knowledge Systematic, scientific and analytical approach in any branch of knowledge Fact finding as opposed to beliefs and opinion Discovering new fact through search and research Extend,collect or verify knowledge Ascertaining existing theories or modifying them
It helps to accept , reject or modify
existing facts or knowledge Construct new theories Systematic method of discovering new facts or verify old facts, their sequences in the relationship, causal explanation and the natural laws that govern them Investigating or establishing relationships at higher and higher levels Providing new insights
To be Contd.
Knowledge arises and extends as a
result of persistent thinking ,scientific investigation and logical thinking (Galileo ,Newton, Darwin, Einstein and others in the former category and Socrates, Plato, Aristotle etc. in the latter category). Truths backed by scientific explanation Understanding , prediction and control
METHODOLOGY & METHODS
OF RESEARCH METHODOLOGY A general plural term or all the individual methods one has chosen,
How and why of what has been done,
particular procedure or set of procedures A systematic study of methods that have been applied A collection of theories, concepts and
An analysis of principles, methods,rules and
postulates
A comparative study of different approaches
Philosophical traditions and values followed:
Phenomenon vs Noumenon or Positive vs Normative approaches
Inductive vs Deductive methods
Why one has chosen questionnaires over other
methods ? What the aim of the research is ? How the sample group is chosen ? Whether one chose to email the questionnaire, send them by post or administer them personally ? Issues about ethics in research and confidentiality
Qualitative vs quantitative methods
Case studies, interpretivist, hypothesis testing
grounded theory(develop theoretical account of general features grounding the account in data through continuous interplay between data collection, and analysis. Eg . i) Adam concept of division of labour and specialization improving efficiency and welfare based on obsns. in a pin factory ii) Karl Marxs socially necessary labour time based on obsns. of the length of the working day
METHODS
Inductive & Deductive Methods
Case Study, Sample Study, Grounded theory & Most empirical studies belong to the former category, while Consumption function, Investment function, etc belong to the latter Questionnaires administering Personal Interviews Statistical Methods Econometric Methods Modeling (Causal, Time Series, Neural Networks, Linear Programming, etc)