VM 462/BLS 302

RESEARCH
METHODOLOGY

GK Mbassa
• Objective
• Introduce researchers & students to
scientific research methods, enable them
prepare research proposals
• Biological Sciences
• Veterinary Sciences
• Animal health
• Animal production
• Biotechnology
• Medicine
• Biomedical sciences
• Laboratory sciences
• Agriculture
• Wildlife, and all others
 CONTENTS
• 1. Research Concepts
• 2. Research Planning
• 3. Research & Experimental
Designs
• 4. Data Collection
• 5. Data Processing
• 6. Data Analysis
• 7. Data Presentation
• 8. Data interpretation
• 9. Report writing
• 10. Research ethics
• Mode of delivery (2.0 CR)
• 1. Lectures (30 Hr)
• 2. Practical (60 Hr); guided & individual

• Examination Schedule
• Continuous assessment (1 Theory, 1
Practical)
• Final Semester examination (1 Theory, 1
Practical)
 1. RESEARCH CONCEPTS

• 1.1 Research theory

• 1.2. Uses and necessities for
research
• 1.3. Variables in research
• 1.4. Measurements
• 1.5. Research phases
• 1.6. Types of research
 1.1. Research theory
• “Research” is phraseology meaning
to search for knowledge
• Defined as scientific and systematic
search for information on a specific
topic.
• Research is an art of scientific
investigation
• Other definitions of Research
• A systematic search or inquiry for
new information or knowledge
• A scientific investigation
• The process of searching for,
examining, investigating or exploring
information in a specified subject
• Systematic, controlled, empirical &
critical investigation of hypotheses
about presumed relations among
natural phenomena designed to
provide answers to questions
• A careful investigation or inquiry by searching
for new facts in any branch of knowledge.
• A movement from the known to the unknown,
to discovery, probing to attain understanding
of the unknown. Inquisitiveness discovers
knowledge, the method used to obtain the
knowledge is research
• Research is an academic process comprising
defining and redefining problems, formulating
hypothesis or suggested solutions; collecting,
organizing and evaluating data; making
deductions and reaching conclusions; and
carefully testing the conclusions to determine
whether they fit the formulating hypothesis.
• The manipulation of things, concepts or
symbols for the purpose of generalizing to
extend, correct or verify knowledge, whether
that knowledge aids in construction of theory
or in the practice of an art.
• Research is an original contribution to the
existing knowledge, the pursuit of truth
through study, observation, comparison and
experiment.

• Research is the search for knowledge through

objective and systematic method of finding
solution to a problem
• Research is also the systematic approach on
generalization and the formulation of a theory.
– It is the systematic method to
– articulate the problem
– formulate a hypothesis
– collect the facts or data
– Analyze the facts to reaching valid
conclusions either in the form of solution(s)
to the problem or generalizations for
theoretical formulation
• Done to search for solutions to
problems; via collection, analysis &
interpretation of data
• The concepts are to;
–Explore (find out)
–Describe (the findings)
–Explain (why such findings)
–Control (use of results)
1.2. Uses, objectives or necessities
for research
• Gain knowledge or to achieve new
insights on phenomenon (explorative
or formulative research)
• Accurately describe situation
(descriptive)
• Determine frequency (Diagnostic)
• Test hypothesis (Hypothesis testing)
• Solve scientific, social, economic,
political, cultural, health, security &
every issue (land, sea, light, air,
organic & inorganic mater, living &
non-living, visible & invisible, in &
out of solar system)
• Problem is identified
• Information (data) needed to solve
problem identified
• Source of data identified
• Data collection planned; accuracy &
control for valid decisions
• Data collected & analyzed
• Results written & interpreted
• Recommendations made
–Data objective to solve problem
–Data from primary (collected) &
secondary (existing) sources;
–Problem defined based on
experience or empirical evidence,
demands carefulness, rigorous &
observations, recording, sample
collection, description & analysis.
 1.3. Variables in research
• Variables are factors, parameters,
attributes or qualities of cases
being measured or recorded
• Examples;
• sex, age, height, weight, colour,
number etc
• Either independent or dependent
• Variables vary in their scores on
different attributes, observations,
records or population numbers
• Independent (predictor or
explanatory) variables are factors
that cause variation in dependent
variable
• Dependent variable is outcome
resulting from independent
variable.
 1.4. Measurements
• Measurements are characterizers of
data, the intrinsic property of each of
parameter of a record or a sample
(observation, e.g. an animal, plant,
cell, hormone etc)
• Measurement vary greatly;
length, weight, volume, colour,
life, death, idea, perception,
direction, visibility, sweetness,
sour, bitter, angle, velocity,
speed, sleep, clinical sign, fluidity,
pasty, thickness, transparence,
darkness, distance, consistence …
 1.5. Research stages/phases
• 1. Planning
• 2. Research
• 3. Reporting results /
dissemination
• 4. Results utilization
 1.5.1. Planning stage
• (a) Building concept
• (b) Problem search
• (c) Research justification
• (d) General objectives
• (e) Specific objectives
• (f) Assumptions
• (g) Limitations
• (h) Hypotheses, themes,
arguments
• (i) Operational concepts
• (j) Planning of research execution
& purpose & outputs
• (k) Literature review
• (l) Proposal write up
 1.5.2. Research stage
• Data collection (gathering the
information)
–Population source of data
–Logistics of data collection
–Collection of samples from the
population
• Data analysis (processing data to
yield knowledge)
–Facilities for data analysis
–Laboratory procedures
–Treated samples
–Control samples
–Recording of results
–Statistical procedures
• Interpreting the data (extracting the
knowledge and information)
–Data grouping and splicing
–Tables and figures
–Means and trends;
–Equivocal and unequivocal
conclusions
 3. Reporting results
• Results written systematically &
published
• Researchers • Discussion
• Abstract • Acknowledgments
• Introduction • References
• Materials and
methods
 4. Results utilization stage
• Identify beneficiaries of results (is
problem solved, opportunity availed,
generated technology or material)
• Professional Research Report
• Scientific briefs
• Communications of knowledge &
technology
• Seminars and workshops
• Policy changes
• Further research or activities
• Publication of data
• Patent technology
• Apply/ Sell technology
• Sales of research products and
technology
 1.6. Types of research
• Several categories on classifying
research
• 1. On basis of numerical
principles
–Qualitative
–Quantitative
 1.6.1. Qualitative Research
• Describes & analyzes culture & behaviour of
– humans, animals, plants, materials, cells,
flowers, fruits and other items
– Organic or inorganic matter, for example
staining characteristics of different cells,
organoleptic tests of foods such as taste,
smell, colour, consistence etc.
– flexible, interactive & does not occupy
numeric values.
• Opinions, feelings & insights
• In social sciences qualitative research is
called naturalistic inquiry or field studies
• Appropriate in studies of causes &
effects of certain phenomenon, e,g.
disease, growth, increase or decrease in
weight, colour, relative density of cell
populations in tissue etc
• Suitable where flexibility, &
meanings rather than frequencies
are sought
• Flexibility allows discovery of
unexpected & in depth investigation
of particular topics
• Qualitative research includes;
• Ethnographies (observations of
groups);
• Phenomenologies, studying subjects
over a period of time;
• Case studies to investigate subject
over time.
 1.6.2. Quantitative research
• Uses numeric data to verify, confirm
& prove causation, correlation,
corroboration or substantiation
• Establishes cause-effect relationship
• Focusing on measurements, that is
assigning numerical events according
to rules.
• Quantitative research is applicable if
• Statistical tests required
• Designed to quantify the extent to
which the cause causes the effect;
• Frequencies are sought to explain
meanings, numerical data to explain
certain phenomena;
• Qualitative research allows discovery
of unexpected and in-depth
investigation
• In finding out the effect, control of
one or more factors is required
• Rigorous & rigid methodologies & all
procedures are specified before data
collection & consistently followed;
• Data analysis is statistical
(deductive process);
• Scenario is artificial, as in a
laboratory.
• Qualitative and quantitative research
approaches complement each other,
often combined in biological systems
to maximize strengths & minimize
limitations of each.
Other Research types criteria

Basic research
Study of macro & micro
morphology & physiology, earth,
natural sciences e.g. maths, light
etc
• Applied research

• Apply knowledge to develop drugs,

vaccines, seeds, molecules, genes,
machines, plants, pesticides, & more;
• Observational (descriptive) research

• Observe activities in natural or

artificial systems and reports the
findings by description
• Analytical research
• Tests causal association between factor and
outcome

• Evaluative studies
• Finds out whether some factor introduced in
a population has imparted any influence
(retrospective studies)
• Innovative Research
• New inventions; process
(technology), materials & testing
alternative technologies

• Experimental Research
• Research designed to test hypothesis
in controlled enviroments, eg. Labs,
confines etc
• Surveys
• Screening research for e.g.
prevalence of diseases, distribution
of a factor
• E.g. survey to screen & detect
existence of a factor in a population,
& determine (or not), the magnitude
of the factor