RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

MSCS II
LAHORE COLLEGE FOR WOMEN
UNIVERSITY LAHORE.
PREPARED BY: DR. AYESHA IQBAL
 WHAT IS RESEARCH?
• Research is an organized investigation of a
problem where an investigator attempts to gain
solution to a problem.
• In order to get the right solution a clearly
defined objectives are very important.
• A clearly defined objective directs a researcher
in the right direction.
• A clearly defined objectives are important
feature of a good research study
 RESEARCH OBJECTIVES
• A research objective is a clear, concise,
declarative statement, which provides direction
to investigate the variables under the study.
• Research objectives focus on the ways to
measure the variables, such as to identify or
describe the.
• The objectives of a research project summarize
what is to be achieved by the study.
 RESEARCH OBJECTIVES
• The objective of research project summarizes
what is to be achieved by the study.
• The research objectives are the specific
accomplishments the researcher hopes to
achieve by the study.
• The objectives include obtaining answers to
research questions or testing the research
hypotheses.
 TYPES OF RESEARCH OBJECTIVES
• GENERAL OBJECTIVES:
– General objectives are broad goals to be achieved.
– The general objectives of the study states what the
researcher expects to achieve by the study in general
terms.
• SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES:
– Specific objectives are short term and narrow in
focus.
– General objectives are broken into small logically
connected parts to form specific objectives.
 TYPES OF RESEARCH OBJECTIVES
• The general objective is met through meeting
the specific objectives stated.
• Specific objectives clearly specify what the
researcher will do in the study, where and for
what purpose the study is done.
 EXAMPLES
• GENERAL OBJECTIVE : “ An experimental study
on the effects of poverty on education among
selected cities in Pakistan”.
• SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES : To assess the effects of
poverty on education among the people licing
in rural areas of Punjab.
 TYPES OF RESEARCH
• The Research Problem
– An issue or concern that needs to be
addressed (see Chapter 5)
– If the problem calls for
• Explanation or theory testing:
Quantitative
• Exploration or understanding: Qualitative
• One approach alone is inadequate: Mixed
methods
 QUALITATIVE RESEARCH
• Qualitative Research
– Main purpose = understand reasons and
motivations.
– Data collection – unstructured or semistructured.
– Findings are descriptive.
– Explores.
 QUALITATIVE RESEARCH
• Begins with assumptions and the use of
interpretive/theoretical frameworks
• These frameworks inform the study of
research problems
• Research problems address the meaning
individuals or groups ascribe to a social or
human problem
 QUALITATIVE RESEARCH
• Qualitative Research is primarily exploratory
research. It is used to gain an understanding of
underlying reasons, opinions, and motivations.
• It provides insights into the problem or helps
to develop ideas or hypotheses for potential
quantitative research. Qualitative Research is
also used to uncover trends in thought and
opinions, and dive deeper into the problem.
 QUALITATIVE RESEARCH
• May involve a final written report or
presentation
• Includes the voices of participants
• Addresses the reflexivity of the researcher
• Provides complex description and
interpretation of the problem
• Discusses its contribution to the literature or a
call for change
EXAMPLES OF QUALITATIVE RESEARCH
• Diary accounts, open-ended questionnaires,
documents, participant observation, RECORD
KEEPING, FICUS GROUPS.
 QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH
• Explores Quantitative Research
• Main purpose = data quantification
• Data collection – structured.
• Findings are statistical, presented in
tabulations.
• Measures
 QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH
• Quantitative research is an approach for
testing objective theories by examining the
relationship among variables.
• These variables, in turn, can be measured,
typically on instruments, so that numbered
data can be analyzed using statistical
procedures.
 QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH
• Quantitative Research is used to quantify the
problem by way of generating numerical data or
data that can be transformed into usable statistics. It
is used to quantify attitudes, opinions, behaviors,
and other defined variables and generalize results
from a larger sample population.
• Quantitative Research uses measurable data to
formulate facts and uncover patterns in research.
Quantitative data collection methods are much more
structured than Qualitative data collection methods.
 QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH
• The final written report has a set structure
consisting of introduction, literature and
theory, methods, results, and discussion.
• Like qualitative researchers, those who engage
in this form of inquiry have assumptions about
testing theories deductively, building in
protections against bias, controlling for
alternative explanations, and being able to
generalize and replicate the findings.
 EXAMPLES OF QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH

• Experiments and clinical trials

• Surveys, interviews and questionnaires that
collect numerical information or count data by
using closed-ended questions
• Observing or recording well-defined events
such as the number of visits patients make to a
doctor’s office each year
• Obtaining information from a management
information system and telephone interviews.
 MIXED METHOD APPROACH
• Mixed methods research is an approach to inquiry
involving collecting both quantitative and qualitative
data, integrating the two forms of data, and using
distinct designs that may involve philosophical
assumptions and theoretical frameworks.
• The core assumption of this form of inquiry is that the
combination of qualitative and quantitative
approaches provides a more complete understanding
of a research problem than either approach alone.
MAJOR DIFFERENCES
A FRAMEWORK FOR RESERACH
STEPS IN CONDUCTING RESERACH
• different models of the research process exist,
each containing different numbers of stages,
most include the same general elements.
• The research process that we will refer to
consists of eight elements.
THE RESEARCH PROCESS
 SELECTION OF TOPIC
• The selection of your research question is a
crucial stage, as an inappropriate topic or
question will often lead to irretrievable
difficulties later in the research.
• It is unlikely that you will develop a final
question and set of objectives at this stage of
the research process.
 REVIEWING THE LITERATURE
• A literature review essentially consists of critically
reading, evaluating and organizing existing
literature on the topic to assess the state of
knowledge in the area.
• The literature review is generally done alongside
the development of the theoretical and conceptual
frameworks.
• Reading widely may also alert you to other helpful
factors, such as whether similar research has
already been carried out.
 DEVELOPMENT OF THEORETICAL AND
CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORKS
• Your theoretical framework refers to the
underlying theoretical approach that you
adopt to underpin your study, for example
social learning theory, or theories of self-
efficacy.
• The conceptual framework defines and
organizes the concepts important within the
study.
 CLARIFICATION OF THE RESEARCH
QUESTION
• Stages1, 2 and 3 of the research process will initially, in
many cases, become a circular process, whereby initial
research questions are chosen, investigated and often
rejected for a number of reasons, for example:
• The question lacks sufficient focus.
• The conceptual framework has identified problems in
either defining and/or measuring the appropriate
concepts.
• There are too many moderating or intervening variables.
• The project is unfeasible in terms of complexity, access,
facilities or resources.
 CLARIFICATION OF THE RESEARCH
QUESTION
• Stages1 to 3 can take longer than initially
anticipated, and you may well become
discouraged by a lack of success in identifying
a good research question or hypothesis.
• Once you have developed a good, focused
research question, then the rest of the
research process is based upon answering that
specific question.
 CLARIFICATION OF THE RESEARCH
QUESTION
• The importance of developing a clearly
focused question and set of research
objectives at this stage cannot be overstated.
• A common fault is the lack of clarity over the
overall aim of the research. Without this, it is
difficult to maintain your vertical thread.
 RESEARCH DESIGN
• Once the focused research question has been
ascertained, the next stage is to consider two
questions:
1 What data do I need to collect to answer
this question?
2 What is the best way to collect this data?
 RESEARCH DESIGN
• The issues faced by the researcher are:
• What overall research design should I use?
• Will I, for example, use a cross sectional, experimental or
longitudinal design?
• Will I need to collect primary data, or will there be suitable
secondary data to use?
• What methods, for example interviews, questionnaire surveys
and so on, will be the best ones to collect the primary data?
• Who should participate in the research, and how will I gain
access to them?
• What are the exact procedures that I should adopt in my data
collection to ensure reliability and validity?
 DATA COLLECTION
• Once the issues identified in stages4 and 5 of the
research process have been addressed, then you
should have a clear idea of what data to collect,
and how to collect it.
• You have to consider which methodology to
choose, and which methods to utilize within the
methodology.
• The background to this is dealt with in more depth
in the next chapter, and the actual practical issues
of collecting data
 DATA ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION OF THE
FINDINGS
• The data you collect in stage 6 needs to be
analyzed to provide answers to your research
question.
• Methods of data analysis should always be
related to the objectives of the research, that
is your analysis should answer the research
question or hypothesis.
 DATA ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION OF THE
FINDINGS
• In your discussion of the results, reference should
also be made back to the literature reviewed in
stage 2; for example, how do the findings add to
this literature.
• Do they support the literature?
• If not, what are the possible reasons why?
• A common fault is to discuss the findings with no
reference back to the literature reviewed as part of
stage 2 of the development of the conceptual
framework.
 DRAWING CONCLUSIONS
• This should relate back to the focused research
question.
• Here, the answer to the research question(s)
should be clearly stated.
• You can evaluate how successful you have been in
achieving your research objectives, and highlight
the strengths and weaknesses of the research.
• You may also want to make recommendations for
further research.