Research Methodology – (120704)

Dr. Hermawan
Construction Management Research Groups
Civil Engineering Department
SCU
Email: hermawan.mrk@gmail.com
Requirements
• Meetings : Tuesday & Wednesday
• Grading
Grade components will be weighted as follows in the computation of the
final course grade:
o Mid term exam = 35%
o Final term exam = 40%
o Project = 25%
o Total points:
• A ≥ 80
• 75 ≤ AB < 80
• 70 ≤ B < 75
• 65 ≤ BC < 70
• 55 ≤ C < 65
• 50 ≤ CD < 55
• 40 ≤ D < 50
• E < 40
• Attendance = 75%
 1 • A comprehensive understanding
on all aspects of research

2 • A guide on how to conduct

research in a systematic way
Course
Objectives 3 • A guide to solve and analyze
data and results

4 • A guide on writing techniques

and presentation skill.
Session schedule (proposed)
• Introduction
• Literature Review
• Research Design
• Result and Analysis
• Writing and Presentation
• Evaluation of Research and Mini Thesis
• Research Organization
References
• Walliman, N., (2011): Research Methods The Basics, Routledge Taylor
& Francis, London & New York.
• Kothari, C.R., (2004): Research Methodology, Methods and
Techniques Second Revised Edition, New Age International (P) Ltd.,
Publishers Published by New Age International (P) Ltd., Publishers.
Introduction
• Case 1
En. Samad prepared a paper on “Computer usage in secondary
schools” after reviewing literature on the subject available in his
university library and called it a piece of research.
• Case 2
En. Ali says that he has researched and completed a document
which gives information about age of his students, their SPM results,
their parents’ income and distance of their schools from home.

• Case 3
Mr Wilson participated in a workshop on curriculum development
and prepared what he calls, a research report on the curriculum for
building technicians. He did this through a literature survey on the
subject and by discussing with the participants of the workshop.
Introduction (cont.)
• NONE of the above cases can be classified under the
name RESEARCH.
Introduction (cont.)
• Case 4
A general manager of a car producing company was concerned with
the complaints received from the car users that the car they
produce have some problems with ratling sound at the dash board
and the rear passenger seat after a few thousand kilometers of
driving.

• What he did?
He obtained information from the company workers to identify the
various factors influencing the problem. He then formulated the
problem and generated guesses (hypotheses). He constructed
checklist and obtained requisite information from a representative
sample of cars. He analyzed the data thus collected, interpreted the
results in the light of his hypotheses and reached conclusions.
Introduction (cont.)
• Case 4 is an example of research because

• The researcher went through a sequence of steps which

were in order and thus systematic.

• The researcher did not just jump at the conclusions, but

used a scientific method of inquiry in reaching at
conclusions.
What is research?
• Research in common parlance refers to a search for
knowledge.
• Once can also define research as a scientific and
systematic search for pertinent information on a
specific topic.
• In fact, research is an art of scientific investigation.
• The Advanced Learner’s Dictionary of Current English
lays down the meaning of research as “a careful
investigation or inquiry specially through search for new
facts in any branch of knowledge.”
• Redman and Mory define research as a “systematized
effort to gain new knowledge.”
• Some people consider research as a movement, a
movement from the known to the unknown.
What is research? (cont.)
Research may be defined as a careful and systematic
process of inquiry to find answers to problems of interest.

To do research is to investigate the problem systematically,

carefully, and thoroughly
What is research? (cont.)
• Research is an organized, systematic, database, critical,
scientific inquiry or investigation into a specific
problem, undertaken with the objective of finding
answers or solution to it.
What is research? (cont.)
• Organized, systematic → research process
• Logical → induction/deduction
• Database, empirical → evidence based
• Critical, reductive, investigation → generalisation
• Replicable → methodology.
Research Process
REVIEW THE
AVAILABLE
LITERATURE

01 FORMULATE A
PUBLISH FINDINGS 06 QUESTION
02
Research
Process
05 03 SELECT AN
INTERPRET
APPROPRIATE
FINDINGS 04 RESEARCH DESIGN

COLLECT RELEVANT
DATA