RESEARCH

DESIGN
KQX 7001- RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
SEMESTER 1 - SESSION 2020/21

ASSOC. PROF. DR. FARAZILA BINTI YUSOF

DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING
 Research
Process

1. Formulating the Research Problem

2. Extensive Literature Review
3. Developing the Research
Hypothesis
4. Designing the Research
5. Collecting the Research Data
6. Analysis of Data
7. Interpretation and Generalization
8. Result Presentation: Report/Paper
Writing
 Types of Research
Qualitative research
nature of
information
Quantitative research

Experimental or
Applied Research

utility of content or nature of subject Basic/

matter of research Fundamental
Research /pure or
Cross-Sectional Theoretical
Research Research
approach of
research
Longitudinal Historical
Research Research

method of research Survey Research

Philosophical
Research
On the basis of nature of information:

• Qualitative Research: When information is in the form of qualitative data.

• Quantitative Research: When information is in the form of quantitative data.

On the basis of utility of content or nature of subject matter of research:

• Basic/ Fundamental /pure or Theoretical Research: Its utility is universal.

• Experimental or Applied Research: Its utility is limited.

On the basis of approach of research:

• Longitudinal Research: Examples of this category are historical, Case study and Genetic research.
• Cross-Sectional Research: Examples of this category are Experimental and Survey Research.

On the basis of method of research :

• Philosophical Research: It is purely qualitative in nature and we are focusing on the vision of
others on the content of research.
• Historical Research: It is both qualitative as well as quantitative in nature and deals with past
events.
• Survey Research: It deals with present events and is quantitative in nature. It may further be sub-
divided into; discretional, correlational and exploratory type of research.
• Experimental Research: This is purely quantitative in nature and deals with future events. Case-
Study Research: It deals with unusual events. It may be qualitative as well as quantitative in
nature depending upon the content
 Basic vs applied research

Primary vs secondary research

 Research design
• Conceptual structure and research activities to achieve
research objectives
• Objectives drive methods and procedures, not vice versa
– Methods: tools or techniques in research process
– Procedures: sequence and combinations in which these tools
and techniques are applied
• Includes
– Planning of research activities and intermediate milestones
– Procedures and techniques to be used
– Methods to be used in collecting, processing and analyzing data
– Parameters that may have an impact on the outcome of
research
– Design of a prototype/system architecture (engineering)
 Significance of a good research
design
Why it is so significant?
• Provides direction to the research work
• Allows for systematic execution of research
tasks
• Able to adjust objectives and scopes (if needed)
• Proper planning for resources
• Identify possible pitfalls and problems in advance
– and anticipation for remedy
• Avoid duplication of work
• Provide mean to estimate research duration
Considerations to design research
activities
What to consider?
• Purpose: what are the specific objectives of each activity?
• Time to complete the activity: Estimate the time so that you
have an idea when to complete
• Facilities: Know what major equipment/facilities/tools
required for your work and determine if they are available (or
not)
• Financial Support: Do your require money for your work
should the facilities/tools are unavailable
• Technical support: Any knowledge you need from some
sources; are there means to acquire these knowledge?
• Ability (?): may want to use your strength to advantage
HOW TO START?
Step 1: Start with good niche area
Step 2: Formulating general methodology
Step 3: Defining parameters and
performance criteria
Step 4: Define suitable data collection and
analysis methods
Step 5: Expected results and proof-of-
concept
Academic Search Engines & Databases

1. Web of science
2. Scopus
3. Google Scholar
4. ResearchGate
5. ScienceDirect
6. IEEE Xplore
7. PLoS ONE
8. Wiley
9. Taylor & Francis
Etc.
Search Engines/databases

• 13,750 journals
• 80,000 books
• 180,000 conference proceedings

• About 160 million documents

• About 88% of all scholarly documents
ResearchGate
Academic databases
 Broad types of Research
• Qualitative
• Quantitative
 Qualitative Research
• Narrative
– Subject’s own words
– Summarizes behaviors
• Descriptive
• Methods
– Interviews
– Focus Group Discussion (FGD)
– Observation notes
– Surveys
 Quantitative Research
• Numerical data collected & analyzed
• Explores relationship between variables
– Independent (single or multi-leveled)
– Dependent (single or multiple)
• Analysis may permit exploration of an interaction
between variable
• Experimental or quasi-experimental
Experimental Designs Quasi-Experimental Designs
• Characterized by • Groups or subjects not
complete random randomly assigned (e.g.,
assignmentof groups or sample of convenience)
subjects • May not have a
• Groups are independent comparison group
• Usually employs strong • Typical of clinical research
control (e.g., within subjects
repeated measures)
• Less “subject-intensive”
TOOLS FOR EXECUTING THE
RESEARCH……..
 Measurement Characteristics
Measurement during Experimentation
• Measure the baseline performance
• Identify input & output variables
• Establish data collection plan
– Sampling techniques
– Where to collect data or samples, when & what is the
frequency or sample size ?
– Establish operational definition
• Determine current performance and performance
standards
• Verify measurement method
 Measurement System Analysis: Four
characteristics to examine in a gauge system

1.Sensitivity
2.Reproducibility
3.Accuracy
4.Repeatability/Precision
1) Sensitivity
– Instrument should be sensitive enough to detect
differences in measurement as slight as one-tenth
of total tolerance specification
– e.g.: 200 ±0.1 mm  tool should be able to
measure at 0.01mm accuracy.
2) Reproducibility
– “Reliability” of instrument to reproduce
measurements
– Checked by comparing results of different
operators taken at different time affects both
accuracy and precision
3) Accuracy
– How close to an unbiased true value
– Difference between average of a number of
measurements and true value
– e.g: checking a micrometer with a gauge block
– Relates to ’systematic errors’

4) Repeatability/Precision
– How close measurements are to each other
– Ability to repeat same measurement by same
operator at the same time
– Lack of precision is referred to as ‘random error‘
– To improve accuracy and precision must have a
defined test method and must be statistically stable
• If experiment contains systematic error Increasing sample size
generally increases precision but does not improve accuracy
• Eliminating systematic error improves accuracy but does not change
precision
 Design of Experiment (DoE)
• Statistical technique : for improving process designs & solving
process
• Maximum amount of information
• Optimum sample

• Why DOE
 Reduce time
 Improve performance
 Improve reliability

Example of software:
Design Expert
Minitab
 Methods of Experimentation
• Trial and Error
• Single Factor Experiment: one change at a
time
• Fractional Factorial Experiment: change many
things at a time
• Full Factorial Experiment: change many things
at a time
• Others (Box-Jenkins, Taguchi, Response
Surface Design etc.)
 Key terms
• Experiment: Process of collecting sample data
• Factors: Independent Variables (input variables that are
changed)
• Response Variable: Variable measured in experiment
(output, y)
• Level: Specific values of factors (inputs), e.g.,
Temperature -Level 1: 110C, Level 2: 150C
• Interaction: Effect of one input factor depends on level of
another input factor
• Treatment: A particular combination of levels of the
factors in an experiment
• Experimental Unit: Object upon which the response y is
measured
 Factorial Design: An Example
DoE Factorial Strategy
 Analyzing a Full Factorial Design
Example: To find out the effects of variables on yield in a chemical
process
 Implementation of Experimental Design
1.State objective of study and hypotheses to be tested
2.Determine response variable (s) of interest that can be measured
3.Determine controllable factors of interest that might affect response variables and levels
of each. Better to include more factors in design than to exclude factors, i.e., prejudging
them to be non-significant
4.Determine uncontrollable variables that might affect response variables, blocking known
nuisance variables and randomizing runs to protect against unknown nuisance variables.
5.Determine total number of runs in experiment, ideally using estimates of variability,
precision required, size of effects expected, etc., but more likely based on available time and
resources.
6.Design experiment, remembering to randomize the runs.
7.Perform experiment strictly according to experimental design, including initial setup for
each run in a physical experiment. Do not swap run order to make job easier.
8.Analyzedata from experiment using analysis of variance method
9.Interpret results and state conclusions in terms of subject matter
10.Consider performing a second, confirmatory experiment if conclusions are very important
or are likely to be controversial
11.Document and summarize results and conclusions, in tabular and graphical form, for
report
Selection of a method depends on:

1. Resources available
2. Credibility
3. Analysis & reporting
Researcher must decide:

Which data to collect?

How to collect the data?
When to collect the data?
Types of Data

Primary data
 collected for the first time & original
Secondary data
 already been collected
Primary Data

Experiments
Surveys
Interviews
Questionnaires
Schedules
Observation
Specific tools: Depend on research field

Tools for experiments: Reactor, UAV,

Machining?
Tools for simulation: CFD, FEA?
Statistical tools: SPSS, ?
Analytical tools: XRD, XPS?
Etc.
RESEARCH PLANNING…
 Research design matrix
Activities Analytical Simulation Experimenta1
Objectives To observe the To simulate the To weld between
interface reaction effect of dissimilar alloys
during welding thermomechanica
process l during welding
process
Time frame / 6 months 8 months 10 months
duration
Facilities / cost FESEM, XRD Workstation, FEM Laser welding
Financial cost Available in lab Available in lab Available in lab
Technical Need to learn the Need to learn the Need to learn the
requirement spectrum simulation safety and
appeared in the software and how machine setup
analysis to setup the
welding model
and parameters
Validating results
 Projecting the outcomes
What are the outcomes
• The question may arise as to how much detail
should be outcomes
• Unexpected outcomes may dictate changes in
research methodology
• You must provide sufficient detail to demonstrate
that you can successfully complete the
• project if everything goes as expected
• And discuss how you can adapt your procedures
if it does not
 What are the major What are the relationships,
patterns in the trends and generalizations
observations? among the results?

What are the likely causes

What to What are the exceptions to
these patterns or
(mechanisms) underlying
these patterns resulting
generalizations?
discuss? predictions?

Interpret results in terms

of background laid out in
Is there agreement or
the introduction - what is
disagreement with
the relationship of the
previous work?
present result to the
original question?
 There are usually several
What is the implication of possible explanations for
the present results for results – be careful to
other unanswered consider all of these rather
questions in your domain? than simply pushing your
favourite one

What are the things we

Avoid jumping a currently
now know or understand
fashionable point of view
that we didn’t know or
unless your results really
understand before the
do strongly support them
present work?

Include the evidence or

What is the significance of
line of reasoning
the present results – why
supporting each
should we care?
interpretation