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METHODS OF RESEARCH

Presentation · January 2020

DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.21580.85124

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 METHODS OF
RESEARCH

By
PROF. SATISHPRAKASH S. SHUKLA
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION,
GUJARAT UNIVERSITY, NAVRANGPURA, AHMEDABAD - 380009
 MEANING OF RESEARCH METHOD

Research method is a design that shows the ways of

performing all activities right from the stage of
formulating the hypotheses or forming the research
questions till the stage of data analysis. In other words a
lay out, describing the steps of performing activities to
realise the objectives of research is called research
method.
 TYPES OF RESEARCH METHOD
SURVEY
DESCRIPTIVE
CONTENT ANALYSIS

INTERRELATIONAL
ETHNOGRAPHIC
RESEARCH
EXPERIMENTAL DEVELOPMENTAL
METHODS
CASE STUDY
LONGITUDINAL
CORRELATIONAL
HISTORICAL CROSS-SECTIONAL CAUSAL COMPARATIVE
 DESCRIPTIVE RESEARCH METHOD
Descriptive research describes, clarifies, analyses and
interprets present situation, current trends, attitudes and
opinions of people, existent differences, and
interrelationship, in relation to a person, institute,
structure, object, place, event and processes. In short,
descriptive research describes, clarifies and interprets
current situation.
In other words, descriptive research inquires what exists
at present.
 SURVEY RESEARCH METHOD
Survey research method is such a typical descriptive
method, through which current metaphoric, emblematic,
behavioural, mental or physical situation or phenomenon
is described, analysed or interpreted. The situation may
be personal, sociological, psychological, political,
educational, institutional, natural, man-made or may be
related to some physical or typical matter.
 OBJECTIVES OF SURVEY
Survey researches are conducted to realise any or
all of the following objectives.

• To study what exists at present.

• To compare present situation with established norms
and standards.
• To give suggestions to improve the present situation.
 CONTENT ANALYSIS METHOD

Analysing the content of communication in order to study

it scientifically is called content analysis. The content is
analysed logically, deeply, systematically and in an
objective and scientific way in order to clarify its intention
and meaning or to describe it.
 CONTENT ANALYSIS METHOD
Content for analysis is found in the sources as follows.
 Verbal Printed Material: Newspaper, book, periodical, story, brochure, government
document, novel, circular, notification, court judgment, agenda, resolution,
biography, autobiography, article etc.
 Verbal Written Material: Letter, diary, personal calendar, answers of open ended
questionnaire, annual account.
 Verbal Oral Material: Lecture, Speech, radio programme, radio news, audio CD,
debate, song, argument done in court, oral instruction, interview, preaching.
 Visual Material: Drawings, painting, diagram, sketch, photograph, slide, silent movie,
signal, artistic material, statue, sculpture, stone inscription, body language etc.
 Audio Visual Material: Cinema, tele vision programme, television news, drama, role
play etc.
 ETHNOGRAPHIC RESEARCH
This is such a research method, in which the researcher
examines scientifically the behaviours, transactions,
culture, and life of any social unit or group by being a
member of that group.
This method can be defined as follows.
Ethnography is a method of research in which the
researcher investigates the practices, culture and life of a
community by becoming one of its members.
 DEVELOPMENTAL RESEARCH
The developmental research intends to study the
progressive changes that occur in an organism with
passage of time. It studies deeply about such changes that
are found in characteristics, traits and physique of an
individual or an organism in the context of time period. It
helps in understanding a pattern of development in the
context of certain characteristics of subject.
There are two types of developmental research.
1. Cross-sectional Research
2. Longitudinal Research
 DEVELOPMENTAL RESEARCH
Cross Sectional Research Method

Some characteristic of individuals and living being changes with the

passage of time. Some natural, social, mental, physical or environmental
factors have been responsible for such changes. To know the pattern of
such changes, subjects of different age groups are studied in the same time
period in the context of change in a particular characteristic. For that, the
subjects of different age groups are selected in the same time period. The
research method used to study a pattern of development in this way, is
called cross sectional research method.
 DEVELOPMENTAL RESEARCH
Longitudinal Research Method

If subjects of a particular age group are selected once and

they all are studied at different time period to understand
the pattern of changes that occur in their certain trait, it is
called longitudinal research method.
 INTERRELATIONAL RESEARCH
It is a typical descriptive research, which studies existing cause and
effect relationship between variables. It tends to find out the factors
responsible for existence or magnitude of particular variable
characteristics on the basis of prevailing situation. It does not check
the effect of any treatment on the variable characteristic in controlled
situation. It does not tend to make any change in variable
characteristics but tends to find out the cause of some events in given
situation.
There are three types of inter-relational research.
1. Case Study
2. Correlational
3. Causal Comparative (Ex-Post Facto Design)
 CASE STUDY
MEANING OF CASE
Any individual, organization, group, union, community, caste, object,
event, phenomenon or family, which has some remarkable special
features is known as case in research.
Case study tends to concentrate on such a specific case that is found
remarkably different in its group. Highly successful or unsuccessful, very
healthy or unhealthy, very clever or dull, social or antisocial, well-adjusted
or maladjusted, very popular or unpopular individual may be considered as
a case for study. In the same way, anything that has any peculiar property
can be considered as a case. It may be an event like terrorist attack or
vehicle like bullet train or natural phenomenon like tsunami or an app like
Face Book or WhatsApp or monument like Taj Mahal or may be an
institution like Gujarat University etc.
 CASE STUDY
MEANING OF CASE STUDY
Case study refers to a careful and deep study of current position,
history and all aspects related with the development or existence
of any individual, social or special unit, object or anything that
can be considered as a case. It tends to study the factors like
surrounding environment, current situation, past events and past
experiences of a case, which are responsible for its emergence or
existence in a particular situation. For that, interrelationship
among all factors, associated with the case, is studied. That is why
case study is considered as relational study.
 CORRELATIONAL STUDY

Correlational study tends to find out the cause of some events in

given situation. Correlational research is a typical inter-relational
research. Moreover it also finds the direction and strength of the
cause and effect relation between dependent (effect) and
independent (cause) variables.
 CAUSAL COMPARATIVE RESEARCH
The research method, in which the reasons or factors, responsible for
occurrence of a particular event or characteristic are inquired after the
occurrence of that event or characteristic is called causal comparative
research method. It means, it establishes the cause and effect relationship
between two variables without conducting an experiment. For that, after
occurrence of a particular characteristic, it is inquired that whether any
independent variable (IV) is there that brings change in that particular
characteristic. In this way, it establishes relationship between cause (that is
IV) and effect (Event or dependent variable).
This method is also known as Ex-Post Facto Research Design that means a
method of inquiring pre-existent facts. In short, this method inquires the
reasons after happening of event or occurrence of facts.
 APPROACHES OF CAUSAL COMPARATIVE RESEARCH METHOD

APPROACHES OF CCR METHOD

Approaches of applying Causal Comparative Research Method (CCRM) are

as follows.

• Retrospective Approach
• Prospective Approach
 APPROACHES OF CAUSAL COMPARATIVE RESEARCH METHOD

Retrospective Approach

In this approach, first of all, existent difference prevailing between two or

more groups in terms of a particular characteristic is identified. Then
reasons of such difference are found. It means, in this approach, the
affected Dependent Variable is identified first, then inquiry is made to find
out Independent Variable (reason). In this way, research proceeds from
Dependent Variable to Independent Variable.
 APPROACHES OF CAUSAL COMPARATIVE RESEARCH METHOD

Prospective Approach

In this approach of CCRM, such an IV is identified first, that can make

changes in DV. Then it is inquired whether DV is affected by an IV or not.

First, probable cause (IV) is identified in this approach, then its effect (DV)
is checked out. In this way, this approach proceeds from Independent
variable to Dependent Variable.
EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH METHOD
MEANING OF EXPERIMENT

In general, we can say that observing the effect of certain factors

on something in controlled situation is called experiment. Such a
factor, of which the effect is to be checked is called independent
variable (IV) and the object or characteristic, which is affected by
it, is called dependent variable (DV). The effect of all extraneous
variables, which can affect DV, are controlled or their effect is
eradicated in an experiment to know the clear effect of IV on DV.
EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH METHOD
MEANING OF EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH

A research, carried out in a specific environment that is created

by controlling external and extraneous variables in order to
examine the effect of one or more IVs on DV is called
experimental research.
EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH METHOD

IMPORTANT ELEMENTS OF EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH

• Controlling Extraneous Variables

• Manipulation of Independent Variable
• Measurement of Dependent Variable
• Replication of Experiment
 HISTORICAL RESEARCH METHOD

MEANING OF HISTORY

History is a chronological and descriptive record of the past

events happened with mankind, living beings, natural or
manmade object, thing, system or with any recordable unit.
 HISTORICAL RESEARCH METHOD
MEANING OF HISTORICAL RESEARCH

Historical research refers to the critical study that is carried out in

order to establish facts and to derive conclusions regarding the
past event or the combination of the past events.

Thus, the past event is studied critically in a historical research in

order to understand the factors responsible for that event and to
understand its consequences.
 HISTORICAL RESEARCH METHOD
OBJECTIVES OF HISTORICAL RESEARCH

• To study the past events deeply.

• To understand the factors responsible for such events.
• To check the impact of such factors on the event.
• To find better and effective solutions of current problems on the
basis of the study of the past events.
• To predict the future events on the basis of the study of the past.
• To give guiding suggestions to solve the current problems and to
prevent future problems or to find the remedies, well in advance,
for the solution of future problems.
 REFERENCE
Shukla, Satishprakash, (2018) Research Methodology and
Statistics, Ahmedabad: SSS Publications

PROF. SATISHPRAKASH S. SHUKLA

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION,
GUJARAT UNIVERSITY, NAVRANGPURA,
AHMEDABAD – 380009
E-MAIL: srrshukla@gmail.com
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