Q1. What do you understand by research?

Define various types of research

and its application in your area of research.
Ans. Research is "creative and systematic work undertaken to increase the stock of knowledge,
including knowledge of humans, culture and society, and the use of this stock of knowledge to
devise new applications."
According to the American sociologist Earl Robert Babbie, “Research is a systematic inquiry to
describe, explain, predict and control the observed phenomenon. Research involves inductive
and deductive methods.”
Inductive research methods are used to analyze the observed phenomenon whereas, deductive
methods are used to verify the observed phenomenon. Inductive approaches are associated
with qualitative research and deductive methods are more commonly associated
with quantitative research.
One of the most important aspects of research is the statistics associated with it, conclusion or
result. It is about the “thought” that goes behind the research. Research is conducted with a
purpose to understand:
What do organizations or businesses really want to find out?
What are the processes that need to be followed to chase the idea?
What are the arguments that need to be built around a concept?
What is the evidence that will be required that people believe in the idea or concept?
Following are the types of research:
Basic Research: Basic research is mostly conducted to enhance knowledge. It covers
fundamental aspects of research. The main motivation of this research is knowledge expansion.
It is a non-commercial research and doesn’t facilitate in creating or inventing anything. For
example, an experiment is a good example of basic research.
Applied Research: Applied research focuses on analyzing and solving real-life problems. This
type of research refers to the study that helps solve practical problems using scientific methods.
This research plays an important role in solving issues that impact the overall well-being of
humans. For example, finding a specific cure for a disease.
Problem Oriented Research: As the name suggests, problem-oriented research is conducted to
understand the exact nature of the problem to find out relevant solutions. The term “problem”
refers to having issues or two thoughts while making any decisions. For e.g. Revenue of a car
company has decreased by 12% in the last year. The following could be the probable causes:
There is no optimum production, poor quality of a product, no advertising, economic conditions
etc.
Problem Solving Research: This type of research is conducted by companies to understand and
resolve their own problems. The problem-solving research uses applied research to find
solutions to the existing problems.
Qualitative Research: Qualitative research is a process that is about inquiry, that helps in-depth
understanding of the problems or issues in their natural settings. This is a non- statistical
research method.
Qualitative research is heavily dependent on the experience of the researchers and the
questions used to probe the sample. The sample size is usually restricted to 6-10 people in a
sample. Open-ended questions are asked in a manner that one question leads to another. The
purpose of asking open-ended questions is to gather as much information as possible from the
sample.
Following are the methods used for qualitative research:
 One-to-one interview
 Focus groups
 Ethnographic Research
 Content/ Text Analysis
 Case study research

Quantitative Research: This method are the methods that deal with numbers and anything that
can be dealt with a measurable form, in a systematic way of investigating the phenomenon. It is
used to answer questions in terms of justifying relationships with measurable variables to
either explain, predict or control a phenomenon.
There are three methods that are often used by researchers to conduct this type of research,
they are:
 Survey research
 Descriptive research
 Correlational research

Thus, Research is defined as a careful consideration of study regarding a particular concern or

a problem using scientific methods.
Q2. What is the difference between research methods and methodology?
Discuss with example.
Ans. Research method pertains to all those methods, which a researcher employs to undertake
research process, to solve the given problem. The techniques and procedure, that are applied
during the course of studying research problem are known as the research method. It
encompasses both qualitative and quantitative method of performing research operations,
such as survey, case study, interview, questionnaire, observation, etc.
Research Methodology, as its name suggest is the study of methods, so as to solve the research
problem. It is the science of learning the way research should be performed systematically. It
refers to the rigorous analysis of the methods applied in the stream of research, to ensure that
the conclusions drawn are valid, reliable and credible too.
The differences between research method and research methodology can be drawn clearly
on the following grounds:
1. The research method is defined as the procedure or technique applied by the
researcher to undertake research. On the other hand, research methodology is a system
of methods, used scientifically for solving the research problem.
2. The research method is nothing but the behavior or tool, employed in selecting and
building research technique. Conversely, research methodology implies the science of
analyzing, the manner in which research is conducted appropriately.
3. The research method is concerned with carrying out experiment, test, surveys,
interviews, etc. As against this, research methodology is concerned with learning various
techniques which can be employed in the performance of experiment, test or survey.
4. Research method covers various investigation techniques. Unlike, research
methodology, which consists of complete approach aligned towards the attainment of
purpose.
5. Research method intends to discover the solution to the problem at hand. In contrast,
research methodology aspires to apply appropriate procedures, with a view to
ascertaining solutions.
Ask yourself whether you are describing how you will collect your data (method), or if it’s
the broader strategy for your research approach (methodology). With one methodology,
you can apply several different methods to support or reject the research hypothesis. For
the industry practitioner, you typically will be talking about methods. For the academic, you
may be talking both about the framing methodology and methods used to accomplish your
research goals.
Conclusion
The scope of research methodology is wider than that of research method, as the latter is the
part of the former. For understanding the research problem thoroughly, the researcher should
know the research methodology along with the methods.
In a nutshell, research method refers to the technique which can be adopted to explore the
nature of the world that surrounds us. On the contrary, research methodology is the
foundation, which helps us to understand the determinants influencing the effectiveness of the
methods applied.
Q3. What is the meaning of the terms: ‘objectives and motivation’ in research? Explain how
these can be used to define good research.

Ans. 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:
Aims and Objectives of Research Methodology
 1. To gain familiarity with a phenomenon or to achieve new insights into it (studies with
this object in view are termed as exploratory or formulative research studies);
2. To portray accurately the characteristics of a particular individual, situation or a group
(studies with this object in view are known as descriptive research studies);
3. To determine the frequency with which something occurs or with which it is associated
with something else (studies with this object in view are known as diagnostic research
studies);
4. To test a hypothesis of a causal relationship between variables (such studies are known
as hypothesis-testing research studies).
Motivation for Research Study
What makes people to undertake research? This is a question of fundamental importance. The
possible motives for doing research may be either one or more of the following:
1. Desire to get a research degree along with its consequential benefits;
2. Desire to face the challenge in solving the unsolved problems, i.e., concern over
practical problems initiates research;
3. Desire to get intellectual joy of doing some creative work;
4. Desire to be of service to society;
5. Desire to get respectability.
However, this is not an exhaustive list of factors motivating people to undertake research
studies. Many more factors such as directives of government, employment conditions, curiosity
about new things, desire to understand causal relationships, social thinking and awakening, and
the like may as well motivate (or at times compel) people to perform research operations.
Q4. What do you understand by research design? Explain its importance with
application in solving a research problem.

Ans. A research design is a framework or blueprint for conducting the marketing research
project. It details the procedures necessary for obtaining the information needed to structure
or solve marketing research problems. In simple words it is the general plan of how you will go
about your research.

Definitions of Research Design

According to Kerlinger
Research design is the plan, structure and strategy of investigation conceived so as to obtain
answers to research questions and to control variance.

According to Green and Tull

A research is the specification of methods and procedures for acquiring the information
needed. It is the overall operational pattern or framework of the project that stipulates what
information is to be collected from which sources by what procedures.

Need for Research Design

Research design is needed because it facilitates the smooth sailing of the various research
operations, thereby making research as efficient as possible yielding maximal information with
minimal expenditure of effort, time and money. Research design has a significant impact on the
reliability of the results obtained. It thus acts as a firm foundation for the entire research.

For example, economical and attractive construction of house we need a blueprint (or what is
commonly called the map of the house) well thought out and prepared by an expert architect,
similarly we need a research design or a plan in advance of data collection and analysis for our
research project.

Research design stands for advance planning of the methods to be adopted for collecting the
relevant data and the techniques to be used in their analysis.

The need for research design is as follows:

 It reduces inaccuracy;
 Helps to get maximum efficiency and reliability;
 Eliminates bias and marginal errors;
 Minimizes wastage of time;
 Helpful for collecting research materials;
 Helpful for testing of hypothesis;
 Gives an idea regarding the type of resources required in terms of money, manpower,
time, and efforts;
 Provides an overview to other experts.

Conclusion
The function of a research design is to ensure that requisite data in accordance with the
problem at hand is collected accurately and economically. Simply stated, it is the framework, a
blueprint for the research study which guides the collection and analysis of data. The research
design, depending upon the needs of the researcher may be a very detailed statement or only
furnish the minimum information required for planning the research project.
Q5. What do you mean by problem solving? Explain difference between scientific and non-
scientific methods of problem solving.

Ans. A working definition of problem solving can help clarify what constitutes a problem.
Perhaps an obvious place to start is to recognize that a problem must be “problematic”, if a
solution is clear then you don’t have a problem to solve, you have a decision to make!
It’s useful to think of four factors which help to build a definition of problem solving.
Problem solving is:
 a systematic process which
 defines a problematic situation (where there is a gap between actual and expected or the
situation is vague, or there is something that is unsatisfactory) and identifies the problem
as an opportunity
 for which a resolution or solution is needed to be implemented by an individual or group.
 and which finally, and crucially should be worthwhile solving.

Scientific Method of Problem Solving: -

The Scientific knowledge is process of finding the actual knowledge through experiment and
observation. It is logical and rational steps by through which scientists come to conclusion.
Scientist use observation, hypotheses, theory, laws and deduction to make these conclusions.
First learn the essential element of science by method of analysis. Characteristic of scientific
knowledge lies on three factors – objective, logical and systematic. It is transformation of
deductive logic to hypothesis, then hypothesis to theory and theory to laws. These can achieve
by learning from basic concept through assumption, variable, parameters and function forms.
Scientific hypotheses and theory are tested and verified by other Scientists, so that I can be
accepted by the scientific community.

Non Scientific Method Of Problem Solving: -

Non Scientific Knowledge is accessed via senses, intuition, revelation and experience. We know
that, moving close to the fire will get hurt and burned. So, he or she gains the knowledge by
physical sense – seeing, sound, touch, smell and experience. Other gain knowledge by intuition
and revelation. Intuition is the strong feeling or hunch and Revelation is supernatural source,
such as god, divinity etc. knowledge obtained through experience, intuition, revelations are
treated as private knowledge. Objective testing is not conducted on Non scientific methods.
Non Scientific knowledge hold, that the world cannot be understood by science, but rather by
religious revelations, mystical experience, or literary deconstructionism.

Why we believe scientific knowledge rather than Non Scientific Knowledge?

Scientific experiment can be repeated several times to prove the results are correct in all the
cases of observation carried out. Scientific method uses method of trial and error. Trial and
error is equivalent to scientific methods, Scientist use more details way of understanding of
problem. Whereas in case of non scientific method, it is just prediction or forecasting the event
with the help of hunch or strong feeling. This won’t give the same result all the time.

Q6. Two researchers learnt about the tools of research and research methodology in a class.
Both applied these to a specific research problem but their inferences and conclusions were
different. Explain the reasons for variance in inferences and conclusions by the researchers,
with example.

Q7. A researcher wants to collect data for solving the research problem. Discuss with details
the approach to data collection for the following:
a. Purchasing behavior of shoppers in a shopping mall
b. Effect of fertilizer on yield from crops in a field

Q8. Discuss the role of statistical design in selection of proper statistical tools if a researcher
wants to apply them for analyzing data, collected through survey and experiments.

Ans.

Q9. Explain the difference between following with suitable examples:

a. Synopsis and Thesis
b. Review of literature and Citation.
c. Data and Information

Ans. The points given below are substantial, so far as the difference between data and
information is concerned:

 Raw facts gathered about a condition, event, idea, entity or anything else which is bare
and random, is called data. Information refers to facts concerning a particular event or
subject, which are refined by processing.
 Data are simple text and numbers, while information is processed and interpreted data.
 Data is in an unorganized form, i.e. it is randomly collected facts and figures which are
processed to draw conclusions. On the other hand, when the data is organised, it
becomes information, which presents data in a better way and gives meaning to it.
 Data is based on observations and records, which are stored in computers or simply
remembered by a person. As against this, information is considered more reliable than
data, as a proper analysis is conducted to convert data into information by the
researcher or investigator.
 The data collected by the researcher, may or may not be useful to him, as when the data
is gathered, it is not known what they are about or what they represent? Conversely,
information is valuable and useful to the researcher because it is presented in the given
context and so readily available to the researcher for use.
  Data is not always specific to the need of the researcher, but information is always
specific to his requirements and expectations, because all the irrelevant facts and
figures are eliminated, during the transformation of data into information.
 When it comes to dependency, data does not depend on information. However,
information cannot exist without data.

Q10.Write a short note on the following:

a. Problem Identification

Ans. The first step in the problem solving and decision making process is to identify and define
the problem.
A problem can be regarded as a difference between the actual situation and the desired
situation. This means that in order to identify a problem the team must know where it is meant
to be and have a clear understanding of where it currently is in relation to the perceived
problem.

b. Hypothesis

Ans. “Hypothesis may be defined as a proposition or a set of propositions set forth as an

explanation for the occurrence of some specified group of phenomena either asserted merely
as a provisional conjecture to guide some investigation in the light of established facts”
(Kothari, 1988). A research hypothesis is quite often a predictive statement, which is capable of
being tested using scientific methods that involve an independent and some dependent
variables. For instance, the following statements may be considered:
i. “Students who take tuitions perform better than the others who do not
receive tuitions” or,
ii. “The female students perform as well as the male students”.
These two statements are hypotheses that can be objectively verified and tested. Thus, they
indicate that a hypothesis states what one is looking for. Besides, it is a proposition that can be
put to test in order to examine its validity.

Characteristics of Hypothesis:
A hypothesis should have the following characteristic features: -
i. A hypothesis must be precise and clear. If it is not precise and clear, then the inferences
drawn on its basis would not be reliable.
ii. A hypothesis must be capable of being put to test. Quite often, the research programes
fail owing to its incapability of being subject to testing for validity. Therefore, some
prior study may be conducted by the researcher in order to make a hypothesis testable.
A hypothesis “is tested if other deductions can be made from it, which in turn can be
confirmed or disproved by observation” (Kothari, 1988).
iii. A hypothesis must state relationship between two variables, in the case of relational
hypotheses.
iv. A hypothesis must be specific and limited in scope. This is because a simpler hypothesis
generally would be easier to test for the researcher. And therefore, he/she must
formulate such hypotheses.
v. As far as possible, a hypothesis must be stated in the simplest language, so as to make
it understood by all concerned. However, it should be noted that simplicity of a
hypothesis is not related to its significance.
vi. A hypothesis must be consistent and derived from the most known facts. In other
words, it should be consistent with a substantial body of established facts. That is, it
must be in the form of a statement which is most likely to occur.
vii. A hypothesis must be amenable to testing within a stipulated or reasonable period of
time. No matter how excellent a hypothesis, a researcher should not use it if it cannot
be tested within a given period of time, as no one can afford to spend a life-time on
collecting data to test it.
viii. A hypothesis should state the facts that give rise to the necessity of looking for an
explanation. This is to say that by using the hypothesis, and other known and accepted
generalizations, a researcher must be able to derive the original problem condition.
Therefore, a hypothesis should explain what it actually wants to explain, and for this it
should also have an empirical reference.

c. Reference

Ans. Reference is a relation between objects in which one object designates or acts as a means by
which to connect to or link to, another object. The first object in this relation is said to refer
to the second object. It is called a name for the second object. The second object, the one to
which the first object refers, is called the referent of the first object. A name is usually
a phrase or expression, or some other symbolic representation. Its referent may be anything – a
material object, a person, an event, an activity, or an abstract concept.

d. Bibliography

Ans. A bibliography is a list of all of the sources you have used (whether referenced or not) in
the process of researching your work. In general, a bibliography should include:

 the authors' names

 the titles of the works
 the names and locations of the companies that published your copies of the sources
 the dates your copies were published
 the page numbers of your sources (if they are part of multi-source volumes)

e. Significance of Research

Ans. Research in social sciences is concerned both with knowledge for its own sake and with
knowledge for what it can contribute to practical concerns. “This double emphasis is perhaps
especially appropriate in the case of social science. On the one hand, its responsibility as a
 science is to develop a body of principles that make possible the understanding and prediction
of the whole range of human interactions. On the other hand, because of its social orientation,
it is increasingly being looked to for practical guidance in solving immediate problems of human
relations.
In addition to what has been stated above, the significance of research can also be understood
keeping in view the following points:
a. To those students who are to write a master’s or Ph.D. thesis, research may mean a
careerism or a way to attain a high position in the social structure;
b. To professionals in research methodology, research may mean a source of livelihood;
c. To philosophers and thinkers, research may mean the outlet for new ideas and insights;
d. To literary men and women, research may mean the development of new styles and creative
work;
e. To analysts and intellectuals, research may mean the generalizations of new theories.

Thus, research is the fountain of knowledge for the sake of knowledge and an important source
of providing guidelines for solving different business, governmental and social problems. It is a
sort of formal training which enables one to understand the new developments in one’s field in
a better way.