A typology of designs for social research in the built environment

[摘要] ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The aim of this metamethodological study was to construct a typology of designs forsocial research in the built environment, i.e., architecture, urban design and planning.Currently there is no such typology, while the notion of 'research design is relativelyunknown in methodological literature in the built environment field. An outline of thedimensions of social research provided a theoretical lens for methodological analysis,and identified six methodological considerations as classification criteria, including (1)research context, (2) research aim, (3) research purpose, (4) methodological paradigm,(5) methodological approach, and (6) source of data. Exploratory interviews and a surveyand methodological content analysis of built environment theses provided a betterunderstanding of methodological issues in conducting social research in the builtenvironment and the potential relevance of a typology of designs. A review ofmethodological literature identified 25 research design subtypes that can be clusteredinto 10 prototypical designs for inclusion in the typology, namely: (1) surveys, (2)experiments, (3) modelling, simulation, mapping and visualization, (4) textual andnarrative studies, (5) field studies, (6) case studies, (7) intervention research, (8)evaluation research, (9) participatory action research, and (10) metaresearch. A surveyand methodological content analysis of journal articles determined the extent to whichthese designs feature in social research in the built environment. Although all the designsand subtypes feature, metaresearch, case studies, evaluation research and surveyspredominate. An initial typology classified the 10 prototypical designs in terms of the sixmethodological considerations. The typology was tested to see how well it classified thedesigns of actual studies and revised accordingly. Possible benefits of the typologyinclude greater clarification, improved teaching and decision-making, and methodologicalreflection. Thus, the typology may support lecturers, students, supervisors, researchers,peer-reviewers and practitioners to have a more articulate, reflexive, and criticalorientation with regard to research design to maximize the validity of findings andadvance theory, methodology and practice in built environment disciplines. The studyconcludes that the typology may also mitigate post-modern criticisms against socialresearch in the built environment.

[发布机构] Stellenbosch University