BIO 3801

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY IN BIOLOGY

TOPIC 1: SCIENTIFIC REASON & LOGIC 2

 Outline
• Design a Research
• Research Elements/Components
1. Issues/Topics & Title
2. Problem Statement/Research
Problem
3. Research Questions
4. Hypothesis
5. Objectives
6. Methods/Experimental
Design
7. Observation
8. Results/Data/Analysis
9. Conclusion
 Design a Research
• A good research need to have:
– A phenomenon to focus on(motivation)
– Gap of knowledge
– Solution offer from your study
– Justification

• Briefly explain in the INTRODUCTION

  • In summary form in the PROBLEM STATEMENT
• In details in the LITERATURE REVIEW
 Research Elements/Components

1. Issues/Topics & Title

2. Problem Statement
3. Research Questions Formulating a Research
4. Hypothesis Problem (Design a Research)
5. Objectives
6. Methods/Experimental
Design
7. Observation
8. Results/Data/Analysis
9. Conclusion
 Research Elements/Components
1. Issue/Topics & Title
2. Problem Statement
3. Research Questions
Formulating a
Research
•Problem
Observing the world,
• Prior research,
• Professional literature,
• Or From peers

Problem/Question: Develop a question or problem

that can be solved through experimentation. State
the problem or question.
 Issue/Topic, Problem Statement
& Research Questions
1. Issues/Topics & Title
– Human/diseases/plants/microbes/animal etc.

2. Problem Statement
– Gap of knowledge from the selected phenomenon

3. Research Questions
– Depend on level of research you want to
conduct – Fundamental: Why & How
– Exploratory: What & Where
– Applied: Why & How
Basic vs. Applied Research
How to write Issue/Topic, Problem
Statement & Research Questions?

• Clear
• Specific
• Measureable
• Achievable
• Relevant
• Significant
• Specific Time
FLOW OF IDEAS IN THE PROBLEM STATEMENT
 ISSUES/TOPICS & TITLE

• Need to introduce in the first paragraphs.

• Must be included the general subject matter.

• Must be introduced so that the reader can relate to it.

Topic Selection Considerations

• Personal interest
• Organizational support
• Ethical issues
• Relevance of the study
• Contribution to the field
• Time constraints
• Breath & scope
• Economic factors
 Sources of Topic Selection

• ScienceDirect, PubMed, Medline, ERIC, PsycINFO • Journals,

books & dissertations in your field

• Conferences, workshops, presentations

• Recommendations about future research

• Cources
• Workplace
• Expert consultations
• Online library services
 Write a Title

• Proposal
• Thesis
• Journal
• Progress Report
• News
• Article for Magazine
• Etc.
Write a Title: Proposal
• EFFECTS OF PROPOLIS ETHANOLIC EXTRACT FROM
THE HIVE OF STINGLESS BEE; GENIOTRIGONA
THORACICA, ON THE CELL VIABILITY OF 3T3-L1
ADIPOCYTES

• OPTIMIZATION OF SILVER NANOPARTICLE

REDUCING AGENT FROM Marphysa
Moribidii EXTRACT AND ITS
ANTIMICROBIAL PROPERTIES

• EFFECTS OF Diopatra claparedii Grube, 1878

EXTRACT ON THE NORMAL HUMAN
ASTROCYTES (NHA) AND HUMAN PRIMARY
GLIOBLASTOMA (U-87) BRAIN CELL LINES
Write a Title: Thesis
Write a Title: Journal
Write a Title: Article for Magazine
 RESEARCH PROBLEM
(PROBLEM STATEMENT)

• Why the Research Problem is important?

– To establish the importance of the topic

– To create reader interest

– To guide the reader’s attention on how the

study will add to the literature

• Research Problem is related to the

phenomenon selected to be studied.
 Stating the Research Problem

• State the problem in the opening paragraph (i.e.,

something that needs a solution)

• Identify an issue
– Research-based research problems
– Practical problems
• Reference the problem using the literature
• Common pitfall: defining the problem based on the
solution
How the Problem differs from other parts of research

• Research problem is an educational issue or problem

in the study.
• Research Topic is the broad subject matter being
addressed in a study.
• Purpose is the major intent or objective or aim of the
study.
• Research questions are those that the researcher
would like answered or addressed in the study.
 
Justifying the importance of the Research Problem

• Justification based on what other researchers have found.

• Justification based on personal or workplace experiences.

• Justification based on the experiences that other have had in

the workplace.
 Locating the Research Problem

• Read the opening paragraphs of existing

studies for one or more of the following:

– What is the issue or problem?

– What controversy leads to the need for a study?
– What concern is being addressed behind the
study?
– Is there a sentence such as, “The problem being
addressed in this study is….”
 Determining whether a Problem
should be researched

• Can you study the Problem?

– Do you have access to the research site?
– Do you have the time, resources, & skills to
carry out the research?

• Should you study the Problem?

– Does it advance knowledge?
– Does it contribute to practice?
Continue-Determining whether a Problem should be researched

• Will your study fill a gap in the existing literature?

• Will your study replicate a past study but examine different
participants & different research sites?
• Will your study extend past research or examine the topic
more thoroughly?
• Will your study give voice to people not heard,
silenced, or rejected in society?
• Will your study inform practice?
 
Identifying deficiencies in the evidence
• What do we still need to know?
• What else do we need to know to
improve practice? 

Identify the audience

• Ask the following question:
Who will profit from reading
our study?
– Other researchers
– Practitioners
– Policy makers
– Special populations (e.g.,
patients, parents)
 RESEARCH QUESTION

• That the researcher would like answered or

addressed in the study.

• Can be Why, How, What, Where, Does etc.

– Fundamental: Why & How
– Exploratory: What & Where
– Applied: Why & How
 HYPOTHESIS

• a supposition or proposed explanation made on

the basis of limited evidence as a starting point
for further investigation.

• Assumption with scientific evidence

• Potential answer
 Types of Hypothesis

• Null Hypothesis
– H0 or HN
– Important

• Alternative Hypothesis
– H1 or HA
– Alternative
 
Generating of Research Hypothesis

• Problem statements become research

hypothesis when constructs are operationalized.
 Hypotheses Tips

• The question comes first. ...

• A hypothesis is a statement, not a question. ...
• Make it clear. ...
• Keep the variables in mind. ...
• Make sure your hypothesis is "testable" ...
• Do your research. ...
• Don't bite off more than you can chew!
 OBJECTIVES

• A Purpose is the major intent or objective

of the study.
• Aim of your study
• What to be achieved in your study?
• Can be in summary form (summarize all
the specific objectives) & several specific
objectives
 Types of Objective

1. Quantitative
2. Qualitative

• Relate to variables
– Independent variable
– Dependent variable
– Control
 Quantitative Objective

• Identify the variables, their relationships

& the participants & site for research
• Guidelines for writing
– Use a single sentence
– Use wording e.g. ‘The purpose of this
study….’ – Use quantitative words
e.g. to relate, to compare, to
describe to describe the relationships
between variables
 
 Quantitative Objective

• Guidelines for writing

– Independent variable (1st position
in sentence)
– Dependent variable (2nd position in
sentence)
– Control &/or mediating variable
(3rd position in sentence)
– Research site
– Participants
 Qualitative Objective

• Descriptive (what happened)

• Interpretive (What was the meaning to
people of what happened?)
• Process oriented (What happened over
time?)
 Qualitative Objective
• Guidelines for writing
– A single sentence
– A statement e.g. “The pupose of this
study…”
– The central phenomenon
– A statement identifying the type of
qualitative design
– Qualitative words e.g. explore,
understand, discover
– The participants
– The research site
 Tips to write Objectives?

• SMART
–Specific
–Measurable
–Achievable
–Relevant/Significant
–Time
Examples How to Write of Objectives

Review
 Review
• Research
Elements/Compon
ents 1. Issue/Topics
& Title
2. Problem Statement
3. Research Questions
4. Hypothesis
5. Objectives
6.
Methods/Experi
mental Design 7.
Observation
8.
Results/Data/Ana
lysis
9. Conclusion