Civil Engineering Research Methods

Practical Assignment 1

Question 1

a) The importance of communicating research results include :

 Sharing Knowledge with the Academic Community:

Publishing your work allows fellow researchers to learn from your findings, build upon them,
and contribute to the collective knowledge. Journal articles, book chapters, and reports
disseminate research within the academic sphere, fostering intellectual growth.
 Engaging with Interested Parties and Decision Makers:

Policy and decision makers, as well as stakeholders, benefit from understanding research
outcomes. Your insights can inform better policies and practices. Sharing findings with these
groups bridges the gap between academia and real-world impact.

 It helps boost awareness of your work:

Communicating research findings to wider audiences can help bridge the gap between
academic research and public understanding and goes a long way in boosting researcher
credibility. When the public is informed about your research, it increases the chances of them
supporting the research financially and participating in studies or clinical trials. By making
the public understand what they are doing, they can prevent misinformation from arising and
help to sustain support for their research. It’s also an excellent way to connect more with the
public and to see one’s own research in a new light. Some researchers may even find it
motivational to share their findings and thoughts with the public.
 It helps you get the funding you need:
Effective research communication can help you convince funding agencies that your
research is worth investing in. A well-presented research proposal can help funders
understand the significance of your research, the potential impact it could have, and the
methods you plan to use to achieve your research goals.
 Reaching the General Public:
Disseminating research to the public enhances awareness and understanding.
It helps people appreciate the significance of scientific advancements and their implications.
  Improving Communication Skills:
Oral presentations, such as conference talks and workshops, hone your ability to convey
complex ideas effectively.
Written communication, including journal articles and blog posts, refines your skills in
articulating research findings.
 Two-Way Engagement:
Research communication is a two-way process. It involves interaction, listening, and mutual
benefit. Presenting your findings allows you to receive feedback from experts and
stakeholders, shaping future research and fostering collaboration.
 It helps peers and colleagues to make informed and ethical decisions:
Scientific research plays a significant role in informing policy decisions, but if research
findings are not communicated effectively, it can lead to misunderstandings, poor decision-
making, and even harm. Therefore, communicating research findings in a clear, concise, and
transparent manner is important so that your peers can understand your research and use it
appropriately.
 It can potentially fuel discoveries that advance science:
Effective research communication can help researchers to build networks, collaborate with
others and get access to the latest research findings, which can lead to discoveries that further
advance our understanding of science.

b) Explaining Descriptive survey and evaluation

 Descriptive survey :

Descriptive survey research is an approach of descriptive research that blends quantitative

and qualitative data to provide you with relevant and accurate information. A survey is a
flexible approach to collecting data. You can use surveys to collect data once, cross-sectional
studies, or you can collect samples over a long period of time through longitudinal studies. A
time-efficient research method, descriptive survey design engages the people at the center of
the research objective. Descriptive research can only be conducted via survey, observation,
and case Study. As a researcher, you can only observe and collect valid & reliable responses
and analyze them. This research method, like market research, is best used to understand
concepts that can help you grow your business. Descriptive survey research design is the
most common and popular methodology used in market research to gather informative data.
A survey is the most forward way to collect customer insight about your business offerings
and other aspects. For descriptive survey research, the objective is the most essential part of
the whole research process. The objectives help you keep track of your entire research. The
objective reveals what you are aiming to discover. It helps to design questions that are
relevant to the purpose of the research. It helps you gather data that can help you make an
informed decision on the problems that need fixing in your company (product development,
customer segment, marketing campaign, etc.) The characteristics of descriptive survey
research include ;
Gather quantitative data: - Descriptive survey research is used to gather quantitative data. The
information collected is quantifiable, which eases the process of statistically analyzing and
using it to develop strategies.

Provides qualitative data: - It can also provide you with qualitative information to describe
the research problem in depth. The qualitative aspect of descriptive survey design is
explanatory in characteristics. This helps you to gain exclusive and all-inclusive data on the
objective.

No variable control or manipulation:- Unlike an experimental design, a descriptive survey

design does not include controlling variables. This allows you to gather honest responses
from customers. The flow of the survey is natural.

Data for further research:- The data you gather from this survey design can be analyzed and
used for other related issues or research purposes. It can also help you identify the next line of
research. Moreover, the data can help you conduct further surveys on specific subjects.

Evaluation
Evaluation research is the systematic assessment of the worth or merit of time, money, effort
and resources spent in order to achieve a goal. Evaluation research, also known as program
evaluation . Evaluation research is closely related to but slightly different from more
conventional social research. It uses many of the same methods used in traditional social
research, but because it takes place within an organizational context, it requires team skills,
interpersonal skills, management skills, political smartness, and other research skills that
social research does not need much. Evaluation research also requires one to keep in mind the
interests of the stakeholders. Evaluation research is a type of applied research, and so it is
intended to have some real-world effect. Many methods like surveys and experiments can be
used to do evaluation research. The process of evaluation research consisting of data analysis
and reporting is a rigorous, systematic process that involves collecting data about
organizations, processes, projects, services, and/or resources. Evaluation research enhances
knowledge and decision-making, and leads to practical applications. The common goal of
most evaluations is to extract meaningful information from the audience and provide valuable
insights to evaluators such as sponsors, donors, client-groups, administrators, staff, and other
relevant constituencies. Some of the evaluation methods which are quite popular are input
measurement, output or performance measurement, impact or outcomes assessment, quality
assessment, process evaluation, benchmarking, standards, cost analysis, organizational
effectiveness, program evaluation methods, and LIS-centered methods. There are also a few
types of evaluations that do not always result in a meaningful assessment such as descriptive
studies, formative evaluations, and implementation analysis. Evaluation research is more
about information. The findings from evaluation research can be used to form decisions about
whether to continue, modify, discontinue, and improve future programs or interventions.
Therefore, in other words, it means doing research to evaluate the quality and effectiveness of
the overall project.

QUESTION 2
Research proposal is a structured document that describes an intended study. This formal
document reveals the importance and methodology of conducting the investigation. Research
proposals seek funds, support or sponsorships for research projects. When writing a research
proposal, it is important to consider the proposal’s purpose, contents, and structure. These
considerations vary depending on the subject matter. However, a good research proposal must
adhere to the following general principles:
Shows awareness of the subject area, Addresses all requirements when applying for funding,
Demonstrates clarity in writing to capture the importance and purpose of the research .
 the key components of a research proposal
 Title
The title should be memorable and specific to grab the reader’s attention. It should make a
lasting impression on the reader to encourage them to read through the entire proposal. As
already stated, the title must capture the main concepts of the investigation. Add a specific
page that introduces the document to readers at the beginning of your proposal document.
This page typically shows the basic details of your project, such as its proposed title, your
name, the current date, your supervisor’s name, the institution hosting the project and the
name of your department. Be sure to organize these elements logically by using a clear
format and certain design attributes, like a bold font. It may be helpful to connect with you
the department leader to verify any requirements for this page.
 Abstract
In the abstract, the writer gives a short summary that contains the problem the research will
look to solve. It will outline the solution by explaining the method, procedures, and
instruments that will be used. An abstract is a one-page document that summarizes the key
points of your full body of work in 150 to 300 words. After finishing a title page, consider
including this page to highlight the objectives and outcomes of your research. As a result,
readers can better understand the purpose of your research inquiry and review how you plan
to structure your final dissertation in the future, which may help your team receive critical
funding. To further clarify your materials, be mindful to compose a new text that’s
independent of any other research documents, including a thesis statement. The four key
elements in an abstract:
Aims: State the purpose of your research project and include your primary objectives.
Methods: Show the procedures you adopted to choose research subjects, collect evidence and
best answer your initial inquiry.
Hypotheses: Briefly discuss what new information your team hopes to discover or
conclusions they expect to make while analyzing evidence in the future.
Projected effects: State how the results of a research project can help develop an academic
field or improve a specific group of individuals.

 Table of Contents
This section lets the reader know the main components of the proposal, and the order in
which they are presented. For example, it would outline that the methods section begins on
page 18, and the budget section starts on page 21.

 Introduction to the research

This section of the proposal must provide a broad overview of the topic. The jargon and key
terms used in the particular topic must also be thoroughly explained in order to avoid
confusion. The interest of the researcher in the particular topic must also be clearly outlined
while at the same time mentioning, albeit briefly at this point, a critical review of the main
literature that covers the topic. The researcher must also provide the aim of the research by
clearly and concisely stating the problem, as well as the research questions to be dealt with.
This section must also indicate what the research study will not be covering.
.Discuss the concepts central to your research inquiry and provide contextual information that
may help others understand your project more efficiently. It’s often helpful to provide general
knowledge about your topic before including any specific details. To accomplish this step,
consider discussing key points in definitional statements, then explain both a topic’s
prevalence in an academic field. Developing a well-written introduction in your research
proposal can also help a reader increase their enthusiasm about your project, plus the results
you may provide.
 Literature Review
The next step is to conduct a comprehensive literature review. A Literature review is a
document that describes your project’s primary and secondary sources, plus how they relate
to your hypothesis. This involves reading and analyzing existing research on your topic to
understand what has been done before, identify gaps in the literature, and determine how your
proposed research can add to the existing body of knowledge. It can enable readers to better
understand the key arguments supporting your research inquiry, developed by other experts in
a field or industry. You can also use a literature review to demonstrate how existing
knowledge can serve as a foundation for your research. It can also show how your project fits
into these various discussions between scholars and why your study can add an original
claim. A thorough literature review will help you to refine your research question, identify
appropriate research methods, and develop hypotheses.

background information
It’s often helpful to create an additional page to describe key details about the rationale of
your research proposal. For example, you can discuss which individuals can most benefit
from a study’s results, such as medical professionals or policymakers working in a
governmental position. Then, you might discuss the focus area of your proposed research and
define any key terms. You can also summarize any previous or recent developments in your
overall field or industry. Using this information, you can clarify how your research might
alter any previous perceptions, adding important context to existing information. Consider
describing the important sources you plan to use and explain how they can allow you to
analyze a topic effectively.

research questions
Research questions are concise statements about the issues in an academic field or industry
that your project plans to resolve. They can help pinpoint what information you intend to
discover and define the purpose of your research. They can also help guide your writing
process as you develop your research proposal, plus any documents you might compose for a
project. Depending on the scope of your research, you can create one primary inquiry or a
series of questions that clearly connect to a central idea.The research questions must state
clearly what your proposed study is meant to address or answer. Ensure that you use simple
language that is easy to understand, while being cognisant of the level of your intended
audience.

 Research methodology / research methods

This section outlines the approach which the researcher will follow in order to address the
research problem and to answer all the research questions from the researcher. Research
methodologies describe the practical steps of your project and how you’re approaching them,
including which data collection tools and procedures you prefer to use. You can also define
the type of research you plan to use. For example, your study might involve releasing a
survey to college students at a specific campus, then using their responses as data for
analysis. This section can help you persuade others that your proposed techniques can address
your research problem adequately and prevent unexpected issues during the process. The
research design must be clearly defined, e.g., is the research Descriptive, Correlational,
Causal-Comparative/Quasi-Experimental, Experimental, Diagnostic or Explanatory.
State clearly
How the research will be conducted in terms of the theoretical resources that will be used
The theoretical framework for conducting the research, which is the theoretical approach
drawn from your literature review to support your research study
Proposed research method(s)
A comparison of the advantages, limitations and suitability of the available approaches and
methods for conducting your research
Participants, instruments, procedure, analysis, etc.

 Problem statement
A problem statement is a description of how your project might resolve the issues presented
in a research question or add new observations. It may include any challenges that disrupt a
solution, plus how your project can help address these conditions. You can also use this
section to explain how your topic relates to a specific issue or question, which may help
further clarify your project’s purpose. Be sure a problem statement clearly defines why your
future results may apply to a specific field or industry.
 conclusion
Summarize all previous information and highlight the importance of your proposal. You can
emphasize the potential implications of your research on future projects, plus how it might
alter existing knowledge in your particular subject area. You might also restate your research
problem and clarify the results you hope a project can achieve. Consider reviewing the
guidelines of your supervisor, as they may require you to address specific topics in a
conclusion or prefer a certain document length.

 bibliography
An institution or company may require you to complete a bibliography, which is a list of
articles, video clips and other texts you discussed or referenced in your research proposal.
You may also discuss relevant texts you plan to include in a full dissertation or project
document. For example, some formats involve listing an article’s title, author and publication
in a certain order.

Budgeting information

Consider including financial details in your research proposal. Based on the instructions of a
funding organization, you can develop a budget that describes the costs of every project
component and why these items can help you achieve your research goals. Here are some
specific items to address in a budget for a research proposal;

Travel expenses: If your team commutes to a specific location to interview subjects or collect
physical data, your project may have additional costs.
Research materials: You might purchase certain tools to support your efforts, like a software
program for data collection.
Research personnel: Depending on the scope of a project, you may hire assistants to conduct
certain tasks, like organizing data or transcribing discussions

QUESTION. 3

a) Forms of Research include the following:

 Basic research:

conducted largely for the enhancement of knowledge, and is research which does not have
immediate commercial potential. It is called as Fundamental or Pure research. It Expands the
person’s knowledge. This type of research is not going to create or invent anything new.
Instead, it is based on Basic science investigation. For example- How did universe begin?,
What are protons? Basic research explores and generates theories that may be abstract, it is
universal, can focus on diverse or multiple contexts ,basic research focuses on multiple
concepts at the same time in its quest to expand knowledge. Typically, basic research can be
exploratory, descriptive or explanatory; although in many cases, it is explanatory in nature.
The primary aim of this research approach is to gather information in order to improve one’s
understanding, and this information can then be useful in proffering solutions to a problem.

 Applied research:

designed to solve practical problems of the modern world. Applied research refers to a non-
systematic process of providing solutions to the specific problems or issues. These problems
or issues can be on an individual level group or societal level as well. It is called ‘non-
systematic’ due to its direct approach to finding the solutions. The process of applied research
is often referred to as a scientific process because it uses the practical application of the
available scientific tools to get to the determined solutions. It find answers or solutions to
everyday problems, cure illness, develop innovative technologies etc.

 Descriptive research:

also known as statistical research that involves surveys and fact-finding enquiries of different
kinds. Descriptive research involves conducting surveys and fact-finding inquiries of various
kinds. The primary reason to carry out descriptive research is to describe the current state of
affairs. In social science and business research, when we engage in descriptive research, we
often use the term Ex post facto research for illustrative research work. A key feature of this
method is that researchers do not have control over the variables; they can only report on
what has occurred or is currently happening. Most of the ex post facto research projects are
conducted for descriptive studies. In these studies, the researcher seeks to measure various
items such as; frequency of shopping, preferences of people, or similar data. Ex post facto
studies also count attempts by researchers to discover causes, even when controlling variables
is out of their hands. The research methods commonly used for descriptive research include
survey methods including comparative and co-relational approaches.

 Analytical research:
where facts or information are used to analyse or critically evaluate the data. Analytical
research uses proven facts to form the basis for the research. Researchers frequently
research to find supporting data that strengthens and authenticates their earlier findings.
Also, it helps to develop new concepts related to the research subject. Thus, analytical
research combines minute details to produce more tenable hypotheses. The analytical
study thus explains why a claim is valid.

 Original research,
also called primary research, is research that is not exclusively based on a summary,
review, or synthesis of earlier publications on the subject of research. This material is of a
primary-source character. The purpose of the original research is to produce new
knowledge rather than present the existing knowledge in a new form (e.g., summarized or
classified). Original research can take various forms, depending on the discipline it
pertains to. In experimental work, it typically involves direct or indirect observation of
the researched subject(s), e.g., in the laboratory or in the field, documents the
methodology, results, and conclusions of an experiment or set of experiments, or offers a
novel interpretation of previous results. In analytical work, there are typically some new
(for example) mathematical results produced or a new way of approaching an existing
problem. In some subjects which do not typically carry out experimentation or analysis of
this kind, the originality is in the particular way existing understanding is changed or re-
interpreted based on the outcome of the work of the researcher.
  Qualitative research:
involves collecting, analysing and interpreting data by observing what people do and say.
It refers to the meanings, definitions, characteristics, symbols, metaphors, and description
of things.
 Quantitative research:
is based on the measurement of quantity or amount and compares it with past records and
tries to project for future period. Quantitative research is recognized by its name. It is the
measurement of quantity or amount. It applies to all things which we can measure in
terms of quantity.
 Conceptual research:
is related to some abstract idea(s) or theory to develop new concepts or to reinterpret
existing ones. It is mostly used by thinkers and philosophers to develop new concepts or
to reinterpret existing ones.
 Empirical research:
is an experimental type of research which relies on an experience or observation.
Empirical research relies on experience or observation 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 an
experimental type of research; in such research, it is necessary to get the facts first, at
their source, and actively go about doing certain things to stimulate the production of
desired information.
 Ethanographic research:
investigates a particular culture through in-depth study of the members of that culture.
Ethnographic research is a type of research design that requires the researcher to monitor
research variables as they interact with their natural environment. The data gathered
during the period of observation is analyzed in order to arrive at valid conclusions.
Ethnographic research is used in various fields hence, we can speak of business
ethnographic research, medical ethnographic research and the like. This research design is
extremely useful in complex contexts such as market and customer settings plus
preliminary stages of user-focused research.

 Historical research:
involves analysis of facts/events that occurred in the recent/distant past. The historical
method comprises the techniques and guidelines by which historians use historical sources
and other evidence to research and then to write history. There are various history guidelines
that are commonly used by historians in their work, under the headings of external criticism,
internal criticism, and synthesis. This includes lower criticism and sensual criticism.

 Exploratory research:
is conducted when the problem has not been clearly defined. It aims to explore or investigate
the research questions. Its purpose is not to provide conclusive or final solutions for the
existing problems. Instead, exploratory research is conducted to study problems for which
solutions are not yet known, with the goal of understanding the nature of these problems.
While it does not offer conclusive evidence, it significantly helps in a better understanding of
the problems. Researchers conducting exploratory research must remain open to changing
their approach when new data emerges. Exploratory research never gives you the final or
conclusive answers to your research questions. But, it explores the research topic on different
levels. It has been seen that exploratory research is an initial stage of research.

 Artistic research
Artistic research, also seen as ‘practice-based research’, can take form when creative works
are considered both the research and the object of research itself. It is the debatable body of
thought which offers an alternative to purely scientific methods in research in its search for
knowledge and truth.

b. Defining the following terms as used in research methods

i) Benchmarking -- is a systematic process where a business measures its success against

competitors to discover how to improve performance. The goal is to identify gaps, learn from
the best, and make necessary improvements to achieve superior performance.
It involves comparing key business metrics against relevant industry standards and
competitors (or internally against previous performance) to determine how well a company is
doing and identify any potential areas of improvement. Two main types of benchmarking are
internal benchmarking and external benchmarking.
For example, a retail company could compare its customer-service metrics, such as response
time, customer satisfaction levels, and resolution rate, to those of its competitors in order to
identify areas for improvement in its own service.

ii) Hypothesis --- is an assumption that is made based on some evidence. This is the initial
point of any investigation that translates the research questions into predictions. It includes
components like variables, population and the relation between the variables. A research
hypothesis is a hypothesis that is used to test the relationship between two or more variables.
It is also a statement about the expected outcome of a study (for example, a dissertation or
thesis). To constitute a quality hypothesis, the statement needs to have three attributes –
specificity, clarity and testability.
Examples of hypotheses include :
Consumption of sugary drinks every day leads to obesity is an example of a simple
hypothesis.
All lilies have the same number of petals is an example of a null hypothesis.
If a person gets 7 hours of sleep, then he will feel less fatigue than if he sleeps less. It is an
example of a directional hypothesis.

iii) Triangulation---refers to the application and combination of several research methods in

the study of the same phenomenon. By combining multiple observers, theories, methods, and
empirical materials, researchers hope to overcome the weakness or intrinsic biases and the
problems that come from single method, single-observer, and single-theory studies.
In other words it means using multiple datasets, methods, theories, and/or investigators to
address a research question. It’s a research strategy that can help you enhance the validity and
credibility of your findings and mitigate the presence of any research biases in your work.
Triangulation is mainly used in qualitative research, but it’s also commonly applied in
quantitative research.
Example: A researcher uses external validity triangulation when assessing whether people
with different health conditions have similar symptoms or patterns of behavior. They sample
people with diabetes, heart disease, hypertension and asthma. Then, the researcher compared
them for similarities in their symptoms and behaviors.
To validate the results of their study, a researcher uses different methods of data collection.
They use face-to-face interviews as a qualitative source. Then, they conduct phone surveys
with different groups of people which is quantitative data. Using both methods prevents the
researcher from incorporating research bias.

iv) Ethics---refer to the moral principles and values guiding scholars’ work. These principles
and values help ensure that research is conducted responsibly, with integrity, and without
harm to the subjects or the wider community. Research ethics involves the application of
fundamental ethical principles to research activities which include the design and
implementation of research, respect towards society and others, the use of resources and
research outputs, scientific misconduct and the regulation of research.
Examples of ethics in research include
Voluntary participation is key. Nobody should feel like they’re being forced to participate or
pressured into doing anything they don’t want to. That means giving people a choice and the
ability to opt out at any time, even if they’ve already agreed to take part in the study.
Informed consent isn’t just an ethical consideration. It’s a legal requirement as well.
Participants must fully understand what they’re agreeing to, including potential risks and
benefits.

QUESTION. 4
POSITIVE STRATEGIES TO EFFECT IN ORDER TO IMPROVE ON HIGH ACCEPTANCE
OOFA RESEARCH PROPOSAL BY ALL STAKEHOLDERS INCLUDES;

 Clarify Objectives and Benefits:

Clearly articulate the purpose and objectives of your research proposal.
Highlight how stakeholders stand to benefit from the proposed research. Emphasize potential
positive impacts on their work, organization, or community.

Collaborate and cooperate

to collaborate and cooperate with your stakeholders, which is the key to achieving mutual
goals and outcomes. You should align your objectives, expectations, and roles with your
stakeholders, and clarify your responsibilities and accountabilities. You should also share
your resources, information, and expertise with them, and seek their input and advice when
needed. You should also support them in their tasks and challenges, and offer your help and
assistance when possible. You should also respect their opinions and decisions, and handle
any disagreements or conflicts constructively and diplomatically.

 Engage Stakeholders Early:

Involve stakeholders from the outset. Seek their input during the proposal development
phase. Conduct stakeholder consultations to understand their needs, concerns, and
expectations.
You can build more trust if you communicate with people early and frequently so that they
fully understand the benefits of your project. Having an understanding of a situation means
people are more likely to support you when necessary.
It also means even if stakeholders don’t agree with the final decision, they have the benefit of
understanding the process, history, and the trade-offs made. Therefore, they will be less likely
to strongly object at the final stage.

 Leverage a stakeholder relationship management platform

It’s important to reflect on the insights you receive from your stakeholders and store the
conversations accurately. If you have a meeting with a stakeholder then write a summary of
the event. What was the meeting about? What were the key findings? Are there any follow-up
actions required? When is the next meeting?
Use your stakeholder relationship management to its full potential and analyse how sentiment
changes over time then tweak your engagement strategy as required. You can also analyse top
issues as they arise and improve the responsiveness of your team.

 Don’t avoid problems

Most stakeholders like to be given an early view of risks and issues, and respect
accountability. Rather than sweeping issues under the rug, you should address problems
proactively.
You don’t have to share every single minor issue as it occurs. But you should address major
issues that will impact your stakeholders and go into meetings and interactions with prepared
solutions in mind. Share the various options available to resolve the issue and then ask
stakeholders to add their input to make an informed decision about the next steps.
  Resource Allocation:
Identify the necessary resources (financial, human, technological) required for successful
implementation. Ensure that stakeholders understand the resource allocation plan and its
implications.
 Identify Clear Boundaries
Before the start of the project, set up clear boundaries around what the role of the
stakeholders will be. If a stakeholder is to be behind the scenes, establish this right way.
Ideally, everyone should have agreements in advance which establish their particular roles for
the duration of the project. Clear boundaries and defined roles also help to manage
expectations, not only for the stakeholder, but also for the team members. Perhaps you will
not have a say in establishing stakeholder boundaries. In these situations, keep the focus on
the facts and the plan. Don’t let emotions become a focus of discussions that arise. It is easy
when faced with a challenging stakeholder to lose sight of your goals or to shift your focus to
difficult behaviors. If this occurs, you’ll start to see a breakdown in the defined culture and a
reduction in the ability to manage expectations. Avoid this path by being proactive. One way
to do this is by incorporating team meetings into your project plan that include the
stakeholders, so that everyone can work together to implement constructive expectations and
communication.

 Framework for Research Use:

Embed stakeholder engagement within a framework or model of research use. Demonstrate
how the research findings will inform decision-making and practice.

 Organizational Learning and Recognition:

Develop plans for organizational learning related to the research. Recognize and reward
effective stakeholder engagement efforts within your organization.

 Be honest and open about project progress

It is the duty of project managers and leaders to inform stakeholders about the performance of
the company. Presenting inaccurate information, in this case, means a breach of trust, and we
already know what happens after that.
Always provide accurate and reliable information to avoid ruining good relationships. Don’t
feel pressured to agree to unreasonable demands, and never overpromise. If a project
encounters some issues, be open about them. “Years of working in an essay writing service
have taught me that hiding something from stakeholders can become a huge problem if that
something grows,” says Mark Whittaker, a project manager. “It’s better to inform them right
away if a problem emerges.”
Your stakeholders will appreciate and respect you for being open and honest. Moreover, they
will be more willing to help before the situation goes out of control.

 Shared Commitment to Values:

Foster shared commitment to the values and objectives of stakeholder engagement.
Encourage stakeholders to view engagement as a collective effort beyond individual interests.

 Flexibility and Iteration:

Plan stakeholder engagement activities as part of the research program. Build flexibility into
the research process to accommodate stakeholder input. Recognize that stakeholder
identification and involvement is an ongoing process.

 Communication and Transparency:

Communicate transparently throughout the project lifecycle. Share contact information and
provide opportunities for stakeholders to request more information

Stakeholders are empowered with more information than ever before and they can easily spot
inconsistencies. As a result, an inconsistent message can lead to public outrage, loss of trust,
and a negative reputation.
Your stakeholders value accurate information and want to know they can rely on you to keep
them updated throughout the project lifecycle. If you have brought stakeholders on the
journey with you and they have faith in your plan, they will be far more likely to help you
overcome any hurdles that may arise along the way.

 Build trust and rapport

The third step is to build trust and rapport with your stakeholders, which is the foundation of
any positive relationship. You can do this by being honest, reliable, and consistent in your
words and actions, and by delivering on your promises and commitments. You should also
show appreciation, recognition, and gratitude for their support, input, and feedback, and
acknowledge their contributions and achievements. You should also be empathetic,
respectful, and courteous, and show genuine interest in their personal and professional lives.
You can also use humor, stories, or common interests to create rapport and break the ice.

QUESTION. 5
a) Data types relevant to the study ;

 Quantitative data

It answers key questions such as “how many, “how much” and “how often”. Quantitative data
can be expressed as a number or can be quantified. Simply put, it can be measured by
numerical variables. Quantitative data are easily amenable to statistical manipulation and can
be represented by a wide variety of statistical types of graphs and charts such as line, bar
graph, scatter plot, and etc.

Examples of quantitative data:

Scores on tests and exams e.g. 85, 67, 90 and etc.

The weight of a person or a subject.

Your shoe size. The temperature in a room.

 Qualitative data

Qualitative data can’t be expressed as a number and can’t be measured. Qualitative data
consist of words, pictures, and symbols, not numbers. Qualitative data is also called
categorical data because the information can be sorted by category, not by number.
Qualitative data can answer questions such as “how this has happened” or and “why this has
happened”.
Examples of qualitative data:
Colors e.g. the color of the sea
Your favorite holiday destination such as Hawaii, New Zealand and etc.
Names as John, Patricia,…..
Ethnicity such as American Indian, Asian, etc.

 Nominal data
Nominal data is used just for labeling variables, without any type of quantitative value. The
name ‘nominal’ comes from the Latin word “nomen” which means ‘name’. The nominal data
just name a thing without applying it to order. Actually, the nominal data could just be called
“labels.”

Examples of Nominal Data:

Gender (Women, Men)

Hair color (Blonde, Brown, Brunette, Red, etc.)
Marital status (Married, Single, Widowed)
Ethnicity (Hispanic, Asian)

 Ordinal data

Ordinal data shows where a number is in order. This is the crucial difference from nominal
types of data. Ordinal data is data which is placed into some kind of order by their position on
a scale. Ordinal data may indicate superiority. However, you cannot do arithmetic with
ordinal numbers because they only show sequence. Ordinal variables are considered as “in
between” qualitative and quantitative variables. In other words, the ordinal data is qualitative
data for which the values are ordered. In comparison with nominal data, the second one is
qualitative data for which the values cannot be placed in an ordered. We can also assign
numbers to ordinal data to show their relative position. But we cannot do math with those
numbers. For example: “first, second, third…etc.”

Examples of Ordinal Data:

The first, second and third person in a competition.

Letter grades: A, B, C, and etc.
When a company asks a customer to rate the sales experience on a scale of 1-10.
Economic status: low, medium and high.
Much more on the topic plus a quiz, you can learn in our post: nominal vs ordinal
data.

 Discrete data
Discrete data is a count that involves only integers. The discrete values cannot be subdivided
into parts. For example, the number of children in a class is discrete data. You can count
whole individuals. You can’t count 1.5 kids. To put in other words, discrete data can take only
certain values. The data variables cannot be divided into smaller parts. It has a limited
number of possible values e.g. days of the month.

Examples of discrete data:

The number of students in a class.

The number of workers in a company.
The number of home runs in a baseball game.
The number of test questions you answered correctly

 Continuous data

Continuous data is information that could be meaningfully divided into finer levels. It can be
measured on a scale or continuum and can have almost any numeric value.

For example, you can measure your height at very precise scales — meters, centimeters,
millimeters and etc. You can record continuous data at so many different measurements –
width, temperature, time, and etc. This is where the key difference from discrete types of data
lies. The continuous variables can take any value between two numbers. For example,
between 50 and 72 inches, there are literally millions of possible heights: 52.04762 inches,
69.948376 inches and etc. A good great rule for defining if a data is continuous or discrete is
that if the point of measurement can be reduced in half and still make sense, the data is
continuous.

Examples of continuous data:

The amount of time required to complete a project.
The height of children.
The square footage of a two-bedroom house.
The speed of cars.

b) Ways of representing data in civil engineering

 Pie chart
A pie chart is a circle divided into slices that show the relative sizes of data within a whole.
If you’re using it to show percentages, make sure all the slices add up to 100%. The pie chart
is a familiar face at every party and is usually recognised by most people. However, one
setback of using this method is our eyes sometimes can’t identify the differences in slices of a
circle, and it’s nearly impossible to compare similar slices from two different pie charts,
making them the villains in the eyes of data analysts.
 Bar chart
The bar chart is a chart that presents a bunch of items from the same category, usually in the
form of rectangular bars that are placed at an equal distance from each other. Their heights or
lengths depict the values they represent.

 Line graph
Line graphs are represented by a group of data points joined together by a straight line. There
can be one or more lines to compare how several related things change over time. On a line
chart’s horizontal axis, you usually have text labels, dates or years, while the vertical axis
usually represents the quantity (e.g.: budget, temperature or percentage).

 Pictogram graph
A pictogram graph uses pictures or icons relating to the main topic to visualise a small
dataset. The fun combination of colours and illustrations makes it a frequent use at schools.
Pictograms are a breath of fresh air if you want to stay away from the monotonous line chart
or bar chart for a while. However, they can present a very limited amount of data and
sometimes they are only there for displays and do not represent real statistics.

 Tabular
Among various types of data presentation, tabular is the most fundamental method, with data
presented in rows and columns. Excel or Google Sheets would qualify for the job. Nothing
fancy. Each row and column has an attribute (year, region, revenue, etc.)
 Text
When presenting data as text, all you do is write your findings down in paragraphs and bullet
points, and that’s it.
 Histograms
Histograms are also used to present quantitative data. Histograms are a type of bar chart, but
they are different from regular bar charts because the intervals on a histogram are not fixed.
Also, a histogram displays continuous data, which is shown by how there are no gaps
between the bars.

c) Statistical Packages used for data collection include ;

 Stata and R
Stata is another popular commercial software package for statistical analysis, especially in the
fields of economics, sociology, and political science. It has a command-line interface, a
graphical user interface, and a programming language that allow for flexible and efficient
data analysis. It also has a large and active user community that develops and shares
extensions and packages for various topics and methods. R is a free and open-source
alternative to Stata that has similar capabilities and advantages. Stata and R are ideal for data
analysis, econometrics, panel data, time series, and causal inference.

 SAS and SPSS

SAS and SPSS are two of the most widely used commercial software packages for statistical
analysis in the social and behavioral sciences. They both provide a comprehensive and user-
friendly environment for data management, descriptive statistics, inferential statistics,
regression, multivariate analysis, and more. They also have graphical capabilities, scripting
options, and support for various data formats and databases. SAS and SPSS are suitable for
data analysis, survey research, experimental design, and reporting.

 MATLAB and Octave

MATLAB is a proprietary and high-performance software platform that is specialized for
numerical computing and engineering applications. It offers a powerful and expressive
matrix-based language, a sophisticated graphical user interface, and a vast array of toolboxes
and functions for various disciplines of science and engineering. Octave is a free and open-
source alternative to MATLAB that is compatible with most of its syntax and features.
MATLAB and Octave are excellent for data analysis, visualization, optimization, and solving
complex mathematical problems.
 Python and SciPy
Python is another free and open-source programming language that is widely used for
general-purpose and scientific computing. It has a simple and elegant syntax, a rich set of
built-in features, and a huge collection of third-party libraries and frameworks. SciPy is one
of the most popular and comprehensive libraries for scientific computing in Python. It
includes modules for linear algebra, optimization, integration, interpolation, signal
processing, statistics, and more. Python and SciPy are great for data processing, machine
learning, simulation, and automation.

 R and RStudio
R is a free and open-source programming language that is designed for statistical computing
and graphics. It has a large and active community of users and developers, who contribute to
thousands of packages that extend its functionality and cover various domains of science.
RStudio is an integrated development environment (IDE) that makes working with R easier
and more efficient. It provides a user-friendly interface, code editing and debugging tools,
project management, and interactive data visualization. R and RStudio are ideal for
exploratory data analysis, data manipulation, statistical modeling, hypothesis testing, and
reporting.

QUESTION 6
a) Contents of a research abstract are ;
 Context or Background Information: Briefly introduce the context of your research.
Explain why the topic is relevant and what problem it addresses. Provide a general
background to set the stage for your study.
 General Topic Under Study; Clearly state the overarching area of investigation. What
field or subject does your research belong to?
 Specific Topic of Your Research: Specify the precise focus of your study. What aspect of
the general topic are you exploring?
 Central Questions or Statement of the Problem: Present the main research questions or
hypotheses you aim to address. If applicable, highlight the problem you intend to solve or
the gap in existing knowledge.
 Existing Knowledge and Previous Research: Summarize what is already known about
the research question. Mention relevant studies, theories, or findings that provide context.
 Rationale and Goals of Your Research: Explain why your study is important. Are you
addressing a novel topic? Filling a gap? State the purpose of your research and its
significance.

b) Uses of research in the civil construction industry includes

 Setting Industry Benchmarks:

The construction industry is dynamic, with projects ranging from small-scale residential
buildings to large infrastructure developments. To understand its growth and trends, we need
reliable benchmarks. It is Important in the following areas :

Market Analysis: These benchmarks help analysts and policymakers assess the overall health
of the construction sector. For instance, knowing the total value of ongoing projects informs
economic forecasts.
Strategic Planning: Construction companies use these benchmarks to set realistic goals,
allocate resources, and plan for the future.
Example: If the number of active construction companies declines significantly over a few
years, it may signal economic challenges or shifts in industry dynamics.

 Understanding the Workforce Shortage:

The construction industry faces a shortage of skilled workers, including carpenters,

electricians, and engineers. This scarcity impacts project timelines and quality.

○ Importance:
Talent Acquisition: Research helps identify the root causes of the shortage. Is it due to
retirement, lack of interest among young professionals, or inadequate training programs?
Retention Strategies: Understanding workforce demographics allows companies to tailor
recruitment and retention strategies.

Example: By analyzing data on the average age of construction workers, we can design
targeted training programs to attract younger talent.
 Improving Health and Safety Practices:

Construction sites are inherently risky environments. Accidents can lead to injuries,
fatalities, and project delays.

Importance:

Risk Mitigation: Research identifies common safety hazards (e.g., falls, electrical incidents)
and suggests preventive measures.

Legal Compliance: Compliance with safety regulations is crucial. Research informs the
development of effective safety protocols.

Example: A study on the effectiveness of personal protective equipment (PPE) can guide
companies in selecting the right gear for workers.

 Advancing Sustainability:

Sustainable construction practices are essential for environmental conservation and long-term
viability.

Importance:

Innovation: Research explores eco-friendly materials, energy-efficient designs, and waste

reduction techniques.

Cost Savings: Sustainable practices often lead to cost savings over the project lifecycle.

Example: Investigating the life cycle impact of different construction materials (e.g., concrete
vs. Timber) helps make informed choices.

 Advancing Safety Standards

: Research in construction continually drives the enhancement of safety standards. By
studying accidents, identifying risks, and developing preventive measures, research has
significantly reduced workplace accidents and fatalities. Innovations like wearable
technology for workers, automated safety inspections, and real-time hazard monitoring have
emerged from dedicated research efforts, making construction sites safer for all.
 Enhancing Efficiency and Productivity:
The construction industry faces ongoing pressure to deliver projects faster and more cost-
effectively. Studies into project management methodologies, the adoption of Building
Information Modeling (BIM), and Lean construction principles have led to streamlined
processes, reduced delays, and minimized waste. Research-backed innovations like drones,
GPS tracking, and digital collaboration tools have revolutionized project planning and
execution.
 Sustainable Building Practices:
In an era defined by environmental consciousness, research in construction leads the charge
toward sustainability. Studies on energy-efficient building designs, renewable energy
integration, and eco-friendly materials have reshaped industry standards. Research-driven
initiatives like LEED certification and green building practices have become the gold
standard for environmentally responsible construction.
 Innovative Materials and Technologies:
Pioneering research efforts have given rise to self-healing concrete, ultra-strong composites,
and resilient building materials capable of withstanding extreme conditions.
Emergingtechnologies like 3D printing and robotics promise to transform construction
processes, making them faster, more precise, and more efficient.
 Meeting Future Challenges:
Research equips the construction industry to tackle complex challenges on the horizon. From
addressing the housing crisis to building resilient infrastructure against climate change
impacts, research provides insights and solutions. It anticipates the needs of future
generations, enabling the development of adaptable, forward-thinking construction practices.