixed methods combine both.
Research proposal and research project: The proposal sets out what you intend to do and why, and is approved before fieldwork begins. The project is the completed work including findings. The proposal becomes chapters one to three of the project, so it is not discarded but rewritten in the past tense with what actually happened.
A plausible study: One that can actually be completed. Plausibility is assessed against four tests, and a topic failing any of them should be abandoned early rather than defended.
Researchable: The question must be answerable by evidence. A question of value, such as whether an organisation ought to prioritise quality over cost, is not researchable as posed; a question of fact, such as what relationship exists between quality investment and operating cost in a defined population, is.
Feasible: You must be able to obtain the data within the time, budget and access you actually have. Access is the constraint candidates underestimate most: a study requiring cooperation from thirty firms will not be completed if you have a relationship with two.
Significant: The answer must matter to somebody. A study whose findings would change nothing and interest nobody is not worth the effort even if it is well executed.
Original in some respect: It need not be wholly new. Originality may lie in the population studied, the context, the period, the method, or the combination, and for a professional qualification applying an established framework to a Kenyan sector where it has not been examined is sufficient.

The rest of the sheet covers

Writing the introduction
The literature review
Research methodology
Findings and analysis
Conclusions and recommendations
References
Appendices
Writing style and requirements
Research ethics
Format and institutional guidelines
Exam technique and revision
Glossary