INTRODUCTION TO RESEARCH

METHODOLOGY

By
Rajitha Silva (PhD)

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 Content of the Discussion
• Introduction to research

• Benefits of scientific research

• Contents/ steps of a research

• Types of research

• Problems in a research
 Research?
A careful investigation for new facts in any branch of
knowledge

 Research is a systematic effort to gain new knowledge

 Research is an endeavor to discover answers to intellectual
and practical problems through the application of scientific
method.
 Research is a systematized effort to gain new knowledge.
 Research is the systematic process of collecting and
analyzing information (data) in order to increase our
understanding of the phenomenon about which we are
concerned or interested.
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 Research?
• Defining and redefining problems, formulating
hypothesis/objectives;

• Collecting, organizing and evaluating data;

• Making deductions and reaching conclusions;

• Testing the conclusions to determine whether

they fit the formulating hypothesis/objectives

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 Why Research?
 Desire to get a research degree along with its consequential
benefits

 Desire to face the challenge in solving the unsolved problems

 Desire to get intellectual joy of doing some creative work

 Desire to be of service to society

 Desire to get respectability

 Directives of government, employment conditions etc.

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 Why Research?.
• Validate intuition

• Improve methods

• Demands of the Job

• For publication/patent

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 Criteria of a good research
Purpose clearly defined.
Research process detailed.
Research design thoroughly planned.
High ethical standards applied.
Limitations frankly revealed.
Adequate analysis for decision maker’s needs.
Findings presented unambiguously.
Conclusions justified.
Researcher’s experience reflected.
 Choose a subject
• Based on an idea

• Based on your experience

• Based on your reading

• Originality

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The important features of a research design
A plan
Specify the sources & types of information
relevant to the research problem
A strategy
Which approach will be used for gathering
and analyzing the data
The time and budgets
Most studies are done under these two
constraints
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 CHARACTERISTICS OF RESEARCH

Systematic- All steps must be inter

related- one to another
Logical- Agreeing with the principles of
logic
Empirical-Conclusions should be based
on evidences/observations
 CHARACTERISTICS OF RESEARCH…

Objectivity- It must answer the research

questions
Replicable- reproducible
Transmittable
Quality control- Accurate measurements
All well designed and conducted research
has potential application

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 Basic postulates in scientific method
It relies on empirical evidence.
It utilizes relevant concepts.
It is committed to only objective
considerations.
It presupposes ethical neutrality.
It results into probabilistic predictions.
The methodology is made known.
Aims at formulating scientific theories.
 Research Problem
The term ‘problem’ means a question or issue to be
examined.

Research Problem refers to some difficulty /need

which a researcher experiences in the context of
either theoretical or practical situation and wants to
obtain a solution for the same.
 Indication for a Research Problem?
Customer complaints
Conversation with company employees
Observation of inappropriate behavior or
conditions in the firm
Deviation from the business plan
Success of the firm’s competitor’s
Relevant reading of published material
(trends, regulations)
Company records and reports.
 Sources of Problems
Reading
Academic Experience
Daily Experience
Exposure to Field Situations
Consultations
Brainstorming
Research
Intuition
 Definition / Formulation Of The
Research Problem
Problem definition or Problem statement is a clear,
precise and succinct statement of the question or issue
that is to be investigated with the goal of finding an
answer or solution.
There are two ways of stating a problem:
Posting question / questions
Making declarative statement / statements
Criteria of A Good Research Problem
Clear and Unambiguous
Empirical
Verifiable
Interesting
Novel and Original
Availability of Guidance
 Define Objectives
• Try to keep these simple
• The more variables the more difficult
• Use the opportunity
• Get help at this stage
– Senior colleagues
– Experienced researchers

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 Literature search
• Check to see if your idea is original
• Get articles
• Read articles and their references
• Most of these will be vital when writing up
reports
• Find gap areas
• Find obsolete measurements and results
• Define objectives of the study

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 Steps involved in a research
• Choose a subject
• Literature survey
• Defining and formulation of specific objectives
• Prepare Synopsis
• Procuring of suitable apparatus/materials
• Design of experimental set up
• Preliminary experiments
• Execution of the project
• Accurate measurements/data collection

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 Steps involved in a research…
• Data analysis and error compounding
• Hypothesis testing and verification
• Results and discussion
• Generalization, interpretation and drawing
conclusions
• Preparation of the project report or writing
thesis

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 The Process of Research

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 Types of Research

Descriptive Research is a fact-finding investigation

which is aimed at describing the characteristics
of individual, situation or a group (or) describing
the state of affairs as it exists at present.

Analytical Research is primarily concerned with

testing hypothesis and specifying and
interpreting relationships, by analyzing the facts
or information already available.
 Types of Research
Applied vs Fundamental Research
Applied Research or Action Research is carried out to find
solution to a real-life problem requiring an action or policy
decision.
Fundamental Research which is also known as basic or pure
research is undertaken for the sake of knowledge without
any intention to apply it in practice.
Quantitative vs Qualitative Research
Quantitative Research is employed for measuring the quantity
or amount of a particular phenomena by the use of
statistical analysis.
Qualitative Research is a non-quantitative type of analysis
which is aimed at finding out the quality of a particular
phenomenon.
 Types of Research

Conceptual vs Empirical Research

Conceptual Research is generally used by philosophers and

thinkers to develop new concepts or to reinterpret
existing ones.

Empirical Research is a data-based research which depends

on experience or observation alone. It is aimed at coming
up with conclusions without due regard for system and
theory.
 Types of research
Application- Pure and Applied Research
Applied- Finding solutions for immediate
problems facing a society/industry
Pure- Concerned with generalization and
formulation of a theory

Inquiry Mode- Quantitative and qualitative

Quantitative- Measurements of quantity or
amount
Qualitative- Concerned with qualitative
phenomena reasons for human
behavior) 26
 Research Studies
• Based on research objectives:
Exploratory or formulative research- To gain
familiarity with a phenomenon or to achieve
new insights into it
descriptive research- To study accurately the
characteristics of a particular individual,
situation or a group-includes survey

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 Research Studies
Diagnostic research- To determine the
frequency with which something occurs or
with which it is associated with something
else
Hypothesis-testing research- To test a
hypothesis of a causal relationship between
variables

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 A Research Report
A Research Report generally include:
– Introduction and Statement of problem
– Review of relevant literature
– Statement of hypothesis or research objectives
– Theoretical resume
– Description of research design
– Description Experimental design
– Description of measurement and data analysis
– Error compounding
– Presentation of Results
– Discussion
– Conclusion, limitations, and implications
– Suggestions for future work
– Acknowledgements
– References cited
– Appendices
THANK YOU

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