Research Methods

2nd year Fashion Design

By: Beyene D.
 Basic terms in research
Population: total number of respondents which we want to study. (finite/infinite)

Sample: it is a part selected from the population.(large/ small

Hypothesis: is an assumption which is yet to be tested.

Data: facts and statistics used for reference or analysis.

Analysis: a detailed examination of the elements or structure of something.

Scope: the extent of the area or subject matter that something deals with or to

which it is relevant.
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 Introduction

Research refers to a search for knowledge.

a scientific and systematic search for pertinent /relevant/ information on

a specific topic.
In fact, research is an art of scientific investigation.

Redman and Mory define research as a “systematized effort to gain new

knowledge.”
 Conc..

Some people consider research as a movement, a movement from the

known to the unknown.

It is actually a voyage of discovery!

Research is the pursuit of truth with help of study, observations,

comparison and experiment.

Research is simply the process of finding solutions to a problem after a

thorough study and analysis of the situational factors.

 Cont…

Re ---------------- Search

Re means (once more, afresh, anew) OR (back; with return to a

previous state)
Search means (look thorough or go over thoroughly to look something)

OR (examine to find anything concealed(hidden)).

 Research?
Research is an ORGANIZED and SYSTEMATIC way of FINDING

ANSWERS to QUESTIONS.
SYSTEMATIC
because there is a definite set of procedures and steps which you will follow.

There are certain things in the research process which are always done in

order to get the most accurate results.

 Cont…

ORGANIZED
in that there is a structure or method in going about doing research.

It is a planned procedure, not a spontaneous one.

It is focused and limited to a specific scope.

 Cont..

QUESTIONS
are central to research.

If there is no question, then the answer is of no use.

Research is focused on relevant, useful, and important questions.

Without a question, research has no focus, drive, or purpose.

 Cont..

FINDING ANSWERS
is the end of all research.

Whether it is the answer to a hypothesis or even a simple question,

research is successful when we find answers.

Sometimes the answer is no, but it is still an answer.
 Objectives of Research

Defining and redefining the problems.

Formulating the hypotheses or suggested solutions.

Collecting, organizing and evaluating data.

Making deductions and reading conclusions.

And at last carefully testing the conclusions to determine whether they fit

the formulating hypotheses.

 Motivation in Research
Desire to get research degree.

Desire to face challenges in solving the unsolved problems.

Desire to get intellectual joy doing some creative work.

Desire to be of service to the society.

Desire to get responsibility

 Steps in research:-

1) Understanding the nature of problem to be studied and identifying the related area of

knowledge.

2) Reviewing literature to understand how others have approached or dealt with the

problem.

3) Collecting data in an organized and controlled manner so as to arrive at valid

decisions.

4) Analyzing data appropriate to the problem.

5) Drawing conclusions and making generalizations.

Stages in research process
Types of Research

2nd year Fashion Design

Beyene D.
 Types Of Research
 Types of research methods can be classified into several categories according
to the nature and purpose of the study and other attributes.
 Comparative Classification of Research
 General Classification of Research
 Quantitative Vs Qualitative Research
 Basic or Pure Research
 Fundamental/Basic Vs Applied
 Applied Research
Research
 Action Research
 Descriptive VS Analytical Research

 Conceptual Vs Empirical Research

 Basic Or Fundamental Research

Basic research is conducted solely for the purpose of theory development and

refinement.
For the purpose of gaining knowledge

It advanced understanding about social world.

Help in supporting & rejecting existing hypothesis & theories.

is conducted to verify the acceptability of a given theory or to know more

about a certain concept.

E.g Research on mathematics
 Applied research

Applied research is conducted for the purpose of applying or testing theory and

evaluating its usefulness in educational problems.

Aims at finding solution for an immediate problem facing a society or an

industry/ business organizations.

 is conducted when a decision must be made about a specific real-life problem.

 The procedures and techniques utilized by basic and applied researchers do not
differ substantially
 Cont..

 Both employ the scientific method to answer the questions at hand.

 Broadly characterized, the scientific method refers to techniques and
procedures that help the researcher to know and understand the
phenomena.
 It requires systematic analysis and logical interpretation of empirical
evidence (facts from observation or experimentation) to confirm or
disprove prior conceptions.
 Action Research

 The purpose of action research is to take immediate action but not

any development of theory.
 If researcher is doing any investigation, he finds any problem, he
applies action research to solve that problem.
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 Quantitative vs. Qualitative

 Quantitative research is based on the measurement of quantity or

amount.

 It is applicable to phenomena that can be expressed in terms of quantity.

 Qualitative research, on the other hand, is concerned with qualitative

phenomenon, i.e. phenomena relating to or involving quality or kind.

e.g. what motivates human

 Descriptive VS Analytical Research

 Descriptive research includes surveys and fact-finding enquiries of

different kinds.
 Its major purpose is description of the state of affairs as it exists at
present.
 The main characteristic of this method is that the researcher has no
control over the variables; he can only report what has happened or what
is happening.
Cont…

 For example, frequency of shopping, preferences of people, etc.

 In analytical research, on the other hand, the researcher has to
use facts or information already available, and analyze these to
make a critical evaluation of the material.
 Conceptual Vs Empirical Research

 Conceptual research is that related to some abstract idea(s) or theory.

 It is generally used by philosophers and thinkers to develop new concepts or
to reinterpret existing ones.
 On the other hand, empirical research relies on experience or observation
alone, often without due regard for system and theory.
 It is data-based research, coming up with conclusions which are capable of
being verified by observation or experiment.
Cont…

 We can also call it as experimental type of research.

 The researcher must first provide himself with a working hypothesis or guess
as to the probable results.
 He then works to get enough facts (data) to prove or disprove his hypothesis.
 He then sets up experimental designs which he thinks will manipulate the
persons or the materials concerned so as to bring forth the desired
information.
 Exploratory Studies

 Exploratory studies are conducted to clarify ambiguous problems.

 Management may have discovered general problems, but research is needed
to gain better understanding of the dimensions of the problems.
 Usually, exploratory research is conducted with the expectation that
subsequent research will be required to provide conclusive evidence.
 Causal Research

 The main goal of causal research is identification of cause and effect

relationships between variables.
 Causal research attempts to establish that when we do one thing,
another thing will follow.

E.g. when the package changed, then the sales may increase.
 Research Methods Vs. Methodology

 Research methods are all those methods/techniques that are used for
conduction of research.
 It refers to the methods the researchers use in performing research
operations.
 In other words, all those methods which are used by the researcher during
the course of studying his research problem are termed as research methods.
 Cont’d
 Research methods can be put into the following three groups:

1) Those methods which are concerned with the collection of data.

These methods will be used where the data already available are not
sufficient to arrive at the required solution;

2) Those statistical techniques which are used for establishing relationships

between the data and the unknowns;

3) Those methods which are used to evaluate the accuracy of the results
obtained.
 cont’d

 Research methodology is a way to systematically solve the research problem.

 It may be understood as a science of studying how research is done

scientifically.

 In it we study the various steps that are generally adopted by a researcher in

studying his research problem along with the logic behind them.
 Cont’d

 Researchers not only need to know how to develop certain indices or tests,

how to calculate the mean, the mode, the median or the standard deviation or

chi-square, how to apply particular research techniques, but they also need to

know which of these methods or techniques, are relevant and which are not,

and what would they mean and indicate and why.

 Cont’d
 Research methodology has many dimensions and research methods do
constitute a part of the research methodology.
 The scope of research methodology is wider than that of research methods.
 Thus, when we talk of research methodology we not only talk of the research
methods but also consider:-
 the logic behind the methods

 explain why we are using a particular method or technique and

 why we are not using others.

 ResearchProcess
Research Process

 Research process consist of series of action or steps necessary to effectively

carry out research and desired sequencing of these steps
 CHAPTER 2

Componentsof
Components ofResearch
Research
Methods
Methods
 Define Research Problem

 Research Problem refers to some difficulty /need which a researcher

experiences in the context of either theoretical or practical situation and

wants to obtain a solution for the same.

 Proposed research topic should have a genuine need for investigation.

 How do we know we have a research problem?

 Customer complaints

 Conversation with company employees

 Observation of inappropriate behavior or conditions in the firm

 Deviation from the business plan

 Success of the firm’s competitor’s

 Relevant reading of published material (trends, regulations)

 Company records and reports.

 SOURCES OF PROBLEMS

 Reading

 Academic Experience

 Daily Experience

 Exposure to Field Situations

 Consultations

 Brainstorming

 Research

 Intuition/sixth sense/
 Steps in defining a Problem

1) Statement of the problem in a general way

2) Understanding the nature of the problem

3) Surveying the available literature

4) Developing ideas through discussions

5) Rephrasing the research problem

 REVIEW OF LITERATURE

 It is an extensive survey of all available past studies relevant to the field of

investigation.
 It gives us knowledge about what others have found out in the related field of
study and how they have done so.

Sources of literature:-  Books and Journals

 Govt. and Industry Reports
 Internet
 Research Dissertations / Thesis
 Purpose of Review

 To gain a background knowledge of the research topic.

 To identify the concepts relating to it, potential relationships between them
and to formulate researchable hypothesis.
 To identify appropriate methodology, research design, methods of measuring
concepts and techniques of analysis.
 To identify data sources used by other researchers.
 To learn how others structured their reports.
 Formulate Hypothesis

 Research Hypothesis is a predictive statement that relates an independent

variable to a dependent variable.

 Hypothesis must contain at least one independent variable and one dependent

variable.

e.g. temp vs. time

 Research Design and Methodology

 A detailed blueprint (plan) specifying how the research will be carried out.

 The purpose of research design is to provide the collection of relevant evidence with minimal

expenditure of effort, time and money.  Selection of respondents

 Description / location of the study area.  Data collection instrument.

 Selection of company / enterprise.  Respondents contact method.

 Data source.  Data analytical tool.

 Selection of quantitative parameters.  Scope of the study.

 Selection of qualitative parameters.  Duration of the study.

 DETERMINE SAMPLE
DESIGN

 Probability sample:- every item  Non probability sample:- which is selected

has equal chance to be selected by the researcher with his own judgment
Examples:-
as sample
1.judgement
Examples:- 2.convenience

I. cluster 3.quota

II. simple random

III. stratified
 Data Collection

 Statistical data is classified into two:-

 Primary data collection:- is the data that are collected directly by the researcher
using:-
 Observation

 Experimentation

 Questionnaire

 Interviewing

 Case study method.

 Cont’d

 Secondary Data Collection:-

 When an investigator uses the data, which has already been collected by

others, such data is called secondary data.

 This data is actually primary for the researcher that collects it and becomes

secondary data for someone else who uses it for his own purpose.
 Analysis of Data

 The analysis of data requires a number of closely related operations such as

establishment of categories.
 This stage mainly include :

1. Coding

2. Editing

3. Tabulation, etc
 Generalization and Interpretation

 If a hypotheses is tested and upheld (defended) several time it may be possible

for the researcher to arrive at generalization to build a theory .
 If the researcher had no hypothesis to start with, he might seek to explain his
finding on the basis of some theory.
 It is none as interpretation.
 Preparation of the Report

 Prepare the report of what has been done by him.

 Writing the report must be done with great care keeping in view the following
points:

1.the preliminary page

2.the main text

3. the end matter

Thank you
 Research title for 2nd year Fashion
Design students.

1) Improving Role of Fashion Design in Film Industry.

2) Increasing the Role of Fashion Design in Garment Industry.

3) Study on the Role of Fashion Design in the Development of a Cultural

clothes .

4) Analyzing Role of Fashion Design in Nation Development.

5) Assessing the Importance of Fashion Design in the cloth market. 25/03/10