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Research Methodology
Research Methodology
Research Methodology
FACULTY OF ……
Name:
CHAPTER ONE
1
INTRODUCTION
This course is designed to lay the foundation
regarding researches. In particular, this course is
directed for acquainting the students with basics of
research methods by presenting the fundamental
and the major concepts of Research methods.
At the completion of the courses, students shall be
able to
Identify researchable problems for their thesis.
Select the appropriate methods of investigation.
Be able to identify the combination of skills
which are relevant to the chosen topics
Be able to produce a literature review based 1-3 on
students’ subject interest.
2
What is research?
Research has been defined in different ways by
different investigators and writers.
Research is a scientific (Knowledge based),
logical, controlled (limited to a subject) and
empirical process (evidence based).
3
What is research?
Research is a systematic, scientific, controlled
and empirical process.
• Systematic:- Means step by step
• Scientific:- Means logical steps to follow
• Controlled:- Means covers a limited area
(Scope)
a) Time
b) b) Area or Geographical coverage
c) c) Respondents
d) Contents (Various)
4
What is research?
Research is Systematic investigative process
employed to increase or revise current
knowledge by discovering new facts.
It is an investigation of finding solutions to
scientific and social problems.
Research is about search for the hidden truth.
The use of the words how and what essentially
summarizes what research is.
5
important characteristics of research
Conciseness: means brief
Clarity: Means it is written on simple words, simple
sentences, correct language and grammar
Honesty: Means no fraud, factual, using accurate
questions and footnotes as well as admitting
failure.
Completeness: Means contain all the important
and necessary details of the study.
Accuracy: Means free from errors, careful,
precise etc.
Orderly or Systematic: Means following the
sequence of the research proposal.
Logical: Means its statements are supported by
evidences and inferences.
6
WHAT IS RESEARCH METHODS?
A research method is the process used to collect
information and data for the purpose of making
right decisions.
As a researcher, you will consider what method
might be most appropriate for answering the
questions you want to investigate.
Particular methods, techniques must be
employed to come up with appropriate solutions
to problems.
7
HOW IS RESEARCH DONE?
Research is done with the help of study,
experiment, observation, analysis,
comparison and reasoning.
For example, the data gathered from the
field (communities) or secondary sources
(such as textbooks, journals, newspapers)
needs to be interpreted to create meaning
out of it.
8
BASIC STEPS OF A RESEARCH PROJECT
Find a topic
Formulate questions
Define population
Select design & measurement
Interpret evidence
Tell about what you did and found out
9
WHY RESEARCH?
To overcome or solve the problems
occurring in our everyday life.
To generate new knowledge.
Here knowledge means
information about matters.
The information might be
collected from different sources
like experience, human beings,
books, journals, nature, etc.
To discover new facts
Redefine knowledge: Meaning verify and
test important facts.
10
SIGNIFICANCE OF RESEARCH
Research is actually an act of studying
something carefully and extensively in
order to attain deep knowledge.
To Gather Necessary Information.
Research provides you with all necessary
information in field of your work.
Knowing The Truth.
11
WHAT MAKES PEOPLE DO RESEARCH?
12
What is the difference between research
methods and research methodology?
Research methods means tools in which data
can be collected and analyzed such as
questionnaires, interview, experiment, survey,
observation etc.
A method refers to the techniques researcher
use to collect and analyze data.
It is the specific techniques, tools or procedures
applied to achieve a given objective.
Research Methods can be categorized into three
Data Collection
Data Analyzes
Data Evaluation
13
What is the difference between research
methods and research methodology?..
Research methodology is the science of
studying and understanding how research can
be done systematically.
Research methodology explains the methods
by which you may proceed with your
research.
It also understands the factors that effecting
validity and reliability of method.
For example, how did the researcher go about
deciding:
What data to collect and what data to ignore
Who to collect it from (in research, this is
called “Sampling design”)
How to collect it (this is called “data collection
methods”)
How to analyse it (this is called “data analysis
methods” 14
APPROACHES OF RESEARCH
15
Quantitative research
Quantitative research is based on the
measurement of quantity or amount.
It is applicable to phenomenon that can be
expressed in terms of quantity.
Data collection therefore requires ‘closed’
responses.
It is numerical, non-descriptive.
The results are often presented in tables and
graphs. It is an iterative process whereby
evidence is evaluated.
16
Main Features of Quantitative Research
17
QUALITATIVE RESEARCH
Qualitative research gathers information that is not
in numerical form. For example, open- ended
questionnaires, unstructured interviews.
Qualitative data is analytical data and as such is
harder to analyze than quantitative data.
Data collection therefore permits ‘open’ responses.
Its aim is to get the meaning, feeling and describe
the situation.
The purpose of qualitative is to promote greater
understanding of the way things are and why they
are the way they are.
18
CHARACTERISTICS OF QUALITATIVE
RESEARCH
The research involves holistic inquiry carried
out in a natural setting.
This means that the researcher is a
participant who is highly involved in
investigation
Humans are the primary data instruments
The qualitative researcher prefers to rely on
human power of observation rather than
measurement instruments like paper and
pencil tests.
19
Emphasis on multiple realities
Qualitative data gathering procedures are
preferred because they are considered more
open of the diversity of multiple realities one
finds in a complex field situation.
Purposive rather than random sampling
The qualitative research is more likely
uncover the full array of “multiple realities”
relevant to an inquiry when the sampling of
respondents is done purposely rather than
probabilistic sampling methodology.
Purposive means: this is where one select
participants who have the required
information according to the objectives of
his/her study.
Example religion sect, educational level, adult
people,
males only, ages 20 -25, smokers and etc.
20
WEAKNESSES OF QUALITATIVE
RESEARCH
Problem of reliability caused by extreme
subjectivity
Risk of collecting meaningless and useless
information
It is very time consuming
Problem of representative and generality of
the findings.
21
SIMILARITIES BETWEEN QUALITATIVE
AND QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH
22
TYPES OF RESEARCH
Descriptive research vs Analytical Research
describes and measures data.
Meanwhile, analytical research focuses on cause
and effect.
For example, the changing trade deficits between
the Somaliland and the rest of the world in 2015-
2018. This is descriptive research. For example,
you may talk about the mean or average trade
deficit.
Meanwhile, analytical research measures
something different. Instead, you’d look at why
and how the trade deficit has changed
Analytical Research can explore why the value
of the Japanese Yen has fallen. This is because
analytical research can look at questions of “how”
and “why.”
23
Applied vs. Fundamental: Research can either
be applied (or action) research or fundamental
(to basic or pure) research.
Applied research aims at finding a
solution for an immediate problem facing
a society.
fundamental research is mainly concerned
with generalizations and with the formulation
of a theory. “Gathering knowledge for
knowledge’s sake is termed ‘pure’ or ‘basic’
research.”
Fundamental research is trying to answer a
question of theoretical.
24
Quantitative vs. Qualitative:
26
RESEARCH PROCESS
1. Formulating the research problem: There
are two types of research problems, viz.,
those which relate to states of nature and
those which relate to relationships between
variables.
2. Extensive literature survey: Once the
problem is formulated, a brief summary of
it should be written down.
3. Development of working hypotheses: After
extensive literature survey, researcher should
state in clear terms the working hypothesis or
hypotheses.
4. Preparing the research design: The research
problem having been formulated in clear cut
terms, the researcher will be required to
prepare a research design.
27
5. Determining sample design: All the items
under consideration in any field of inquiry
constitute a ‘universe’ or ‘population’.
28
Practical research methods
CHAPTER TWO
DEFINING THE RESEARCH PROBLEM/ RESEARCH DESIGN
1-1
INTRODUCTION: WHAT IS A RESEARCH PROBLEM?
1-2
INTRODUCTION: WHAT IS A RESEARCH PROBLEM?..
Before selecting a research problem, you need to ensure that you met
certain level of expertise in the area you are proposing.
2 Expertise
Make use of the facts you learned during the study and Of course your
research supervisors will lend a hand as well.
3 Data availability ,proceedings) before finalizing the title, you need to make sure you have
these materials
Available and in the relevant format.
Always choose a topic that suits your profession.
Relevance
4 Ensure that your study adds to the existing body of knowledge.
In formulating the research problem, you should consider some ethical
issues as well.
5 Ethics
lecturer:
Sometimes, during Abdirahim Ahmed
the research 1-4
period, the study Population mightbe
adversely affected by some questions.
1-4
STEPS IN RESEARCH PROBLEM FORMULATION
1-5
Step 4: Selection of Research Design
Research design is crucial as it provides overall
structure for the research procedure, the data
that a researcher collects and the data analysis
that the researcher conducts.
1-7
SELECTING THE PROBLEM
1-8
However, the following points may
be observed by a researcher in
selecting a research problem or a
subject for research:
Subject which is overdone should not be
normally chosen, for it will be a difficult
task to throw any new light in such a
case.
1-10
In other words, before the final selection of
a problem is done, a researcher must ask
himself the following questions:
1-11
NECESSITY OF DEFINING THE PROBLEM
1-12
TECHNIQUE INVOLVED IN DEFINING A PROBLEM
1-13
RESEARCH DESIGN
1-14
More explicitly, the design decisions
happen to be in respect of.
What is the study about?
1-16
FEATURES OF A GOOD DESIGN
Flexible
Appropriate
Efficient
and Economical
1-17
Practical research methods
CHAPTER THREE:
DATA COLLECTION METHODS/ VARIABLES, RESEARCH
METHODOLOGY AND ETHICAL ISSUES
1-1
DATA COLLECTION METHODS
Primary data
1-2
DIFFERENT DATA COLLECTION METHODS
1-3
DIFFERENT DATA COLLECTION METHODS
1-4
Interviews
Semi- structured
1-5
Interviews….
Structured Interviews: Fixed format interview in
which all questions are prepared beforehand and
are put in the same order to each interviewee.
1-6
QUESTIONNAIRES
Matrix Questions
Contingency Questions
1-7
Open – Ended Questions
Open – Ended Questions:
Sensitive issues.
Example:-
Why you choose to be Doctor?
What is the responsibility of Vet Doctor ?
1-8
Closed – Ended Questions:
1-9
EXAMPLES:
Single
Workability
Stability of structure
1-10
Close ended Questions divided in to two:
Matrix Questions
Contingency Questions
EXAMPLE:
How useful would you say the activities of
Veterinary doctors have been in development?
Extremely useful
Very useful
Useful
1-11
CONTINGENCY QUESTIONS
Questions that need to be answered only when the
respondent provides a particular response to a
question prior to them are called contingency
questions. Asking these questions effectively
avoids asking people questions that are not
applicable to them.
FOR EXAMPLE:
Have you ever smoked a cigarette?
Yes or No
If YES, how many times have you smoked
cigarette?
A. 2 – 5 times B 6 – 10 times C. More than 10 times
1-12
REQUIREMENTS OF QUESTIONS:
Must have face validity:
1-13
Must not be offensive:
Sensitive questions:
1-15
Step1: CONTENT
TAKE YOUR OBJECTIVES AS YOUR STARTING
POINT.
1-17
Step 4: FORMATTING THE QUESTIONNAIRE
1-18
OBSERVATION
Participant observation.
1-19
For example, the interaction of mother, father and
child in a specially prepared play room may be
watched by psychologists through a one way
mirror in an attempt to understand more about
family relationships.
Motivation
1-21
Practical research methods
CHAPTER FOUR
SAMPLING DESIGN
Lecturer:- Ahmed M. Elmi (Atoshe)
BSc (Econ), MEPP, PGR, Candidate of LLB
1-1
POPULATION
Population refers to the entire group of
people, events, or things of interest that the
researcher wishes to investigate.
1-2
CENSUS AND SAMPLE SURVEY
1-3
Suitability of Census Method
1-4
SAMPLE
A sample is a subset of the population.
It comprises some members selected from it
total population or universe.
1-5
STEPS IN SAMPLE DESIGN
1. Defining the population to be covered:
Probability sampling
1-8
CHARACTERISTICS OF A GOOD
SAMPLE DESIGN
1-9
SAMPLING
Sampling is the process of selecting a
sufficient number of elements from the
population.
1-10
SAMPLING SIZE RULES
1. Thumb’s Rule
If your target population is or in between 0—
1000 your sample size will be 30% of your
population.
N=target population
n=sample size
n= N*0.3
n=600*0.3=180
n=180
1-11
SAMPLING SIZE RULES…
Slovin’s Formula
n=sample size
N=population
e=Marginal error
1-12
MAJOR TYPES OF SAMPLING
DESIGNS
1-13
PROBABILITY SAMPLING
Probability sampling refers to the selection of a
sample from a population, when this selection is
based on the principle of randomization, that is,
random selection or chance.
1-15
STRATIFIED SAMPLING
Stratified Sampling is a type of sampling method
in which the total population is divided into
smaller groups.
1-16
CLUSTER SAMPLING
1-17
1-18
NON-PROBABILITY SAMPLING
Non-probability (Non-random) sampling is a
sampling method where personal knowledge and
opinion play major role in identifying which
elements of the population are to be included in
the sample.
1-19
CONVENIENCE SAMPLING
1-20
PURPOSIVE SAMPLING
1-21
Judgment sampling involves the choice of
subjects who are the best position to provide the
information required.
CHAPTER FIVE
Research Proposal writing
1-1
RESEARCH PROCESS
1-2
RESEARCH PROCESS
Next step is to identify a specific problem
with in the researcher’s area of interest.
Family breakdown.
1-3
RESEARCH PROCESS
1-4
When selecting a research tittle keep in
mind the following:
a) The time available to conduct the study
1-5
RESEARCH VARIABLES
1-6
Two types of variables
1-7
CHAPTER ONE
This chapter involves the following sub-
sections:
Background of the study
Statement of the problem
Purpose of the study
Objectives
Research questions
Scope
Significance of the study
Definition of key words
1-8