Research Methodology

Meaning of research
The word research is composed of two syllables, re and
search. Re is a prefix meaning again, anew or over
again search is a verb meaning to examine closely and
carefully, to test and try, or to probe.
Together they form a noun describing a careful,
systematic, patient study and investigation in some field
of knowledge, undertaken to establish facts or principles
 Other definitions of research
Research in common parlance refers to a search for
knowledge. Once can also define research as a scientific and
systematic search for pertinent information on a specific
topic. In fact, research is an art of scientific investigation.
Research is a structured enquiry that utilizes acceptable
scientific methodology to solve problems and create new
knowledge that is generally applicable. Scientific methods
consist of systematic observation, classification and
interpretation of data.
 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 as 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:
 Objectives of research cont.
1) To gain familiarity with a phenomenon or to achieve new
insights into it
2) To portray accurately the characteristics of a particular
individual, situation or a group
3) To determine the frequency with which something occurs
or with which it is associated with something else
4) To test a hypothesis of a causal relationship between
variables
 Motivation in Research

Desire to get a research degree along with its

consequential benefits;
Desire to face the challenge in solving the unsolved
problems, i.e., concern over practical problems initiates
research;
Desire to get intellectual joy of doing some creative
work
Desire to be of service to society
Desire to get respectability.
 
 Characteristics of Research
Research is a process of collecting, analyzing and
interpreting information to answer questions. But to qualify
as research, the process must have certain characteristics: it
must, as far as possible, be controlled, rigorous, systematic,
valid and verifiable, empirical and critical.
• Controlled- in real life there are many factors that affect
an outcome. The concept of control implies that, in
exploring causality in relation to two variables (factors),
you set up your study in a way that minimizes the effects
of other factors affecting the relationship.
 Characteristics of Research cont..
Rigorous-you must be scrupulous in ensuring that the
procedures followed to find answers to questions are
relevant, appropriate and justified. Again, the degree of
rigor varies markedly between the physical and social
sciences and within the social sciences.
Systematic-this implies that the procedure adopted to
undertake an investigation follow a certain logical
sequence. The different steps cannot be taken in a
haphazard way. Some procedures must follow others.
 Characteristics of Research cont..
Valid and verifiable-this concept implies that whatever
you conclude on the basis of your findings is correct and
can be verified by you and others.
Empirical-this means that any conclusion drawn are based
upon hard evidence gathered from information collected
from real life experiences or observations.
Critical-critical scrutiny of the procedures used and the
methods employed is crucial to a research enquiry. The
process of investigation must be foolproof and free from
drawbacks. The process adopted and the procedures used
must be able to withstand critical scrutiny.
 Criteria of Good Research

Scientific research should satisfy the following criteria

The purpose of the research should be clearly defined and common
concepts be used.
The research procedure used should be described in sufficient detail
to permit another researcher to repeat the research for further
advancement, keeping the continuity of what has already been
attained.
The procedural design of the research should be carefully planned to
yield results that are as objective as possible.
The researcher should report with complete frankness, flaws in
procedural design and estimate their effects upon the findings.
 Criteria of Good Research cont…
The analysis of data should be sufficiently adequate to
reveal its significance and the methods of analysis used
should be appropriate. The validity and reliability of the data
should be checked carefully.
Conclusions should be confined to those justified by the data
of the research and limited to those for which the data
provide an adequate basis.
Greater confidence in research is warranted if the researcher
is experienced, has a good reputation in research and is a
person of integrity.
 Criteria of Good Research Conti….
In conclusion
Good research is systematic
Good research is logical:
Good research is empirical:
Good research is replicable
What are the types of MEASUREMENT SCALES? Describe each type
with variable examples.
Mention at least four TYPES OF RESEARCH with explanation and
examples
Mention with explanation the SIGNIFICANCE (IMPORTANCE) of
research.
 Types of research: Application of research
Very little research in the field is pure in nature. That is,
very few people do research in research methodology per se.
Most research is applied research, which has wide
application in many disciplines. Every profession uses
research methods in varying amounts in many areas.
They use the methods and procedures developed by research
methodologists in order to increase understanding in their
own profession and to advance the professional knowledge
base.
 It is through the application of research methodology that
they strengthen and advance their own profession.
 Objectives in undertaking research
Descriptive research attempts to describe systematically a situation,
problem, phenomenon, service or programme, or provides information
about , say, living condition of a community, or describes attitudes
towards an issue
Correlational research attempts to discover or establish the existence
of a relationship/ interdependence between two or more aspects of a
situation
Explanatory research attempts to clarify why and how there is a
relationship between two or more aspects of a situation or
phenomenon.
Exploratory research is undertaken to explore an area where little is
known or to investigate the possibilities of undertaking a particular
research study (feasibility study/ pilot study).
 Inquiry Mode
The structured approach to inquiry is usually classified as quantitative
research. Here everything that forms the research process- objectives,
design, sample, and the questions that you plan to ask of respondents- is
predetermined.
It is more appropriate to determine the extent of a problem, issue or
phenomenon by quantifying the variation
The unstructured approach to inquiry is usually classified as
qualitative research. This approach allows flexibility in all aspects of the
research process.
It is more appropriate to explore the nature of a problem, issue or
phenomenon without quantifying it. Main objective is to describe the
variation in a phenomenon, situation or attitude
 Differences between qualitative and quantitative research
Qualitative
 Involves unstructured
interviews, observation,
and content analysis.
 Subjective
 Inductive
 Little structure
 Little manipulation of
subjects
 Takes a great deal of time
to conduct
 Little social distance
between researcher and
subject
Quantitative
 Involves experiments, surveys, testing,
and structured content analysis,
interviews, and observation.
 Objective
 Deductive
 High degree of structure
 Some manipulation of subjects
 May take little time to conduct
 Much social distance between
researcher and subject