RESEARCH

MEANING
The word research is made up by adding ‘re' as a prefix to the word ‘search'.
Search is to make known of an existent unknown things. Therefor, research
(search of searched) means to elicit some facts out of a known things.
Research is an essential as well as powerful tool leading towards progress.
The curious nature of man prompt him to uncover the mysteries of nature. He
tired his best to make those mysteries into notice. He establishes some truths of
these mysteries by applying his cause and effect method. This is the way of
research. The arrival of modern era has brought some superior developments in
al aspect of human life. Consequently, the method and meaning of research has
also taken a different shape than it was before. We can summarize the modern
meaning of research in following points –
Research is
*an attitude of inquiry
* an attempt to elicit facts
* a systematic and scholarly application of the scientific method
* essentially a state of mind- a friendly, welcoming attitude towards change
DEFINITION OF RESEARCH
According to Redman and Mory. “ Research is a systematised effort to gain new
knowledge”, some people consider research as a movement., a movement from
know to the unknown. It is actually a voyage of discovery.
According to Clifford moody “ research comprises of defining and redefining
problems, formulating hypothesis or suggested solution, collecting, organising
and evaluating data, making deductions and researching conclusions and at last
carefully testing the conclusion to determine whether they fit the formulating
hypothesis.
According to D. Slesinger and M. Stephenson in the encyclopedia of social
sciences define” Research as the manipulation of things, concepts or symbol for
the purpose of generalizing to extend, correct or verify knowledge whether that
knowledge AIDS in Construction of the theory or in the practice of an art”.
CRITERIA FOR GOOD RESEARCH
1. Good research is one which defined its purpose clearly.
2. Good research is one, in which research procedure should be explained in
detail.
3. Good research is one, in which a researcher should declare all the possible
errors and their impact on finding.
4. Good research is one, in which appropriate analysis method is used.
5. Good research is one, in which researcher have a good command over
research methodologies and he should be intelligent and have experience.
6. Good research is one in which common concept is used that can be easily
understood.
7. Good research is one, in which design of a research is planned carefully.
8. Good research is one, in which analysis of data should be sufficiently
adequate to reveal significant.
9. Good research is one, in which reliability and validity is checked carefully.

RESEARCH CHARACTERISTICS :
There are certain common desirable characteristics in the research process.
There is word of caution, there is overlapping in the meaning and scope of these
characteristics. They ensure that research in free of biases, prejudices, and
subjective errors.

1. OBJECTIVITY: It means research is without any bias. All other characteristics

are built around it. Researchers usually take utmost precaution that results are
not affected by their own presence, behavior, and attitude they critically examine
the research method to avoid any bias.

2. RELIABILITY: Reliability in the context of research is consistency it refers to

the extent to which an investigation produces consistent results. It can also be
termed as verifiability.
 If any research yields similar results catch time, it is undertaken with similar
population in the given context and with similar procedures, it is said to be a
reliable research.
Suppose a research is conducted on the effects of watching television on the
class performance of the children, and if the results conclude that and if another
sample taken from the population shows the same results with the same research
procedure, then we can say that the research procedure and the out came are are
reliable. The more the similarity in the results, the more is the reliability of
research. Coefficient of determination is also termed as reliability coefficient.

3. VALIDITY: here validity in research mainly stands for accuracy of procedures,

research instruments, tests, etc.
The concept of validity means that research must be unbiased and free from any
systemic error as these may impact the applicability of research. Without validity,
research goes in the wrong direction.
Generally, validity is termed to be much more important that reliability to keep
the research on the right track, it is must that the concepts are defined in the best
possible manner so that no error occurs during research.

4. CREDIBILITY: IT is the use of best source of information and the best

procedures in the research. The use of secondary date saves time and reduces
cost, however, the excessive reliance in secondary data when the option of
primary data is available entails the risk of reducing the credibility of the research.
Hence, it has to be trade – off between primary data and secondary data.
The accurate reference in research enhances the credibility of research but fake
reference also decrees the credibility of research.

5. GENERALIZABILITY: IT is closely related to validity. It refers to the degree to

which research finding to the degree to which research findings can be applied to
a larger population so representative of the whole population so the findings
should also be applicable to the population.

6. EMPIRICAL RESEARCH : it is based on real life experience direct experience

or observation by the researcher. it implies that representative of the whole
population so the finding should also be applicable to the population.
7. EMPIRICAL RESEARCH : it is based on real life experience direct experience
or observation by the researcher. it implies that research is related basically to
one or more aspects of areal situation and deals with concrete data that provides
a basis for external validity to the results of the research.

8. SYSTEMATIC : For a research to be effective it has to be systematic. It is the

only approach to undertaken any research work, and each step must follow the
other. There are a set of procedures that have been tested over a period of time
and are thus suitable to use in research. each research, therefore should follow a
definite procedure.

9. CONTROLLED FACTORS : IN real life experience, there is always more that

one factor that affects an outcome of an event. Similarly in research, various
factors may effect the outcome some are takesn as controlled factors, whereas
the others are tested for possible outcome. The concept of control implies that in
exploring causality in relation with two variables, we set up a study in way that
minimizes effects if ether factors or variables have to be controlled rigorously.
In physics sciences, it is easier to control such factors as the experiments are
conducted in laboratories. In social sciences, it is extremely difficult as research is
carried out n the issues related to human beings living in society, where exerting
such controls are not possible. More ever, within social sciences, the level of
control may vary significantly from one discipline to another.

10. CYCLICAL : Research is a cyclical process because it starts with aproblem

and ends with a problem.

11.LOGICAL : The statement, a good research is logical implies that research is

guided by the rules of logical reasoning. Induction and deduction are of great
value research, which have been discussed under types of research.

12. REPLICABLE : This characteristic allows the results of the research to be

verified by replicating the study and thereby building a sound basis for decisions