Research Methodology: Military Institute of Science and Technology (MIST)

Department of Architecture
MIST
Military Institute of Science and Technology (MIST) B.Arch.
R E S E A R C H M E T H O D OLOGY
LECTURE I: INTRODUCTION
Course Code: 5175

Course tutor: Assistant Professor Sadia Subrina
Prepared by: 1
4/19/2021 Asst. Prof. Sadia Subrina
MIST
Military Institute of Science and Technology (MIST) BA
LECTURE I: INTRODUCTION TO RESEARCH METHODS
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Research?
Systematic study in order to establish facts and reach new conclusions.
Systematic inquiry to describe, explain, predict and control the observed phenomenon
A process of enquiry and investigation

Systematic
Methodical
Ethical
Research can help solve practical problems and increase knowledge

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Purpose of Research?
-Review or synthesize existing knowledge

-Investigate existing situations or problems
-Provide solutions to problems
-Explore and analyze more general issues
-Construct or create new procedures or systems
-Explain new phenomenon
-Generate new knowledge
………………………………………………………....or a combination of any of the above.

(Collis & Hussey, 2003)
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Research Process?
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Steps followed in a Research
In principle, to move from the identification of the research focus right through to the
presentation of the findings is a neat sequence of steps.
This, however, is an idealized model and is not necessarily the norm.
The complexities of researching mean that the researcher may often have to revisit
previous stages in the research process.
For example, at the analysis stage it might emerge that the collection of important data
has been overlooked.
New plans will have to be formulated and the data collected before the researcher is able
to return to the analysis and presentation of the findings.
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Steps followed in a Research
Wise researcher gives equal attention to each of these phases
Many researchers are tempted to rush into the ‘collect information’ stage without first
very clearly defining the research topic, and its objectives.
This results in fuzziness, only to become

transparent later on.
Cycle back to an earlier stage in the research

process, or to start again.
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Research Question
• Keep it manageable. A topic will be very difficult to research if it is too broad or

narrow.
• One way to narrow a broad topic such as "the environment" is to limit your
topic. Some common ways to limit a topic are:
-by geographical area

Example: What environmental issues are most important in the Southwestern
United States
-by culture
Example: How does the environment fit into the Navajo world view?
-by time frame:
Example: What are the most prominent environmental issues of the last 10 years?
-by discipline
Example: How does environmental awareness effect business practices today?
-by population group
Example: What are the effects of air pollution on senior citizens?
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Research Question
Remember that a topic may be too difficult to research if it is too:
recent - If a topic is quite recent, books or journal articles may not be available, but
newspaper or magazine articles may. Also, Web sites related to the topic may or
may not be available.
broadly interdisciplinary - You could be overwhelmed with superficial information.

Example: How can the environment contribute to the culture, politics and society
of the Western states?
popular - You will only find very popular articles about some topics such as sports
figures and high-profile celebrities and musicians.
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Research Design
• refers to a scheme or plan of action for meeting the objectives
• a set of instructions for the researcher; to gather and analyze data in

certain ways that will control who and what are to be studied (Brink).
• Thus, the choice of design is made when the question is finalized.
• a blueprint for conducting a study that maximizes control over factors

that could interfere with the validity of the findings.
• the researcher’s plan – how the study will be conducted, – type of data
that will be collected, and – the means to be used to obtain these data,
(which are determined after variables are identified and quantified.)
MIST
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Research Design
Purpose
• to provide a plan in answering research question.
• Each design has its own applicability depending on the problems and
objectives of the study.
• Important consideration – to minimize possible errors and maximize the

reliability and validity of data.
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Research Methodology?
Research methodology is a collective term for the structured process of conducting

research.
Research Methods?
Research methods, usually encompasses the procedures followed to collect data,

analyze and interpret the data gathered.
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R E S E A R C H M E T H O D OLOGY
LECTURE 2: TYPES OF RESEARCH
Course Code: 5175

Course tutor: Assistant Professor Sadia Subrina
Prepared by: 12
4/19/2021 Asst. Prof. Sadia Subrina
MIST
Types of Research
4 Types of researches based on Purpose

- Basic Research
- Applied Research
- Evaluation Research
- Action Research
Based on Reasoning
- Inductive Research (Reasoning)
- Deductive Research (Reasoning)
Based on Techniques of Data Collection and Analysis

-Qualitative Research
-Quantitative Research
-Mixed Method research (The New Paradigm?)
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Purpose(s) of Research: (Patton 1990)
Basic Research:
Applied Research:
Evaluation Research:
Action Research:
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Types of research Based on Purpose(s)
Patton (1990) pointed out the importance of identifying the purpose in a research
process. He classified four types of research based on different purposes:
Basic Research:
The purpose of this research is to understand and explain, i.e. the research is interested
in formulating and testing theoretical construct and propositions that ideally generalize
across time and space.
This type of research takes the form of a

theory that explains the phenomenon
under investigation to give its contribution
to knowledge.
This research is more descriptive in

nature exploring what, why and how
questions.
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Applied Research:
The purpose of this research is to help people understand the nature of human problems
so that human beings can more effectively control their environment.
In other words, this type of research pursues potential solutions to human and societal
problems.
This research is more prescriptive in nature, focusing on how questions.

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Evaluation Research:
Evaluation research studies the processes and outcomes aimed at attempted solution.
The purpose is to improve human intervention within specific conditions, such as

activities, time, and groups of people; the purpose of summative evaluation is to judge
the effectiveness of a program, policy, or product.
MIST
Action Research:
Action research aims at solving specific problems within a program, organization, or

community.
Patton (1990) described that design and

Data collection in action research tend to
Be more informal, and the people in the
situation are directly involved in
gathering information and studying
themselves.
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Types of research based on Techniques of Data Collection and Analysis
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Inductive Research Approach
When there is little to no existing literature on a topic, it is common to perform

inductive research because there is no theory to test. The inductive approach
consists of three stages:
Observation
A low-cost airline flight is delayed
Elephants depend on water to exist
Observe a pattern
Another 20 flights from low-cost airlines are delayed
All observed animals depend on water to exist
Develop a theory
Low cost airlines always have delays
All biological life depends on water to exist
Example
You observe 1000 flights from low-cost airlines. All of them experience a delay, which is
in line with your theory. However, you can never prove that flight 1001 will also be
delayed. Still, the larger your dataset, the more reliable the conclusion.
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Deductive Research Approach
When conducting deductive research, you always start with a theory (the result of inductive
research). Reasoning deductively means testing these theories. If there is no theory yet, you
cannot conduct deductive research.
The deductive research approach consists of four stages:
Start with an existing theory

Low cost airlines always have delays
All biological life depends on water to exist
Formulate a hypothesis based on existing theory
If passengers fly with a low cost airline, then they will always experience delays
All land mammals depend on water to exist
Collect data to test the hypothesis
Collect flight data of low-cost airlines
Study all land mammal species to see if they depend on water
Analyse the results: does the data reject or support the hypothesis?
5 out of 100 flights of low-cost airlines are not delayed = reject hypothesis
All land mammal species depend on water = support hypothesis
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Semi-structured
er
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Qualitative Research
Qualitative research is a scientific method of research to gather non-

numerical data, while focusing on meaning-making.
This often occurs through "case study, personal experience, life story,
interview, artifacts, and cultural texts and productions, along with
observational, historical, interactional, and visual texts."
MIST
Quantitative research:
“Quantitative research is explaining phenomena by collecting numerical data

that are analyzed using mathematically based methods (in particular
statistics)”.
Aliaga and Gunderson (2000)
- Quantitative Research makes use of tools such as questionnaires, surveys,

measurements and other equipment to collect numerical or measurable
data.
-In general, use qualitative research at the beginning of a design process to

uncover innovations. Use quantitative research at the end of a design
process to measure improvement.
MIST

Research Methodology: Military Institute of Science and Technology (MIST)

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Department of Architecture

Course Code: 5175

Systematic study in order to establish facts and reach new conclusions.

A process of enquiry and investigation

Research can help solve practical problems and increase knowledge

-Review or synthesize existing knowledge

………………………………………………………....or a combination of any of the above.

Steps followed in a Research

This, however, is an idealized model and is not necessarily the norm.

Steps followed in a Research

Wise researcher gives equal attention to each of these phases

This results in fuzziness, only to become

Cycle back to an earlier stage in the research

• Keep it manageable. A topic will be very difficult to research if it is too broad or

-by geographical area

Remember that a topic may be too difficult to research if it is too:

broadly interdisciplinary - You could be overwhelmed with superficial information.

• refers to a scheme or plan of action for meeting the objectives

• a set of instructions for the researcher; to gather and analyze data in

• Thus, the choice of design is made when the question is finalized.

• a blueprint for conducting a study that maximizes control over factors

• Important consideration – to minimize possible errors and maximize the

Research methodology is a collective term for the structured process of conducting

Research methods, usually encompasses the procedures followed to collect data,

Course Code: 5175

4 Types of researches based on Purpose

Based on Techniques of Data Collection and Analysis

This type of research takes the form of a

This research is more descriptive in

This research is more prescriptive in nature, focusing on how questions.

The purpose is to improve human intervention within specific conditions, such as

Action research aims at solving specific problems within a program, organization, or

Patton (1990) described that design and

When there is little to no existing literature on a topic, it is common to perform

Start with an existing theory

Qualitative research is a scientific method of research to gather non-

“Quantitative research is explaining phenomena by collecting numerical data

Aliaga and Gunderson (2000)

- Quantitative Research makes use of tools such as questionnaires, surveys,

-In general, use qualitative research at the beginning of a design process to

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