RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

Dr. Wesley K. Kirui Ph.D.

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 Introduction - Course Outline
COURSE OBJECTIVES:
The objectives of this course is to enable students:
• To carry out literature review and write a scientifically sound proposal or
technical report or paper
• To prepare and effectively employ, in oral presentations, modern tools
• To prepare a draft proposal for the final year project work
WEEK LECTURE EXCERCISE
1 Introduction to research methods
2 Sources of published information in Engineering Project proposal
3-4 Techniques of literature search: Literature review CAT #1
ASSESSMENT 5-7 Methods of information retrieval
Report examination 20%
CATS 30% 8-9 Project idea generation; Project proposal writing
Final examination 50% 10 Data collection and analysis CAT # 2
TOTAL 100%
11 Preparation of scientific and technical papers
Lecturer 12 - 13 Presentation of reports; Dissemination of research Project Presentation
Dr. Wesley K. Kirui (Ph.D.) findings

14 - 15 Case study and reports based on anticipated final

year project areas
27/04/2022 16 - 17 University Exams 2
 Introduction-Course oultine
REFERENCES
• Kothari C. B. (2008). Research methodology; Methods and Techniques. New Age
International, ISBN: 8122415229
• Juliet C. and Anselm C. S. (2007). Basics of qualitative research, Techniques and
Procedures for Developing Grounded Theory. Sage Publications, ISBN:
1412906431
• Mugenda O. M. and Mugenda A. G. (1999). Research Methods, Quantitative and
Qualitative Approaches. African Centre for Technology Studies, ISBN:
9966411070
• Singh, K. Y. (2006). Fundamental of Research and Statistics. New Age
International Ltd Publishers, ISBN : 978-81-224-2418-8.

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 Introduction
• Research methodology is the study of how to conduct research. May be understood as a
science of studying how research is done scientifically. In it we study the various steps
that are generally adopted by researcher in studying his research problem along with the
logic behind them.
• Research Methods:- Refers to the methods/ techniques researchers use in
performing research operations.
• Definition of Research – Research comprises of two terms ‘Re’ meaning to do again and
‘Search’ meaning examine closely and carefully.
• Webster Dictionary
• Careful or diligent search
• Studious inquiry or examination; especially: investigation or experimentation aimed at the discovery
and interpretation of facts, revision of accepted theories or laws in the light of new facts, or practical
application of such new or revised theories or laws
• The collecting of information about a particular subject
• Research is a process carried out to acquire new knowledge.
• To research is to carry out diligent inquiry or a critical examination of a given
phenomenon.
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 Introduction
• Research involves critical analysis of existing conclusions with regard to newly
discovered facts. This is very important in the changing world with advances in
technology continually creating new possibilities.
• Research is search for knowledge.
• Research is scientific and systematic search for pertinent information on a specific
topic or subject.
• Research is a movement from known to unknown.
• Research comprises defining and redefining a problem, formulating hypothesis or
suggesting a solution; collecting, analysing and evaluating; making deductions and
reaching conclusions and at last carefully testing the conclusion to determine
whether they fit the formulated hypothesis.
• Research is an original contribution to the existing stock of knowledge making for
its advancement.
• Pursuit of truth with help of study, observation, comparison and experiment.
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 Introduction
• Research is search for knowledge through objective and systematic method of
finding a solution to a problem.
• Research is simply the process of arriving at dependable solution to a problem
through the planned and systematic collection, analysis and interpretation of data.
Research is the most important process for advancing knowledge for promoting
progress and to enable man to relate more effectively to his environment to
accomplish his purpose and to resolve his conflicts. Although it is not the only
way, it is one of the more effective ways of solving scientific problems.

• Research is oriented towards the discovery of relationship that exists among

phenomena of the world in which we live. The fundamental assumption is that
invariant relationship exists between certain antecedents and certain consequents
so that under a specific set of conditions a certain consequents can be expected to
follow the introduction of a given antecedent.
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 Introduction
Further definition of Research
According to Rusk
• “Research is a point of view, an attitude of inquiry or a frame of mind. It asks
questions which have hitherto not been asked, and it seeks to answer them by
following a fairly definite procedure. It is not a mere theorising, but rather an
attempt to elicit facts and to face them once they have been assembled. Research is
likewise not an attempt to bolster up pre-conceived opinions, and it implies a
readiness to accept the conclusions to which an inquiry leads, no matter how
unwelcome they may prove. When successful, research adds to the scientific
knowledge of the subject.
According to George J. Mouly
• He defines research as, “The systematic and scholarly application of the scientific
method interpreted in its broader sense, to the solution of social studies all
problems; conversely, any systematic study designed to promote the development
of social studies as a science can be considered research.”
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 Introduction
Further definition of Research
According to J. Francis Rummel
“Research is an endeavor / attempt to discover, develop and verify knowledge. It is
an intellectual process that has developed over hundreds of years ever changing in
purpose and form and always researching to truth.”
According to P.M. Cook
• “Research is an honest, exhaustive, intelligent searching for facts and their
meanings or implications with reference to a given problem. The product or
findings of a given piece of research should be an authentic, verifiable
contribution to knowledge in the field studied.”

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 Introduction
GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS OF RESEARCH
• It gathers new knowledge or data from primary or first-hand sources.
• It places emphasis upon the discovery of general principles.
• It is an exact systematic, accurate investigation and description.
• It uses certain valid data gathering devices.
• It is logical and objective.
• The researcher resists the temptation to seek only the data that support his
hypotheses.
• The researcher eliminates personal feelings and preferences.
• It endeavours to organise data in quantitative terms.
• It uses carefully designed procedures and apply rigorous analysis.
• Research
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is patient and unhurried activity. 9
 Introduction
• The researcher is willing to follow his procedures to the conclusions that may be
unpopular and bring social disapproval.
• Research is carefully recorded and reported.
• Conclusions and generalisations are arrived at carefully and cautiously.

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 Research Terminologies
• Population – Refers to an entire group of individuals, events or objects having a
common observable characteristic. Example all standard three pupils in a county.
First a researcher has to define the population to which generalization of results
will be done. To get the whole population might be costly, therefore an accessible
population is set from the absolute population.

• Sample – Small group obtained from the accessible population. Each member in
the accessible population is referred to as a subject.

• Sampling – Is the process of selecting a number of individuals for the study in

such a way that the individuals selected represent the large group from which they
were selected. The individuals selected form the sample and the large group from
which they were selected is the population. The purpose of sampling is to secure a
representative

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 Terms
• Variables – measurable characteristics that assumes different values among the
subjects. It is a logical way of expressing a particular attribute in a subject. Some
variables are expressed quantitatively e.g age or weight. Others are put in
categories e.g farmer, teacher
Operational Definition of Variables
• Data – All information a researcher gathers for his or her study. Primary data –
Refers to information a researcher gets from the field i.e from the subjects in the
field
Secondary data – information a researcher refers from books, research articles,
casual interviews, data is classified into quantitative or qualitative
Parameter – A characteristic that is measurable and can assume different values in
the population
Statistics – Science of organizing, describing and analyzing quantitative data. It also
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to indices derived through statistical procedures. 12
 Terms
• Descriptive statistics – Indices that describe a given sample. Examples descriptive
statistics are: measures of central tendency – mean, mode, median), measure of
dispersion (range, standard deviation, variance), distributions (percentages,
frequencies), relationships (correlations).
• Inferential statistics – A branch of statistics which researchers use to draw
inferences about a given phenomenon in the population. The purpose of
inferential statistics is to test hypotheses and enable the researcher generalize
the results from the sample to the population.
• Objectives – Any kind of the desired end or condition. Refers to the specific
aspects of the phenomenon under study that the researcher desires to bring out
at the end of the research study.

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 Terms
• Literature review - This involves the locating, reading and evaluating reports of
previous studies, observations and opinions related to the planned study.
• Problem statement - A specific statement that clearly conveys the purpose of the
research study.
• Units of analysis - Refers to those units that we initially describe for the purpose
of aggregating their characteristics in order to describe some larger group or
abstract phenomenon.
• Units of observation - Subject, object, item or entity from which we measure the
characteristic or obtain the data required in the research study.
• Hypothesis - Researcher’s anticipated explanation or opinion regarding the result
of the study.
• Theory - Set of concepts or constructs and interrelations that are assumed to exist
among those concepts. Theory provides the basis for establishing hypotheses to be
tested in the study.
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• Deductive logic - Process of developing hypotheses from theories and then
testing these hypotheses through observations or experiments.
• Inductive logic - Process of constructing hypotheses and then theory from
repeated observation.

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 Objectives of Research
The purpose of research is to discover answers to questions through the application
of scientific procedures. The main aim of research is to find out the truth which is
hidden and which has not been discovered as yet. Though each research study has
its own specific purpose, we may think of research objectives as falling into the
following broad groupings:
• To gain familiarity with a phenomenon or to achieve new insights into it (studies
with this object in view are termed as exploratory or formulative research studies).
• To portray accurately the characteristics of a particular individual, situation or a
group (studies with this object in view are known as descriptive research studies).
• To determine the frequency with which something occurs or with which it is
associated with something else (studies with this object in view are known as
diagnostic research studies)
• To test a hypothesis of a causal relationship between variables (such studies are
known as hypothesis-testing research studies).
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 Motivation in Research
What makes people to undertake research? This is a question of fundamental
importance. The possible motives for doing research may be either one or more of
the following:
• 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.
This is not an exhaustive list of factors motivating people to carry out research.
Government directives, employment conditions, curiosity to explore new findings
etc.

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 Classification of Research
Research is conducted at different levels and for different immediate purposes. The
level at which a person operates in the field depends on the objectives he intends to
accomplish. Generally research has two levels:
• Basic level
• Applied level
Basic Level
• Designed to add an organized body of scientific knowledge and does not
necessarily produce results of immediate practical value.
Applied Level
• Applied research is undertaken to solve an immediate practical problem and the
goal of adding to scientific knowledge is secondary. A common mistake is to
assume that levels differ according to complexity and that basic research tends to
be complex. Some applied research is quite complex and some basic research is
rather simple.
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 Types of Research
• Pure Research (Basic or Fundamental Research) - Gathering, knowledge is
termed as ‘pure’ or ‘basic’ research. Just to gather knowledge in order to formulate
or generalize theories or policies. Example - Research on mathematics or some
natural phenomenon. This type of research adds knowledge to the already existing
organized body.
• Applied Research: Aims at finding solution for an immediate problem facing a
society or an industry/ business organizations or to discover a solution for some
pressing practical problem. The researcher has to use facts or information already
available, and analyze these to make a critical evaluation of the material.
• Descriptive Research: Means description of the state of affairs as it exists at
present. Researcher only reports what has happened or what is happening. It
includes surveys and fact-finding enquiries of different kinds. The major purpose
of descriptive research is description of the state of affairs as it exists at present.
The main characteristic of this method is that the researcher has no control over
the variables; he can only report what has happened or what is happening.
• Analytical Research: Researcher has to use facts on information already
available
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and analyze these to make a critical evaluation of the material. 19
 Types of Research
• Quantitative Research: Based on the measurement of quantity or amount.
Applicable to phenomena that can be expressed in terms of quantity.
• Qualitative research: Based on qualitative phenomenon i.e. phenomena relating
to or involving quality or kind. Qualitative research is important in the behavioural
sciences where the aim is to discover the underlying motives of human behaviour.
• Conceptual Research: Related to some abstract ideas or theory. Used by
philosophers and thinkers to develop new concepts or re-interpret existing ones.
• Empirical Research: Relies on experience or observations alone, often without
due regard for system and theory. It is data-based research, coming up with
conclusions which are capable of being verified by observation or experiment. We
can also call it as experimental type of research.

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 Sources of Knowledge
Methods of Knowledge Acquisition
• Research is an important source of knowledge
• Experience – Common mode of obtaining knowledge. Human beings learned
through experiences in life.
• Tradition is another source of knowledge - All human inherit a culture. Culture is
a reflection of an adopted system of rules, norms, standards and values.
• Tenacity - Accepted because the idea has been accepted for so long
• Intuition – Is perception or explanation or insight into phenomena by instinct. In
other words it is the ability to gain knowledge without conscious reasoning or
rational process. Acceptance based on no process of interpretation or
assessment. A “gut feeling”; intuition.
• Authority – Takes the form of an expert in a given area giving his opinion.
Accepted
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• Rationalism - The practice or principle of basing opinions and actions on reason
and knowledge rather than on religious belief or emotional response.
Empiricism - Reaching a conclusion through logic. This is acceptable, only if the
resulting question/interpretation is treated as a hypothesis and tested.

Examples with your field????

• Empiricism - Knowledge gained by observation.
Examples within your field????
Naïve empiricism - , “I will not believe it until I see it”.
Sophisticated empiricism - , When indirect measures are used as evidence for
the intended observation.

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