Basic Research Method

in
CS/IT
Muluken Birara
 Course Description:
• This course introduces students to a number of research
methods useful for academic and professional investigations of
information practices, texts and technologies.
• It attempts to define what research is, why we do research, and
the various methods that researchers use to investigate
problems.
• It offers an overview of the different approaches, processes,
considerations and challenges involved in research.
• It is designed as an under-graduate introduction to research
methodology.
• Students are assumed to be familiar with statistics (such as
mean, standard deviation, percentiles, and other such terms).
• The course provides a framework for conceptualizing research
and is meant to underpin the research project for the final year
as well as for the projects delivered for each subject.
 Course Objectives:
Those who successfully complete the course will be able to:
• The terminologies used by professional researchers employing scientific thinking.
• How to formulate a solid research hypothesis (research question).
• the basic stages of research design
• the issues covered in research ethics
• the relationships that exist between variables in research design and the steps for evaluating those
relationships
• How qualitative methods differ from quantitative methods
• The process for selecting the appropriate and optimal communication approach
• The similarities and differences between the four scale types used in measurement and when each is used
• The criteria for evaluating good measurement
• The various sampling techniques and when each is used
• The nature and the logic of hypothesis testing
• How to classify and select multivariate techniques
• The contents ,types , lengths and technical specifications of research methods
• Explore some of the research topics in the area of Information Technology.
• Produce a research proposal,
• Select an appropriate methodology to conduct the research,
• Understand various tasks required to carry out the research,
 Course Syllabus
Chapter I: Introduction to Research
Chapter II: The Research Process (Pre-Empirical Stage )
(topic, problem , literature , objective , questionaries')
Chapter III: The Research Design
Chapter IV: Research Execution (Analysis and Presentation Data)
Chapter V: The Research Report Writing
Chapter VI: Current Research Topics in CS/IT
Chapter VIII: Research Ethics
 Introduction to Research
• What is research?
• Significance of research
Introduction to Research
• Objective of research
Formulation of the Research Problem
• Motivations for research
The Research Process
• The Scientific Approach
The Research Design
• Characteristics of research
Analysis and Presentation of data • Stage of the research Process
Current Research Topic in IT/CS • Components of research Proposal
Ethics in IT/CS Research • Writing Research Proposal
 The Research Process
Introduction to Research
• Selecting a topic
The Research Process
• Formulation of the research problem
The Research Process
• Literature review
The Research Design • Developing objectives and hypothesis
Analysis and Presentation of data formulation
Current Research Topic in IT/CS
• Design of Research
Ethics in IT/CS Research
• Execution of the project :
• Data collection
• Analysis and Interpretation
• Reporting
 The Research Design
Introduction to Research
• Research Design
Formulation of Research Problem
• Sampling Method
Research Process
• Measurement
The Research Design
• Measurement Scale
Analysis and Presentation of data • Instrument Design
Current Research Topic in IT/CS

Ethics in IT/CS Research

 Analysis and Representation
of Data
Introduction to Research

Formulation of Research Problem

• Data Presentation and Description
Research Process • Exploring, displaying , and examining data
The Research Design • Hypothesis testing
Analysis and Representation of • Measurement Association
Data • Report Writing:
• Presenting insights and findings
Current Research Topic in IT/CS
• Written and oral report
Ethics in IT/CS Research
 Current Research in CS/IT
Introduction to Research
• AI, Autonomous Computing
Formulation of Research Problem
• Machine Learning
Research Process
• Data Science , Big Data
The Research Design • Immersive Technologies
Analysis and Presentation of Data • Nano Computing
Current Research Topic in CS/IT • Quantum Computing
Ethics in CS/IT Research • Others
 Research Ethics
• Ethical Issues in Research
Introduction to Research
• Notable examples of unethical Research
Formulation of Research Problem
• Nuremberg Code
Research Process
• Regulation of Research and Protection of
The Research Design Research Participants
Analysis and Presentation of Data • Respect for Persons
Current Research Topics in CS/IT • Beneficence
Ethics in Research • Justice
 …Research Ethics
Introduction to Research

Formulation of Research Problem

• Areas of Scientific dishonesty:
• Plagiarism
Research Process • Fabrication of data
The Research Design • Falsification of data
• Non-publication of data
Analysis and Presentation of Data
• Faulty data-gathering procedures
Current Research Topics in IT/CS • Poor data storage and retention
Ethics in Research
• Misleading authorship
• Ethical issues regarding copyright
• Findings on research ethics, and International
laws on research ethics
 Evaluation Schedule
• Mid and Final examination: according to the time and date set by
department

• Assignment and Project

– Assignment and project must be submitted by the due date and you must keep
the standard

– Copying assignment from other student will lead to cancellation of mark

allotted for assignment

– Assignment supported by oral questions

– All project supported by oral presentation

 Evaluation
• Individual Assignment * 10%

• Test I/Quiz 5%

• Project II 10%

• Mid Exam 25%

• Final Exam 50%

 References and Text
• Cooper, Donald (2006). Business research methods, 9th Ed, McGraw-Hill
• G. Marczyk, D. Demattoe, D. Festinger(2005). Essentials of research
methodology and design. John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
• Donald H. McBurney(1998). Research methods, 4th Redbooks/Cole
Publishing Company. University of Pittsburgh.
• Kothari, C.R. (2004), Research Methodology: Methods & Techniques,
Second edition(Available in Soft Copy)
• Sing, K. (2007), QUANTITATIVE SOCIAL RESEARCH METHODS,
Sage Publications India Pvt Ltd. (Available in soft Copy)
 . . . Other References
• Christian W. Dawson: Projects in Computing and Information Systems (A
Student's Guide). Addison Wesley, 2005
• Oates, B.J.: Researching Information Systems and Computing, Sage
Publications, 2005
• Zobel, J. (2004): Writing for Computer Science - The art of effective
communication. 2nd ed., Springer, 2004
• John W.Creswell: Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed
Methods (Edition: 2nd), SAGE Publications, 2002
• Kothari C.R.: Research methodology (Methods and Techniques), 2nd ed., New
Age International Publisher, 2004.
Introduction to Research
Chapter I
 What is research?
Research = Re + Search
„Re‟ means again and again and „Search‟ means to find out
something, the following is the process:

Person Observes
Phenomena Collection of
Conclusions
data
Again and again Analysis of data
 What is research?
• The systematic investigation into and study of
materials, sources, etc, in order to establish facts
and reach new conclusions.
• An endeavour to discover new or collate old facts
etc by the scientific study of a subject or by a
course of critical investigation.
 What is research?
• Research is a process to discover new knowledge.
Search for knowledge.
• A careful investigation or inquiry especially
through search for new facts in any branch of
knowledge.”
• Systematic investigative process employed to
increase or revise current knowledge by
discovering new facts.
 What is research?
• Research is what we do when we have a question or
a problem we want to resolve we may already think
we know the answer to our question already; we
may think the answer is obvious, common sense
even; but until we have subjected our problem to
rigorous scientific scrutiny, our 'knowledge'
remains little more than guesswork or at best,
intuition.
Research is used as

Basis of knowledge
 Alternative to Research
• Authority
• Tradition
• Common sense
• Media myths
• Personal experience
 Authority

• When you accept something as true just because

someone in a position of authority says it is true or
it is an authoritative publication, you are using
authority as basis of knowledge.
• For instance, Parents, Teachers, Books.
 Tradition
• Tradition is a special case of authority-the
authority of the past. It means you accept
something as being true because “it‟s the way
things have always been.
 Common Sense
• Common sense is sound, practical judgment
concerning everyday matters, or a basic ability to
perceive, understand, and judge in a manner that is
shared by (i.e. common to) nearly all people
• You rely on what everyone knows and what “just
makes sense”.
• It is about ordinary reasoning.
• It can originate from tradition
 Media Myths
• Media tends to perpetuate/ responsible for/ the
myths of a culture.
• A traditional story, especially one concerning the
early history of a people or explaining a natural or
social phenomenon, and typically involving
supernatural beings or events.
 Personal Experience
• If something happens to you, if you personally
experience it or see it, you accept it as true.
• Research is an
ORGANIZED and
SYSTEMATIC way of
FINDING ANSWERS to
QUESTIONS.
 ORGANIZED
• …in that there is a structure or method in going
about doing research.
• It is a planned procedure, not a spontaneous one.
• It is focused and limited to a specific scope.
 SYSTEMATIC
 …because there is a definite set of procedures and
steps which you will follow.
 There are certain things in the research process
which are always done in order to get the most
accurate results.
 FINDING ANSWERS
 …is the end of all research.
 Whether it is the answer to a hypothesis or
even a simple question, research is successful
when we find answers.
 Sometimes the answer is no, but it is still an
answer.
 QUESTIONS
 …are central to research.
 If there is no question, then the answer is of no
use.
 Research is focused on relevant, useful, and
important questions.
 Without a question, research has no focus, drive,
or purpose.
• Research is an academic activity
– Search for knowledge
– An art of scientific investigation
• Research comprises
– Defining and redefining problems
– Formulating hypothesis
– Collecting, organizing and evaluating data
– Making deductions and reaching conclusions
– Carefully testing the conclusions to determine
whether they fit the formulated hypothesis or not.
• Research often makes use of various sources of
knowledge:-
– Intuitive:- when coming up with an initial idea for a
research.
– Authoritative:- when reviewing professional literature.
– Logical:- when reasoning from findings to conclusions.
– Empirical:- when engaging in procedures that leads to
these findings/with new data sets and experiments
findings.
 Objectives of Research
• To discover answers to questions through the application of
scientific procedures.
• To find out the truth which is hidden/has not been
discovered as yet.
• To gain familiarity with the phenomenon or to achieve new
insights in to it
 . . . Objectives of Research

• To represent accurately the characteristics of a particular

individual, situation or a group.
• To determine the frequency with which something occurs or
with which it is associated with something else.
• To test the hypothesis of casual relationships between
variables.
 Significant of Research
• Increased amount of research make progress possible.
• Promote scientific thinking & development of logical habits of
thinking & organization.
• There is more information and knowledge to understand the
world than before.
• Necessary in allocation of recourses or for optimum resource
allocation
• Describe about a phenomena
• Predict about something in the feature
 . . . Significant of Research
• Explain about solution of the problem
• To interpret what is being investigation
• A means of livelihood
• An outlet for new ideas & insights
• The development of new styles & creative work
• The generalizations of new theories
• Foundations of knowledge
• Important source of providing guidelines for solving
different problems.
 Research Characteristics
1. Originates with a question or problem.
2. Requires clear articulation of a goal.
3. Follows a specific plan or procedure.
4. Often divides main problem into sub-problems.
5. Guided by specific problem, question, or
hypothesis.
6. Accepts certain critical assumptions.
7. Requires collection and interpretation of data.
8. Cyclical (helical) in nature.
 Assignment 1 - (Not Marked)
List down four common senses which cannot be the
sources of facts in information technology?
How tradition an alternatives of research? Discuses
with example?
 Next Week 
 Motivation in Research
 Research and Theory
 Type of Research
 The Scientific Approach
 Research Process Stage
 Component of a Research Proposal
Many thanks!