The Hallmarks of Scientific Research

The Hallmarks of
Scientific Research
T HE H ALLMARKS OF S CIENTIFIC
R ESEARCH
The hallmarks or main distinguishing
characteristics of scientific research may
be listed as follows:
1. Purposiveness
2. Rigor
3. Testability
4. Replicability
5. Precision and Confidence
6. Objectivity
7. Generalizability
8. Parsimony
H ALLMARKS OF S CIENTIFIC R ESEARCH
1. Purposiveness
 It ha s to s t a r t with a definite aim or

purpose.
 The focus is on increasing
employee commitment.
 Increase employee commitment will
translate into less turnover, less
absenteeism and increased
performance levels.
 Thus it has a purposive focus.
2. Rigor
 A good theoretical base and sound methodological
design would add rigor to the purposive study.
 Rigor connotes carefulness, scrupulousness and
the
degree of exactitude in research.
Example:
A manager asks 10-12 employees how to increase the
level of commitment. If solely on the basis of their
responses the manager reaches several conclusions on
how employee commitment can be increases, the
whole approach to the investigation would be
unscientific. It would lack rigor for the following
reasons:
 Based on few employees
 Bias and incorrectness
 There might be other influences
on commitment which are ignored and
are important for a researcher to
know
 Thus, Rigorous involves good theoretical
base and thought out methodology.
 These factors enable the researcher to collect
the right kind of information from a n
appropriate sample with the minimum degree
of bias and facilitate suitable analysis of the
da t a gathered.
 This supports the other six too.
3. Testability
After random selection manager an d
researcher develops certain hypothesis on
how manager employee commitment can
be enhanced, then these can be tested by
applying certain statistical tests to the d ata
collected for the purpose.
The researcher might hypothesize t h a t those
employees who perceive greater
opportunities for participation in decision
making would have a higher level of
commitment.
4. Explicability:
It means t h a t it can be used again if similar
circumstances prevails.
Example:
The study concludes t h a t participation in
decision making is one of the most important
factors t h a t influences the commitment, we
will place more faith an d credence in these
finding an d apply in similar situations. To
the extent t h a t this does happen, we will gain
confidence in the scientific n a tur e of our
research.
5. Precision and Confidence
 Precision
Precision refers to the closeness of the findings to
“reality” based on a sample.
It reflects the degree of accuracy and exactitude of the
results of the sample.
Example:
If a supervisor estimated the number of production
days lost during the year due to absenteeism a t
between 30 and 40, as against the actual of 35, the
precision of my estimation more favorably t h a n if he
has indicated t h a t the loss of production days was
somewhere between 20 and 50.
 Confidence
Confidence refers to the probability t h a t our

estimations are correct. That is, it is not
merely enough to be precise, but it is also
important t h a t we can confidently claim t h a t
95% of the time our results would be t rue
and there is only a 5% chance of our being
wrong. This is also known as confidence
level.
6. Objectivity
The conclusions drawn through the
interpretation of the results of da t a analysis
should be objective; t h a t is, they should be based
on the facts of the findings derived from actual
data, and not on our subjective or emotional
values.
Example:
If we had a hypothesis t h a t stated t h a t greater
participation in decision making will increase
organizational commitment and this was not
supported by the results, it makes no sense if the
researcher continues to argue t h a t increased
opportunities for employee participation would
still help!
7. Generalizability
It refers to the scope of applicability of the
research findings in one organization setting to
other settings.
Example:
If a researcher’s findings t h a t participation in
decision making enhances organizational
commitment are found to be true in a variety of
manufacturing, industrial and service
organizations, and not merely in the particular
organization studied by the researcher, then
the generalizability of the findings to other
organizational settings in enhanced. The more
generalizable the research, the greater its
usefulness and value.
8. Parsimony
Simplicity in explaining the phenomenon or
problems t h a t occur, and in generating solutions
for the problems, is always preferred to complex
research frameworks t h a t consider a n
unmanageable number of factors. For instance,
if 2-3 specific variables in the work situation
are identified, which when changed would raise
the organizational commitment of the
employees by 45%, t h a t would be more useful
be more useful and valuable to the manager
t h a n if it were recommended t h a t he should
change 10 different variables to increase
organizational commitment by 48%.
OBSTACLES TO CONDUCTING SCIENTIFIC
RESEARCH:
 Abstract
This article presents a number of obstacles to
conducting program evaluations which include:
the "word" evaluation itself, the politics of
evaluation, inadequate resources, the tendency of
organizations to resist change, and a lack of
understanding of the context of program
evaluations.
 Underpinning these obstacles is the
longstanding definitional dilemma between
program evaluation and social science research.
Although the article's implications are directed
toward public health evaluators, they are
generalizable to other evaluators in other
disciplines. These obstacles highlight the fact
t h a t a major role of any evaluator is to confront
and negotiate successfully around them.
DEDUCTION METHODS IN RESEARCH:
Deductive method is when we arrive a decision by

logically generalizing from a known fact
Develop
Theory
Form ulate
Hypoth eses
Collect &
Analyse Da t a
Accept/
Reject
Hypoth eses
Example: All high performer is proficient in thier

jobs.
If Jhon is a high performer he is a proficient in
his work.
INDUCTION METHODS IN RESEARCH:
Induction is a process where we observe certain

phenomena and on this basis arrive at
conclusions
Develop
Theory
Formul at e
Relat ionsh ip
Analyse
P at t ern s a n d
Them es
Observe
P h enomin a
Example: Production process are the main

features of factories, Therefore factories exist for
production purpose.
Thank You


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The Hallmarks of

 It ha s to s t a r t with a definite aim or

Confidence refers to the probability t h a t our

Deductive method is when we arrive a decision by

Example: All high performer is proficient in thier

Induction is a process where we observe certain

Example: Production process are the main

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