RESEARCH METHODS
Chapter one
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Outline
Introduction To Research Methods
Scientific methods
Guide line for writing Research proposal
Guide line for writing Report
Ethics in Research
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Introduction to Research Methods
Research is a very general term for an activity that involves finding out, in a
more or less systematic way, things you did not know.
A more academic interpretation is that research involves finding out about
things that no-one else knew either.
It is about advancing the frontiers of knowledge.
Research methods are the techniques you use to do research.
• They represent the tools of the trade, and provide you with ways to collect,
sort and analyze information so that you can come to some conclusions.
If you use the right sort of methods for your particular type of research, then
you should be able to convince other people that your conclusions have
some validity.
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OBJECTIVES OF RESEARCH
The purpose of research is to discover answers to questions through the
application of scientific procedures.
The main aim of research is to find out the truth which is hidden and which
has not been discovered yet.
Though each research study has its own specific purpose, we may think
of research objectives as falling into a number of following broad groupings:
To gain familiarity with a phenomenon or to achieve new insights into it
To show accurately the characteristics of situation or a group
To determine the frequency with which something occurs
To test a hypothesis of a causal relationship between variables
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MOTIVATION IN RESEARCH
What makes people to undertake research?
Desire to get a research degree
Desire to face the challenge in solving the unsolved problems,
Desire to get intellectual joy of doing some creative work;
Desire to be of service to society;
Desire to get respectability.
Directives of government,
Employment conditions,
Curiosity
Desire to understand causal relationships, social thinking….
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Research Methods Vs Methodology
Research methods may be understood as all those
methods/techniques that are used for conduction of research.
thus, refer to the methods the researchers use in
performing research operations.
Research methodology is a way to systematically solve the
research problem.
It may be understood as a science of studying how
research is done scientifically.
In it we study the various steps that are generally adopted
by a researcher in studying his research problem along with
the logic behind them.
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Research vs. Development (R&D)
The primary research objective is to investigate scientific advance,
i.e. to add previously unknown facts to the knowledge of mankind.
Development in engineering is the application of established
engineering methodologies to solve technical problem and create
products.
It is usually accompanied by requirements analysis, functional
requirements, non-functional requirements, system specification,
design space exploration, hardware-software design, design to
cost, formal verification, system and module testing, compliance
testing, in-field testing, quality assurance, acceptance testing.
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Meaning of Research
“ A careful investigation or inquiry specially through
search for new facts in any branch of knowledge.”
“Systematized effort to gain new knowledge.”
Research as a movement, a movement from the
known to the unknown.
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What is research?
Research means finding answers to the questions.
It is a systematic search for truth.
Through research, new and original information, ideas about the
world we live in, are obtained.
Research is search for knowledge.
Research is defined as a scientific and systematic search for
information on a specific topic.
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Continued….
Research is an academic activity and as such the term should
be used in a technical sense.
Research comprises defining and redefining problems,
formulating hypothesis or suggested solutions;
collecting, organising and evaluating data; making
deductions and reaching conclusions; and at last carefully
testing the conclusions to determine whether they fit the
formulating hypothesis
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OBJECTIVES OF RESEARCH
To gain familiarity with a phenomenon or to achieve new insights
into it (studies with this object in view are termed as exploratory or
formulative research studies);
To portray accurately the characteristics of a particular individual,
situation or a group (studies with this object in view are known as
descriptive research studies);
To determine the frequency with which something occurs or with
which it is associated with something else (studies with this object
in view are known as diagnostic research studies);
To test a hypothesis of a causal relationship between variables (such
studies are known as hypothesis-testing research studies)
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Benefits of research to whom
As a graduate student...
To be able to read and understand the empirical literature in
your field; to become a critical consumer of information.
As a graduate student preparing for a thesis (project report)
or dissertation…
To be able to both design and implement your thesis or
dissertation as well as future studies that interest you.
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TYPES OF RESEARCH
Descriptive vs. Analytical
Applied vs. Fundamental
Quantitative vs. Qualitative
Conceptual vs. Empirical
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Descriptive RESEARCH
The major purpose of descriptive research is description of the state
of affairs as it exists at present
The main characteristic of this method is that the researcher has no
control over the variables; he can only report what has happened or
what is happening
Include attempts by researchers to discover causes even when they
cannot control the variables. The methods of research utilized in
descriptive research are survey methods of all kinds, including
comparative and correlational methods
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Applied vs. Fundamental
APPLIED FUNDAMENTAL
Aims at finding a solution for an Mainly concerned with
immediate problem facing a society generalisations and with the
or an industrial /business formulation of a theory.
organisation
Concerning some natural
but research aimed at certain phenomenon or relating to pure
conclusions (say, a solution) facing a mathematics are examples of
concrete social or business problem fundamental research
is an example of applied research
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Quantitative vs. Qualitative
Quantitative Qualitative
Quantitative research is based on Qualitative research, on the other
the measurement of quantity or hand, is concerned with qualitative
amount. phenomenon
It is applicable to phenomena that For instance, when we are
can be expressed in terms of interested in investigating the
quantity reasons for human behaviour (i.e.,
why people think or do certain
things),
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Conceptual vs. Empirical
Empirical
Conceptual
Conceptual research is that Empirical research relies on
related to some abstract experience or observation alone,
often without due regard for
idea(s) or theory. system and theory
It is generally used by
philosophers and thinkers to It is data-based research,
develop new concepts or to coming up with conclusions which
reinterpret existing ones. are capable of being verified by
observation or experiment
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Research Approaches
Quantitative Qualitative
approach approach
Inferential Experimental Simulation
approach approach approach
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Quantitative approach
Involves the generation of data in quantitative form which can be
subjected to rigorous quantitative analysis in a formal and rigid fashion
Inferential approach
The purpose of inferential approach to research is to form a data
base from which to infer characteristics or relationships of
population. This usually means survey research where a sample
of population is studied (questioned or observed) to determine its
characteristics
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Experimental approach
Experimental approach is characterised by much greater control
over the research environment and in this case some variables are
manipulated to observe their effect on other variables
Simulation approach
Simulation approach involves the construction of an artificial
environment within which relevant information and data can be
generated.
This permits an observation of the dynamic behaviour of a system
(or its sub-system) under controlled conditions.
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Significance of Research
Research is sowing the seeds for the development of science and
technology which in turn upgrade the style of living for human
society.
Research provides the basis for nearly all government policies in
our economic system
Research has its special significance in solving various operational
and planning problems of business and industry
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To those students who are to write a master’s or Ph.D. thesis, research may mean
a careerism or a way to attain a high position in the social structure;
To professionals in research methodology, research may mean a source of
livelihood;
To philosophers and thinkers, research may mean the outlet for new ideas and
insights;
To literary men and women, research may mean the development of new styles
and creative work;
To analysts and intellectuals, research may mean the generalisations of new
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Research Methods versus Methodology
Research methods may be understood as all those
methods/techniques that are used for conduction of research.
all those methods which are used by the researcher during the
course of studying his research problem are termed as
research methods
Research methodology is a way to systematically solve the
research problem. It may be understood as a science of
studying how research is done scientific
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Thus, when we talk of research methodology we not
only talk of the research methods but also consider the
logic behind the methods
we use in the context of our research study and
explain why we are using a particular method or
technique and why we are not using others so that
research results are capable of being evaluated either
by the researcher himself or by others.
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Importance of Knowing How Research is Done
The importance of knowing research methodology and research
techniques is obvious since the knowledge of methodology provides
good training specially to the new research worker and enables him to
do better research.
Knowledge of how to do research will inculcate the ability to evaluate
and use research results with reasonable confidence
When one knows how research is done, then one may have the
satisfaction of acquiring a new intellectual tool
In this scientific age, all of us are in many ways consumers of research
results and we can use them intelligently provided we are able to judge
the adequacy of the methods by which they have been obtained
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Research Process
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Formulating the research problem
At the very outset the researcher must single out the problem he wants to study,
i.e., he must decide the general area of interest or aspect of a subject-matter that he
would like to inquire into.
Initially the problem may be stated in a broad general way and then the
ambiguities, if any, relating to the problem be resolved.
Then, the feasibility of a particular solution has to be considered before a working
formulation of the problem can be set up
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Extensive literature survey
At this juncture the researcher should undertake extensive literature survey
connected with the problem.
For this purpose, the abstracting and indexing journals and published or
unpublished bibliographies are the first place to go to. Academic journals,
conference proceedings, government reports, books etc., must be tapped
depending on the nature of the problem
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Development of working hypotheses
After extensive literature survey, researcher should state in clear terms the working
hypothesis or hypotheses. Working hypothesis is tentative assumption made in
order to draw out and test its logical or empirical consequences
The role of the hypothesis is to guide the researcher by delimiting the area of
research and to keep him on the right track. It sharpens his thinking and focuses
attention on the more important facets of the problem. It also indicates the type of
data required and the type of methods of data analysis to be used
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Preparing the research design
The preparation of such a design facilitates research to be as efficient as possible
yielding maximal information. In other words, the function of research design is to provide
for the collection of relevant evidence with minimal expenditure of effort, time and money.
The preparation of the research design, involves usually the consideration of the
following:
(i) the means of obtaining the information;
(ii) the availability and skills of the researcher and his staff (if any);
(iii) explanation of the way in which selected means of obtaining information will be
organised
and the reasoning leading to the selection;
(iv) the time available for research; and
(v) the cost factor relating to research, i.e., the finance available for the purpose.
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Collecting the data
In dealing with any real life problem it is often found that data at hand are
inadequate, and hence, it becomes necessary to collect data that are
appropriate
Primary data can be collected either through experiment or through survey
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Execution of the project
Execution of the project is a very important step in the research process.
If the execution of the project proceeds on correct lines, the data to be collected
would be adequate and dependable.
The researcher should see that the project is executed in a systematic manner and
in time
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Analysis of data
After the data have been collected, the researcher turns to the task of analysing
them.
The analysis of data requires a number of closely related operations such as
establishment of categories, the application of these categories to raw data through
coding, tabulation and then drawing
statistical inferences.
The unwieldy data should necessarily be condensed into a few manageable groups
and tables for further analysis
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Hypothesis-testing
After analysing the data as stated above, the researcher is in a position to test the
hypotheses, if any, he had formulated earlier. Do the facts support the hypotheses or
they happen to be contrary?
Various tests, such as Chi square test, t-test, F-test,
Hypothesis-testing will result in either accepting the hypothesis or in rejecting it.
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Generalisations and interpretation
If a hypothesis is tested and upheld several times, it may be possible for the
researcher to arrive at generalisation, i.e., to build a theory.
As a matter of fact, the real value of research lies in its ability to arrive at certain
generalisations.
If the researcher had no hypothesis to start with, he might seek to explain his
findings on the basis of some theory. It is known as interpretation.
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Preparation of the report or the thesis
Finally, the researcher has to prepare the report of what has been done by him.
Writing of report must be done with great care.
