METW 1613:

Research Methodology &

Design of Experiment
Topic: Course Information
Name of lecturer: Tuan Amran Tuan Abdullah, PhD
Email: tuanamran@utm.my
Synopsis of course
• This course provides guidelines for preparing a research
proposal and designing experimental study.
• It provides the rationale for the research, the research
objectives, the proposed methods for data collection, and
data analysis.
• The proposal is based on the individual interest either in
safety, health and environment topic.
• In the proposal you will present the research and statistical
methodology and with expected results and discussions.
Course Learning Outcome
(CLO)
No. Course Learning Outcome
Program
Outcome
Taxonomies
(C, P, A)
Weightage
(%)
Assessment
Methods
           
1. Identify and analyze the research PL01 C4 20 % HW, PR,
  problem and define the research        
  question.        
           
2. Apply appropriate methodological, PLO2 C4 20 % HW, PR,
  design of experiment, sampling size,        
  and statistical procedures in        
  experimental design.        
       
3. Analyze, interpret and present the PLO6 C6 20 % HW, PR,
  data using appropriate statistical        
  tools.        
           
4. Adopt research ethics, project PL10 A3 5% HW, PR,
  management and create awareness        
  on common errors in research.        
           
5. Prepare a complete research proposal PLO6 C5 30 % PR

6. Present the proposal in oral PLO5 P4 5% Pr

presentation.
(T – Test ; PR – Project ; Q – Quiz;
HW – Homework ; Pr –
Presentation; F – Final Exam)
 Program Learning Outcome
(PLO) PLO DESCRIPTIONS
PLO 1: Advanced knowledge Ability to master the knowledge in safety, health & environmental discipline.

PLO2: Research skill Ability to apply research knowledge in safety, health & environmental discipline.

PLO3: Critical Thinking & Problem Ability to demonstrate several methodologies to analyze problems in safety, health &
Solving environmental field using scientific and critical thinking approaches.

PLO4: Ethics, Values, Professionalism Ability to apply to legal, ethical and professional code of practice in safety, health & environmental
discipline.

PLO5: Communication Ability to deliver effective communication on safety, health & environmental issues.

PLO6: Life Long Learning Ability to apply the concept of lifelong learning in safety, health & environmental field.

PLO7: Social Skills Ability to adapt and interact in society on safety, health & environmental aspects.

PLO8: Team Working Ability to work effectively in a team towards achieving common goal and interest.

PLO9: Leadership Ability to demonstrate leadership qualities with peers and stakeholders.

PLO10: Information Management Ability to manage relevant information in safety, health & environmental field.

PLO11: Managerial & Entrepreneurial Ability to identify business opportunity in safety, health & environmental field.
Weekly Topics
Week Learning & Teaching
Weeks 1-2 What is Research
 Objectives of research?
 Purpose of research?
 Thesis research
 Importance of research
What is research proposal and how to write it
 Looking for research question and problem statement
 How to write the objective

Weeks 3-4 How to write the literature review

 Looking for the relevant literature
 Element in writing the literature
 Use tool for managing and writing the literature
 Plagiarism
How to design the research
 Basic and Applied research
 Quantitative, qualitative, triangulation methods
 Other types of research
 Research framework

Weeks 5-7 Non experimental design

 Historical research
 Action research
 Evaluative research
 Correlation and comparative research
 Method development research
 Small-N research
Social science survey research
 Design the questionnaire
 Validity and reliability
 Calculate sample size
 Sampling method
Weekly Topics
Week 8 Semester break
Weeks 9-10 Experimental design
 Quasi experimental design
 True experimental design
 Typical one variable
 Random block design
 Full and fractional factorial design
 Surface response method

Weeks 11-12 Selection of statistical analysis

 Type of data
 Descriptive statistics
 Parametric statistical
 Non-Parametric statistics
 Regression and correlation analysis
 Using statistical tool – SPSS

Weeks 13-16 Writing the proposal and report

 Use Microsoft office tool for long report
 How to write expected result
 How to write result and discussion
 Presentation skill for researchers
Presentation

Weeks 16-19 Revision week and Final exam

Assessment
No. Assesment Number % each % total
1 Assignment / Homework 5 5 25
2 Oral presentation 1 10 10

3 Proposal project 1 25 25

5 Final Exam 1 40 40

Overall Total 100%

References
• Adedeji B. Badiru (1996). Project Management for Research. A guide for
engineering and science. Chapman and Hall, London, UK.
• Yogesh Kumar Singh (2006). Fundamental of Research Methodology and
Statistics. New Age International publish, India.
• Willam E Saris, Irmtraud N. G (2007). Design, Evaluation, and Analysis
Questionnaire for survey research. John Willey and Son Inc. New Jersey,
USA.
• Michael P. Marder (2011), Research Methods for Science
• Edward Zanders, Lindsay MacLeod (2010). Presentation Skills for
Scientists.