ARCHITECTURAL RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

MODULE I
SYLLABUS

I. Introduction to Research
II. Research Process
III. Architectural research strategies
IV. Data collection
V. Research writing
VI. Examples of architectural research

PROF. ANN JOSEPH | DEPT. OF ARCHITECTURE | TKMCE S8 B.ARCH | ARM | MODULE I

MODULE 1 : Introduction to Research
 Aims and Characteristics of research
 Criteria of good research
 Research paradigms
 Basic types of research
 Role of researcher
 Ethics in research
 Quality criteria
 Research in architecture -Purpose and scope, History of Architectural
research, Major areas of research

PROF. ANN JOSEPH | DEPT. OF ARCHITECTURE | TKMCE S8 B.ARCH | ARM | MODULE I

WHAT IS RESEARCH ?
 A search for knowledge of finding answers to the questions.
 Careful investigation or inquiry through search for new facts in any branch of
knowledge
 Usually an academic activity

 Systematic inquiry directed towards the creation of knowledge

 Something people undertake in order to find out things in a systematic
way, thereby increasing their knowledge

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zs9IWGragFs

PROF. ANN JOSEPH | DEPT. OF ARCHITECTURE | TKMCE S8 B.ARCH | ARM | MODULE I

DEFINITION OF RESEARCH

“Systematized effort to gain new knowledge” (Redman and Mory)

 Research is, thus, an original contribution to the existing stock of knowledge

 making for its advancement. It is the pursuit of truth with the help of study,
observation, comparison and experiment.

PROF. ANN JOSEPH | DEPT. OF ARCHITECTURE | TKMCE S8 B.ARCH | ARM | MODULE I

WHY RESEARCH ?

 KNOWLEDGE

 BUSINESS

 PROBLEM

SOLVING

 DECISION MAKING

PROF. ANN JOSEPH | DEPT. OF ARCHITECTURE | TKMCE S8 B.ARCH | ARM | MODULE I

OBJECTIVES OF RESEARCH ?

 To gain familiarity with a phenomenon or to achieve new insights into it

(exploratory or formulative research studies)
 To portray accurately the characteristics of a particular individual, situation or a
group (descriptive research studies)
 To determine the frequency with which something occurs or with which it is
associated with something else (diagnostic research studies)
 To test a hypothesis of a causal relationship between variables (hypothesis-testing
research studies).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FlBFdEgrTBM

PROF. ANN JOSEPH | DEPT. OF ARCHITECTURE | TKMCE S8 B.ARCH | ARM | MODULE I

STEPS IN A RESEARCH
Research Idea Research Question

How effective is recruiting for new staff via the

Job recruitment via the internet
internet in comparison with the traditional methods.

Advertising and share prices How does the running of a TV advertising campaign
designed to boost the image of a company affect.

What are the strategies that trade unions should

The future of trade unions
adopt to ensure their future viability?

PROF. ANN JOSEPH | DEPT. OF ARCHITECTURE | TKMCE S8 B.ARCH | ARM | MODULE I

STEPS IN A RESEARCH
identifying and understanding the problem

Identifying the related areas of knowledge

Literature review

Data collection

Data analysis

Conclusions and generalization

PROF. ANN JOSEPH | DEPT. OF ARCHITECTURE | TKMCE S8 B.ARCH | ARM | MODULE I

CRITERIA OF A GOOD RESEARCH
 Purpose clearly defined SYSTEMATI
C
 Research process detailed.
 Research design thoroughly planned.
REPLICAB
 High ethical standards applied. LE
 Limitations frankly revealed.
 Adequate analysis for decision maker’s EMPIRICA
needs. L
 Findings presented clearly.
 Conclusions justified.
LOGICAL
 Researcher’s experience reflected.

PROF. ANN JOSEPH | DEPT. OF ARCHITECTURE | TKMCE S8 B.ARCH | ARM | MODULE I

WHO DOES RESEARCH ?
 Doctoral Students
 Faculty Scholars and
Researchers
 Master’s and Upper-
Level Bachelor’s
Students
 Architects and Design
Practitioners

PROF. ANN JOSEPH | DEPT. OF ARCHITECTURE | TKMCE S8 B.ARCH | ARM | MODULE I

ARCHITECTURAL RESEARCH

 Research in the field of Architecture

 Architectural research has been conducted throughout the history of
architecture.
 development of particular structural forms or building materials over the
centuries is the outcome of trial‐and‐error experimentation, systematic
observation, and application of such building principles to other building
projects

PROF. ANN JOSEPH | DEPT. OF ARCHITECTURE | TKMCE S8 B.ARCH | ARM | MODULE I

ARCHITECTURAL RESEARCH
DEVELOPMENT OF THE FLYING
BUTTRESS:
 Found in structures from as early as 4th century Rotunda of Galerius, Thessaloniki
Greece
 First visible external example at Notre Dame de Paris
 Earlier buttresses used to be heavier
than required for static loads and
around the apse
 Over time, architects and designers
refined the designs and narrowed the
flyers
 Flyers with crockets and sculpted
figures in niches
PROF. ANN JOSEPH | DEPT. OF ARCHITECTURE | TKMCE S8 B.ARCH | ARM | MODULE I
ARCHITECTURAL RESEARCH
 Mostly revolved around buildings, structural components and materials
 Conduct of research outside of specific building projects/ structures is a more
recent phenomenon
 Different focal points across time; experienced an ebb and flow depending on
theoretical influences, technologies and innovations and even funding.
 1950s research mostly in climate, product development and building system design
 Research across a range of topics in the 60s and 70s; socio behavioral issues,
design methods, energy conservation etc.
 Sustainability began to be increasingly researched of late.

PROF. ANN JOSEPH | DEPT. OF ARCHITECTURE | TKMCE S8 B.ARCH | ARM | MODULE I

ARCHITECTURAL RESEARCH

Wind tunnel testing and

reporting for tall structures-
example: Wind tunnel
testing done for Burj
Khalifa, Dubai

PROF. ANN JOSEPH | DEPT. OF ARCHITECTURE | TKMCE S8 B.ARCH | ARM | MODULE I

MAJOR AREAS OF ARCHITECTURAL
RESEARCH

PROF. ANN JOSEPH | DEPT. OF ARCHITECTURE | TKMCE S8 B.ARCH | ARM | MODULE I

MAJOR AREAS OF ARCHITECTURAL
RESEARCH

PROF. ANN JOSEPH | DEPT. OF ARCHITECTURE | TKMCE S8 B.ARCH | ARM | MODULE I

MAJOR AREAS OF ARCHITECTURAL
RESEARCH

PROF. ANN JOSEPH | DEPT. OF ARCHITECTURE | TKMCE S8 B.ARCH | ARM | MODULE I

TYPES OF RESEARCH
BASIC RESEARCH: APPLIED RESEARCH:

 Purpose of gaining knowledge.  Aims at solving specific problems

 Help in supporting & rejecting  Aims at establishing policy
existing hypothesis & theories programs that will help to improve
 How did the universe begin/ What social life
is an atom composed of  Types of applied research are
social impact studies, cost-benefit
analysis, evaluation research
 How to cure a specific disease/
How to improve energy efficiency
at homes
PROF. ANN JOSEPH | DEPT. OF ARCHITECTURE | TKMCE S8 B.ARCH | ARM | MODULE I
TYPES OF RESEARCH
DESCRIPTIVE RESEARCH: EXPLORATORY RESEARCH:

 Research that provides an accurate  Research conducted for a problem

portrayal of the characteristics of that are not clearly defined; helps
an individual, situation or group. to determine best research design,
 Usually it forms preliminary study data collection methods etc.
of a research project  Can be informal such as informal
 Most frequent disease to affect discussions or formal such as
children of certain age,/ Living focus groups, case studies etc.
conditions of a community

PROF. ANN JOSEPH | DEPT. OF ARCHITECTURE | TKMCE S8 B.ARCH | ARM | MODULE I

TYPES OF RESEARCH
LONGITUDINAL RESEARCH: CROSS- SECTIONAL RESEARCH:
 It involves study of sample at more  It involves study of many cases at
than one point in time or occasion one point in time or occasion
 Trend Studies over time

CLASSIFICATION RESEARCH: COMPARATIVE RESEARCH:

 It aims at categorization of units  To identify similarities and
into groups differences between units at all
 To demonstrate differences levels
 To explain relationships

PROF. ANN JOSEPH | DEPT. OF ARCHITECTURE | TKMCE S8 B.ARCH | ARM | MODULE I

TYPES OF RESEARCH
CAUSAL AND THEORY TESTING AND THEORY
CORRELATIONAL RESEARCH: BUILDING RESEARCH:
 Systematic study of relationships  Aims to establish and formulate
among two or more variables, theory
without necessarily establishing
cause and effect.
 It aims at testing validity of a
theory
 Music and blood pressure levels
 Aims at establishing cause and
affect relationship among variables

PROF. ANN JOSEPH | DEPT. OF ARCHITECTURE | TKMCE S8 B.ARCH | ARM | MODULE I

TYPES OF RESEARCH
QUALITATIVE RESEARCH: QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH:

 Research dealing with phenomena  Systematic investigation of any

that are difficult to quantify phenomena via statistical,
mathematically such as beliefs and mathematical or computational
attributes. techniques
 Aims at exploration of social world.  Uses scientific methods and strict
research design
 Investigates the ‘why’ and ‘how’ of
decision making, not just what,  Architectural modeling
where and when.

PROF. ANN JOSEPH | DEPT. OF ARCHITECTURE | TKMCE S8 B.ARCH | ARM | MODULE I

ETHICS IN RESEARCH
 Ethics – Moral principles of right and wrong; “Unwritten” rules of what we
should or should not be doing
 May vary by person, by time and by place Research
Participants

 Research ethics – Involving

ethical principles in research Researcher
practice, at all stages from
inception of research through
to completion and publication
Funding
of results and beyond
Body

PROF. ANN JOSEPH | DEPT. OF ARCHITECTURE | TKMCE S8 B.ARCH | ARM | MODULE I

IMPORTANCE OF ETHICS IN RESEARCH
 To promote the aims of research, such as knowledge, truth, and avoidance
of error, such as preventing falsifying of data
 To promote the values that are essential to collaborative work, such as
trust, accountability, mutual respect, since research often involves
interdisciplinary work
 To build public support for research. People more likely to fund research
project if they can trust the quality and integrity of research.
 Research promote a variety of other important moral and social values,
such as social responsibility, human rights, animal welfare, and health and
safety.
 Researchers can be held accountable to the public
PROF. ANN JOSEPH | DEPT. OF ARCHITECTURE | TKMCE S8 B.ARCH | ARM | MODULE I
ETHICS IN RESEARCH

Research
Participants Funding Body

Researcher

PROF. ANN JOSEPH | DEPT. OF ARCHITECTURE | TKMCE S8 B.ARCH | ARM | MODULE I

AREAS OF ACADEMIC MISCONDUCT
 Fabrication and falsification:
Fabrication is making up results and recording or reporting them.
Falsification is manipulating research materials, equipment, or processes or
changing or omitting data or results such that the research is not accurately
represented
 Faulty data-gathering :
Inappropriate methodology, If machines are not calibrated correctly, if subjects do
not follow procedures correctly, if testing occurs at different times of the day
 Poor data storage and retention:
Should be available for verification of others

PROF. ANN JOSEPH | DEPT. OF ARCHITECTURE | TKMCE S8 B.ARCH | ARM | MODULE I

AREAS OF ACADEMIC MISCONDUCT
 Non-publication of data :
Data was suppressed. It is not ethical to ignore exceptions and just try to explain to
oneself the reason for the exception
 Misleading authorship
People take credit who really make very little contribution to the study.
 Publication:
A study should be published only once.
 PLAGIARISM:
Using other people's work without acknowledging their contribution

PROF. ANN JOSEPH | DEPT. OF ARCHITECTURE | TKMCE S8 B.ARCH | ARM | MODULE I

PLAGIARISM

 COPYING/ DIRECT PLAGIARISM: Copying and directly pasting contents from

one or multiple sources without quotation marks or credits
 MOSAIC PLAGIARISM: Borrowing ideas and opinions from a source and few
verbatim words without giving credits
 PARAPHRASING: Restating a phrase or passage, providing same meaning but
using different words without attribution to original author
 INSUFFICIENT ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: Not citing a source or including it in
in bibliography; Not providing full credit to the author of the original work.

PROF. ANN JOSEPH | DEPT. OF ARCHITECTURE | TKMCE S8 B.ARCH | ARM | MODULE I

COPYRIGHT

 A study when published is either copyrighted to the author or the publisher.

 You need permission to use figures and tables from other published sources
 Quotes are okay if properly referenced
 Usually it is no problem getting permission for educational purposes

PROF. ANN JOSEPH | DEPT. OF ARCHITECTURE | TKMCE S8 B.ARCH | ARM | MODULE I

WHAT ARE RESEARCH PARADIGMS ?

 “A philosophical way of thinking; the set of common beliefs and agreements

shared on how problems should be understood and addressed.” - (Kuhn, 1964)

 “Researcher’s worldview’ - (Mackenzie and Knipe, 2006) the lens

through which the researcher sees the world

 “Basic set of beliefs or worldview that guides the research actions or

investigation” - (Guba and Lincoln, 1994)

 Researchers from different disciplines have different paradigms

PROF. ANN JOSEPH | DEPT. OF ARCHITECTURE | TKMCE S8 B.ARCH | ARM | MODULE I

WHY IS RESEARCH PARADIGM
IMPORTANT ?

 They provide beliefs and dictates and influences what should be studies, how it
should be studied and how the results should be interpreted
 creates a holistic view of how knowledge is viewed and how we can see ourselves
in relation to this knowledge
 Awareness of philosophical assumptions will increase quality of research and can
contribute to the creativity of the researcher

PROF. ANN JOSEPH | DEPT. OF ARCHITECTURE | TKMCE S8 B.ARCH | ARM | MODULE I

ELEMENTS OF A PARADIGM

Guba and Lincoln, 1985

 Four elements TerreBlanche and Durrheim, 1999
 Ontology  Three elements
 Epistemology  Ontology
 Methodology  Epistemology
 Axiology  Methodology

PROF. ANN JOSEPH | DEPT. OF ARCHITECTURE | TKMCE S8 B.ARCH | ARM | MODULE I

ELEMENTS OF A PARADIGM
 ONTOLOGY: What is the reality ?
“how things really are” and “how things really
work”..
Methodolog  EPISTEMOLOGY: How do we know
Ontology y something?
what nature of relationship exists between the
inquirer and the inquired? How do we know?
 METHODOLOGY: How do you go finding it
Epistemolog
y Axiology out?
What tools do we use to know that reality?
 AXIOLOGY: How to make decisions of value
or the right decisions ?
How to avoid the oral issues or the physical or
PROF. ANN JOSEPH | DEPT. OF ARCHITECTURE | TKMCE
mental risks ? S8 B.ARCH | ARM | MODULE I
UNDERSTANDING A PROBLEM

PROF. ANN JOSEPH | DEPT. OF ARCHITECTURE | TKMCE S8 B.ARCH | ARM | MODULE I

TYPES OF RESEARCH PARADIGMS
 Different paradigms proposed over years
 Researchers from different disciplines have different paradigms

CRITICAL PRAGMATIC

POSITIVIS INTERPRETIVIS
M M

POST POST
POSITIVISM STRUCTURAL
PROF. ANN JOSEPH | DEPT. OF ARCHITECTURE | TKMCE S8 B.ARCH | ARM | MODULE I
RESEARCH PARADIGMS
• believe that there is a single reality, which can be measured
POSITIVISTS  and known
• use of quantitative methods to measure this reality

• believe that there is no single reality or truth, and therefore

INTERPRETIVIST reality needs to be interpreted
• use of qualitative methods to get those multiple realities

• Believes in transformation of justice issues; political,

CRITICAL social and economic
• Qualitative, quantitative or mixed methods
• believe that reality is constantly renegotiated, debated,
PRAGMATISTS  interpreted
• Qualitative, quantitative or mixed methods

PROF. ANN JOSEPH | DEPT. OF ARCHITECTURE | TKMCE S8 B.ARCH | ARM | MODULE I

 RESEARCH PARADIGMS
ONTOLOG EPISTEMOLO METHODOLO AXIOLOG
PARADIGM METHODS
Y GY GY Y
POSITIVISTS Realism: Objectivist: Qualitative or Sampling, Research
There is a Reality can be experimental, Measurement aimed at
single reality measured and is Scientific and Scaling, good
or truth understood Statistical outcomes for
through Analysis humanity and
application of research
reason participants
INTERPRETIVI Relativist: Subjectivist: Usually Interviews, Reflects
ST PARADIGM/ The situation Thinking and qualitative text values/
CONSTRUCTIV studies has processing of messages, opinions of
IST PARADIGM
multiple data by discussions the
realities researcher researcher

PROF. ANN JOSEPH | DEPT. OF ARCHITECTURE | TKMCE S8 B.ARCH | ARM | MODULE I

 RESEARCH PARADIGMS
PARADIGM ONTOLOG EPISTEMOLO METHODOLO METHODS AXIOLOG
Y GY GY Y
CRITICAL Historic Transactional: Qualitative, Interviews, Respects
PARADIGM Realism; Involves both quantitative or observation cultural
Realities ae researcher and mixed norms
socially participants
constructed

PRAGMATIST Reality is Relational: Best Mixed methods Interviews, Research

PARADIGM constantly suited methods text that benefits
debated, deemed by Measurements people
reinterpreted researcher

PROF. ANN JOSEPH | DEPT. OF ARCHITECTURE | TKMCE S8 B.ARCH | ARM | MODULE I

QUALITATIVE AND QUANTITATIVE
PARADIGMS
QUANTITATIVE: QUALITATIVE:

 Traditional, positivists, the  Phenomenological inquiry

experimental or empirical tradition by for the verification of
some of the authorities like Comte, proposition, which takes into
Newton, etc consideration the totality of
 uses ‘measurement and universally phenomenon and does not
accepted method for assigning attempt at analyzing it into
quantitative values quantifiable components.
 Measurement - assignment of numbers to
 regarded as less ‘scientific’
objects and events according to logically and ‘softer’ by some.
accepted rules

PROF. ANN JOSEPH | DEPT. OF ARCHITECTURE | TKMCE S8 B.ARCH | ARM | MODULE I

QUALITATIVE AND QUANTITATIVE
PARADIGMS

PROF. ANN JOSEPH | DEPT. OF ARCHITECTURE | TKMCE S8 B.ARCH | ARM | MODULE I

QUALITATIVE AND QUANTITATIVE
PARADIGMS

PROF. ANN JOSEPH | DEPT. OF ARCHITECTURE | TKMCE S8 B.ARCH | ARM | MODULE I

QUALITATIVE AND QUANTITATIVE
PARADIGMS

PROF. ANN JOSEPH | DEPT. OF ARCHITECTURE | TKMCE S8 B.ARCH | ARM | MODULE I

QUALITATIVE AND QUANTITATIVE
PARADIGMS

PROF. ANN JOSEPH | DEPT. OF ARCHITECTURE | TKMCE S8 B.ARCH | ARM | MODULE I

QUALITATIVE AND QUANTITATIVE
PARADIGMS

PROF. ANN JOSEPH | DEPT. OF ARCHITECTURE | TKMCE S8 B.ARCH | ARM | MODULE I