JAWAHARLAL NEHRU TECHNOLOGICAL

UNIVERSITY KAKINADA
Research Methodologies Orientation to Research Students
20-11-2023

Dr. V. Ravindra
Professor of Civil Engineering
Director Research & Development
State Teacher Awardee from Government of Andhra Pradesh 2013
Registrar JNTUK (Sep 2008-Feb 2012)
Director of Evaluation JNTUK ( Feb 2012-Nov 2013)
Director Infrastructure Development & Chief Engineer (Jul 2013-Nov 2018)
Director Academic Audit (Dec 2019-Dec 2021)
ConvenerAPEAMCET 2020, APEAPCET 2021
JNTU Kakinada
Contents
◼ Stage 1: Planning PhD Programme
◼ Stage 2: Carrying Out Research Activity
◼ Stage 3: Publications on Research Work
◼ Stage 4: Documentation
◼ Stage 5: Evaluation of the Doctoral Work
◼ Stage 6: Future Career Orientation
 NATIONAL EDUCATION POLICY 2020

❖Recognizing, identifying, the unique capabilities of

each student

❖Flexibility

❖Multi disciplinarily education

❖Emphasis on conceptual understanding

❖Creativity and critical thinking

❖Ethics and human & Constitutional values

NATIONAL EDUCATION POLICY 2020

❖Promoting Multilingualism and the Power of

Language
❖Life skills
❖Extensive use of Technology
❖Ensure Integrity, Transparency, and Resource
Efficiency
❖Outstanding Research
❖Continuous Review
NATIONAL EDUCATION POLICY 2020- Steps taken by
Higher Education Institutions

❖Mitigate opportunity costs and fees for pursuing higher

education
❖Provide financial assistance and scholarships to socio-
economically disadvantaged students
❖Conduct outreach on higher education opportunities and
scholarships
❖Make admissions processes more inclusive
❖Make curriculum more inclusive
❖Increase employability potential of higher education
programmes
❖Develop degree courses taught in Indian languages and
bilingually
NATIONAL EDUCATION POLICY 2020- Steps taken by
Higher Education Institutions

❖Develop bridge courses for students that come from

disadvantaged educational backgrounds
❖Provide socio-emotional and academic support and mentoring
for all such students through suitable counseling and mentoring
programmes
❖Ensure sensitization of faculty, counselor, and students on
gender-identity issue and its inclusion in all aspects of the HEI,
including curricula
❖Strictly enforce all no-discrimination and anti-harassment rules
Stage 1 – Planning PhD Programme

❖ What for you are doing research

❖ How to Select a Topic
❖ Planning PhD Programme
❖ Why courses to Audit / Pre PhD.
❖ Literature Review-Precautions do’s and don'ts.
❖ Formulation of a Problem.
❖ Identification of Supervisor
❖ Computation Facilities / Laboratory Support
❖ Resources Availability
❖ Advanced Facilities - Research Organizations.
Stage 2- Carrying out Research Activity

❖ Hand Calculations, Flow Chart, Programming

❖ PhD Regulations
❖ Topic Change / Guide Change inconveniences
❖ Membership in Professional Organizations
Stage 3: Publications on Research Work

❖ Year wise Publications

❖ Good / Not Good / Bad / Paid Journals.
❖ Limitations in Publications.
❖ Impact factor-Plagiarism
❖ Main References / Auxiliary References.
❖ Reputed/ Useful Journals in each dept.
Stage 4: Documentation

❖ Contents
❖ Literature Review
❖ Theoretical Background and Formulation
❖ Procedures for Writing Documentation
❖ Main Content Presentation
❖ Discussions
❖ Conclusions
❖ References
Stage 5 Evaluation
❖ Submission for Evaluation
❖ Panel of Examiners
❖ Procedure for Evaluation
❖ Topics of the Doctoral Works Evaluated (Processed)
❖ Monitoring Evaluation
❖ Evaluation Report
❖ Typical Errors Reported in Evaluation
❖ Who will be Your Probable Examiner
❖ Defence Examination
❖ Final Presentation
Stage 6: Future Career Orientation
What Way your PhD is Helpful in your
Future Career
❖ Core Research
❖ Publications
❖ Patents
❖ Product Development
❖ Entrepreneurship Development
❖ Promotion in Chosen field
❖ Guiding Future Students
❖ Professional Satisfaction
 Stage I
Planning PhD Programme
Reasons for Taking up Research
❖ Professional Advancement
❖ Stay Update and Master One Area
❖ Career Planning – Promotions
❖ Invent / Innovate
❖ Supervise your Future Students
❖ Entrepreneurship
❖ Satisfaction in Life
❖ Serve Society with Achievements
How to Select a Topic
❖ No Compromise
❖ Work in Area -Live at least for a Decade
❖ Innovative
❖ Study Broad Area of Research in Intended
Field
❖ List out Probable Extensions Relevant to
Future Needs
❖ Check Availability of Resources
❖ Calculate Time Frame of Work
Planning PhD Progress
Year Planning
I Year Registration Admission
Identify Topic and Supervisor
Identify Topic
Detailed Review of Literature
Visit Other R&D Institutes
II Year Basic Formulation of Problem Core Work
Publish Review Paper
Complete Pre PhD Subjects
Produce First Stage Results
Write Contents Page
III Year Publish Work on First Stage Publish
Validation of Results
Start Write Up
Present Papers in Symposia /
Conferences
IV Year Submission Adjudication
Evaluation
Pre-PhD / Credit / Audit Courses
◼ Best Way to Recollect / Update Developments
◼ More Focused towards your Area of Interest

◼ Clear Obsolete Material

◼ Eliminate Conceptual Errors

◼ Backup your Actual Area of Research

◼ Interaction with Fellow Researchers- Better Ideas

Credit Courses (Topic Relevant)

Finite Element Methods Earthquake Engineering
VLSI Design Artificial Intelligence
Audit Courses ( Data Processing / Pruning / Analysis)
Artificial Neural Networks Fuzzy Logic
MATLAB Statistical Methods
Literature Review Most Important Phase
I Stage
◼ Identify Journals and Time Frame
◼ Title Search / Abstract Search / Author Search… / Internet Search
◼ Visit Library Every Day for 2 Hours
◼ Collect Abstracts
II Stage
◼ Prepare Segmented Ledger: Topic wise / Journal wise / Technique wise

◼ Collect Journal and Identify II Level Papers from References

◼ Visit Library One Full Day in a Week
III Stage
◼ Collect Material in Reference … Continue
◼ Document Literature in Organized Manner
◼ In each Method List Scope for Future Orientation
◼ Consolidate---- Short List ----- Decide Problem

◼ Spend One Hour one in a Week – Preferably Friday (Mentally Relaxed)

Formulation of a Problem
Ensure
◼ Shortlist 2-3 Areas of Research / Methodologies in Each Area
◼ Verify Availability of Supervision (Guide)
◼ Verify Computational Facilities are available (MATLAB /
Programming Resources)
◼ Verify if Laboratory Facilities are available ( Dynamics /
Virtual / Machines)
◼ Verify Range of Measurement – Measuring Devices
Macro (Over Sized) / Medium / Micro (Under Sized)
◼ Verify if there is any Funding or Support from and R&D
Organization
◼ Possibility of Approaching Funding Agencies DST, UGC
(Thrust Areas)
Identification of Supervisor

◼ Contemporary Knowledge in the Area Chosen

◼ Working in the Area for Some Time
◼ Having Experience of Handling Research Projects
◼ Having Good Number of Publications
◼ Having Good Contacts with Outside World
◼ Having Necessity and Interests to Supervise
(IITs Promotions are linked to Research)
◼ Having Enough Scope for Availability Busy !!!
Basic / Advanced facilities Availability
Computational Works
◼ High-end Computational Data Processing Tools

◼ Simulation Laboratories

◼ Full version Licensed Software (ANSYS / NISA / Limitations)

◼ Programming Tools (Jawa / Python)

Experimental Works
◼ Lathes (For Preparing Samples)

◼ Full Scale Set Up (Earthquake Simulators)

◼ Lab View (Measurement)

◼ Advanced Materials (GFRP / CFRP Composites /

Procurement)
◼ Electronic Instruments ( Sensors / Charge Amplifiers /
Oscilloscope/ SEM)
 Stage II
Carrying out Research Activity
Working on A Problem
Flow Chart
◼Sequencing Operations – Corrects Mistakes

Programming
◼ Go For Hand Calculations using Formulation
◼ Choose a Simple Problem Solved by Other

Researchers
◼ Solve the Problem Using Your Methodology

◼ Compare Results and Validate

◼Document Advantages over Existing Methodology

(Accuracy / Speed / Range / Scope /Ability to Solve

Complex Problems in Different Situations)
Regulations
Concentrate your Attention on
◼ Credit / Pre PhD Courses

◼ Documentation ( Chapters / Orientation / Fonts

/ Initialization / Conclusion / Indexing)

◼ Research Review Meetings

◼ Research Orientation Programmes

◼ Change of Topic / Supervisor

◼ Payment Particulars
Memberships in Professional
Organizations
Advantages
◼ Connectivity with Outer World

◼ Stay Tuned with Latest Development

◼ Know Researchers Active in Area

◼ Share Knowledge

◼ Publication of the Research work in Journals

◼ Useful for Identification of Adjudicators

 Stage III
Publications in Research Work
Planning Publications
Year I
◼ Review Paper-Address inconsistencies - Need for Future

Research
◼ Industry Needs ( New Components or Materials) /

Societal Needs ( Economy or Safety or Demand)

◼ To be Published in Review Journals (Papers)

Year II
◼ Critical Review- Difficulties with Exiting Methodologies

◼ Formulations- First Stage Results (Without giving

Complete Information / Material Properties / Software

Details)
◼ To be Presented in Conferences / Symposia / National /

International
Planning Publications
Year III
◼ Second Stage Results- Data Presentation /

Comparison / Interpretation
◼ Papers with Details in Parts – ( 2-3 methods /

Present independently)
◼ Validation

Year IV (After Award of Degree)

◼ Full Length Paper- Hand Calculations-

Formulations – Comparisons- Validations-

Advantages - Limitations – Better Methodologies
Journal Classification

◼ International / National
◼ Reputed / Society Backup (IEEE )
◼ Peer Reviewed Journals
◼ Indexed Journals with Impact Factors
◼ Journals from Research and Development
Organizations
◼ Journals Configured from Reputed Institutes
◼ Avoid Paid Journals
Limitations with Journals
◼ Availability in Specialized Area
◼ Demand of Journal
◼ Time For Publication after Acceptance
◼ Review Mechanism
◼ Journals Covering Interdisciplinary Areas
◼ Your Requirement for Submission- Number
and Quality of Publications
◼ Your Requirement for Enhancement of
Status
Important Issues in Publishing

◼ Journal Impact Factor

◼ Plagiarism
◼ Reputation of the Institute
◼ Reputation of the Organization
◼ Reputation of the Student and Supervisor
 Stage IV
Documentation
Effective Documentation
◼ Start Documentation for Reviews and Update
◼ Write Index Page – To give Clear idea about Presentation
◼ Start with Critical Review- Superficially (Already in Journal
Form)
◼ Decide Number of Chapters Based on Problems addressed
◼ Start Chapter with Introduction and Conclude giving where
you are Closing and what lead you to go for next Chapter
◼ Consolidate in Conclusions
◼ Report Literature Review in Alphabetical order after Sorting
◼ Modify Review Chapter- into Full Form explaining what you
would address in next few chapters (Already done)
◼ Any Huge data like (Programme / Experimental data / Data
used from other Sources) Report in Appendices
While Writing Draft
◼ Check Font
◼ Check Heading Size (Main / Sub / Sub Sub)
◼ Check Spacing
◼ Check Table and Figure Headings
◼ Check Grammar
◼ Check Presentation Tense and Consistency
◼ Check Addressing Source
◼ Check Page Numbering
◼ Check Order of Literature Presentation
◼ Don’t Submit to Supervisor without Concentrating on above
issues- Don’t divert His / Her attention into Language
Correction – Data Entry - He need to Concentrate on Concept
 Stage V
Evaluation of Thesis
Evaluation of PhD Thesis
Stage 1- Thesis Submission at Director Research &
Development
◼ Verification for Plagiarism

◼ File Transferred to Directorate of Evaluation with Panel

in Sealed Cover
Stage 2- Panel of Examiners
◼ 3 IITs 3 NITs 3 Local Universities
3 BoS Chairman
Stage 3- Submitted to Hon’ble Vice Chancellor
◼ Decide Examiners one from Each Category
Evaluation of PhD Thesis

Stage 4- Dispatch of Synopsys

◼ Acceptance of Thesis – 1 Month
◼ Reminders Immediately after 1 Month
◼ Alternative Examiners if Rejected / Not Responded

Stage 5- Dispatch of Thesis

◼ Evaluation of Thesis – 3 Months
◼ Reminders Immediately after 3 Months
Evaluation Process
Stage 1- Examiners Reports
❖ The thesis attains the required standard for the award of Ph.D
degree
❖ The thesis required revision and re-submission to the Research
Review Committee (RRC)
❖ The Thesis require revision and resubmission for re-evaluation
by the same examiner
❖ The thesis is rejected

Stage 2- Incorporation of Corrections / Modifications

❖ Reports sent to Supervisor for Modifications without disclosing
identity of the Examiner
Evaluation Process
Stage 3-Viva Voce Examination
❖ Vice Chancellor Nomination of External Examiner
from one of the Three Thesis Evaluators
❖ Conduct of Examination by Directorate of Research
and Development

Stage 4- Release of Result

❖ The Press Notification will be issued and the result
will be declared
Reasons for Resubmission and Rejection
Primary (Leading to Rejection / Correction and Resubmission to the
Examiner – Need to be addressed at First Review Presentation)
❖ Conceptual Mistakes
❖ Disorientation from Scope and Range of Work- Topic
❖ Mistakes in Instrumentation
❖ Errors in Readings in Experiments
❖ Improper Data Processing and Interpretation
Secondary (Requesting Correction )
❖ Language
❖ Mistakes in Draft
❖ Improper Draft in Concluding Remarks
❖ Citation Order (Chronological / Alphabetical)
Precautions
❖ PhD is a Beginning to Career and Shall Not be and Ending
❖ Choose Topic of Contemporary Importance
❖ Choose Topic that would have Future for about a Decade
(Think About Students you would Guide in Future)
❖ If you are Not Good at Subject / Compromise in Topic / Adopt
Secondary Short Cut methods You would end up having
Students of same Profile in Future- Loose your Profile and
Stature
❖ Choose Topic that can be Funded by Government and R&D
Agencies
❖ Choose Scope of Topic Appropriately ( Keep Possible
Examiners in Mind / Inter Disciplinary)
JNTUK Initiatives- Transparency
◼ Software to monitor the progress of evaluation (in
operation)
◼ Submission
◼ Identification of Adjudicates
◼ Dispatching of Pre Synopsis
◼ Adjudicators Accepting examinership
◼ Lifting of Thesis
◼ Submission of Reports by all the 3 adjudicators
◼ Report to Research and Development for conducting Defence
◼ Publication of the Doctoral work
JNTUK Initiatives- Transparency
◼ Software to monitor total Doctoral activity (in
Pipeline)
◼ Admission Registration
◼ Identification of Research Supervisors
◼ Allotment of Supervisors
◼ Pre PhD subjects and Research methodology
◼ Research Review Meetings
◼ Pretalk and approval for submission
◼ Plagiarism Verification
◼ Submission of Pre Synopsis and Thesis Volumes
◼ Payment of Yearly fee
Beyond PhD
Research Funding Agencies
❖ University Grants Commission (UGC)
❖ All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE)
❖ Industry Institute Interaction Schemes (IIIS)
❖ Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR)
❖ Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO)
❖ Aeronautical Research & Development Board (ARDB)
❖ Department of Atomic Energy (DAE)
❖ Department of Biotechnology (DBT)
❖ Department of Coal (DoC)
❖ Department of Ocean Development (DOD)
❖ Department of Science and Technology (DST)
❖ Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (DSIR)
Research Funding Agencies
❖ Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)
❖ Indian Metrological Department (IMD)
❖ Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO)
❖ Ministry of Communications & Information Technology (MCIT)
❖ Ministry of Environment and Forests (DEF)
❖ Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MFPI)
❖ Ministry of Non Conventional Energy Sources (MNCES)
❖ Ministry of Power Central Power Research Institute (MPCPRI)
❖ Ministry of Water Resources (MWR)
❖ Department of Education (DoE)
❖ Science and Tech. Applications for Rural Development (STARD)
❖ Science & Technology for Weaker Sections (STWS)
❖ Indian National Science Academy (INSA)
DST- Funding For Improvement of S & T
Infrastructures in Universities (FIST)
Level 1 – Funding upto 3.00 Crores in 5 Years
❖ Details of Strength of the Department and Deliverables in the proposal
❖ Existing Faculty and Infrastructure strengths of Department justifying the
Proposal
❖ Specific Objectives of the Proposal in relation of above strengths
❖ Expected Academic Outcomes (experimental facilities to be created,
UG/PG programs supported as well as research themes to be enabled by
these facilities, publications with impact factor) from the implementation of
the proposed proposal
❖ Definite Product / Process / Design / Software / System Development
efforts that will be added by the proposal
❖ Potential beneficiaries (specify industry segment and / or strategic
programs) or societal paybacks envisaged at the end of the project
Uniaxial Vibration Shake Table in Civil Engineering
Department

Vibration Shake Table Servo Hydraulic Actuator Oil Circulant Pump Safety Distribution
Manifold

Performance Curve

Servo Hydraulic Power Hydraulic UPS Monitor Terminal

Pack Software
FIST JNTU KAKINADA
◼ Civil Engineering Department Sanctioned Rs. 1.65
Crores for setting up Dynamic Instrumentation
Earthquake Simulation Equipment

◼ Need
◼ Strong Academic / Societal / Consultancy
requirements
◼ Research Contribution PhDs / Publications
◼ Doctorates in Department
◼ Faculty Utilizing Grant
Elimination First Level
◼ Cleared 72 out of 430 Proposals
◼ No PG Program

◼ Poor Research Profile

◼ Less PhDs in Department

◼ Improperly focused

◼ Previous funds not utilized

◼ No NBA / NAAC Accreditation

Elimination Second Level
◼ Cleared 15 out of 72 Proposals
◼ Inadequate Teaching and Research Output in Dept
◼ Lack of Focus in the proposal
◼ Very New Department
◼ Inadequate Publications
◼ Proposal not Properly Formulated
Less GATE Qualified Students 50%
◼ Individual Centric Project
◼ Mismatch between Research Activities and Proposal
◼ Poor Presentation of proposal
◼ Adopted Unethical Means to present publication Record
◼ College Represented by Junior Faculty Member
JNTUK Kakinada Research
Information
Research Centres
Sl. No Branch 2021-22 & 2022-23
1 Civil 7
2 EEE 14
3 ME 20
4 ECE 25
5 CSE 27
6 IT 2
7 Mathematics 5
8 Physics 2
9 Chemistry 3
10 Petroleum 1
Total 106
Research Supervisors
Sl. No Branch JNTUK Constituent Affiliated Colleges
Colleges
1 Civil 14 24
2 EEE 14 72
3 ME 15 118
4 ECE 18 174
5 CSE 17 160
6 IT 3 21
7 Mathematics 5 3
8 Physics 2 -
9 Management 1 -
10 Biotechnology 1 -
12 Library Sciences 1 -
Total 91 572
Research Student Admissions
Sl. No Branch 2021-22 2022-23
1 Civil 12 3
2 EEE 31 5
3 ME 44 2
4 ECE 58 22
5 CSE 64 106
6 MBA 2 -
7 Mathematics 12 7
8 Physics 4 1
9 Biotechnology 2 -
10 SIT 3 -
11 LiSc 2 2
Total 234 148
Research Student Registrations - 2023
Sl. No Branch Research Methodology
1 Civil 11
2 EEE 29
3 ME 33
4 ECE 56
5 CSE 55
6 MBA 2
7 Mathematics 6
8 Physics 4
9 Biotechnology 2
10 LiSc 2
Total 200
 Research Methodology Syllabus
◼ (Common to ALL branches for the scholars admitted in the academic year 2021 2022)

◼ 1. Foundations of Research: Meaning, Objectives, Motivation, Utility. Concept of

theory, empiricism, deductive and inductive theory. Characteristics of scientific
method – Understanding the language of research – Concept, Construct, Definition,
Variable. Research Process

◼ 2. Problem Identification & Formulation – Research Question – Investigation

Question – Measurement Issues – Hypothesis – Qualities of a good Hypothesis – Null
Hypothesis & Alternative Hypothesis. Hypothesis Testing – Logic & Importance

◼ 3. Research Design: Concept and Importance in Research – Features of a good

research design – Exploratory Research Design – concept, types and uses, Descriptive
Research Designs – concept, types and uses. Experimental Design: Concept of
Independent & Dependent variables.
◼ 4. Qualitative and Quantitative Research: Qualitative research – Quantitative
research – Concept of measurement, causality, generalization, replication. Merging
the two approaches.

◼ 5. Measurement: Concept of measurement– what is measured? Problems in

measurement in research – Validity and Reliability. Levels of measurement –
Nominal, Ordinal, Interval, Ratio.

◼ 6. Sampling: Concepts of Statistical Population, Sample, Sampling Frame,

Sampling Error, Sample Size, Non Response. Characteristics of a good sample.
Probability Sample – Simple Random Sample, Systematic Sample, Stratified
Random Sample & Multi-stage sampling. Determining size of the sample –
Practical considerations in sampling and sample size.

◼ 7. Data Analysis: Data Preparation – Univariate analysis (frequency tables, bar

charts, pie charts, percentages), Bivariate analysis – Cross tabulations and Chi-
square test including testing hypothesis of association.
◼ 9. Use of Encyclopedias, Research Guides, Handbook etc., Academic Databases for
Computer Science Discipline.

◼ 10. Use of tools / techniques for Research: methods to search required information
effectively, Reference Management Software like Zotero/Mendeley, Software for
paper formatting like LaTeX/MS Office, Software for detection of Plagiarism.

◼ Books Recommended:-
◼ 1. Business Research Methods – Donald Cooper & Pamela Schindler, TMGH, 9th
edition
◼ 2. Business Research Methods – Alan Bryman & Emma Bell, Oxford University
Press.
◼ 3. Research Methodology – C.R.Kothari
◼ 4. Select references from the Internet
 Useful References
❖ Lawrence Saul’s advice for new graduate students: http :/ / www . cs . ucsd .
edu /~ sau l / start research . pdf
❖ 3 qualities of successful PhD students: http :/ / mat t . might . ne t / articles /
successful - phd -students /
❖ 10 reasons PhD students fail: http :/ / mat t . might . net / articles / ways - to -
fail - a - phd /
❖ a paper ( http :/ / www . cs . jhu . edu /~ jason / advice / how - to - read - a -
paper . htm l), how to find research problems ( http :/ / www . cs . jhu . edu
/~ jason / advice / how - to - find - research -problems . htm l), and why you
should write the paper first ( http :/ / www . cs . jhu . edu /~ jason / advice /
write - the - paper - firs t . htm l)
❖ How to write well: http :/ / www . amazon . com / Manual - Writers -
Research - Dissertations
❖ Advice on outlines and paper-writing from George Whitesides (highest h-
index of any living chemist): http :/ / www . ee . ucr . edu /~ rlake /
Whitesides writing res paper . pd f
Acknowledgements
❖ Padmashree Dr. V. Adimurthy
Associate Director VSSC & Director R&D,
Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology, Trivandrum
❖ Dr. Abhijit Mukherji
Professor IIT Bombay Presently at Curtin University Australia
❖ Dr. Tarunkant
Professor Emeritus , IIT Bombay
❖ Dr. M. R. Madhav
Professor Emeritus , IIT Kanpur
❖ Dr. P. Banerji
Professor IIT Bombay
Thank You

Connect / Details
ravindra.vipparthy@gmail.com
9704700005