Lecture 1. The Planning Research Methods LMS

URP-803: Planning Research Methods
The Planning Research Methods
Dr. Irfan Ahmad Rana

Assistant Professor
Department of Urban and Regional Planning,

National University of Sciences and Technology
URP-803: Planning Research Methods, Spring Semester 2022, NUST [Dr. Irfan Ahmad Rana]
SEQUENCE OF PRESENTATION
▪ Introduction
▪ What is research?
▪ Research process
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Introduction
▪ For carrying out impactful research, a spirit is
required to spawn new and innovative ideas.
▪ This spirit for the pursuit of truth and the
extension of boundaries of knowledge means
nothing if not documented properly.
▪ Thesis / dissertation should be written in a
scholarly and presentable manner acceptable
internationally.
3
What is research?
▪ Gathering information needed to answer a question, and

thereby providing suggestions for solving a problem.
▪ Systematic and organized effort to investigate.
4
Everybody is a researcher
▪ Looking for job

▪ Looking for housing
▪ Searching a real bargain
▪ …
What is research?
Re Search Process
✓ Step by step
again find ✓ Phases
What is research?
▪ A systematic investigation into and study of materials and

sources in order to establish facts and reach new
conclusions.
▪ A systematic inquiry to investigate hypotheses, suggest new
interpretations of data or texts, and pose new questions for
future research to explore.
▪ Creative work undertaken on a systematic basis for
increasing the stock of knowledge, including that of
humans, culture and society, and the use of this stock to
devise .new applications
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Why research?
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Why research?
▪ Research offers the pleasure of solving a puzzle.

▪ Generating theories – Models
▪ Identifying problems and solutions
▪ Research helps to develop new methodologies
▪ We are surrounded by social research
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Significance of Research
▪ Research inculcates scientific and inductive thinking and it promotes the

development of logical habits of thinking and organization.
▪ Research provides the basis for nearly all government policies
▪ Research has its special significance in solving various operational and planning
problems of business and industry.
▪ Research is equally important for social scientists in studying social relationships and
in seeking answers to various social problems.
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Motivation in Research
▪ Desire to get a research degree along with its consequential

benefits;
▪ Desire to face the challenge in solving the unsolved problems,
i.e., concern over practical problems initiates research;
▪ Desire to get intellectual joy of doing some creative work;
▪ Desire to be of service to society;
▪ Desire to get respectability
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Why do research?
▪ A quest for knowledge and understanding

▪ An interesting and useful experience
▪ A course for qualification
▪ A career
▪ A style of life
▪ A way to improve quality of life
▪ An ego boost
Pre-requisites for Research
▪ Although the requirements for research vary according

to different fields of specialization, certain features of
organization, arrangement, format and presentation are
common to most of such research work.
13
Question
▪ What are some of the obstacles which may

discourage a person from undertaking research?
14
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Number ONE Requirement…
▪ You need to have an inquisitive and imaginative mind

▪ You need a questioning attitude
Wonder why?
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Criteria of good research
▪ Purpose should be clearly defined

▪ Common concepts to be used
▪ Explain procedure clearly - for continuity
▪ Results should be as objective as possible
▪ Report with frankness
▪ Acknowledge, procedural flaws
▪ Limitations of the study
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Criteria of good research
▪ Appropriate statistical test of significance

▪ •Reliable outcome measures
▪ Justify conclusions with data
▪ Limitation of data
▪ Experienced researcher
▪ Systematic
▪ Logical
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When to do research?
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The research process
▪ PHASE I Deciding what to research

▪ Step I Formulating a research problem
▪ PHASE II Planning a research study
▪ Step II Conceptualizing a research design
▪ Step III Constructing an instrument for data collection
▪ Step IV Selecting a sample
▪ Step V Writing a research proposal
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The research process
▪ PHASE III Conducting a research study

▪ Step VI Collecting data
▪ Step VII Processing and displaying data
▪ Step VIII Writing a research report
21
Seven Steps of Research Process
▪ Formulating the research problem
▪ Literature review
▪ Developing the hypothesis
▪ Preparing the research design
▪ Performing the research
▪ Data analysis, generalization and
interpretation
▪ Findings and the way forward
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Research Process:
Identify the Research Problem
 Specify a problem
 Justify a problem
 Suggest a need to study it for
audiences
23
Research Process :
Reviewing the Literature
▪ Locate the Resources
▪ Books
▪ Journals
▪ Electronic Resources
▪ Select Resources
▪ Determine the relevant resources for the topic
▪ Organize the resources by developing a “Literature Map”
▪ Summarize the resources in a Literature Review
Research Process : Specify a Purpose/Objective for
the Research
▪ Identify the purpose statement
▪ Narrow the purpose statement to research
▪ Quantitative: Research Questions and or hypothesis
▪ Qualitative: Central Phenomenon and sub-questions
Research Process :
Collecting Data
▪ Determine the data collection method
▪ Select the individuals to study
▪ Design data collection instruments and outline procedures
▪ Obtain permissions
▪ Gather information
Research Process :
Analyzing and Interpreting Data
▪ Breaking down the data
▪ Representing the data
▪ Explaining the data
Research Process :
Reporting and Evaluating Research
▪ Determine the audience for the report
▪ Structure the report
▪ Write the report sensitively and accurately
ASSIGNMENT 1
29
First RESEARCH TASK… I am making a Spotify Playlist
▪ There is a world of music outside our native/understood languages.

▪ Every student needs to research and find one song from another
language (NOT ENGLISH, URDU and/or HINDI)
▪ The song must be on YouTube/Spotify
▪ I will provide page, where everyone will share Name of
Singer(s)/Band(s) and Name of the Song.
▪ Happy Researching!!!
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URP-803: Planning Research Methods

The Planning Research Methods

Dr. Irfan Ahmad Rana

Department of Urban and Regional Planning,

▪ Gathering information needed to answer a question, and

▪ Looking for job

▪ A systematic investigation into and study of materials and

▪ Research offers the pleasure of solving a puzzle.

▪ Research inculcates scientific and inductive thinking and it promotes the

▪ Desire to get a research degree along with its consequential

▪ A quest for knowledge and understanding

▪ Although the requirements for research vary according

▪ What are some of the obstacles which may

▪ You need to have an inquisitive and imaginative mind

▪ Purpose should be clearly defined

▪ Appropriate statistical test of significance

▪ PHASE I Deciding what to research

▪ PHASE III Conducting a research study

▪ There is a world of music outside our native/understood languages.

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