1st session

Introduction to research
methodology overview of study
designs and Descriptive studies

A seven day national Online Workshop

On
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY (Date: 19th May 2020)
At
WILSON COLLEGE(University of Mumbai)
By
Prof.P.Narayana Reddy
Group Director, Sanskrithi group of Institutions
Puttaparthy, Anantapur
JNT University A.P.
Nrayana.poli@gmail.com,9346312819
Contents of the session
 Introduction to Research
 What is Research
 Importance of Research
 Objectives of Research
 Research and scientific Method
 Types of research
 Research methodology and research Design
 Research Process
 challenges in research
 Qualities of a good Research
 Research
1. Advancement in existing knowledge with the new insights.
2. Original contribution to the existing stock of knowledge,
3. Knowledge generation, sharing and using
4. Research findings lead to formulation of theories
5. Research tests the existing theory
6. Research findings lead to reformulation of an existing theory
7. Research clarifies theory
 What is Research

1. careful investigation or inquiry through search for new

facts in any branch of knowledge.
2. It is a critical and exhaustive investigation with an aims
of revision of accepted conclusions in the light of
newly discovered facts.
3. It is a systematic effort to gain knowledge.
4.It is a systematic Endeavour to seek beyond our level
of knowledge saw truth, saw reality and difficult to
perceive and follow to keep on these horizons without
end.
 OBJECTIVES OF RESEARCH
 The purpose of research is to discover new solutions to the
problems through the application of scientific procedures. The
objectives of any research are broadly studied under two
headings, they are:
 Academic in nature and Utilitarian
 The objectives of research are
 To gain Knowledge:
 To innovate new concepts, theories:.
 To understand, analyze and explore the phenomena:
 To know the cause- effect relationship:
 To enjoy and improve the society:
 Research Methodology
 Methodology refers to more than a single set of methods, rather it refers to the
rationale and philosophical assumptions that underlie a particular study.( This
is why scholarly literature often includes a section on the methodology of the
researches.)
 Methodology is defined as
 The analysis of the principles of methods, rules, and postulates
employeed by a discipline.
 The systematic study of methods that are, can be or have been applied
within a discipline or
 a particular procedure or set of procedures.

 Methodology also includes
 A collection of theories, concepts or ideas
 Comparative study of different approaches and
 Critique of the individual methods.
 Research Methods
 Research methods may be understood as all those
methods/techniques that are used for conduction
of research.
 Research methods or techniques refer to the
methods the researchers use in performing
research operations.
 ,All those methods which are used by the
researcher during the course of studying in her/his
research problem are termed as research
methods.
 stages
 Conceptual model is a simplified systematic structure
of interrelated elements in some schematic form.
 Facts get transformed into constructs,
 Constructs then assembled into hypothesis.
 Hypothesis get tested and verified lead to theory.
 When theory is tested and found correct then it
become a law.
 Research Design

 A Research Design is the specification of methods and

procedures for acquiring the information needed.
 It is over all operational pattern or frame work of the
project that stipulates what information is to be
collected from which sources by what procedures.
 It is more or less a blue print of research.
 It is an outline of a research project’s workings
 The methods and procedures should be scientific
 So What is Scientific Method?
 Scientific Method
 Scientific method is an approach to seeking knowledge
based on scientific form. SM provides a logical,
systematic way to answer questions and removes
subjectivity by requiring each answer to be authenticated
with objective that can be reproduced.
 one should understand the scientific methods and their
application to research before deciding the research
design.
 The basic qualities of SM are rationality and objectivity.
 No method can eliminate uncertainty
 But SM can minimize those elements of uncertainty which
results from lack of information.
 It reduces danger of making a wrong choice between
alternatives.
STEPS INVOLVED IN THE RESEARCH PROCFESS.
 Need for research
 Define the research objective
 Identify data needs
 Identify data sources
 Choose an appropriate research design
 data collection method
 Design the research instrument or form
 Identify the sample
 Collect data, including any relevant secondary data
 Analyze and interpret the data
 Present the research findings to decision makers
 Follow up action
 Types of research
 Basic research and Applied Research/
quantitative and qualitative Research

 Exploratory Research
 Conclusive
causal research- Cause and effect
relationships.
descriptive research which may describe
things
Experimental research
Observation Research
 What Is Good Research
 Good research generates dependable data that are
derived by professionally conducted practices and
that can be used reliably for decision making.
 In contrast, poor research is carelessly planned and
conducted, resulting in data that a decision maker
can't use to reduce his or her decision-making risks.
 Good research follows the standards of the scientific
method: systematic, empirically based procedures for
generating replicable research.
Qualities of a good research

 Purpose clearly defined.

 Research process detailed.
 Research design thoroughly planned.

 High ethical standards applied .

 Limitations frankly revealed
 Analysis adequate for decision maker's needs
 Findings presented unambiguously.
 Conclusions justified.
 Researcher's experience reflected
 Challenges in Research
1. Method takes precedence over substance
2.Growing concern over the validity of data and analysis
3.Researchers”bias
4.What is the Quality of research going on
5. Research in general is formulaic, cautious, uninspiring,
and unreadable
What are the standards of research?

 Is research cyclical/stereotypical, or topical which

emerges from the genuine and compelling need?
 Is research fundamental, correlational, interventional,
purely statistical?
 Is research qualitative, quantitative, or else-what?
 Is research ontological or epistemological
 Integrity of data- paramount importance
 Deep insights are expected
Research problem

 Some difficulty which a researcher experiences

in the context of either a theoretical or practical
situation and wants to obtain a solution for the
same.
 One should choose the problem which is likely
to add value to the research.
 Issues in problems selection
 While selecting the problem, the following points may
be considered.
 1.Subject which is overdone should not be normally
chosen
 2.Too narrow or too vague problems should be
avoided
 3.controversial subject should not become the
choice of an average researcher
 4.The subject selected for research should be familiar
and feasible
 5.The importance of the subject, qualifications and
the training of a researcher, costs, time factor etc.
 Problems in selection
 1.Statement of the problem in a general way
 2.Understanding the nature of the problem
 3.Surveying the available literature
 4.Developing the idea through discussions
 5.Rephrasing the research problem into a working
proposition
 Key elements in selection

 1.Cover a field which fascinates the researcher

sufficiently
 2.Build on the researchers previous studies
 3.Be in the area of warm research activity
 4.be in an area near the main streams of a discipline
 5.Be manageable, produce interesting results in the
shortest time possible, have accessible sources of data
 6.Open into a program of research after the thesis is
competed
 7.Provide skills for obtaining a job in a non-research
field.
Finally general requirements
 Develop a broad set of methodological skills.
 Learn to be a critical reader of the literature
 Focus on developing hypotheses to be tested
 Use the literature to stimulate your thinking
 Put it on paper
 Don’t work in isolation
 Develop precise constructs
 Evaluate the hypotheses
 Identify the intended contribution
 Designing the research design
 Data collection instrument
 Design experiments
 Crafting manuscript for scholarly presentation
Before we close
Finally

Thank you