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Unit 1: Research Preparation & Planning

1) What is Research?

Research in common parlance refers to a search for knowledge. Once can also define research
as a scientific and systematic search for pertinent information on a specific topic. In fact,
research is an art of scientific investigation.

The Advanced Learner’s Dictionary of Current English lays down the meaning of research as
“a careful investigation or inquiry specially through search for new facts in any branch of
knowledge.”

1.Redman and Mory,define research as a “systematized effort to gain new knowledge.”

2.Some people consider research as a movement, a movement from the known to the unknown.
It is actually a voyage of discovery. We all possess the vital instinct of inquisitiveness for, when
the unknown confronts us, we wonder and our inquisitiveness makes us probe and attain full
and fuller understanding of the unknown. This inquisitiveness is the mother of all knowledge
and the method, which man employs for obtaining the knowledge of whatever the unknown,
can be termed as research.

3. Research is an academic activity and as such the term should be used in a technical sense.
According to Clifford Woody research comprises defining and redefining problems, formulating
hypothesis or suggested solutions; collecting, organizing and evaluating data; making deductions
and reaching conclusions; and at last carefullytesting the conclusions to determine whether they
fit the formulating hypothesis. D. Slesinger and M. Stephenson in the Encyclopedia of Social
Sciences define research as “the manipulation of things, concepts or symbols for the purpose of
generalizing to extend, correct or verify knowledge, whether that knowledge aids in construction of
theory or in the practice of an art.”

4.Research is, thus, an original contribution to the existing stock of knowledge making for its
advancement. It is the pursuit of truth with the help of study, observation, comparison and
experiment. In short, the search for knowledge through objective and systematic method of
finding solution to a problem is research. The systematic approach concerning generalisation and
the formulation of a theory is also research. As such the term ‘research’ refers to the systematic
method consisting of enunciating the problem, formulating a hypothesis, collecting the facts or
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data, analysing the facts and reaching certain conclusions either in the form of solutions(s)
towards the concerned problem or in certain generalizations for some theoretical formulation.
In this unit, we will show you the steps of conducting such a research project.

The stages in the research process is as shown below:

Problem Formulation

Method of Inquiry

Research Method

Research Design

Selection of Data Collection

Techniques

Sample Design

Data Collection

Analysis and Interpretation of

Data

Research Reports

2) What are the objectives of research? State its general characteristics.

There are various objectives of research. Some of them are listed below.
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:
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
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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).

The following are the characteristics of ‘Research’.

1. It gathers new knowledge or data from primary or first-hand sources.
2. It places emphasis upon the discovery of general principles.
3. It is an exact systematic and accurate investigation.
4. It uses certain valid data gathering devices.
5. It is logical and objective.
6. The researcher resists the temptation to seek only the data that support his
hypotheses.
7. The researcher eliminates personal feelings and preferences.
8. It endeavours to organise data in quantitative terms.
9. Research is patient and unhurried activity.
10. The researcher is willing to follow his procedures to the conclusions that may be
unpopular and bring social disapproval.
11. Research is carefully recorded and reported.
12. Conclusions and generalisations are arrived at carefully and cautiously.

3) What are the types of research? Provide examples and explain.

There are different types of research.
Exploratory Research
Exploratory research is carried out at the very beginning when the problem is not clear or is
vague. In exploratory research, all possible reasons which are very obvious are eliminated,
thereby directing the research to proceed further with limited options. Sales decline in a
company may be due to:
1. Inefficient service
2. Improper price
3. Inefficient sales force
4. Ineffective promotion
5. Improper quality
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The research executives must examine such questions to identify the most useful avenues for
further research. Preliminary investigation of this type is called exploratory research. Expert
surveys, focus groups, case studies and observation methods are used to conduct the
exploratory survey.
Descriptive Research
The main purpose of descriptive research is to describe the state of view as it exists at present.
Simply stated, it is a fact -finding investigation. In descriptive research, definite conclusions
can be arrived at, but it does not establish a cause and effect relationship. This type of research
tries to describe the characteristics of the respondent in relation to a particular product.
Descriptive research deals with demographic characteristics of the consumer. For example,
trends in the consumption of soft drink with respect to socio-economic characteristics such as
age, family, income, education level, etc. Another example can be the degree of viewing TV
channels, its variation with age, income level, profession of respondent as well as time of
viewing. Hence, the degree of use of TV to different types of respondents will be of importance
to the researcher. There are three types of players who will decide the usage of TV: (a)
Television manufacturers, (b) Broadcasting agency of the programme, (c) Viewers. Therefore,
research pertaining to any one of the following can be conducted:
The manufacturer can come out with facilities which will make the television more user-
friendly. Some of the facilities are (a) Remote control, (b) Child lock,
(c) Different models for different income groups, (d) Internet compatibility etc.,
(e) Wall mounting etc.
Similarly, broadcasting agencies can come out with programmes, which can suit
different age groups and income.
Ultimately, the viewers who use the TV must be aware of the programmes appearing in
different channels and can plan their viewing schedule accordingly.
Descriptive research deals with specific predictions, for example, sales of a
company’s product during the next three years, i.e., forecasting.
Descriptive research is also used to estimate the proportion of population who behave
in a certain way. Example: “Why do middle income groups go to Food World to buy their
products?”
A study can be commissioned by a manufacturing company to find out various facilities
that can be provided in television sets based on the above discussion.
Similarly, studies can be conducted by broadcasting stations to find out the degree of
utility of TV programmes. Example: The following hypothesis may be formulated about the
programmes:
The programmes in various channels are useful by way of entertainment to the viewers.
Viewers feel that TV is a boon for their children in improving their knowledge—
especially, fiction and cartoon programmes.
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Applied Research
Applied research aims at finding a solution for an immediate problem faced by any business
organization. This research deals with real life situations. Example: “Why have sales decreased
during the last quarter”? Market research is an example of applied research. Applied research
has a practical problem-solving emphasis. It brings out many new facts.
Examples:
1. Use of fibre glass body for cars instead of metal.
2. To develop a new market for the product.

Pure/Fundamental Research or Basic Research

Gathering knowledge for knowledge’s sake is known as basic research. It is not directly
involved with practical problems. It does not have any commercial potential. There is no
intention to apply this research in practice. Tata Institute of Fundamental Research conducts
such studies. Example: Theory of Relativity (by Einstein).
Conceptual Research
This is generally used by philosophers. It is related to some abstract idea or theory. In this type
of research, the researcher should collect the data to prove or disapprove his hypothesis. The
various ideologies or ‘isms’ are examples of conceptual research.

Causal Research
Causal research is conducted to determine the cause and effect relationship between the two
variables. Example: Effect of advertisement on sales.
Historical Research
The name itself indicates the meaning of the research. Historical study is a study of past records
and data in order to understand the future trends and development of the organisation or market.
There is no direct observation. The research has to depend on the conclusions or inferences
drawn in the past.
For example, investors in the share market study the past records or prices of shares which
he/she intends to buy. Studying the share prices of a particular company enables the investor
to take decision whether to invest in the shares of a company. Crime branch police/CBI officers
study the past records or the history of the criminals and terrorists in order to arrive at some
conclusions. The main objective of this study is to derive explanation and generalization from
the past trends in order to understand the present and anticipate the future.
There are however, certain shortcomings of Historical Research:
1. Reliability and adequacy information is subjective and open to question
2. Accuracy of measurement of events is doubtful.
3. Verification of records are difficult.
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Ex-post Facto Research

In this type of research, an examination of relationship that exists between independent and
dependent variable is studied. We may call this empirical research. In this method, the
researcher has no control over an independent variable. Ex-post facto literally means “from
what is done afterwards”. In this research, a variable “A” is observed. Thereafter, the researcher
tries to find a causal variable “B” which caused “A”. It is quite possible that “B” might not
have been caused “A”. In this type of analysis, there is no scope for the researcher to manipulate
the variable. The researcher can only report “what has happened” and “what is happening”.
Action Research
This type of research is undertaken by direct action. Action research is conducted to solve a
problem. Example: Test marketing a product is an example of action research. Initially, the
geographical location is identified. A target sample is selected from among the population.
Samples are distributed to selected samples and feedback is obtained from the respondent. This
method is most common for industrial products, where a trial is a must before regular usage of
the product.
Evaluation Research
Evaluation research is an example of applied research. This research is conducted to find out
how well a planned programme is implemented. Therefore, evaluation research deals with
evaluating the performance or assessment of a project. Example: “Rural Employment
Programme Evaluation” or “Success of Midday Meal Programme”.
Library Research
Library research is done to gather secondary data. This includes notes from the past data or
review of the reports already conducted. This is a convenient method whereby both manpower
and time are saved.

4) What are the criteria for good research? Explain.

Whatever may be the types of research works and studies, one thing that is important is that
they all meet on the common ground of scientific method employed by them. One expects
scientific research to satisfy the following criteria:
1. The purpose of the research should be clearly defined and common concepts be used.
2. The research procedure used should be described in sufficient detail to permit another
researcher to repeat the research for further advancement, keeping the continuity of what has
already been attained.
3. The procedural design of the research should be carefully planned to yield results that
are as objective as possible.
4. The researcher should report with complete frankness, flaws in procedural design and
estimate their effects upon the findings.
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5. The analysis of data should be sufficiently adequate to reveal its significance and the
methods of analysis used should be appropriate. The validity and reliability of the data should
be checked carefully.
6. Conclusions should be confined to those justified by the data of the research and
limited to those for which the data provide an adequate basis.
7. Greater confidence in research is warranted if the researcher is experienced, has a
good reputation in research and is a person of integrity.
In other words, we can state the qualities of a good research as under:
1. Good research is systematic: It means that research is structured with specified steps
to be taken in a specified sequence in accordance with the well-defined set of rules.
Systematic characteristic of the research does not rule out creative thinking but it certainly
does reject the use of guessing and intuition in arriving at conclusions.
2. Good research is logical: This implies that research is guided by the rules of logical
reasoning and the logical process of induction and deduction are of great value in carrying
out research. Induction is the process of reasoning from a part to the whole whereas
deduction is the process of reasoning from some premise to a conclusion which follows from
that very premise. In fact, logical reasoning makes research more meaningful in the context
of decision making.
3. Good research is empirical: It implies that research is related basically to one or more
aspects of a real situation and deals with concrete data that provide a basis for external
validity to research results.
4. Good research is replicable: This characteristic allows research results to be verified
by replicating the study and thereby building a sound basis for decisions.

5) What are the sources for identifying the research problem?

Personal experience - Day-to-day personal experience of a researcher may serve as good
source of ideas to formulate a research problem. For example, a researcher observed domestic
violence suffered by wives of alcoholic husbands. This experience may provide ideas to
identify several research problems related to domestic violence against women. There may be
so many such life experiences of a researcher which could be used to develop a research
problem.
Practical experience - Issues having practical difficulty can be acted as a source for identifying
research problem. For example, a nurse finds that unrestricted visiting hours in surgical wards
reduced the analgesic demand among postoperative patients. Such clinical experiences could
be rich sources of ideas to identify a significant research problem. Critical appraisal of
literature - When we critically study books and articles relating to the subject of our interest,
including research reports, opinion articles, and summaries of clinical issues, pertinent
questions may arise in our mind. These may strike reader's mind indirectly by stimulating
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imagination and directly by stating what additional research is needed. For example, a nurse
reads an article on the prevalence of the pin site infection among patients with external fixators
Previous research - A body of knowledge should be developed on a sound foundation of re-
search findings. Usually, at the end of a research, further research problems are suggested,
based on the shortcomings of previous research, which can be investigated. Example
refinements may be made in the experimental treatments, or more appropriate outcome
measures may be identified.
Existing theories - Research is a process of theory development and theory testing. Nurses use
many theories from other disciplines in their practices. If an existing theory is used in
developing a researchable problem, a specific statement from the theory must be isolated. The
testing of an existing theory is definitely served as good sources of research problems.
Social issues - Sometimes, topics are suggested by more global contemporary social or political
issues of relevance to the health care community. •For example, corona virus, female feticide,
sexual harassment, domestic violence, and gender equality in health care and in research are
some of the current social and political issues of concern for health care professionals. An idea
for a study may stem from a familiarity with social concerns or controversial social issues.
Brainstorming - Brainstorming sessions are good techniques to find new questions, where an
intensified discussion among interested people of the profession is conducted to find more ideas
to formulate a good research problem.
Intuition - Traditionally, intuitions are considered good sources of knowledge as well as
sources to find new research problems. It is believed that the reflective mind is a good source
of ideas, which may be used to formulate a good research problem
Exposure to field situations - During field exposure, researchers get variety of experiences,
which may provide plenty of ideas to formulate research problems. For example, while working
in field, a researcher observed a specific traditional practice for cure of a disease condition,
which can be used as research problem to investigate its efficacy
Consultations with experts - Experts are believed to have sound experience of their respective
field, which may suggest a significant problem to be studied. In addition, experts may help in
finding a current problem of discipline to be solved, which may serve as basis for formulation
of research problem.

6) What are the sources of problem identification? Illustrate how a research

question moves from a broad to a focused question.

Research students can adopt the following ways to identify the problems:
 Research reports already published may be referred to define a specific problem.
 Assistance of any research organisation, which handles a number of projects of the
companies, can be sought to identify the problem.
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 Professors working in reputed academic institution can act as guides in problem

identification.
 Company employees and competitors can assist in identifying the
problems.
 Cultural and technological changes can act as a source for research problem
identification.

 Seminars/symposiums/focus groups can act as a useful source

The example below illustrates how a research question develops from a broad topic to a
focused question.

BROAD TOPIC
Junk food

NARROWER/MORE SPECIFIC/USEFUL
TOPIC
Nutrition and Junk Food

Who? What? Where? When? Why?

College Nutrition Schools Watching Cost
students Junk food Home television Health
Teenagers Weight loss Restaurants School lunch Health
Overweight Advertisements States w/ period insurance
people Weight loss legislation While studying Policy and
Children programs legislation
Americans

POTENTIAL RESEARCH QUESTION –

answers who, what, where, when, why?
How does advertisement affect junk food
consumption of teenagers?
What are practical weight management activities
for college students?
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7) What is a hypothesis? Why should a hypothesis be stated?

A hypothesis is an assertion that variables (measured concepts) are related to a specific
way such that this relationship explains certain facts or phenomena. From a practical
standpoint, hypotheses may be developed to solve a problem, answer a question, or

imply a possible course of action. Outcomes are predicted if a specific course of action
is followed. Hypotheses must be empirically testable. A hypothesis is often stated as a
research question when reporting either the purpose of the investigation or the findings.
The hypothesis may be stated informally as a research question, or more formally as an
alternative hypothesis, or in a testable form known as a null hypothesis.
Hypothesis: A prediction of the outcome of a study. Hypotheses are drawn from
theories and research questions or from direct observations. In fact, a research problem
can be formulated as a hypothesis. To test the hypothesis we need to formulate it in
terms that can actually be analysed with statistical tools.
As an example, if we want to explore whether using a specific teaching method at
school will result in better school marks (research question), the hypothesis could be
that tthe mean school marks of students being taught with that specific teaching
method will be higher than of those being taught using other methods. In this
example, we stated a hypothesis about the expected differences between groups. Other
hypotheses may refer to correlations between variables.
Thus, to formulate a hypothesis, we need to refer to the descriptive statistics (such as
the mean final marks), and specify a set of conditions about these statistics (suchas
a difference between the means, or in a different example, a positive or negative
correlation). The hypothesis we formulate applies to the population of interest.

Why State Hypothesis?

The hypothesis guides us on the selection of a certain design, observations and methods
of researching over others.
Based on previous theory and research, research questions are formulated, which are
“translated” into hypothesis, which, by turn, are tested using a sample in order to make
inferences for the whole population.
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If we could test the whole population directly, we would not need to formulate
hypothesis, conduct inferential statistics and make inferences for the population based
on a sample. However, it is often impossible to test the whole population, and we need
to make our observations based on a sample.
If differences (or relationships) between variables are revealed, the null hypothesis is
tested for significance. This test may determine whether these differences (or
relationships) are “real”, in other words, if they are due to true differences between the
groups instead of due to, say, sampling error.
Sample results are often subject to sampling fluctuations. These fluctuations could
account for the differences between the mean exam scores the students had in our
example. Since we are researching a sample drawn from a population, we should
always expect some variation in the sample statistics, such as the mean exam scores,
in our example, between the groups of students being taught using different methods.

8) What is Hypothesis testing? What are the steps involved?

Once we have generated a hypothesis, the process of hypothesis testing becomes important.
More accurately, we should have two hypotheses, the alternative and the null. For testing, we
will be analyzing and comparing our results against the null hypothesis, so our research must
be designed with this in mind. It is vitally important that the research we design produces
results that will be analyzable using statistical tests.
Hypothesis Testing :

Hypotheses

Induction
Deduction

Test of Predictions Predictions

Observation
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A common statistical method is to compare a population to the mean.

For example, you might have come up with a measurable hypothesis that children have a
higher IQ if they eat oily fish for a period of time.
Your alternative hypothesis, H1 would be
“Children who eat oily fish for six months will show a higher IQ increase than children who
have not.”
Therefore, your null hypothesis, H0 would be
“Children who eat oily fish for six months do not show a higher IQ increase than children who
do not.”
In other words, with the experiment design, you will be measuring whether the IQ increase of
children fed oily fish will deviate from the mean, assumed to be the normal condition.
H0 = No increase. The children will show no increase in mean intelligence.
From IQ testing of the control group, you find that the control group has a mean IQ of 100
before the experiment and 100 afterwards, or no increase. This is the mean against which the
sample group will be tested.
The children fed fish show an increase from 100 to 106. This appears to be an increase, but
here is where the statistics enters the hypothesis testing process. We need to test whether the
increase is significant, or if experimental error and standard deviation could account for the
difference.
Using an appropriate test, the researcher compares the two means, taking into account the
increase, the number of data samples and the relative randomization of the groups. A result
showing that the researcher can have confidence in the results allows rejection of the null
hypothesis.
Remember, not rejecting the null is not the same as accepting it. It is only that this particular
experiment showed that oily fish had no affect upon IQ. This principle lies at the very heart of
hypothesis testing.

Steps of Hypothesis Testing

We have seen so far how to formulate hypothesis and what is the place of hypothesis testing
in research. Let us discuss the steps of hypothesis testing.
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The first step is to formulate the alternative and null hypotheses.

The second step is to test the null hypothesis (rather than seeking to support the
experimental hypothesis), by carrying out a statistical test of significance to determine whether
it can be rejected, and consequently, whether there is a difference between the groups under
investigation.
For our example research question (effect of teaching method on final exams marks), the
researcher would run statistical tests to test whether the difference between the means of the
two samples of students (those who used method A and those who used method B) is zero.
Remember that, while testing the hypothesis of a relationship between two variables we
calculate a probability: the probability of obtaining such a relationship as a result of sampling
error alone (conditional probability). It is the probability of obtaining a relationship in our
sample by sampling error alone, if there was no such relationship in the population. If this
probability is small enough, it makes more sense to conclude that the relationship observed in
our sample also exists in the population.
In the third step, the sample statistics appropriate for the sample, variables and
hypotheses are calculated (in our hypotheses, the mean exam score).
In the fourth step, a significance test is conducted, to see if the null hypothesis
can be rejected.
To do this, we first start with the assumption that the null hypothesis is true, and proceed to
determine the probability of obtaining the sample results. In order to understand hypothesis
testing, this is a quite important step to understand.

9) Explain the steps to be followed in designing a questionnaire.

Questionnaire designing is a skillful task. It requires a series of steps to be followed. Given

below are the main steps involved in the process of questionnaire designing.
The following are the steps:
Determine What Information is Required
The first question to be asked by the market researcher is “what type of information does he
need from the survey?” This is valid because if he omits some information on relevant and
vital aspects, his research is not likely to be successful. On the other hand, if he collects
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information which is not relevant, he is wasting his time and money.

At this stage, information required, and the scope of research should be clear. Therefore, the
steps to be followed at the planning stage are:
1. Decide on the topic for research.
2. Get additional information on the research issue, from secondary data and exploratory
research. The exploratory research will suggest “what are the relevant variables?”
3. Gather what has been the experience with similar study.
4. The type of information required. There are several types of information such as
(a) awareness, (b) facts, (c) opinions, (d) attitudes, (e) future plans, (f) reasons. Facts are
usually sought out in marketing research.
Example: Which television programme did you see last Saturday? This requires a reasonably
good memory and the respondent may not remember. This is known as recall loss. Therefore,
questioning the distant past should be avoided. Memory of events depends on (1) Importance
of the events and (2) Whether it is necessary for the respondent to remember. In the above
case, both the factors are not fulfilled. Therefore, the respondent does not remember. On the
other hand, a birthday or wedding anniversary of individuals is remembered without effort
since the event is important. Therefore, the researcher should be careful while asking questions
about the past.
First, he must make sure that the respondent has the answer.
Example: Do you go to the club? He may answer ‘yes’, though it is untrue. This may be
because the respondent wants to impress upon the interviewer that he belongs to a well-to-do
family and can afford to spend money on clubs. To obtain facts, the respondents must be
conditioned (by good support) to part with the correct facts.

Mode of Collecting the Data Primary Data

The questionnaire can be used to collect information either through personal interview, mail
or telephone. The method chosen depends on the information required and also the type of
respondent. If the information is to be collected from illiterate individuals, a questionnaire
would be the wrong choice.
Wordings of Questions
Wordings of particular questions could have a large impact on how the respondent interprets
them. Even a small shift in the wording could alter the respondent’s answer. Example 1: “Don’t
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you think that Brazil played poorly in the FIFA cup?” The
answer will be ‘yes’. Many of them, who do not have any idea about the game, will
also say ‘yes’. If the question is worded in a slightly different manner, the response will be
different.
Example 2: “Do you think that, Brazil played poorly in the FIFA cup?” This is a
straightforward question. The answer could be ‘yes’, ‘no’ or ‘don’t know’ depending on the
knowledge the respondents have about the game.

Clarity of Questions:
If there is a question unclear or is confusing, the respondent becomes more biased rather than
getting enlightened. Example: “Do you think that the government publications are distributed
effectively”? This is not the correct way, since respondent does not know the meaning of the
word effective distribution. This is confusing. The correct way of asking questions is “Do you
think that the government publications are readily available when you want to buy?” Example:
“Do you think whether value price equation is attractive”? Here, respondents may not know
the meaning of value price equation.
Applicability
“Is the question applicable to all respondents?” Respondents may try to answer a question even
though they don’t qualify to do so or may lack from any meaningful opinion. Examples: (1)
“What is your present education level” (2) “Where are you working” (assuming he is
employed)? (3) “From which bank have you taken a housing loan” (assuming he has taken a
loan).
Avoid Implicit Assumptions
An implicit alternative is one that is not expressed in the options. Consider following two
questions:
Would you like to have a job, if available?
Would you prefer to have a job, or do you prefer to do just domestic work? Even
though, we may say that these two questions look similar, they vary widely.
The difference is that Q-2 makes explicit the alternative implied in Q-1.
Pre-testing of Questionnaire
Pre-testing of a questionnaire is done to detect any flaws that might be present. For example,
the word used by researcher must convey the same meaning to the respondents. Are
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instructions clear and skip questions clear? One of the prime conditions for pre- testing is that
the sample chosen for pre-testing should be similar to the respondents who are ultimately going
to participate. Just because a few chosen respondents fill in all the questions going does not
mean that the questionnaire is sound.

10) What are the steps involved in developing a research proposal?

Research Proposal Steps:
Step 1: The Title
Naming our research is an important part of the research proposal. It should tell the user (In
25 words or less) what we intend to research and how we intend to do it.
Step 2: The Abstract
Our research proposal in its entirety may be anywhere between 5,000 to 25,000 words in
length. So it is important that we give a summary of the entire document. This summary is
known as the abstract, and should demonstrate to the reader the most important parts of each
of the sections of the research proposal in around 200 words. It is often useful to write the
abstract last, after the rest of the research proposal has been written and fully thought out.

Step 3: Aims and Objectives

In this section you should expand on the title of our research project to articulate in full detail
the aims and objectives of our research. We should be able to provide a detailed description of
the research question, the purpose of the research, and a description of our approach
(methodology and method) to the research.

Included in this section should be discussion around the research problem that we intend to
answer or investigate, our hypothesis, the parameters of the research i.e. what we intend to
include within the research, and what we intend to leave out.

Step 4: Background
This section should provide detail about the background to the research question. In this section
we will need to demonstrate an understanding of the existing literature and research studies
within the area of our proposed research topic. This is to assist the reader to understand the
significance of our research, and where it fits within the existing body of knowledge.
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The background section is a significant portion of our proposal and therefore should be an
extensive review of the literature related to your topic. We should be able to discuss what the
existing literature is about and highlight any gaps, issues or contentions that arise. We also
need to be able to show where our research fits within this literature and enter into discussions
on issues that relate to our research question. The point of this background section is to
demonstrate to the reader our understanding and knowledge of the research area, as well as the
contribution that our research project will make to the existing research and knowledge.
Step 5: Methodology and Method
In this section of the proposal we will need to demonstrate how we intend to go about
investigating the research question. The methodology generally refers to the theory to be used
to justify the use of the particular research methods that we are choosing to use. We may use
more than one methodology to inform our method of research. The method describes the way
we intend to investigate the question, such as a questionnaire, or in-depth individual
interviews, focus group interviews, a survey and so forth.
If we are using more than one methodology then we will need to demonstrate why we have
chosen to use another methodology and how it is relevant to the aims and objectives of our
research.
We should also discuss the different methods we intend to use in full detail, and provide
justification as to why we have chosen to use these methods. It is also helpful to discuss how
many participants we intend to involve in our research, how we intend to find or approach
participants, and how they will be used in our study.

Step 6: Schedule and Timeline

We need to be able to demonstrate that our research is possible within a given timeframe. We
may be able to define our own timeframe, or the institution for which we are writing a proposal
may have a set timeframe that we will need to work within. Either way, it is important that we
are able to plot the intended progress of the project from start to finish. If we intend to produce
any outputs, reports, findings then they should be inserted into this schedule.

Step 7: Ethical Approval

Some institutions require that any research involving interaction with human participants get
approval from ethical advisory committees or boards. This ethical approval is sought to ensure
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that the researcher conducts research in a manner that is respectful to the participants and other
human beings that may be influenced by the research process. It is important that we seek out
what ethical approval is required within our area of research. We may need to seek approval
from more than one advisory committee depending on the institutional, financial and
disciplinary context. Applications for ethical approval are obtained directly from the ethical
committees themselves.
Step 8: Resources
This section demonstrates to the reader that we are both suitable and capable of carrying out
the proposed research. We will need to discuss what resources we have at your disposal that
makes it possible for us to carry out this research. For example, physical resources (such as
research instruments), personal resources (such as knowledge of the discipline, area or
community under study), as well as any other resources that we have as a researcher (or
research team) that will enable us to carry out the research from beginning through to
completion.
We may also need to highlight what resources we still require in order to complete the research,
and also discuss how we intend to go about acquiring these resources (i.e. through funding,
through research collaborations etc.)
Step 9: Budget
Not all research proposal require a budget (such as thesis proposals for academic institutions),
however if we intend to apply for funding for research it is important that we are able to show
how much money we require, and justify the amount asked for. The way to justify the amount
we are asking for is to provide a detailed budget outlining what expenses we predict we will
incur in conducting the research. Exactly where and how money will be spent will differ from
project to project, and the size of the budget should reflect the size of the research project.
Some of the main expenses that may be included in any budget could be researchers time,
human resources (such as other research assistants, transcribers, advisory board members),
technical equipment (Dictaphones, transcribers, computer hardware and software etc),
stationery and others.

11) What is experimental research? When will we use this?

Experimental research, often considered to be the “gold standard” in research designs, is one
of the most rigorous of all research designs. In this design, one or more independent variables
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are manipulated by the researcher (as treatments), subjects are randomly assigned to different
treatment levels (random assignment), and the results of the treatments on outcomes
(dependent variables) are observed. The unique strength of experimental research is its internal
validity (causality) due to its ability to link cause and effect through treatment manipulation,
while controlling for the spurious effect of extraneous variable.

Experimental research is best suited for explanatory research (rather than for descriptive or
exploratory research), where the goal of the study is to examine cause-effect relationships. It
also works well for research that involves a relatively limited and well-defined set of
independent variables that can either be manipulated or controlled. Experimental research can
be conducted in laboratory or field settings. Laboratory experiments , conducted in laboratory
(artificial) settings, tend to be high in internal validity, but this comes at the cost of low external
validity (generalizability), because the artificial (laboratory) setting in which the study is
conducted may not reflect the real world. Field experiments , conducted in field settings such
as in a real organization, and high in both internal and external validity. But such experiments
are relatively rare, because of the difficulties associated with manipulating treatments and
controlling for extraneous effects in a field setting.

Experimental research can be grouped into two broad categories: true experimental designs
and quasi-experimental designs. Both designs require treatment manipulation, but while true
experiments also require random assignment, quasi-experiments do not. Sometimes, we also
refer to non-experimental research, which is not really a research design, but an all-inclusive
term that includes all types of research that do not employ treatment manipulation or random
assignment, such as survey research, observational research, and correlational studies.

12) What is a conceptual framework and theoretical framework? How do they differ?

The terms ‘conceptual framework’ and ‘theoretical framework’ are commonly used in referring
to the overall structure that shapes a research project. However, there are subtle differences
between the two. Let’s begin by seeing the difference between a concept and a theory.
Concept vs. theory

 A concept is an idea that has been formally developed and organised.

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 A theory is a set of concepts, models, principles, definitions etc. that make sense of a
phenomenon by determining relationships among variables. Theories are established and
validated by experiments and evidence.

Purpose of conceptual framework

A conceptual framework is like a roadmap for your study, helping you visualise your research
project and put it into action. It defines the relevant variables for your study and maps out how
they might relate to each other.
Conceptual frameworks have different uses in different types of studies.

 In quantitative studies, a conceptual framework might be used to determine survey questions

or data points, or to generate a hypothesis for explanations and predictions.
 In qualitative studies, a conceptual framework might be used to provide a working hypothesis
or a set of research questions, or to identify or explore categories in descriptive research.

Purpose of theoretical framework

A theoretical framework introduces and describes the theory/theories underpinning
the research problem. Thus, theoretical frameworks support research by describing and/or
drawing from relevant theoretical aspects obtained in previous work.
Conceptual vs. theoretical framework
Here’s a summary of the key differences between the two frameworks.
Conceptual Framework Theoretical Framework
It is more about the approach that a researcher
It is developed from existing theory/theories.
takes in answering a research question.
It is derived from concepts. It is derived from theory.
A conceptual framework is composed of
several concepts. Further, a conceptual By itself, one theory alone can serve as a
framework may include a theoretical theoretical framework.
framework.
Conceptual frameworks identify factors
A theoretical framework arises from outcomes
influencing a particular field, e.g., exploration
beyond a single study, based on one or more
of ‘masquerade’ mimicry in animals based on
theories, e.g. Darwin’s theory of evolution by
phenomena such as protective mimicry, crypsis
natural selection.
and aposematism.
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13) When is it ideal for a researcher to use exploratory research?

The major emphasis in exploratory research is on converting broad, vague problem statements
into small, precise sub-problem statements, which is done in order to formulate specific
hypothesis. The hypothesis is a statement that specifies, “how two or more variables are
related?”
In the early stages of research, we usually lack sufficient understanding of the problem to
formulate a specific hypothesis. Further, there are often several tentative explanations. For
Example, “Sales are down because our prices are too high”, “our dealers or sales
representatives are not doing a good job”, “our advertisement is weak” and so on. In this
scenario, very little information is available to point out, what is the actual cause of the
problem. We can say that the major purpose of exploratory research is to identify the problem
more specifically. Therefore, exploratory study is used in the initial stages of research.
Under What Circumstances is Exploratory Study Ideal?
The following are the circumstances in which exploratory study would be ideally suited:
To gain an insight into the problem
To generate new product ideas
To list all possibilities. Among the several possibilities, we need to prioritize
the possibilities which seem likely to occur
To develop hypothesis occasionally
Exploratory study is also used to increase the analyst’s familiarity with the problem.
This is particularly true, when the analyst is new to the problem area. For example, a market
researcher working for (new entrant) a company for the first time.
To establish priorities so that further research can be conducted.
Exploratory studies may be used to clarify concepts and help in formulating precise
problems. For example, the management is considering a change in the contract policy, which
it hopes, will result in improved satisfaction for channel members. An exploratory study can
be used to clarify the present state of channel members’ satisfaction and to develop a method
by which satisfaction level of channel members is measured.
To pre-test a draft questionnaire.
In general, exploratory research is appropriate to any problem about which very little
is known. This research is the foundation for any future study.
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14) When is it ideal for a researcher to use descriptive research?

Meaning of Descriptive Research:
The name itself reveals that, it is essentially a research to describe something. For
example, it can describe the characteristics of a group such as—customers, organizations,
markets, etc. Descriptive research provides “association between two variables” like income
and place of shopping, age and preferences.
Descriptive study informs us about the proportions of high- and low-income customers
in a particular territory. What descriptive research cannot indicate is that it cannot establish a
cause and effect relationship between the characteristics of interest. This is the distinct
disadvantage of descriptive research.
Descriptive study requires a clear specification of “Who, what, when, where, why and
how” of the research, for example, consider a situation of convenience stores (food world)
planning to open a new outlet. The company wants to determine, “How people come to
patronize a new outlet?” Some of the questions that need to be answered before data collection
for this descriptive study are as follows:
Who?—Who is regarded as a shopper responsible for the success of the
shop, whose demographic profile is required by the retailer?
What?—What characteristics of the shopper should be measured? Is it the age of the
shopper, sex, income or residential address?
When?—When shall we measure?
Should the measurement be made while the shopper is shopping or at a later time?
Where?—Where shall we measure the shoppers? Should it be outside the stores, soon
after they visit or should we contact them at their residence?
Why?—Why do you want to measure them?
What is the purpose of measurement?—Based on the information, are there many
strategies which will help the retailer to boost the sales? Does the retailer want to predict future
sales based on the data obtained?
Answer to some of the above questions will help us in formulating the hypothesis.
How to measure? Is it a ‘structured’ questionnaire, ‘disguised’ or ‘undisguised’
questionnaire?
When to use Descriptive Study.
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1. To determine the characteristics of market such as:

(i) Size of the market
(ii) Buying power of the consumer
(iii) Product usage pattern
(iv) To find out the market share for the product
(v) To track the performance of a brand.
2. To determine the association of the two variables such as Ad and sales.
3. To make a prediction. We might be interested in sales forecasting for the next three
years, so that we can plan for training of new sales representatives.
4. To estimate the proportion of people in a specific population, who behave in a
particular way? Example: What percentage of population in a particular geographical location
would be shopping in a particular shop?
UNIT II: RESEARCH RESOURCES
1)Discuss the sources of information available to a researcher.
A researcher can access a wide variety of sources for his/her research work a few of which are
as discussed below:
Scholarly publications (Journals)
A scholarly publication contains articles written by experts in a particular field. The primary
audience of these articles is other experts. These articles generally report on original research
or case studies. Many of these publications are "peer reviewed" or "refereed". This means
that scholars in the same field review the research and findings before the article is published.
Articles in scholarly publications, in most cases: are written by and for faculty, researchers, or
other experts in a field, use scholarly or technical language, include a full bibliography of
sources cited in the article, are often peer reviewed (refereed)
Popular sources (News and Magazines)
There are many occasions on which reading articles from popular sources can help to introduce
us to a topic and how that topic is being discussed in society. Articles in popular sources, in
most cases: are written by journalists or professional writers for a general audience written in
a language that is easy to understand by the general public rarely have a bibliography - rather,
they are fact-checked through the editorial process of the publication they appear in and do not
assume prior knowledge of a subject area - for this reason, they are often very helpful to read
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if we don't know a lot about our subject area yet, may contain an argument, opinion, or analysis
of an issue
Professional/Trade sources
Trade publications are generally for practitioners. They are focused on a specific field but are
not intended to be "scholarly". Rather, they communicate the news and trends in that field.
Articles in trade publications, in most cases: are written by practitioners in a field (nurses,
teachers, social workers, etc), use the language (and jargon) of the field.
Books / Book Chapters
Many academic books will be edited by an expert or group of experts. Often, books are a good
source for a thorough investigation of a topic. Unlike a scholarly article, which will usually
focus on the results of one research project, a book is likely to include an overview of research
or issues related to its topic.
Conference proceedings
Conference proceedings are compilations of papers, research, and information presented at
conferences. Proceedings are sometimes peer-reviewed and are often the first publication of
research that later appears in a scholarly publication . Proceedings are more commonly
encountered (via databases and other searching) in science and engineering fields than in the
arts and humanities.

Government Documents
The Government Printing Office disseminates information issued by all three branches of the
government to depository libraries. Additionally, the many departments of the government
publish reports, data, statistics, white papers, consumer information, transcripts of hearings,
and more. Some of the information published by government offices is technical and
scientific. Other information is meant for the general public.

Theses & Dissertations

Theses and dissertations are the result of an individual student's research while in a doctoral
program. They are written under the guidance and review of an academic committee but are
not considered "peer-reviewed" or "refereed" publications.

2)Discuss the importance of literature review in research.

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The importance of literature review in scientific work can be condensed into an analytical
feature to enable the multi-fold reach of its significance. It adds value to the legitimacy of the
research in many ways:

1. Provides the interpretation of existing literature in light of updated developments in the

field to help in establishing the consistency in knowledge and relevancy of existing

materials

2. It helps in calculating the impact of the latest information in the field by mapping their

progress of knowledge.

3. It brings out the dialects of contradictions between various thoughts within the field to
establish facts

4. The research gaps scrutinized initially are further explored to establish the latest facts of

theories to add value to the field

5. Indicates the current research place in the schema of a particular field

6. Provides information for relevancy and coherency to check the research

7. Apart from elucidating the continuance of knowledge, it also points out areas that require

further investigation and thus aid as a starting point of any future research

8. Justifies the research and sets up the research question

9. Sets up a theoretical framework comprising the concepts and theories of the research upon

which its success can be judged

10. Helps to adopt a more appropriate methodology for the research by examining the

strengths and weaknesses of existing research in the same field

11. Increases the significance of the results by comparing it with the existing literature

12. Provides a point of reference by writing the findings in the scientific manuscript

13. Helps to get the due credit from the audience for having done the fact-finding and fact-
checking mission in the scientific manuscripts
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14. The more the reference of relevant sources of it could increase more of its trustworthiness

with the readers

15. Helps to prevent plagiarism by tailoring and uniquely tweaking the scientific

manuscript not to repeat other’s original idea

16. By preventing plagiarism, it saves the scientific manuscript from rejection and thus also

saves a lot of time and money

17. Helps to evaluate, condense and synthesize gist in the author’s own words to sharpen the

research focus

18. Helps to compare and contrast to show the originality and uniqueness of the research than

that of the existing other researches

19. Rationalizes the need for conducting the particular research in a specified field

20. Helps to collect data accurately for allowing any new methodology of research than the

existing ones

21. Enables the readers of the manuscript to answer the following questions of its readers for

its better chances for publication

 What do the researchers know?

 What do they not know?

 Is the scientific manuscript reliable and trustworthy?

It helps the readers to identify the following for further reading of the scientific manuscript:

 What has been already established, discredited and accepted in the particular field of

research

 Areas of controversy and conflicts among different schools of thought

 Unsolved problems and issues in the connected field of research

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 The emerging trends and approaches

 How the research extends, builds upon and leaves behind from the previous research.
3)What are the ethical principles to be adhered to in research?
Research ethics provides guidelines for the responsible conduct of research. In addition, it
educates and monitors scientists conducting research to ensure a high ethical standard. The
following is a general summary of some ethical principles:

Honesty: Honestly report data, results, methods and procedures, and publication status. Do
not fabricate, falsify, or misrepresent data.

Objectivity: Strive to avoid bias in experimental design, data analysis, data interpretation,
peer review, personnel decisions, grant writing, expert testimony, and other aspects of
research.

Integrity: Keep our promises and agreements; act with sincerity; strive for consistency of
thought and action.

Carefulness: Avoid careless errors and negligence; carefully and critically examine your
own work and the work of your peers. Keep good records of research activities.

Openness: Share data, results, ideas, tools, resources. Be open to criticism and new ideas.

Respect for Intellectual Property: Honor patents, copyrights, and other forms of
intellectual property. Do not use unpublished data, methods, or results without permission.
Give credit where credit is due. Never plagiarize.

Confidentiality: Protect confidential communications, such as papers or grants submitted for

publication, personnel records, trade or military secrets, and patient records.
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Responsible Publication: Publish in order to advance research and scholarship, not to

advance just our own career. Avoid wasteful and duplicative publication.

Social Responsibility: Strive to promote social good and prevent or mitigate social harms
through research, public education, and advocacy.

Non-Discrimination: Avoid discrimination against colleagues or students on the basis of sex,

race, ethnicity, or other factors that are not related to their scientific competence and integrity.

Competence: Maintain and improve our own professional competence and expertise through
lifelong education and learning; take steps to promote competence in science as a whole.

Legality: Know and obey relevant laws and institutional and governmental policies.

Animal Care: Show proper respect and care for animals when using them in research. Do not
conduct unnecessary or poorly designed animal experiments.

Human Subjects Protection: When conducting research on human subjects, minimize harms
and risks and maximize benefits; respect human dignity, privacy, and autonomy.

4)What is plagiarism in research?

Plagiarism is when an author uses another person’s idea and disseminates it as if it’s his or her
own idea. It is a form of academic dishonesty and a grave intellectual offense. Plagiarism in
research can be intentional or unintentional, but either way, it is still unacceptable.

In research writing, avoiding plagiarism is important because once we submit a paper that is
detected as plagiarized, it will cost us significantly. For students, this could mean a failing
grade, and for professional researchers, this could adversely affect their reputation and
credibility.
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5) Why is it important to avoid plagiarism in research and discuss ways to do it.

Avoiding plagiarism can benefit both students and professional researchers. Here are some of
the reasons why it is best to avoid plagiarism in research, no matter what level of academia we
belong to:

i. It helps us improve the quality of our work by not solely relying on and copying the
ideas of others.
ii. It saves us from the embarrassment and shame if (or when) we get caught plagiarizing.
iii. It enhances our capability to paraphrase meaning of established ideas and values in the
proper way.
iv. It can prevent grave and negative consequences in our career.
v. We can master conveying our ideas without having to worry about unintentionally
copying someone else’s work .

Ways to avoid plagiarism

Here are three ways to cite your sources correctly and avoiding plagiarism in professional or
academic research:

Direct Quotation
If we want to avoid plagiarism, we can use direct quotations when we use the words of the
author verbatim. When doing this, we should also put indicators, such as “according to” or “in
(Author)’s view” to inform our readers that we are integrating the ideas of others in our paper.

However, it’s best to limit the number of times we use a direct quote and only use them when
necessary. Otherwise, we run the risk of sounding like an encyclopedia of existing knowledge,
not an academic with our own insights.
Here are some of the times when it is best to use a direct quote:
(a) When the thought and meaning of the source will be different when we reword it.

(b) When the original statement uses powerful language.

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(c) When we are quoting a coined term or phrase that originated from the author.

Here’s an example:

Original: From 1984, by George Orwell: “Power is in tearing human minds to pieces and
putting them together again in new shapes of your own choosing.”
Direct quote: As George Orwell said, “Power is in tearing human minds to pieces and putting
them together again in new shapes of your own choosing.”
To properly cite and quote authors, it is also important to note that distinct citation styles
require different formatting.
For example, in APA style, when you direct a quote, you must include the author’s last name,
the year, and the page number (Orwell, 1949, p. 266). But, in MLA, you only need to write the
author’s last name and the page number (Orwell 266).

Paraphrasing
Paraphrasing is when we keep the original meaning of the source, but write it in our own words.
We will avoid plagiarism when we only get inspiration from the ideas of others and cite them
in our reference, rather than copying their words to the letter.

However, we can cite an author and paraphrase the original statement, but still be plagiarizing.
Therefore, in avoiding plagiarism, we should refrain from rewriting the original text. Instead,
use our own words, and retain just the most significant phrases or terms.

Example:
Original: “There is no doubt that China today is a superpower in every respect. According to
several scholars, China has already become a global hegemon in recent years, threatening the
position of the United States and the entire Western world.” (Source: Tonon, A. (2021) Is
China the world’s next global hegemon? Roar News)

Plagiarism: According to Tonon (2021), China today is a superpower in every sense of the
word. Their power and influence as a country are threatening the position of the entire Western
world.
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Paraphrasing: Andrea Tonon (2021) argues that with the influence and power that China holds
today, they are destabilising the authority and control that the United States and the West hold
over the global economy.

Use Plagiarism Checkers

Another way to ensure that your research is plagiarism-free is by using plagiarism checkers.
These applications or websites help us weed out any instances of unintentional citing with
plagiarism fixer tools that identify parts in our paper that need a quotation, citation, or
paraphrased statements almost similar to the original text.

6)Why is knowledge of Intellectual Property rights, Copyrights and Patents important

for a researcher?

Intellectual property rights help protect creations of the mind that include inventions, literary
or artistic work, images, symbols, etc. If you create a product, publish a book, or find a new
drug, intellectual property rights ensure that you benefit from your work. These rights protect
your creation or work from unfair use by others. In this article, we will discuss different types
of intellectual property rights and learn how they can help researchers.

There are two main types of intellectual property rights (IPR).

a) Copyrights and related rights (give authors the right to protect their work. It covers
databases, reference works, computer programs, architecture, books, technical
drawings, and others).
b) Industrial property: (include trademarks, patents, geographical indications, and
industrial designs).

 A trademark is a unique sign used to identify a product or a service. It can be a single

word or a combination of words and numbers. Drawings, 3-D signs, or even symbols
can constitute a trademark. For instance, Google is a famous trademark. The trademark
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application can be filed at national or regional levels depending on the extent of

protection required.
 A patent is an exclusive right to an invention that introduces a new solution or a
technique. If you own a patent, you are the only person who can manufacture, distribute,
sell, or commercially use that product. Patents are usually granted for a period of 20
years. The technology that powers self-driving cars is an example of a patented
invention.
 A geographical indication states that a product belongs to a specific region and has
quality or reputation owing to that region. Olive oil from Tuscany is a product protected
by geographical indication.
 An industrial design is what makes a product unique and attractive. These may include
3-D (shape or surface of an object) or 2-D (lines or patterns) features. The shape of a
glass Coca-Cola bottle is an example of the industrial design

Intellectual property rights are governed by WIPO, the World Intellectual Property
Organization. WIPO harmonizes global policy and protects IPR across borders. As a
researcher, we rely on the published work to create a new hypothesis or to support our findings.
We should, therefore, ensure that we do not infringe the copyright of the owner or author of
the published work (images, extracts, figures, data, etc.)

When we refer to a book chapter or a research paper, we should make sure to provide
appropriate credit and avoid plagiarism by using effective paraphrasing, summarizing, or
quoting the required content. It is important to cite the original work in our manuscript.
Copyright also covers images, figures, data, etc. Authors must get appropriate written
permission to use copyrighted images before using them in the manuscripts or thesis.
IPR laws vary between countries and regions. In the US, a patent will not be granted for an
idea that has already been published. Researchers, therefore, are advised to file a patent
application before publishing a paper on their invention. Discussing an invention in public is
what is known as public disclosure. In the US, for instance, a researcher has one year from the
time of public disclosure to file a patent. However, in Europe, a researcher who has already
disclosed his or her invention publicly loses the right to file a patent immediately.

7. Discuss the issues/problems faced by researchers in India.

Researchers in India, particularly those engaged in empirical research, are facing several
problems. Some of the important problems are as follows:
1.The lack of scientific training in the methodology of research is a great impediment for
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researchers in our country. There is paucity of competent researchers. Many researchers take
a leap in the dark without knowing research methods. Most of the work, which goes in the
name of research is not methodologically sound. Research to many researchers and even to
their guides, is mostly a scissor and paste job without any insight shed on the collated materials.
The consequence is obvious, viz., the research results, quite often, do not reflect the reality or
realities. Thus, a systematic study of research methodology is an urgent necessity. Before
undertaking research projects, researchers should be well equipped with all the methodological
aspects. As such, efforts should be made to provide short duration intensive courses for
meeting this requirement.
2.There is insufficient interaction between the university research departments on one side
and business establishments, government departments and research institutions on the other
side. A great deal of primary data of non-confidential nature remain untouched/untreated by
the researchers for want of proper contacts. Efforts should be made to develop satisfactory
liaison among all concerned for better and realistic researches. There is need for developing
some mechanisms of a university—industry interaction programme so that academics can get
ideas from practitioners on what needs to be researched and practitioners can apply the
research done by the academics.
3. Most of the business units in our country do not have the confidence that the material
supplied by them to researchers will not be misused and as such they are often reluctant in
supplying the needed information to researchers. The concept of secrecy seems to be
sacrosanct to business organizations in the country so much so that it proves an impermeable
barrier to researchers. Thus, there is the need for generating the confidence that the
information/data obtained from a business unit will not be misused.
4. Research studies overlapping one another are undertaken quite often for want of
adequate information. This results in duplication and fritters away resources. This problem
can be solved by proper compilation and revision, at regular intervals, of a list of subjects on
which and the places where the research is going on. Due attention should be given toward
identification of research problems in various disciplines of applied science which are of
immediate concern to the industries.
5. There does not exist a code of conduct for researchers and inter-university and
interdepartmental rivalries are also quite common. Hence, there is need for developing a code
of conduct for researchers which, if adhered sincerely, can win over this problem.
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6. Many researchers in our country also face the difficulty of adequate and timely
secretarial assistance, including computer assistance. This causes unnecessary delays in the
completion of research studies. All possible efforts be made in this direction so that efficient
secretarial assistance is made available to researchers and that too well in time. University
Grants Commission must play a dynamic role in solving this difficulty.
7. Library management and functioning is not satisfactory at many places and much
of the time energy of researchers is spent in tracing out the books, journals, reports, etc., rather
than in tracing out relevant material from them.
8. There is also the problem that many of our libraries are not able to get copies of old
and new Acts/Rules, reports and other government publications in time. This problem is felt
more in libraries which are away in places from Delhi and/or the state capitals. Thus, efforts
should be made for the regular and speedy supply of all governmental publications to reach
our libraries.
9. There is also the difficulty of timely availability of published data from various
government and other agencies doing this job in our country. Researcher also faces the problem
on account of the fact that the published data vary quite significantly because of differences in
coverage by the concerning agencies.
10. There may, at times, take place the problem of conceptualization and also problems
relating to the process of data collection and related things.