Lecture 2

Research Methodology

Muhammad Bux Alvi

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 Research Definition Revised
“Research is the systematic approach to
obtain and/or confirm new and reliable
knowledge”
– Systematic and orderly (following a
series of steps)
– Purpose is new knowledge, which
must be reliable

 This is a general definition which applies

to all disciplines
 Research is an academic activity and
should be used in a technical sense.
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 Research is not (1)
Accidental discovery:
1. Accidental discovery may occur during structured research
process
2. Usually takes the form of a phenomenon not previously
noticed
3. May lead to a structured research process to verify or
understand the observation
Data Collection
1. an intermediate step to gain reliable knowledge
2. collecting reliable data is part of the research process

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 Research is not (2)
Searching out published research results in libraries, and
on internet)
• This is an important early step of research
• The research process always includes synthesis
and analysis
• But, just reviewing of literature is not research

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1.
Research is
Searching for explanation of events, phenomena,
relationships and causes
– What, how and why things occur
– Are there interactions?
2. A process
– Planned and managed – to make the generated information
credible
– The process is creative
– It is circular – always leads to more questions

Your new finding / innovation can:

• add to the basic knowledge
• can help the society / common men.
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 Objectives of Research
• Research objectives fall into four
components:
1. To gain familiarity with a phenomenon or to
achieve new insights into it.
2. To portray accurately the characteristics of
a particular individual, situation or a group.
3. To determine the frequency with which
something occurs or it is associated with
something else.
4. To test a hypothesis of a relationship
between variables.
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 Motivation in Research (1)
 A desire to face the challenges in solving the
unsolved problems
 Self satisfaction
 A desire to get intellectual joy by doing some
intellectual work
 A desire to update knowledge in specific field.
 A desire to serve the society
 A desire to get a research degree along with its
consequential benefits

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 Motivation in Research (2)
 A desire to get respectability (name and fame in
terms of awards/recognition),
 A desire to have national and international
visits funded by others
 A desire to get a good/respectable job.
 Also you can improve your behavior in terms of
development of patience,& dealing/adjusting with
others nicely.
 Other factors also include:
 directives of government,
 employment conditions.
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 Significance of Research (1)
• All progress is born of inquiry. Doubt is often better than
over confidence, for it leads to inquiry, and inquiry leads to
invention” (Hudson Maxim)
• Research provides the basis for nearly all government policies
in World economic system
• Research has its special significance in solving various
operational and planning problems of business and industry.
• Research is equally important for social scientists in
studying social relationships, and in seeking answers to
various social problems
• Decision-making may not be a part of research, but
research certainly facilitates the decisions of the policy
maker.

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 Significance of Research (2)
Significance of research can be understood by following points:
• Academic Scholars: a way to attain a high position in the social
structure
• Professionals: it may be a source of livelihood
• philosophers/thinkers: a source for new ideas and insights;
• literary person: it may be development of new styles & creative
work
• analysts and intellectuals: it may be the generalizations of
new theories. Thus
 Research is an important source of providing guidelines for
solving different business, governmental and social problems.
 Research is a sort of formal training which enables one to
understand the new developments in one’s field in a better way.
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Types of Research

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 Classification of Research
 Applied versus Fundamental Research
 Descriptive versus Analytical Research
 Qualitative versus Quantitative Research
 Conceptual versus Empirical Research

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 Basic vs Applied Research
• Basic – to determine or establish fundamental
facts and relationships within a discipline or
field of study. Develop theories …

• Applied – undertaken specifically for the

purpose of obtaining information to help
resolve a particular problem
• Aim to find a solution for an immediate problem
facing a society or industry.

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 Analytic vs Descriptive Research
• Descriptive Research – the attempt to
determine, describe, or identify something
– Main purpose is description of state of affairs as it
exists at present.
– Researcher has no control over the variables, he
can only report what has happened or what is
happening (e.g. frequency of shopping, preference
of people, etc.).
– includes survey methods of all kind and fact
finding inquiries

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 Analytic vs Descriptive Research
• Analytic – the attempt to establish why
something occurs or how it came to be
– The researcher has to use the facts or information
already available and analyze these to make a
critical decision.

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 Quantitative vs Qualitative Research
• Quantitative – based on measurement of
quantity or amount (real value)
• Qualitative – It is related to quality or kind.
Qualitative research is important in behavioral
science where aim is to discover human
behavior (like or dislike particular thing),
undertaken specifically for the purpose of
obtaining information to help resolve a
particular problem
• Aim to find a solution for an immediate problem
facing a society or industry.
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 Conceptual vs Empirical Research

• Conceptual
– related to abstract ideas or theory.
– Generally used by philosophers or thinkers to
develop new concepts or to interpret existing ones.
• Empirical
– relies on observation or data.

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More on it
 One-time research vs longitudinal
research
 Field-setting research, laboratory
research and simulation research

Assignment 01: Compare above

methods
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Research Methods versus Methodology
Methodology and Method are often (incorrectly) used
interchangeable
• Research Methods: the specific techniques, tools or
procedures that are used for conduction of research. In
applied research, research methods can be put into three
groups

1. First group include those methods that are concerned with

collection of data. (some times data available but insufficient to
arrive to a required solution).

2. Second group consists of statistical techniques used for

establishing relationships between data and unknown variables.

3. Third group consists of methods used to evaluate the accuracy

of results.
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Research Methods versus Methodology

Methodology and Method are often (incorrectly)

used interchangeable
• Research Methodology
– It is a way to systematically solve the research
problem.
– It involves study of various steps generally adopted
by a researcher in studying his research problem
along with behind logic.

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 The Process of Research
• The process is initiated with a question or
problem (step 1)
• Next, goals and objectives are formulated to
deal with the question or problem (step 2)
• Then the research design is developed to
achieve the objectives (step 3)
• Results are generated by conducting the
research (step 4)
• Interpretation and analysis of results follow
(step 5)
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 Creativity in the Research Process

• Research is a creative process

• “…research includes far more than mere logic
… It includes insight, genius, pondering –
‘sense’ … The logic we can teach; the art we
cannot”
• Research requires (or at least works best) with
imagination, initiative, intuition, and curiosity.

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 Fostering (Developing) Creativity
(Ladd 1987)

 Gather and use previously developed

knowledge
 Exchange ideas
 Look at things alternate ways
 Question or challenge assumptions
 Search for patterns or relationships
 Take risks
 Cultivate tolerance for uncertainty
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 Fostering Creativity (Ladd 1987)

 Allow curiosity to grow

 Set problems aside … and come back to them
 Write down your thoughts
 “… frequently I don’t know what I think until I write
it”
 Freedom from distraction … some time to
think.

“Creativity may provide the difference

between satisfactory and outstanding
research.” 24
Criteria of Good Research
• The goal should be clearly defined (systematic)
• The research should be repeatable (replicable)
• The procedural design should be carefully planned
• The researcher should report any flaws in design
and estimate their effects upon the findings
(empirical)
• Data analysis should be sufficiently adequate to
reveal its significance. Validity and reliability of the
data should be carefully checked.
• Conclusions should be confined to those justified
by the research data
• Greater confidence is warranted if the researcher is
experienced and good reputation in research and is
person of integrity.

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Qualities of Good Research
• Good research is
– systematic
– Logical
– Empirical
– Replicable

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Qualities of Good Research
• Good research is Systematic
– Research is structured with specified steps
to be taken in a specified sequence in
accordance with well defined set of rules.
– It does not rule out creative thinking but
certainly reject the use of guessing and
intuitions arriving at conclusions.

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 Qualities of Good Research
• Good research is Logical
– The research is guided by the rules of logical reasoning
and the logical process of induction and deduction are
used.
– Induction is the process of reasoning from a part to a whole
whereas deduction is the process of reasoning from some
premises to a conclusion.
– The inductive reasoning begins with an observation, supports
it with patterns and then arrives at a hypothesis or theory
– The deductive reasoning begins with a theory, supports it with
observation and eventually arrives at a confirmation.
– Logical reasoning makes research more meaningful in the
context of decision making.
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Qualities of Good Research
• Good research is Empirical
– Research is related to one or more aspects of
a real situation and deals with concrete data.
– It provides basis for external validity to
research results.
– It is verifiable through
observations/experience

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Qualities of Good Research
• Good research is Replicable
– It allows research results to be verified by
replicating the study
– It builds a sound basis for decisions
– Reproducible research

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Problems encountered
by Researchers in
Pakistan.

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 Problems encountered by
researchers in Pakistan
• Lack of scientific training
• Insufficient interaction between research
institutes and industry, and government
departments.
• Lack of confidence regarding misuse of data
and material provided for research
• Lack of code of conduct for researchers

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Thank You

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