5/7/2020

Topic-3

I welcome all of you to today’s session on social research steps or

process of social research.

Out line of the session

❖Recapitulation of Topic-2
❖ Social research steps or process of social research
Sl. Step
1 Identification of the research problem
2 Literature review
3 Formulation of research problem
4 Formulation of hypotheses and
statement of assumptions
5 Choice of the empirical variables
❖Reference for this session
❖Sample questions from this session
Sl. Step
6 Choice of research method
7 Collection of data
8 Analysis and interpretation
9 Drawing conclusions and
recommendations
10 Reporting research findings

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Recapitulation of Topic-2
❖Social research (definition, purposes, utilities, limitations)

❖Introduced types of social research

❖Discussed types based on 4 basis. These are

✓from approach/data analysis/methodological point
✓based on nature of research
✓from the point of comparison
✓based on purpose and objectives of research

Continued
❖ According to 1st criteria social research are of 3 types, these are as follows
✓Qualitative, Quantitative and Mixed Research

❖According to 2nd criteria social research are of 2 types, these are as follows
✓Fundamental or Pure or Basic and Applied or Action Research

❖According to 3rd criteria social research are of 2 types, these are as follows
✓Comparative and Longitudinal Research

❖ According to 4th criteria social research are of 7 types, these are as follows
✓Exploratory, Explanatory, Experimental, Relational, Evaluation,
Descriptive, and Policy Research

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Social Research Process

Now I welcome you all to the discussion on the

Social Research Process

(1st step; Identification of the research problem)

•Defining research problem is the most critical task of a scientific inquiry

•The problem has to be stated clearly and explicitly so that it will be readily
understandable

•It starts with something like “what do I want to find out?” “what
question needs to be answered by the research?”

•After the identification of the research problem, researcher needs to spell-

out specific objectives of the research

•Topic of research depends on some considerations

•May based on some practical considerations

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Continued
• Or by some theoretical and intellectual interests

• It may based on burning problems of the time

• Or based on special interest and convenience of the researcher

• In every society, no matter developed or developing, exists many

problems

• A conscious and critical observation of one’s surrounding exhibits a

lot of researchable issues

2nd Step; Literature Review

•Without literature review, no researcher can do research

•It helps the researcher to position him/herself

•To know about the current status of the research topic

•To identify the unanswered dimensions

•To explicate any difficulties or incompleteness exists in theories

•To formulate the research topic and also to select research method and
data collection method

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3rd Step; Formulation of research problem

• This step includes several efforts. Generally this are as follows
i. Originating the question
ii. Rationale of the question
iii. Specifying the question
iv. Identification of sub-problems
v. Determination of the researchability of the problem
vi. Intimate acquaintance with the research problem
I am going to explain all these efforts one-by-one.

Continued
Originating the question
Originating question is based on fundamental objective of the research
i.e. what is the specific problem the researcher wants to solve or address

Rationale of the question

It is also necessary to know the reasons behind the question
Why the question is being raised at all?
If the question is answered, what will be the benefit?
The research question has to be justified and its rationale has to be well
accepted
One cannot propose wild ideas or sensational and mere catchy matters

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Continued
Specifying the question
The question should be decomposed into several specific questions

Each of which can be answered separately with particular variable or set of data

Identification of sub-problems
Most social problems in their entirety are too large or too complex to be stated
them without sub-dividing them

•Each sub-problem should be a complete researchable unit

•A sub-problem should constitute a logical sub-area of the larger research

undertaking

•Sub-problems must add-up to the totality of the problem

Continued
Determination of the researchability of the problem
Research topic must be such that it can be studied within the limits of one’s
resources

The problem must be of manageable size

Essential to think ahead, necessary information will be available to investigate

Intimate acquaintance with the research problem

Efforts should be exerted to acquire a wide and deep understanding of the nature of
the problem

This knowledge can be gained through several ways

e.g. reading available literature, consultation with knowledgeable persons are
noteworthy

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4th Step; Formulation of hypotheses and statement of assumptions

• Through hypothesis or proposition construction the researcher attempts
to establish a pattern of relationship of variables

• In the formulation of hypothesis certain assumptions have to be made

• Assumptions may be theoretically derived or can be based on

commonly accepted facts

• In this stage dependent and independent variables and exact relations

are determined

5th Step; Choice of empirical variables

•At this stage, operational or working definitions of variables are

established

•The variables should be clearly identified and specifically defined

with precise and measurable indicators

•Necessary explanations will be included to clarify the

specification and choice and their relevance with the research topic

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6th Step; Choice of research method

•Choice of a particular research method depends primarily on the nature of
the research topic

•It also depends on several other factors including

•Time
•Physical and financial resources
•Level of accuracy anticipated
•Degree of sampling error to be tolerated
•Characteristics of the respondent population of the research

•Each of the research method has its limitations

•To avoid those in most cases of social research combination is used

7th Step; Collection of data

▪It is the most important phase of a research

▪Success as well as failure in many cases depends on this stage

▪Data collection methods selection depends on the nature and method of

the research mostly

▪There are wide range of tools to collect data, interview, survey, etc.

▪Careful and continuous supervision is mandatory at this stage

▪Field collector must know what to do at all times

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8th Step; Analysis and interpretation

▪ When data and information are collected, the research goes for analysis and
interpretation

▪ It goes align with the objectives and hypotheses of the research

▪ Of course analysis method is also predefined in accordance with objectives

and fitness with the research design and conditions

▪ If it is quantitative analysis then some statistical tests, and mathematical

models are performed

▪ If it is qualitative analysis content analysis and/or other methods are

performed

▪ In all cases researcher must need to interpret the results

9th Step; Drawing conclusions and recommendations

Conclusions should adequately be supported with empirical evidences and data

Substantiated by appropriate logical and theoretical explanation

Consistent to the general theoretical and analytical framework of the study

Must present and explain the contributions of the research, if it is of several types
will separately arranged

Will mention the opt out dimension, limitation, and other difficulties for future
research

There can be suggestion and/or opinion for future research in the same field

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10th and final step; Reporting research findings

Generally it contains several sections and sub-sections.

Need to be organized in a logical manner.

I will discuss this issue in a later session.

Reference for this session

Aminuzzaman, M. Salahuddin, Essentials of Social

Research, Osder Publications, Dhaka, 2011, PP 92-98.

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Sample questions from this session

1) Identify and explain the major steps in a social research with a

suitable example.

Or

Illustrate the social research process selecting a research topic step-

by-step.

Thanks 

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