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UNIVERSITY OF NAIROBI
COLLEGE OF EDUCATION AND EXTERNAL STUDIES
SCHOOL OF CONTINUING AND DISTANCE EDUCATION
DEPARTMENT OF EXTRA-MURAL STUDIES.

In collaboration with

CENTRE FOR OPEN AND DISTANCE LEARNING

MASTER IN PROJECT PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT

COURSE: LDP 603: RESEARCH METHODS

Authored by:
Dr. Christopher Mwangi Gakuu
Senior Lecturer, Department of ExtraMural studies, University of Nairobi
&
Dr. Harriet Jepchumba Kidombo
Senior Lecturer, Department of Educational Studies
University of Nairobi

Page 1 of 240

GENERAL INTRODUCTION TO THE COURSE MODULE
The Research Methods course is one of the first semester core courses for those learners pursuing the Master in Project Planning and Management course. You are aware that any good decision is based on facts. Facts are based on data. The data must be systematically collected, processed, analysed and presented for use. The best-known way of collecting empirical data is through scientific research methods. This is what this course module is all about.
The main aims of this course unit is to:
1. Providing you with the basic information needed to understand the research process.
2. Enable you to use the knowledge to design their own research agenda on an area of personal interest or that of an organization.
MODULE STRUCTURE
The module is covered in Lectures. Each Lecture focuses on area in research. You will note that in each unit, there is an introduction, unit objectives, contents presented in subtopics, activities, summary and suggestions for further readings. This structure aims at making it easy for you to read the material more easily and logically. In each Lecture you will find some activities or exercises that you should go through before starting the subsequent unit. It is advisable that you answer all the questions and check the answers from the various sources i.e.,

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