Skills and Research Methodology

for Biotechnology

Course Design
Dr. Abdul Haque
With Modifications
By
Asad Bashir
Research Associate
Pharm. D, M. Phil (Microbiology), PhD (Scholar) Biotechnology

Design: Dr Abdul Haque

1
Minor Modifications: Asad Bashir
 Google Classroom
• Mandatory for each student
• Lectures, Assignments and Quizzes
• Question and Answer sessions*
• Grading throughout this session
– online and on-campus classes

*WhatsApp will only be used for information sharing, not for question answer
sessions

Design: Dr Abdul Haque

2
Minor Modifications: Asad Bashir
 Course Outline
1. Overview of Scientific Research;
improvement through Research
2. Nature of Scientific Inquiry
3. Applications of Research in Industry

Design: Dr Abdul Haque

3
Minor Modifications: Asad Bashir
 Course Outline
4. Choosing a project; development of a
research project; writing a research grant
application: role or students; supervisor's
role; designing and investigation; identifying
the level within investigation; deciding on
techniques to be employed; analysis ·of
results; control, samples and replications;
reviewing the literature; primary and
secondary sources; scientific record keeping;
Design: Dr Abdul Haque
4
Minor Modifications: Asad Bashir
 Course Outline
5. Use of microorganisms, animals, plants and
humans in experimentation;
6. Use of pathogens in experiments;
7. Conflict of interests; ownership of data;
writing, presentation and publishing the
scientific papers;
8. Filing patent application.

Design: Dr Abdul Haque

5
Minor Modifications: Asad Bashir
 Importance of this course
• For Research Project in final prof/ Higher
Education
– Designing Project
– Writing report/ Thesis
• writing synopsis for higher education
– Indigenous
– Foreign
– Most important part of application
• To apply for local and foreign scholarships
Design: Dr Abdul Haque
6
Minor Modifications: Asad Bashir
 Importance of this course

• For Jobs
– Report writing is compulsory at Managerial Level
– Management of Data

• For Business Start-Up/ Entrepreneurship

– Require Project Designing for better success rates and
lower chances of failure

• Applying for Research grants

Design: Dr Abdul Haque

7
Minor Modifications: Asad Bashir
 Study Groups
• 3rd Prof & 4th Prof
• Group: 5-6 members
• Group Leader:
– Active Internet connection
– Communicate extensively with all group members
– Responsible for the group performance
– Facilitate group members in understanding and
performing individual assignments
• Points will be awarded for each assignment
• Scoreboard

Design: Dr Abdul Haque

8
Minor Modifications: Asad Bashir
 Research Process
1. Formulating the research problem
2. Extensive literature survey
3. Development of working hypotheses
4. Preparing the research design
5. Determining sample design
6. Collecting the data
7. Execution of the project
8. Analysis of data
9. Hypothesis-testing
10. Generalizations and interpretation
11. Preparation of the report or the thesis

Design: Dr Abdul Haque

9
Minor Modifications: Asad Bashir
 1- Formulating the research problem
• Problem  broad general way
• Resolve  ambiguities
• Feasibility
• General Topic  specific Research Problem
– understanding the problem thoroughly
• Initial Review of Literature
• Supervisor
– Rephrase analytical point of view
• Unambigious
• verify the objectivity and validity
– background facts concerning the problem
• Statement of the problem  Analytical Point of View
• Objectives  Analytical Point of View

Design: Dr Abdul Haque

10
Minor Modifications: Asad Bashir
 2- Extensive literature survey
Connecting the dots
• Academic journals
– Original Articles
– Reviews
• Government Reports
• Books
• Conference proceedings

Design: Dr Abdul Haque

11
Minor Modifications: Asad Bashir
 2- Extensive literature survey
• brief summary
• write a synopsis
– Abstract/summary
– Introduction
• Review
• Statement of the problem
• Objectives
– Material and Methods
– Proposed significance of the study based upon
expected results

Design: Dr Abdul Haque

12
Minor Modifications: Asad Bashir
 2- Extensive literature survey
• Submit synopsis
– Supervisor
– Research Board

Design: Dr Abdul Haque

13
Minor Modifications: Asad Bashir
 3. Development of working
hypotheses
• clear terms
• tentative assumption
– test logical or empirical consequences
• focal point for research
• Affect
– Nature of proposed tests/methodologies
– Analysis type
– Quality of data
Design: Dr Abdul Haque
14
Minor Modifications: Asad Bashir
 3. Development of working
hypotheses
• Hypothesis
–  very specific
–  limited to the piece of research in hand because it
has to be tested.
– Ensures right track
• Review
– Previous studies
• Their Hypothesis
• Methods used to test
• Quality of data
• Analysis method

Design: Dr Abdul Haque

15
Minor Modifications: Asad Bashir
 3. Development of working
hypotheses
• Applied Research  Industry/ Agriculture/etc
– Exploratory personal investigation
• original field interviews – limited scale
• interested parties and individuals
• Practical aspects of the problem
• Discussions
– Supervisor
– Experts
• Off the record
• Research Board

Design: Dr Abdul Haque

16
Minor Modifications: Asad Bashir
 4. Preparing the research design
• conceptual structure
– within which research would be conducted
• Research Type (Previous Lecture)
– Experimental designs
• informal designs
– before-and-after without control
– after-only with control
– before-and-after with control
• Formal Designs
– completely randomized design
– randomized block design
– Latin square design
– simple and complex factorial designs

Design: Dr Abdul Haque

17
Minor Modifications: Asad Bashir
 4. Preparing the research design
• Important considerations
i. the means of obtaining the information
ii. the availability and skills of the research team
iii. explanation
• Organization of data from sources
• reasoning for the selection of those sources
iv. the time available for research
v. the cost factor relating to research
– the finance available for the purpose.

Design: Dr Abdul Haque

18
Minor Modifications: Asad Bashir
 5. Determining sample design
• Target Population
– definite plan
• determined before any data are actually collected
– obtaining a sample from a given population

• Probability samples
• non-probability samples

Design: Dr Abdul Haque

19
Minor Modifications: Asad Bashir
 5. Determining sample design
Non-Probability samples (Deliberate sampling)
• do not allow the researcher to determine
probability
– convenience sampling
• Ease of access
– judgement sampling
• To develop hypothesis
• Not to test a hypothesis
– quota sampling techniques
Design: Dr Abdul Haque
20
Minor Modifications: Asad Bashir
 5. Determining sample design
Non-Probability samples (Deliberate sampling)
• do not allow the researcher to determine
probability
– quota sampling techniques
• cost of taking random samples is expensive
• interviewers are simply given quota to be filled from
different strata
• interviewer’s judgement
• size of the quota for each stratum
– proportionate to the size of that stratum in the population

Design: Dr Abdul Haque

21
Minor Modifications: Asad Bashir
 5. Determining sample design
Probability samples
• Each element has a known probability of
being included in the sample
– simple random sampling
– systematic sampling
– stratified sampling
– cluster/area sampling

Design: Dr Abdul Haque

22
Minor Modifications: Asad Bashir
 5. Determining sample design
Probability samples
• Each element has a known probability of
being included in the sample
simple random sampling
• every item/member in the population
– an equal chance of inclusion in the study
– Use Excel (Index + Rand Function)

Design: Dr Abdul Haque

23
Minor Modifications: Asad Bashir
 5. Determining sample design
Probability samples
• Each element has a known probability of
being included in the sample
Stratified sampling
• If population is not homogenous
– Population is grouped into Homogenous groups
– Simple Random Sampling from each group
• an equal chance of inclusion in the study
• Use Excel (Index + Rand Function)

Design: Dr Abdul Haque

24
Minor Modifications: Asad Bashir
 5. Determining sample design
Probability samples
• Each element has a known probability of
being included in the sample
Cluster sampling and area sampling
• If population is too big and not quantifiable
– Population is grouped into Homogenous groups
– Simple Random Sampling of Groups/Areas
• an equal chance of inclusion in the study
• Use Excel (Index + Rand Function)

Design: Dr Abdul Haque

25
Minor Modifications: Asad Bashir
 5. Determining sample design
Multi-Stage Sampling
• Nation-wide studies
– Selection of states
– Selection of Districts
– Selection of Towns
– Selection of Families
• Simple Random Sampling in Each Step
• an equal chance of inclusion in the study
• Use Excel (Index + Rand Function)

Design: Dr Abdul Haque

26
Minor Modifications: Asad Bashir
 5. Determining sample design
Sequential Sampling
• Complex Sample Design
– Too many unknowns
• Sample size is not fixed in advance
• Based upon the results
• Every step  statistical quality control

Design: Dr Abdul Haque

27
Minor Modifications: Asad Bashir
 5. Determining sample design
• The sample design
– nature of the inquiry
– other related factors
• Different sampling designs applicable
– First preference to Simple Random Design
• For removal of Biasness

Design: Dr Abdul Haque

28
Minor Modifications: Asad Bashir
 6. Collecting the data
• by Experiments
– caliberated Instruments
– Valid data
– With control
• By observation
• Through personal interview
• Through telephone interviews
• By mailing of questionnaires
Design: Dr Abdul Haque
29
Minor Modifications: Asad Bashir
 7. Execution of the project
• Systematic manner
• in time
• Careful watch for unanticipated factors

Design: Dr Abdul Haque

30
Minor Modifications: Asad Bashir
 8. Analysis of data
• Statistics
– computation of
• various percentages
• coefficients
• relationships or differences supporting or
conflicting with original or new hypotheses
• tests of significance
– determine conclusion

Design: Dr Abdul Haque

31
Minor Modifications: Asad Bashir
 9. Hypothesis-testing
• Chi square test
• t-test
• F-test
• depending upon
– the nature and objectives of research inquiry
• hypothesis
– acceptance
– rejection
Design: Dr Abdul Haque
32
Minor Modifications: Asad Bashir
 9. Hypothesis-testing
• no hypotheses
– evidences established based on data
• stated as hypotheses
– Test the hypothesis

Design: Dr Abdul Haque

33
Minor Modifications: Asad Bashir
10. Generalisations and interpretation
• Strong evidences
– Tested multiple times
– Same results
– Interpretation
• Build a theory
– That can be tested in the same study
– Or future studies

Design: Dr Abdul Haque

34
Minor Modifications: Asad Bashir
 11. Preparation of the report or the
thesis
• Abstract
• Introduction
• Review of literature
• Material and Methods
• Results
• Discussion
• Conclusion
• Publish according to the worth of the study
Design: Dr Abdul Haque
35
Minor Modifications: Asad Bashir
Questions?

Design: Dr Abdul Haque

36
Minor Modifications: Asad Bashir