MODULE 1

RESEARCH MOETHODOLOGY
 MEANING OF RESEARCH -
1. Search for knowledge
2. Scientific and systematic search for pertinent information on specific topic
3. Art of scientific investigation
4. A careful investigation or enquiry specially through search for new facts in any branch of
knowledge
5. Systemized effort to gain new knowledge

Research comprises of defining and redefining problems, formulating hypothesis, suggesting

solutions, collecting, organising and evaluating data, making deductions and research
conclusions and carefully testing the conclusions to determine whether they fit formulating
hypothesis.

 Research is -
1. The search for knowledge
2. Objective and systematic method of finding solutions to a problem
3. The systematic approach concerning generalizations and the formulation of the theory is
research.
4. Research refers to systematic method consisting of enunciating the problem, formulating
a hypothesis, collecting the facts or a data, analysing the facts and reaching certain
conclusions other in the form of solutions towards the concerned problem or in certain
generalizations for some theoretical formulation.

 OBJECTIVES OF RESEARCH -
Following are the various objectives of conducting research.

1. To discover answers to questions to application of scientific procedures

2. To find out truth which is hidden and which has not been discovered as yet.
3. To gain familiarity with phenomenon auto new insights that is exploratory or
formulative research
4. to portray the characteristics of particular individual situation or group that is descriptive
research
5. to determine the frequency with which something occurs or with some which it is
associated with something else that is diagnostic research
6. To test a hypothesis of causal relationship between causal variables that is hypothesis
testing research.

In this way exploratory or formulative research, descriptive research, diagnostic research

and hypothesis testing research are the types based on the objectives of research.
 MOTIVATION IN RESEARCH -
1. Desire to get research degree along with its consequences benefits
2. Desire to face the challenge in solving unsolved problems
3. Desire to get intellectual Joy of doing some creative work
4. Desire to be of service to society
5. Desire to get respectability

Government directives, employment conditions, curiosity about new things, desire to understand
causal relationship and social thinking awakening are various motivations in research.

 TYPES OF RESEARCH -
The basic types of research are as follows –

1. Descriptive versus Analytical

 Descriptive research includes service and fact finding enquiries of different kinds. the
purpose of descriptive research is description of state of affairs as it exists at present.
Researcher has no control over the variables he can report only what has happened or
what is happening . Most ex Post facto research projects are of this type.
 In analytical research the research has to use facts or information already available and
analyse these to make critical evaluation of the material.

2. Applied versus Fundamental

 Applied research aims at finding a solution for immediate problem facing a society or an
industrial or business organisation.
 Fundamental research is concerned with generalizations and with the formulation of a
theory.
 Gathering knowledge for knowledge is pure or basic research
 Research concerning natural phenomena related to pure mathematics or study of human
behaviour are fundamental research.
 Research aimed at certain conclusion facing a concrete social or business problem is
applied research.

3. Quantitative versus Qualitative

 Quantitative research is based on measurement of quantity or amount.

 Qualitative research is concerned with qualitative phenomena that is phenomenon

relating to or involving quality for kind. It is important in behavioral science where aim is
to discover underlying motives of human behaviour.

4. Conceptual versus Empirical

 Conceptual research is related to some abstract idea or theory used by philosophers and
thinkers to develop new concepts or interpret existing one.
  Empirical research relies on experience observation alone without due regard to system
and theory and is a database research coming up with conclusion which are capable of
being verified by observation or experiments. It is experimental type of research where in
researcher must prepare a working hypothesis or gas a probable result hidden works on
fact to prove or disprove his hypothesis by sitting experimental designs. Experimenters
control over the variable under the study and his manipulation is important.

5. OTHER TYPES OF RESEARCH

1. One time research is confined to single time period

2. Longitudinal research is carried on over several time periods
3. Field setting research depends upon the environment in which it is carried out
4. Laboratory research is performed in laboratory
5. Clinical or diagnostic research consists of case study method or indirect approach to
reach the basic causal relationship including very small samples with deep probing data
gathering devices.
6. Exploratory research - conditions with development of hypothesis rather than their
testing
7. Formalized research - it studies on those which substance real structure and with
specific hypothesis to be tested
8. Historical research - it utilizes historical sources like document and remains to study
events or ideas of past including philosophy of person and group at any remote point of
time.
9. Conclusion oriented research - here researcher is free to pick up a problem redesign the
enquiry as a process and is prepared to conceptualize as he wishes
10. Decision oriented research -it is always for the need of a decision maker and is not free
to embark upon research according to his own inclination.
11. Operation research- it is the decision oriented research including scientific method of
providing executive departments with a quantitative basis for decisions regarding
operations under control.

RESEARCH APPROACHES

Following are the two types of approaches to research

1. Quantitative approach
2. Qualitative approach

1. Quantitative approach
 Involves the generation of data in quantitative for which can be subjected to rigorous
quantitative analysis in a formal and rigid fashion.
Following are the sub types of quantitative approach

À. Inferential
 The purpose of inferential approach is to form a database from which two in four
characteristics or relationship of population.
 It is a survey research where sample population is studied to determine its characteristics
and then inferences are made.

B. Experimental
 Much greater control over research environment.
 some variables are manipulated to observer effect on other variables

Ç. Simulation
 Construction of an artificial environment within which really want information and data
can be generated.
 It permits observation of dynamic behaviour of system under control condition.
 Given the values of initial conditions parameters and exogenous variables a simulation is
run to represent the behaviour of the process over time.

2. Qualitative approach
 It is concerned with subject to assessment of attitudes opinions and behaviours. I
 t depends on researches in sight and impressions.
 Results are generated in non quantity for in the phone which are not subjected to rigorous
quantitative analysis.