Steps of Research Process

Research is a search for knowledge. It helps in taking appropriate decisions.

In developing a research process, one would like to list the sequence of step-by-
step activities. In a research process these steps are inter- dependent and may overlap
each other. They may not follow a strict sequence and the researcher has to be vigilant of
their order continuously throughout the research process. Research process consists of series of
actions or steps necessary to effectively carry out research and the desired sequencing of these
steps. The chart shown in Figure 1.1 well illustrates a research process.

The chart indicates that the research process consists of a number of closely related activities,
as shown through I to VII. But such activities overlap continuously rather than following a strictly
prescribed sequence. At times, the first step determines the nature of the last step to be undertaken.
If subsequent procedures have not been taken into account in the early stages, serious difficulties
may arise which may even prevent the completion of the study. One should remember that the
various steps involved in a research process are not mutually exclusive; nor they are separate and
distinct. They do not necessarily follow each other in any specific order and the researcher has to be
constantly anticipating at each step in the research process the requirements of the subsequent
steps. However, the following order concerning various steps provides a useful procedural guideline
regarding the research process: (1) formulating the research problem; (2) extensive literature
survey;(3) developing the hypothesis; (4) preparing the research design; (5) determining sample
design;(6) collecting the data; (7) execution of the project; (8) analysis of data; (9) hypothesis
testing;(10) generalisations and interpretation, and (11) preparation of the report or presentation of
the results ,i.e., formal write-up of conclusions reached.

A brief description of the above steps is given below.

1. Formulating the research problem: There are two types of research problems, viz., those
which relate to states of nature and those which relate to relationships between variables. At the
very outset the researcher must single out the problem he wants to study, i.e., he must decide
the general area of interest or aspect of a subject-matter that he would like to inquire into. Initially
the problem may be stated in a broad general way and then the ambiguities, if any, relating to
the problem be resolved. Then, the feasibility of a particular solution has to be considered before
a working formulation of the problem can be set up. The formulation of a general topic into a
specific research problem, thus, constitutes the first step in a scientific enquiry. Essentially two
steps are involved in formulating the research problem, viz., understanding the problem
thoroughly, and rephrasing the same into meaningful terms from an analytical point of view.
The best way of understanding the problem is to discuss it with one’s own colleagues or with
those having some expertise in the matter. In an academic institution the researcher can seek
the help from a guide who is usually an experienced man and has several research problems in
mind.
Often, the guide puts forth the problem in general terms and it is up to the researcher to narrow it
down and phrase the problem in operational terms. In private business units or in governmental
organisations, the problem is usually earmarked by the administrative agencies with whom the
researcher can discuss as to how the problem originally came about and what considerations
are involved in its possible solutions.
The researcher must at the same time examine all available literature to get himself acquainted
with the selected problem. He may review two types of literature—the conceptual literature
concerning the concepts and theories, and the empirical literature consisting of studies made
earlier which are similar to the one proposed. The basic outcome of this review will be the
knowledge as to what data and other materials are available for operational purposes which will
enable the researcher to specify his own research problem in a meaningful context. After this the
researcher rephrases the problem into analytical or operational terms i.e., to put the problem in
as specific terms as possible. This task of formulating, or defining, a research problem is a step
of greatest importance in the entire research process. The problem to be investigated must be
defined unambiguously for that will help discriminating relevant data from irrelevant ones. Care
must; however, be taken to verify the objectivity and validity of the background facts concerning
the problem. Professor W.A. Neiswanger correctly states that the statement of the objective is of
basic importance because it determines the data which are to be collected, the characteristics of
the data which are relevant, relations which are to be explored, the choice of techniques to be
used in these explorations and the form of the final report. If there are certain pertinent terms,
the same should be clearly defined along with the task of formulating the problem. In fact,
formulation of the problem often follows a sequential pattern where a number of formulations are
set up, each formulation more specific than the preceeding one, each one phrased in
more analytical terms, and each more realistic in terms of the available data and resources.
2. Extensive literature survey: Once the problem is formulated, a brief summary of it should be
written down. It is compulsory for a research worker writing a thesis for a Ph.D. degree to write a
synopsis of the topic and submit it to the necessary Committee or the Research Board for
approval. At this juncture the researcher should undertake extensive literature survey connected
with the problem. For this purpose, the abstracting and indexing journals and published or
unpublished bibliographies are the first place to go to. Academic journals, conference
proceedings, government reports, books etc., must be tapped depending on the nature of the
problem. In this process, it should be remembered that one source will lead to another. The
earlier studies, if any, which are similar to the study in hand should be carefully studied. A good
library will be a great help to the researcher at this stage.
3. Development of working hypotheses: After extensive literature survey, researcher should
state in clear terms the working hypothesis or hypotheses. Working hypothesis is tentative
assumption made in order to draw out and test its logical or empirical consequences. As such
the manner in which research hypotheses are developed is particularly important since they
provide the focal point for research. They also affect the manner in which tests must be
conducted in the analysis of data and indirectly the quality of data which is required for the
analysis. In most types of research, the development of working hypothesis plays an important
role. Hypothesis should be very specific and limited to the piece of research in hand because it
has to be tested. The role of the hypothesis is to guide the researcher by delimiting the area of
research and to keep him on the right track. It sharpens his thinking and focuses attention on the
more important facets of the problem. It also indicates the type of data required and the type of
methods of data analysis to be used. How does one go about developing working hypotheses?
The answer is by using the following approach:
(a) Discussions with colleagues and experts about the problem, its origin and the objectives in
seeking a solution;
(b) Examination of data and records, if available, concerning the problem for possible trends,
peculiarities and other clues;
(c) Review of similar studies in the area or of the studies on similar problems; and
(d) Exploratory personal investigation which involves original field interviews on a limited scale
with interested parties and individuals with a view to secure greater insight into the practical
aspects of the problem.
Thus, working hypotheses arise as a result of a-priori thinking about the subject, examination of
the available data and material including related studies and the counsel of experts and
interested parties. Working hypotheses are more useful when stated in precise and clearly
defined terms. It may as well be remembered that occasionally we may encounter a problem
where we do not need working hypotheses, especially in the case of exploratory or formulative
researches which do not aim at testing the hypothesis. But as a general rule, specification of
working hypotheses in another basic step of the research process in most research problems.
4. Preparing the research design: The research problem having been formulated in clear cut
terms, the researcher will be required to prepare a research design, i.e., he will have to state the
conceptual structure within which research would be conducted. The preparation of such a
design facilitates research to be as efficient as possible yielding maximal information. In other
words, the function of research design is to provide for the collection of relevant evidence with
minimal expenditure of effort, time and money. But how all these can be achieved depends
mainly on the research purpose. Research purposes may be grouped into four categories, viz.,
(i) Exploration, (ii) Description,(iii) Diagnosis, and (iv) Experimentation. A flexible research design
which provides opportunity for considering many different aspects of a problem is considered
appropriate if the purpose of the research study is that of exploration. But when the purpose
happens to be an accurate description of a situation or of an association between variables, the
suitable design will be one that minimises bias and maximises the reliability of the data collected
and analysed.
There are several research designs, such as, experimental and non-experimental hypothesis
testing. Experimental designs can be either informal designs (such as before-and-after without
control, after-only with control, before-and-after with control) or formal designs (such as
completely randomized design, randomized block design, Latin square design, simple and
complex factorial designs), out of which the researcher must select one for his own project.
The preparation of the research design, appropriate for a particular research problem, involves
usually the consideration of the following:
(i) the means of obtaining the information;
(ii) the availability and skills of the researcher and his staff (if any);
(iii) explanation of the way in which selected means of obtaining information will be organised
and the reasoning leading to the selection;
(iv) the time available for research; and
(v) the cost factor relating to research, i.e., the finance available for the purpose.
 5. Determining sample design: All the items under consideration in any field of inquiry
constitute a ‘universe’ or ‘population’. A complete enumeration of all the items in the ‘population’
is known as a census inquiry. It can be presumed that in such an inquiry when all the items are
covered no element of chance is left and highest accuracy is obtained. But in practice this may
not be true. Even the slightest element of bias in such an inquiry will get larger and larger as the
number of observations increases. Moreover, there is no way of checking the element of bias or
its extent except through a resurvey or use of sample checks. Besides, this type of inquiry
involves a great deal of time, money and energy. Not only this, census inquiry is not possible in
practice under many circumstances. For instance, blood testing is done only on sample basis.
Hence, quite often we select only a few items from the universe for our study purposes. The
items so selected constitute what is technically called a sample.
The researcher must decide the way of selecting a sample or what is popularly known as the
sample design. In other words, a sample design is a definite plan determined before any data
are actually collected for obtaining a sample from a given population. Thus, the plan to select
twelve of a city’s 200 drugstores in a certain way constitutes a sample design. Samples can be
either probability samples or non-probability samples. With probability samples each element
has a known probability of being included in the sample but the non-probability samples do not
allow the researcher to determine this probability. Probability samples are those based on simple
random sampling, systematic sampling, stratified sampling, cluster/area sampling whereas non-
probability samples are those based on convenience sampling, judgement sampling and quota
sampling techniques.

*Rest of the answer can be found in RESEARCH METHODOLOGY BY C.R KOTHARI ( Page 11- 16).