RESEARCH METHODOLOGY What is Research?

Paul Leedy describes research as “the systematic

process of collecting and analyzing information (data) in order to increase our understanding of the
phenomenon with which we are concerned or interested.” Leedy suggests that the word research
has so many meanings attached to it in that “few people have any idea of the real meaning.”
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.
ORGANIZED because 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. 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. 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. It is also defined as Scholarly or scientific investigation or inquiry.
‘Research’ is to be understood as original investigation undertaken in order to gain knowledge and 2
| P a g e understanding It’s a detailed study of a subject, especially in order to discover (new)
information or reach a (new) understanding. Research refers to study and research on pure science
that is meant to increase our scientific knowledge base. This type of research is often purely
theoretical with the intent of increasing our understanding of certain phenomena or behavior but
does not seek to solve or treat these problems. The word research derives from the French
recherché, from recherché, to search closely where "chercher" means "to search" in French
language. Its literal meaning is 'to investigate thoroughly'. Research is a human activity based on
intellectual investigation and aimed at discovering, interpreting, and revising human knowledge on
different aspects of the world. It can be scientific or not scientific. Scientific research relies on the
application of scientific methods based on scientific paradigm. This research provides scientific
information and theories for the explanation of the nature and properties of humans and the whole
Universe. It makes practical applications possible. Significance of Research: 1. Provides basis for
economic, business, educational policies. 2. Solves various operational and planning problems of
business (Market R, Operations R, Motivational R) Helps decision making in business 3. Increases
funds of knowledge Where do research topics come from? So how do researchers come up with the
idea for a research project? Probably one of the most common sources of research ideas is the
experience of practical problems in the field. 3 | P a g e Many researchers are directly engaged in
social, health or human service program implementation and come up with their ideas based on
what they see happening around them. Others aren't directly involved in service contexts, but work
with (or survey) people who are in order to learn what needs to be better understood. Many of the
ideas would strike the outsider as silly or worse. For instance, in health services areas, there is great
interest in the problem of back injuries among nursing staff. It's not necessarily the thing that comes
first to mind when we think about the health care field. But if you reflect on it for a minute longer, it
should be obvious that nurses and nursing staff do an awful lot of lifting in performing their jobs.
They lift and push heavy equipment, and they lift and push oftentimes heavy patients! If 5 or 10 out
of every hundred nursing staff were to strain their backs on average over the period of one year, the
costs would be enormous -- and that's pretty much what's happening. Even minor injuries can result
in increased absenteeism. Major ones can result in lost jobs and expensive medical bills. The nursing
industry figures that this is a problem that costs tens of millions of dollars annually in increased
health care. And, the health care industry has developed a number of approaches, many of them
educational, to try to reduce the scope and cost of the problem. So, even though it might seem silly
at first, many of these practical problems that arise in practice can lead to extensive research efforts.
Another source for research ideas is the literature in your specific field. Certainly, many researchers
get ideas for research by reading the literature and thinking of ways to extend or refine previous
research. Another type of literature that acts as a source of good research ideas is the Requests For
Proposals (RFPs) that are published by government agencies and some companies. These RFPs
describe some problem that the agency would like researchers to address -- they are virtually
handing the researcher an idea! Typically, the RFP describes the problem that needs addressing, the
contexts in which it operates, the approach they would like you to take to investigate to address the
problem, and the amount they would be willing to pay for such research. Clearly, there's nothing like
potential research funding to get researchers to focus on a particular research topic. 4 | P a g e And
let's not forget the fact that many researchers simply think up their research topic on their own. Of
course, no one lives in a vacuum, so we would expect that the ideas you come up with on your own
are influenced by your background, culture, education and experiences. Is the study feasible? Very
soon after you get an idea for a study reality begins to kick in and you begin to think about whether
the study is feasible at all. There are several major considerations that come into play. Many of these
involve making tradeoffs between rigor and practicality. To do a study well from a scientific point of
view may force you to do things you wouldn't do normally. You may have to control the
implementation of your program more carefully than you otherwise might. Or, you may have to ask
program participants lots of questions that you usually wouldn't if you weren't doing research. If you
had unlimited resources and unbridled control over the circumstances, you would always be able to
do the best quality research. But those ideal circumstances seldom exist, and researchers are almost
always forced to look for the best tradeoffs they can find in order to get the rigor they desire. There
are several practical considerations that almost always need to be considered when deciding on the
feasibility of a research project. First, you have to think about how long the research will take to
accomplish. Second, you have to question whether there are important ethical constraints that need
consideration. Third, can you achieve the needed cooperation to take the project to its successful
conclusion. And fourth, how significant are the costs of conducting the research. Failure to consider
any of these factors can mean disaster later. The word "research" is used to describe a number of
similar and often overlapping activities involving a search for information. Often people think of
research in terms of science and technology, but research takes place in every area of academic
study. Research into our culture, our business practices or our economy can be as important as
medical and scientific research. 5 | P a g e The simple answer to this question is that research is what
we do when we have a question or a problem we want to resolve. We may already think we know
the answer to our question; we may think the answer is obvious, common sense even; but until we
have subjected our problem to rigorous scientific scrutiny, our 'knowledge' remains little more than
guesswork or at best, intuition. But what do we mean by 'scientific scrutiny' and how do we go about
it? Research encompasses activities that increase the sum of human knowledge. Research and
experimental development comprises: 1) Creative work undertaken on a systematic basis in order to
increase the stock of knowledge, including knowledge of humanity, culture and society, and the use
of this stock of knowledge to devise new applications. 2) Any activity classified as research and
experimental development is characterised by originality; it should have investigation as a primary
objective and should have the potential to produce results that are sufficiently general for
humanity's stock of knowledge (theoretical and/or practical) to be recognisably increased. Most
higher education research work would qualify as research and experimental development. 3)
Research carries with it a professional and ethical responsibility to disseminate and apply the results
of research activity and to conduct research in a manner consistent with the Statement and
Guidelines on Research Practice. An essential characteristic is that it leads to publicly verifiable
outcomes which are open to peer appraisal. The complementary activity of scholarship refers to
possession of an extensive and profound knowledge of an academic discipline and the analysis and
interpretation of existing knowledge aimed at improving, through teaching or by other means of
communication, the depth of human understanding. 6 | P a g e Types of Research Activity Research
is the creation of new knowledge. It can be categorized into four distinct types: Basic, Strategic,
Applied & Experimental Development. Pure basic research is experimental and theoretical work
undertaken to acquire new knowledge without looking for long-term benefits other than the
advancement of knowledge. Basic, or blue-sky research, is the pursuit of new knowledge without
any assumptions about what it might lead to – essentially knowledge for its own sake. Strategic basic
research is experimental and theoretical work undertaken to acquire new knowledge directed into
specified broad areas in the expectation of useful discoveries. It provides the broad base of
knowledge necessary for the solution of recognized practical problems. Strategic research is the
pursuit of new knowledge which might, in principle, have a practical application but without a
precise view of the timescale or nature of the application. Applied research is knowledge which is
developed with a specific objective in mind, particularly the conversion of existing knowledge into
products, processes and technologies. Applied research is original work undertaken primarily to
acquire new knowledge with a specific application in view. It is undertaken either to determine
possible uses for the findings of basic research or to determine new ways of achieving some specific
and predetermined objectives. Applied research may be the stage in which collaboration with
industry is most likely, but basic and strategic research creates pools of expertise and knowledge
which benefit in many ways. Not only do breakthroughs with commercial potential first emerge from
these types of research, but also the critical mass of knowledge needed to develop these
breakthroughs into a marketable product is created here. 7 | P a g e Experimental development is
systematic work, using existing knowledge gained from research or practical experience, that is
directed to producing new materials, products or devices, to installing new processes, systems and
services, or to improving substantially those already produced or installed. Types of Research based
upon different criteria of classification: 1. Process Descriptive Surveys (fact finding) ex post facto Vs
Analytical Analysis of facts to evaluate the situation 2. Purpose Applied Find solution to a problem Vs
Fundamental Basic or pure. Formulates theory and generalisation 3. Type of data Quantitative
Phenomena can be expressed in Quantitative data, rigorous statistics applied. Vs Qualitative
Phenomena can be expressed as Qualitative descriptions, motives behind an action, attitude opinion
4. Content Conceptual Theoretical (abstract) Vs Empirical Relies on experiences and observations 5.
Period Longitudinal Longer period Vs One time study Shorter duration 6. Setting Field Area of data
collection is large field Vs Laboratory Strict and rigorous control of exp. Conditions The timescales
over which research takes place vary greatly. Sometimes a specific piece of research might only last a
few months or even less, while at other times research may take decades to develop knowledge in a
specific area. There may be an early breakthrough in a piece of research but a further, lengthy
period before this is refined. 8 | P a g e Alternatively, it may take years of exploration before a
breakthrough is made. Sometimes the result is entirely different from (but potentially as valuable as)
the one being sought. It is important to realize that there is no simple ‘model’ of how research
should work, and every piece of research will follow its own path. The most important characteristics
of formal research, as Leedy defines it, is that it involves the interpretation of data to draw
conclusions. Research is not, then, the mere restating of previously known facts (as previously done
for undergraduate term papers) or the process of obtaining new knowledge by searching for
information (information gathering for buying a car).  Research originates with a question or
problem.  Research requires a clear articulation of a goal.  Research follows a specific plan of
procedure.  Research usually divides the principal problem into more manageable sub-problems. 
Research is guided by the specific research problem, question, or hypothesis.  Research accepts
certain critical assumptions.  Research requires the collection and interpretation of data in
attempting to resolves problem that initiated the research.  Research builds on previous research.