The Hashemite University

Research Methodology

Topic 1:
Research Methodology

1- Introduction

1
 Course Objectives
To give the students:
• A comprehensive understanding on all aspects of
research.
• A guide on how to conduct research in a
systematic way.
• A guide to solve and analyze data and results.
• A guide on writing techniques and presentation
skill.
• To conduct a research projects and application
 What is Research?
• CASE 1
Engineer Ali says that he has researched and completed a
documents which give information about age of his
students, their parents’ income and distance of their schools
from home. He concluded that most students are rich and
nearby the university.
• Can this case be classified under the name
RESEARCH.
??????
 What is Research?
CASE 2
A general manager of a car producing company was
concerned with the complaints received from the car users
that the car they produce have some problems with rattling
sound at the dash board and the rear passenger seat after a
few thousand kilometers of driving.
 What is Research (cont.)?
Case2: What he did?

He obtained information from the company workers to

identify the various factors influencing the problem. He then
formulated the problem and generated guesses (hypotheses).
He constructed checklist and obtained requisite information
from a representative sample of cars. He analyzed the data
thus collected, interpreted the results in the light of his
hypotheses and reached conclusions.
 What is Research (cont.)?

CASE 2 is an example of research because:

• The researcher went through a sequence of steps

which were in order and thus systematic.

• The researcher did not just jump at the conclusions,

but used a scientific method of inquiry in reaching at
conclusions.
 What is Research (cont.)?

Research is a careful and systematic process

of inquiry to find answers to problems of
interest

To do research, researcher have to investigate

the problem systematically, carefully, and
thoroughly
 What is Research (cont.)?
Definition
“Research is an organized, systematic,
database, critical, scientific inquiry or
investigation into a specific problem,
undertaken with the objective of finding
answers or solution to it.”
 Characteristics of Research
Two Important Characteristics of a research:
1. Systematic
Research is systematic, because it follows certain steps that are
logical in order. These steps are:
• Understanding the nature of problem to be studied and identifying the
related area of knowledge.
• Reviewing literature to understand how others have approached or dealt
with the problem.
• Collecting data in an organized and controlled manner so as to arrive at
valid decisions.
• Analyzing data appropriate to the problem.
• Drawing conclusions and making generalizations.
Systematic characteristic of research

Problem Identification

Reviewing Information

Data Collection

Analysis

Drawing Conclusions
 Characteristics of Research …
2. Follows a scientific method
 This means that it makes an integrated use of Inductive and Deductive reasoning.
This makes it very useful for explaining and predicting phenomena.
 The basic assumption of the scientific method is that every effect has a cause.
Inductive reasoning
– Construction of hypotheses from casual observations and background
knowledge.
– From the examination of these, the researcher establishes certain expectations.
– “makes broad generalizations from specific observations”
Deductive reasoning
– Reasoning out consequences or implications of hypotheses followed by testing
of the implications and confirmation or rejection of the hypotheses.
– “expects observation from a broad generalizations”
Scientific method of inquiry
• The finding of investigation add new knowledge to the existing structure of
knowledge.
• Further hypotheses are generated from the existing structure and the casual
observations and testing of these may add to the new applicable knowledge.
• This process continues in this manner, and therefore research becomes cyclic and
dynamic.

Generation of
hypotheses
Casual
observation Implications of
hypotheses

Existing structure
of knowledge Operationally
specific testing
situation
 Research Methodology
• Methodology is the manner in which we approach and execute functions or
activities
– Consists of approaches or guidelines, not specific details of how we do the task (they are
methods)
• Within a discipline, there are accepted rules of evidence and reasoning
• Research methodology provides the principles for organizing, planning, designing
and conducting research. (It does not tell you how to do specific research).
• We need to differentiate research methodology from research methods:
• Methodology – general approaches or guidelines
• Methods – specific details and/or procedures to accomplish a task

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 Research methodology
• Research methodology is a way to systematically solve the research
problem. It may be understood as a science of studying how research is
done scientifically
• It is necessary for the researcher to know not only the research
methods/techniques but also the methodology.
• It is essential to discuss procedures clearly and completely with
considerable amount of details
Objectives of Research
 The purpose of research is to discover answers to questions through the application of
scientific procedures.
 The main aim of research is to find out the truth which is hidden and which has not
been discovered as yet.
 Though each research study has its own specific purpose, we may think of research
objectives as falling into a number of following broad groupings:

1. To gain familiarity with a phenomenon or to achieve new insights into it (studies with this object in
view are termed as exploratory or formulative research studies);
2. To portray accurately the characteristics of a particular individual, situation or a group (studies with
this object in view are known as descriptive research studies);
3. To determine the frequency with which something occurs or with which it is associated with
something else (studies with this object in view are known as diagnostic research studies);
4. To test a hypothesis of a causal relationship between variables (such studies are known as
hypothesis-testing research studies).

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 The aims of research
• The goal of research is to solve problems of
interest.

These problems may be of a theoretical or practical in

nature
The scientific community tend to be more interested in
research that pushes the frontier of knowledge

• the aims of research should be to describe,

predict, explain, interpret or demystify
phenomena
 Purpose of Research:

– To test what you already know

– To understand the other side of an issue
– To establish reliable guide
– To expand knowledge
– To predict, explain and interpret a
behavior
– To provide solution to a problem
 Motivation in Research
What makes people to undertake research?
The possible motives for doing research may be either one or
more of the following:
1. Desire to get a research degree along with its consequential benefits;
2. Desire to face the challenge in solving the unsolved problems, i.e., concern
over practical problems
initiates research;
3. Desire to get intellectual joy of doing some creative work;
4. Desire to be of service to society;
5. Desire to get respectability.

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 Research Type
• There are many ways of classifying research. One
way is to classify it by function.
• Basic or pure research is motivated by curiosity and
aims to advance theoretical knowledge.
• Applied research is concerned with applying
scientific theory to real-life problems
• Although research activities are classified
according to their different natures, they will
overlap and merge from one into the other.
 Research Type
Research can be divided into 5 categories:
1. Basic/pure/fundamental Research
2. Exploratory Research
3. Applied Research
4. Development Research
5. Design Research
 1)Basic/Pure/Fundamental Research

Refers to original investigations for the

advancement of scientific knowledge
that do not have the specific objective of
application to practical problems.
 1)Basic/Pure/Fundamental Research

• It is research devoted to achieving a fuller knowledge

or understanding rather than practical application of
the subject under study.
• It is experimental or theoretical work undertaken
primarily to acquire new knowledge of the underlying
foundation of phenomena and observable facts with
or without any particular immediate application or
use in view.
• It is not subject to a time-restraint and it is an open-
ended
 2) Exploratory Research
• Aims to clarify concepts and problems. Closely
allied to underlying basic research, in which
there is an objective.
• It is open-ended, looking for something which
might form the basis for a successful research
project development,
eg. Research for a new drug and examining the
biological effects of a new range of chemical
materials.
 3) Applied Research
• Research directed towards the practical
application of knowledge.
• It involves the application of basic knowledge for
the solution of a particular problem, the creation
and evaluation of a new concepts or components
but not development for operational use.
e.g.. Application of existing scientific knowledge
to the problems of own institution.
 4) Development Research

• Systematic use of scientific knowledge

directed towards the production of useful
materials, devices, systems or methods,
including design and development of
prototypes and processes.
 4) Development Research

Can be further classified into:

1. Product development
• Refers to research regarding new products
and products new to industry or
combination of product components in a
new way.
 4) Development Research

2. Process development
• Refers to research into new or improved
methods of control and control systems and
changes or improvements in manufacturing
and processes technologies.
 5) Design Research

• Research directed at cost/performance

improvement to existing products, processes
or systems; recombination, modification and
testing of systems using existing knowledge;
or opening new markets for existing
products.
e.g. Parts and components research.
 Major Stage of Work

For conducting research, a researcher /

investigator goes through 4 major stages of
work:
1. Preparing research proposal
2. Organizing and conducting research
3. Writing a research report
4. Evaluating research
 Preparing Research Proposal
• Describes why of research
• What of research
• Questions about which researcher is seeking
answers
• Hypotheses (expected relations) he would like
to test
• How of research (methodology)
 Organizing & Conducting Research

• Researcher conducts research following

methodology / plan.
• Makes small deviations, if necessary.
 Writing Research Report

• Researcher writes report which outlines the

findings of study and its implications.
 Evaluating Research

• In order to find any gaps or weakness in

study.
• Help in modifying the study and improving
research in future.
 Capabilities Requirement

Capabilities required to undertake work:

1. Selecting and defining research problem.
2. Describing methodology of research.
3. Collecting data.
4. Analyzing data and interpreting the
results.
 Selecting & Defining Research
Problem

• Carry out literature review related to

problem.
• Make thorough diagnosis to specify
problem, research questions or
hypotheses.
 Describing Methodology

• Select appropriate research design.

• Select subjects on whom the study has to
be conducted.
• Select or develop instruments for
measuring variables in study.
 Data Collection

• Develop capabilities of administering

instruments, recording data, scoring and
tabulating for analysis.
 Analyzing data & Interpretation of
Results

• Acquire capabilities of selecting and

applying appropriate statistical methods
for handling and analyzing the collected
data, so as to arrive at valid conclusions.
 Selecting a Problem

• Personal practical experiences.

• Critical study of literature.
• Interaction with others.
 Problem Selection Criteria (cont.)

• Interest:
– By being interested, you are more likely to
read widely on the topic and have more
thorough knowledge of the situation.
 Problem Selection Criteria (cont.)

• Size:
– Remember, a problem is often too large when
it is first considered.
– Further analysis can reduce large problem into
a smaller, manageable research problem.
 Problem Selection Criteria (cont.)

• Economy:
– Research are often confronted with practical
constraints, not the least of which are time
and money.
– If your problem situation is macro in size, is it
possible for you to find the answers to your
question? Do you have enough time and
money?
 Problem Selection Criteria (cont.)

• Capabilities and Limitations:

– A researcher should not be too ambitious and
must recognize your own capabilities.
– Wise, especially at prior planning stage to seek
advice from more experienced persons.
– If inexperienced in educational research, then
it is highly likely that you will need some
guidance.
 Problem Selection Criteria

• Uniqueness:
– Findings from research should contribute to
body of knowledge already in existence, not
merely duplicate existing study.
– However, to pursue a study similar to one
already in existence but change the methods
used, or modify the design, or use a different
sample, or choose to perform different
statistical analyses.
THANK YOU