Syllabus at a

glance
Syllabus at a
glance
Syllabus at a
glance
Syllabus at a
glance
Syllabus at a
glance
Suggested Learning Resources
 Course Outcomes

❖ CO1 - To know the meaning of Engineering research.

CO2 - To know the procedure of literature review and Technical reading. CO3 -
❖

To know the fundamentals of patent law and drafting procedure.

❖

❖ CO4 - Understanding the copyright laws and subject matters of copyrights and
designs.

❖ CO5 - Understanding the basic principles of design rights.

Module
1
 Meaning of Research

Research is a careful, systematic, and objective process of

searching for knowledge or formulating theories. It involves
well-defined or redefined methods and is driven by a curiosity
for the unknown. The aim is to address a specific aspect,
contributing original insights that expand the existing
knowledge base and offer useful applications.
• Research involves formulation of hypothesis or proposition of
solutions, data analysis, and deductions; and ascertaining whether
the conclusions fit the hypothesis.

• Ex: If you're studying the impact of exercise on mental health, your

hypothesis could be: "Regular exercise reduces levels of anxiety in
adults."

• Research is a process of creating, or formulating knowledge that

does not yet exist.
 Research flow
Research cycle starts with a
Practical
practical problem. Helps
❖ Problem Motivates a
to solve
Practical problem: one must be clear what
❖ the problem being attempted to solve is and
why it is important. Research
❖ Result /
The question helps one zero in onto Answer Question
manageable volume of information, and in
turn defines a research project which is set of
❖ activities that ultimately leads to result or
answer, Leads to Research Defines a

❖ which in turn helps to solve the practical Project

problem that one started with in the first place
• The objective of a good research program is to
try and gain insight
• into something. Or indeed, to try and solve a
problem.
• Good research questions develop throughout the
project actually and one can even keep
modifying them.
• Through research, one would like to make, or
develop, new knowledge about the world around
us which can be written down or recorded in
some way, and that knowledge can be accessed
through that writing or recording.
 The ways of developing and accessing knowledge come in three,
somewhat over-lapping, broad categories:
(i) Observation is the most fundamental way of obtaining
information from a source,
(ii) Observation takes different forms from something like
measurements in a laboratory(Measuring the temperature
change in a chemical reaction) to a survey among a group of
subjects(A survey to assess customer satisfaction) to the time it
takes for a firmware routine to run(Measuring how long it
takes for a program to execute).
The observational data often needs to be processed in some form
and this leads to the second category of knowledge, the model.
ii) Models are simplified ways of describing very complex interactions in
the form of a statistical relationship, a figure, or a set of mathematical
equations.
For instance, the modeling equation captures the relationship between
different attributes or the behavior of the device in an abstract form and
enables us to understand the observed phenomena.

(iii) The final category(Processes) is a way of arranging or doing things

through processes, algorithms, procedures, arrangements, or reference
designs, to get a certain desired result.
 Knowledge categories in Research

❖ Observation
❖ Fundamental way for obtaining information.
❖ Eg., laboratory experiments, firmwares etc.
❖ Processed observation leads to model.
❖ Model
❖ Approximate representations.
❖ Statistical models, Mathematical models etc.
❖ Modeling equation captures the relationship
between different attributes or the behaviour of the
device in an abstract form.
❖ Processes
❖ Systematic arrangement of doing things.
❖ Algorithms, procedures, reference designs etc.
❖ Objective is to get the result.
 A good research
❖ Systematic collection and analysis of information.
Followed by a bit of inference for value addition. Value
❖

addition to the already available information.

❖

Research area Research Topic Problem

Traversal of
Engg., Research
 What is Engineering
Research?
❖ Process of developing perspectives
❖ Seeking improvement in knowledge and skills
❖ To enable recognition, planing, design and execution of research
❖ In a wide range of forms relevant to engineering, technology, investigations and
developments.
 Objectives of Engineering research
❖ To solve new and important problems. *At start
conclusion is
❖ Concluding research outcome should be new*. unknown

❖ Circumstantial evidence, intuition and imagination may lead to possible

conclusion.

❖ Rarely, the initial targets might change.

❖ Some targets might be unrealisable.
❖ Negative results
❖ May lead to fortunate discoveries while looking for something else
(serendipity)
Ex: X-rays - Wilhelm Röntgen discovered X-rays in 1895 while
experimenting with cathode rays
 Challenges for engineering
❖
research
Where to find the information?
How to find the information? What are the types of information?
❖

Is it academic or professional related information? What are the guidelines to be

❖

❖
followed?
❖

Any standard practices and codes? Best practices any?

❖

Any possibility of failures?

❖

❖
Is the research path accurate and robust?
As an engineer, the ability to conduct thorough and accurate research while
clearly communicating the results is extremely important in decision-making
 Objectives of Engineering research -
refined
As ❖an engineer, the ability to conduct thorough and accurate research
while clearly communicating the results is extremely important in decision-
Making.
❖

in general,
❖
the following are different types of research studies:,
• exploratory or formulative (Exploring how a new technology could
❖
impact consumer behavior.)
• Descriptive (Documenting the demographic profile of smartphone
users in a country)
❖
• Diagnostic (Studying why a specific product is underperforming in the
market.)
• hypothesis-testing(Testing whether a new teaching method improves
student performance)
•
The objectives of engineering research should be , to develop
new theoretical or applied knowledge and not necessarily
limited to obtaining abilities to obtain the desired result.

• The objectives should be framed such that in the event of not

being able to achieve the desired result that is being sought,
one can fall back to understanding why it is not possible,
because that is also a contribution toward ongoing research in
solving that problem
 Motivation in Engineering
research
❖ Intrinsic motivations

❖ Interest, challenge, learning, meaning, purpose

❖ Linked to strong creative performance.
❖ Extrinsic motivations
❖ Fame, money, awards, praise, status - STRONG MOTIVATORS - block
creativity.

❖ Eg., research outcome may enable to get a patent - rich and fame
 Motivation in Engineering
❖
research
External motivation
Influences from others like competition, collaboration, commitment,
and encouragement are also motivating factors in research.
❖

For example: my friends are all doing research and so should I, or, a
❖
person that I dislike is doing well and I want to do better.
Personal motivation in solving unsolved problems, intellectual joy,
❖

service to community, and respectability are all driving factors.

❖

❖
 The following factors would be a mix of extrinsic and intrinsic aspects:
(i) Wanting to do better than what has been achieved in the world,
(ii) improve the state of the art in technology,
(iii) Contribute to the improvement of society,
(iv) Fulfillment of the historical legacy in the immediate sociocultural
context.
 Types of Engineering research
1.Descriptive vs Analytical research
❖
❖ Descriptive research
❖ comparative and correlational methods, fact-finding investigation, No control over
the variables rather focus on reports.

❖ Example: "Customer satisfaction with an online shopping platform.“

❖ 70% of customers are satisfied, with product variety being the most
appreciated feature.
❖ Analytical research
❖ Facts available for analysis, critical evaluation, Better control over
variables, focus on the outcomes.

❖ Example: "Factors influencing customer satisfaction with an

online shopping platform.“
❖ Outcome: Delivery time has the strongest influence on
satisfaction compared to price or product quality.
Descriptive: "What is happening?“

Analytical: "Why or how is it happening?"

 Types of Engineering research
Applied vs Fundamental research
❖
❖ Applied research
❖ Focuses on immediate problems facing the organization.

❖ Fundamental research
❖ Pure or basic research, formulation of theory and generalisations. Eg.
Mathematical researches.

The primary objective of applied research is to determine a solution for compelling

problems in actual practice, while basic research is aimed at seeking information
which could have a broad base of applications in the medium to long term.
 Types of Engineering research
Quantitative vs Qualitative research
❖❖ Quantitative research

❖ Uses statistical observations, large data involved.

❖ Ex: Effectiveness of an online learning platform."

❖ Qualitative research

❖ Less volume of data, focus on few non representative cases.

❖ Ex: Students’ experiences with an online learning platform."

 Finding & solving a worth-while
• problem
A researcher may start out with the research problems stated by the
Supervisor or posed by others that are yet to be solved.
❖

• ❖Research scholars are faced with the task of finding an appropriate

problem on which to begin their research.
• ❖Once the problem is vaguely identified, the process of literature
❖survey and technical reading would take place for more certainty of
the worthiness of the intended problem.
• However, an initial spark is ideally required before the process of
❖
literature survey may duly begin. Problem can be posed by other researchers
Problem can be formulated by going through various literatures. Oral presentation of
literatures followed by introspection by asking questions. Researcher has to be convinced
about the acceptance of the problem taken for study or research.
 A worthwhile research problem would have one or
more attributes.
Non-intuitive/Counterintuitive Nature:
A problem that challenges conventional wisdom or reveals surprising insights, even to experts in
the field, often sparks interest and further investigation.
Community Anticipation:
If the research community has been expecting progress in a certain area, addressing that
problem can have significant influence. It satisfies a recognized need or curiosity.
Simplification of Complex Theory:
Simplifying a central part of an existing theory makes it more accessible and potentially opens up
new ways to understand and apply it.
Opening New Areas of Research:Discovering something entirely new that creates a fresh field
of study can be groundbreaking. This drives innovation and attracts researchers to build on the
work.
Practical Applications:
Developing new or improved methods that address real-world problems ensures that the research
has tangible value beyond academic interest.
Finality of a Research Area:
Achieving results that conclusively resolve debates or make further exploration unnecessary in a
given area can shift focus and resources to other critical problems.
 Finding & solving a worth-while
❖
problem
Do not select Open problems, universally considered as hard.
❖ Consists of deep implications and connections to different concepts.

❖
Recommended steps to solve research problem:

❖ Understand the problem

❖
Restate or redefine the problem or visualise the problem by drawing
❖
figures and so on.
❖
Systematic approach
❖

Iterations in execution
Summarise and assimilate the path from beginning.
Ethics in Engineering
Research
 Ethics
❖ Ethics generally refers to a set of rules distinguishing acceptable and unacceptable conduct,
distinguishing right from wrong, or wise aphorisms like sayings of Chanakya.
❖
International norms for the ethical conduct of research have been there since the adoption of the
Nuremberg Code in 1947.
❖
According to Whitbeck, the issues related to research credit dates back to the establishment of the
British Royal Society (BRS) in the seventeenth century to refine the methods and practices of modern
science.
❖
Whitbeck raised two simple but significant questions to address the tricky issue of authorship in
research:

❖ (1) who should be included as an author and

❖

(2) the appropriate order of listing of authors

 Ethics in Engineering Research
Practice
❖ Technological developments raise a whole range of ethical concerns.

❖ Privacy issues related to data and surveillance systems.

❖ Research outcomes based repercussions.
❖ Adopted practices for obtaining data valid?
❖ Is the outcome of data analysis have any negative impact?
❖ Engineering Ethics deals with things “what to do” and “What not to do”.
 Ethics in Engineering Research
Practice
❖ Ethical perspective of Engineering research vs Technology

❖ By setting Ethically right requirements for research outcomes.

❖ Following ethical values during design process as well as decision making
process.
❖ Choose different alternatives fulfilling similar functions.
 Research
conduct
❖ Fair dealing with others
Honesty about methods and results Protecting
❖

the welfare of research subjects. Ensuring

❖

laboratory safety
❖
 Research Misconduct
Fabrication of data
❖ Illegitimate creation of data
❖

❖ Example: Adding imaginary data points to a drug trial to

show efficacy.
❖

❖ Falsification of data

❖❖ Inappropriate alteration of data

❖❖ Example: 1.Modifying temperature readings in an environmental study to

exaggerate climate trends.

❖ 2. Suppressing negative side effects of a drug during clinical trials to favor

approval.
 Ethical issues related to
Plagiarism authorship
Plagiarism takes place when someone uses or reuses the work (including portions) of others
(text, data, tables, figures, illustrations or concepts) as if it were his/her own without explicit
❖
acknowledgement.

How are supervisors, reviewers or editors alerted to plagiarism?

❖
(i) Original author comes to know and informs everyone concerned.
❖
(ii) Sometimes a reviewer finds out about it during the review process
.
(iii) Or, readers who come across the article or book, while doing research.

Other Aspects of Research Misconduct:

Simultaneous submission of same article to different journals.
 Ethical issues related to
authorship
Ethical issues as described by Newmen and Jones:
❖
❖ Credit for research contributions
❖ Authorship - Accountability, significant contributor in research design, data
interpretation or writing of paper.

❖ Citation - previously published research work.

Acknowledgement - External inputs to research work.

❖