Dissertation help

Hi guys so I'm starting my dissertation (Human Resource Management).

I wanted to look at the effects of bulling and what causes it etc

My supervisor has made a huge point I didn't even consider but how would I collect data as it is quite a "sensitive topic".

Workplace bullying is a topic I'm quite passionate about which would make the 10k words easier to write...

However I'm totally stumped on how to collect the data.

I don't think Its a topic members of the public would necessarily want to answer.

anyone got any ideas?

How were you thinking of collecting data e.g. a survey? Reiterating the anonymity of a method can help a little. You would have to be careful how you worded questions for it to pass your university's ethics board.

Would looking into a corpora-based approach help, e.g. analysing public Facebook posts, tweets about the topic?

Hi Phoenix,

Yes I was thinking of doing a survey.
Would probably be better if I did an interview but I don't work at the moment or know anymore who has been bullied in the workplace.
Defo good idea will reiterate the anonymity. I'll also start of with easy questions and phrase the questions in a way as to not offend.

Genius! That's a brilliant idea I thinks that more secondary data though .

At my uni you have to have primary data as well in the dissertation. I think that's the problem with my topic choice.

Would the common person feel like they want to answer a survey on workplace bullying if they've been bulled or done some bullying?

I think this week what I'll do is look at what other people have done with this topic.

Thank you for answering

Corpus data is actually considered primary data - as the data has not been collected/analysed by someone else first.

I think it may be more difficult to find people who will admit to doing the bullying, while those who were bullied might like the opportunity to get it off their chest.

Hi guys so I'm starting my dissertation (Human Resource Management).

I wanted to look at the effects of bulling and what causes it etc

My supervisor has made a huge point I didn't even consider but how would I collect data as it is quite a "sensitive topic".

Workplace bullying is a topic I'm quite passionate about which would make the 10k words easier to write...

However I'm totally stumped on how to collect the data.

I don't think Its a topic members of the public would necessarily want to answer.

anyone got any ideas?

Survey.
Allow people to give a nickname or ID to identify their data, dont keep direct sensitive information so that no one can be found out via jigsawing answers together, and allow people to withdraw before a certain date.
Be honest as to how long you will store the information and when it will be deleted.