Research Methodology in Information Technology: Dr. Naji Shukri Alzaza

Research Methodology in
Information Technology
Dr. Naji Shukri Alzaza
Associate Prof. of Mobile Technology
University of Palestine, Alzahra City, Gaza, Palestine
http://najishukri.wordpress.com
• CHAPTER 1
RESEARCH AND READING
• CHAPTER 2
RESEARCH AND WRITING
• CHAPTER 3
RESEARCH AND ACADEMIC WRITING
• CHAPTER 4
WHAT’S IN PROPOSAL
• CHAPTER 5
PLAGIARISM
• CHAPTER 6
EVALUATION
Dr. Naji Shukri Alzaza ©2012 Gaza,

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CHAPTER 1
RESEARCH AND READING
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1.0 What is research?
There are several definitions of research based on the
field or purpose. In specific and more precise, Research is
an Organized and Systematic way of Finding Answers to
Questions.
• Systematic: because there is a definite set of
procedures and steps which you will follow. There are
certain things in the research process which are always
done in order to get the most accurate results.
• Organized: there is a structure or method in going
about doing research. It is a planned procedure, not a
spontaneous one. It is focused and limited to a specific
scope.
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• Finding Answers: is the end of all research. Whether it
is the answer to a hypothesis or even a simple
question, research is successful when we find answers.
Sometimes the answer is no, but it is still an answer.
• Questions: are central to research. If there is no
question, then the answer is of no use. Research is
focused on relevant, useful, and important questions.
Without a question, research has no focus, drive, or
purpose.
Furthermore, research has several characteristics such
as Planned, Cautious, Organized, Systematic, and
Reliable.

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1.1 What is methodology?
• Methodology is a documented process for management of
projects that contains procedures, definitions and
explanations of techniques used to collect, store, analyze and
present information as part of a research process in a given
discipline.
1.2 Why we do research?

• The importance of research and writing comes from the
nature of life. Everyday people find new phenomenon and
behaviors that need to explain and investigate to find out
what they were and take advantage of them in their life.
However, we can summarize that as follow:

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• Promotes careful, critical, and systematic thinking.
• Promotes effective communication of ideas and insights gained through
research.
• Ability to investigate into the current state of the world to justify a claim /
hypotheses.
• Help identify new ideas that contribute to knowledge.
• Propose new idea to solve a particular problem within a knowledge area,
country, or organization.
1.3 Researches types

There are several types of researches such as Applied, Basic, Market,
Action, Research & Development, Pure, Strategic, Descriptive, Explanatory,
Exploratory, Collaborative, Evaluative, etc. In this book I will focus in the
most related to IT field which are Applied, Basic, Market, Action, and
Research & Development.

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1.3.1 Applied Research
• Research designed for the purpose of producing
results that may be applied to real world
situations.
• Research done with an eye towards making
products that can be commercialized, or at least
made available to humankind for practical benefit.
• The systematic, intensive study directed toward
the practical application of knowledge and
problem solving.

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1.3.2 Basic Research
• Research which adds something new to the body of
knowledge in a particular field.
• The systematic, intensive study, the primary aim of
which is a fuller knowledge or understanding of the
subject under study rather than a practical
application.
• Fundamental research; output of basic research itself
usually is not of direct commercial value. The output
is knowledge, rather than a product; it typically
cannot be patented.
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1.3.3 Market Research
• A study of consumer groups and business competition

used to define a projected market.
• The process of gathering, analyzing and interpreting
information about a market; about a product or
service to be offered for sale in that market; and about
the past, present and potential customers for the
product or service.
• Surveys, of the area in which a product or service is to
be offered, which are done to determine the cost of
doing business, any competition, potential sales, etc
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1.3.4 Action Research
• An informal, qualitative, interpretive, reflective and

experimental methodology that requires all the
participants to be collaborative researchers.
• Action research is carried out by people who usually
recognise a problem or limitation in their workplace
situation and, together, devise a plan to counteract
the problem, implement the plan, observe what
happens, reflect on these outcomes, revise the
plan, implement it, reflect, revise, and so on. ...

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1.3.5 Research and Development
• Basic and applied research in the sciences and

engineering and the design and development of
prototypes and processes.
• Comprises creative work undertaken on a
systematic basis in order to increase the stock of
knowledge and the use of this knowledge to
devise new applications.
• Research and development is a component of the
broader innovation process.
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1.4 Originality in Research
• Originality of research is one of the most important

of any scientific research. It does not matter about
the level of originality itself, since element of
originality, likely; to be very small, highly original is
very unusual.
• Possible to be original in terms of: Topic, Approach,
Presentation.

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1.5 Strategies to Choosing Topic
• Choosing a topic depends on the researcher skills. A good
researcher who has daily practice of research that are
increase his knowledge, as shown in Figure 1.1, reading,
listening/watching, choosing, organizing, writing, and
presenting/discussing/questioning are the daily research
practice. Ordering is not important, but can be merged and
iterated.
Presenting
Reading
Figure 1.1: Every day
Writing
Listening
Organizing
Choosing
research skills

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• However, to choose your topic you have to take care
about these points and strategies:
• How much choice you have – sponsored?
• Motivation – pick topic that motivates you.
• Regulations – for scholarly thesis.
• Field of study – your interest/expertise. Researcher
should have, at least, good knowledge in the
research area or research skills.
• Size of topic – right size, not too big/small – doable
within time, space and resources.
• Costs (travel, consumables, equipment, books,
documents, printing, etc).
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1.6 Stages of Reading
• Beginning – to check what other researcher has been

done, to focus your ideas, to explore content of
project
• During research – to keep you interested, to keep
you up to date with field developments, to help you
better understand the methods
• After research – to see what impact your work has
had, to help develop ideas for further research

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1.7 What is Critical Reading?
• Goes beyond mere descriptions: must offer opinions,

personal responses
• Relates different writings to each other: indicating
their differences, contradictions, and highlighting
what is lacking
• Does not take what is written as “face value”
• Show alternative views and positions that may be
taken up
• Writing style: assert, argue, conclude, contend

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1.8 Critical Reading Process
• Reorganizing: involve selecting what is
important in each of the sources and putting
together what you have learnt in a way that is
relevant to your own concern
• Inferring: alert to the possibility that there is
more to what an author wishes to
communicate to the reader
• Evaluating: forming opinion of what you are
reading
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1.9 Literature Review
Literature review is one of important components in

any research work. It is the base of any knowledge that
presented in the research whether in the begging stage
(information gathering) or the end (results). The
functions of literature review can be summarized as
follow:
a. To construct a base for the research elements.
b. To give reasons why the topic is of sufficient
importance to be researched.

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c. To provide an up-to-date account and discussion of
relevant topics.
d. To provide conceptual and theoretical context in
which topic can be situated.
e. To discuss relevant research on same or similar topic.
Sources of literature can be any reliable and valuable
source such as Books, Journals (national/international),
Reports, Theses, Conference proceedings,
Media/magazine, newspapers, Letters, and
Unpublished materials. The quality of reference
depends on the source level.

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1.10 Use and Abuse of References
References are the most important element in the research.
Research without references, is nonsense.
References should be used to:
• Justify and support arguments.
• Allow author to make comparisons.
• Express idea better.
• Demonstrate familiarity with research field.
References should not be used to:
• Impress readers with many readings.
• Litter writing with names and quotations.
• Replace the need for your own thoughts.
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1.11 What is IS, CS, SE, and MM
Know the difference between computer studies is one
of the most important keys to classify your topic. In
this section I’ll provide a brief definition for each.
• Information System (IS)
Information Systems (IS) is the discipline concerned
with the development, use, application and influence of
information technologies. "...research in the
information systems field examines more than just the
technological system, or just the social system, or even
the two side by side; in addition, it investigates the
phenomena that emerge when the two interact"

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• Computer Science (CS)
Computer science, or computing science, is the study of
the theoretical foundations of information and
computation and their implementation and application
in computer systems.

• Software Engineering (SE)
Software Engineering (SE) is the design, development,
and documentation of software by applying
technologies and practices from computer science,
project management, engineering, application
domains, interface design, digital asset management
and other fields. Dr. Naji Shukri Alzaza ©2012 Gaza,
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• Computer Science (CS) vs Software Engineering (SE)
Computer science emphasizes the theoretical, eternal
truths while software engineering emphasizes practical,
everyday usefulness.
Other definitions: The study of computer hardware is

usually considered part of computer engineering, while
the study of commercial computer systems and their
deployment is often called information technology or
information systems (IS). SE does not consider social
and organizational aspects, whereas IS does

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• Definition of Multimedia (MM)
Multimedia is media that uses multiple forms of
information content (e.g. text, audio, graphics,
animation, video, and interactivity) to inform or
entertain the (user) audience. Multimedia also refers to
the use of (but not limited to) electronic media to store
and experience multimedia content.

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1.12 Selecting a subject in IT
“Every subject can be researched but not all subjects
should be researched”
Choice the subject is the most important challenge
facing the researcher, and he has to cross. Here I’ll
provide three steps to gain your topic that are
brainstorming subjects, considering your parameters,
and Evaluating focus area.

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1.12.1 Brainstorming subjects
To get an ideas there are two ways: (i) do it yourself

(hard but better way) or (ii) through experts (easy but
reliable).
i. Do It Yourself
This means that you have to manage your knowledge
until seek the idea. This can be done by keeping an
idea book and listing of ideas for choosing.
Example: e-commerce, acceptance, interactivity,
accessibility, security, server performance.

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a. Webbing and clustering
In this step you have to link a candidate subject with
related areas then show the relationship between
elements as in Figure 1.2 below.
Security
Security Uaser
Uaser Acceptance
Acceptance
Legality Usability
Accessability
Accessability e-commerce Interactivity
Interactivity
Figure 1.2: A subject with related areas

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b. Answer five Wives and one Husband
For the candidate subject, try to answer the Who, What, When,
Where, Why, How questions as in Figure 1.3.
When it should be Where it should be

Applied/used implement?
How
How to
to apply
apply //
Why
Why it
it is
is important?
important? implement?
implement?
Data
What
What it
it is
is about?
about? Who
Who should
should use
use it?
it?
Mining
Figure 1.3: candidate subject with 5 Ws and 1 H questions

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• Reading
Here you are ready to start your intensive reading about your subject.
Reading should be purposive to find out the gap that you’re going to
overcome through your research.

• Freewriting
Now you should writing, freely, what you gain from your reading. I encourage
all researchers to synchronize between reading and writing to save their
knowledge and thoughts. However, in this stage what you do is write down
the information from your reading. You may need to keep updating of your
headings and subheadings.

• Through Experts
In this type you will get a reliable subject by the easy way. Because one of the
experts will give it you based on his wide knowledge in the area. Experts can
be Scholars in IT area, Professors/lecturers, Managers, Administrators, IT
professionals, IT personnel.

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1.12.2 Considering your parameters
How to choose subjects that you brainstorm? This is depends on
several issues and parameters such as:
a. Time factor
The time you have to do your research (one semester, one year,
or more). Normally, each research has a time constraint and limit.
b. Breadth and depth
This is based on the research scope and limitations. However,
some research focus on development rather than analysis.
c. Type of research
There are three general types that are qualitative research,
quantitative research, mixed research. Each type has its special
considerations.

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d. Suitable method(s) to be used
Research methodology may have more than one method.
Selecting a subject influenced by the method phases/steps.
Some methods may not suitable for specific subjects. Some
methods has iterative and recursive phases/steps.
e. Information sources
Resources are very important and critical for any research.
For some subject you may need to collect info from bank
managers or you may need to collect a data from non free
resources. For some subject you may need to conduct a
preliminary study to check wither a need to go through
subject or not.
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1.12.3 Evaluating focus area
Finally, you need to evaluate your focus area

from your subject. These are the check list to do
such evaluation:
a. Suit the purpose of your interest
b. relevant to the audience
c. Feasible in terms time, budget, and resource.
d. up-to-date

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1.13 Focus area Vs Topic
While focus area is broad and general, Topic is specific
issue relating to a particular subject.
Table 1.1 shows some examples for focus area and the
topics that may relate to specific subject.

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Table 1.1: Comparison between Focus area and topic
Focus area Topic

Multimedia Mobile Learning, Design of Edutainment,
Virtual Library
Software Software Security, Software Engineering,

engineering Software Quality, Design Requirements
Model, UCD Implementation
Artificial Intelligence Data Mining Approaches, Fuzzy Logic,

Robotics, Natural Language Pros, Agents
Information ERP, Business Intelligence, KMS, CRM,

Management Information Quality.

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1.14 Process to narrow down a subject into topics
Table 1.2 shows an example of process to narrow down a subject

into related topics based on the follow steps:
a. Start with a general subject that interest you and fits the
requirements of the assignment.
b. Phrase the subject as a question.
c. Brainstorm subdivisions of the subject to create topics.
d. Do library/internet search to identify possible subtopics.
e. Filter the ideas until you find the most suitable one for you.
f. Write your final topic as a question.

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Table 1.2: Example of process subject to topics
Term Example
Subject Mobile Commerce
Question What do I want to search about m-commerce?
Specific topics  Development of commerce.

 Acceptability of m-commerce.
 Security issues of m-commerce.
Possible subtopics  Implementation of m-commerce in university

(after reading) environment.
 Implementation of m-commerce in automotive
industry.
 Implementation of m-commerce in B2B, B2C, or
C2G.
Final Choice  Implementation of m-commerce in agriculture

(research question) environment.

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1.15 Understanding the Writing Process
• When you look at a book, you do not see the process
the writer used to make it.
• What you see in print might not be mush like the first
plan for the book.
• The author might have rewritten many times.
• There is no one way correct way to write.
• The writing process is often divided into five stages.

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a. Pre-writing
In this stage, you plan what you are going to write. You choose a
topic; identify your audience and purpose; brainstorm ideas; and
organizing information.
b. Drafting
In this stage, you write your ideas in sentences and paragraphs.
Follow your prewriting plan to write a first draft of your
composition.
c. Revising
This stage is the first part of editing your writing. You may work by
yourself or with a partner or group. Make changes that will
improve your writing.
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d. Proofreading
In this stage, you finish your editing by polishing your
work. Check for errors in grammar, spelling,
capitalization, and punctuation. Make a final copy of
your composition.
e. Publishing
Finally, you choose a way to present your work to an
audience. You may want to add pictures, make a class
book, or read your work aloud.

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1.16 Criteria of Good Research
Whatever may be the types of research works and studies, one
thing that is important is that they all meet on the common
ground of scientific method employed by them. One expects
scientific research to satisfy the following criteria:
1. The purpose of the research should be clearly defined and
common concepts be used.
2. The research procedure used should be described in
sufficient detail to permit another researcher to repeat the
research for further advancement, keeping the continuity of
what has already been attained.
3. The procedural design of the research should be carefully
planned to yield results that are as objective as possible.
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4. The researcher should report with complete frankness,
flaws in procedural design and estimate their effects upon
the findings.
5. The analysis of data should be sufficiently adequate to
reveal its significance and the methods of analysis used
should be appropriate. The validity and reliability of the
data should be checked carefully.
6. Conclusions should be confined to those justified by the
data of the research and limited to those for which the data
provide an adequate basis.
7. Greater confidence in research is warranted if the
researcher is experienced, has a good reputation in
research and is a person of integrity.
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In other words, we can state the qualities of a good research as
Systematic, Logical, Empirical, and Replicable.
1. Good research is SYSTEMATIC: It means that research is structured
with specified steps to be taken in a specified sequence in
accordance with the well defined set of rules. Systematic
characteristic of the research does not rule out creative thinking but
it certainly does reject the use of guessing and intuition in arriving at
conclusions.
2. Good research is LOGICAL: This implies that research is guided by the

rules of logical reasoning and the logical process of induction and
deduction are of great value in carrying out research. Induction is the
process of reasoning from a part to the whole whereas deduction is
the process of reasoning from some premise to a conclusion which
follows from that very premise. In fact, logical reasoning makes
research more meaningful in the context of decision making.
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3. Good research is EMPIRICAL: It implies that
research is related basically to one or more aspects
of a real situation and deals with concrete data that
provides a basis for external validity to research
results.
4. Good research is REPLICABLE: This characteristic

allows research results to be verified by replicating
the study and thereby building a sound basis for
decisions.

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‫سـؤالك قدـ يفتـح آفاقا ً جديدة لـم ْتُسَبـر ‪ ..‬أو يطرق‬
‫‪45‬‬ ‫أبوابا ً مغلقة لم تُفتح ‪# ..‬تأمالت_حياة‬

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Research Methodology in

Dr. Naji Shukri Alzaza ©2012 Gaza,

Dr. Naji Shukri Alzaza ©2012 Gaza,

1.2 Why we do research?

Dr. Naji Shukri Alzaza ©2012 Gaza,

1.3 Researches types

Dr. Naji Shukri Alzaza ©2012 Gaza,

Dr. Naji Shukri Alzaza ©2012 Gaza,

• A study of consumer groups and business competition

• An informal, qualitative, interpretive, reflective and

Dr. Naji Shukri Alzaza ©2012 Gaza,

• Basic and applied research in the sciences and

• Originality of research is one of the most important

Dr. Naji Shukri Alzaza ©2012 Gaza,

Dr. Naji Shukri Alzaza ©2012 Gaza,

• Beginning – to check what other researcher has been

Dr. Naji Shukri Alzaza ©2012 Gaza,

• Goes beyond mere descriptions: must offer opinions,

Dr. Naji Shukri Alzaza ©2012 Gaza,

Literature review is one of important components in

Dr. Naji Shukri Alzaza ©2012 Gaza,

Dr. Naji Shukri Alzaza ©2012 Gaza,

Dr. Naji Shukri Alzaza ©2012 Gaza,

Other definitions: The study of computer hardware is

Dr. Naji Shukri Alzaza ©2012 Gaza,

Dr. Naji Shukri Alzaza ©2012 Gaza,

Dr. Naji Shukri Alzaza ©2012 Gaza,

To get an ideas there are two ways: (i) do it yourself

Dr. Naji Shukri Alzaza ©2012 Gaza,

Figure 1.2: A subject with related areas

When it should be Where it should be

Figure 1.3: candidate subject with 5 Ws and 1 H questions

Dr. Naji Shukri Alzaza ©2012 Gaza,

Dr. Naji Shukri Alzaza ©2012 Gaza,

Dr. Naji Shukri Alzaza ©2012 Gaza,

Finally, you need to evaluate your focus area

Dr. Naji Shukri Alzaza ©2012 Gaza,

Dr. Naji Shukri Alzaza ©2012 Gaza,

Focus area Topic

Software Software Security, Software Engineering,

Artificial Intelligence Data Mining Approaches, Fuzzy Logic,

Information ERP, Business Intelligence, KMS, CRM,

Dr. Naji Shukri Alzaza ©2012 Gaza,

Table 1.2 shows an example of process to narrow down a subject

Dr. Naji Shukri Alzaza ©2012 Gaza,

Specific topics  Development of commerce.

Possible subtopics  Implementation of m-commerce in university

Final Choice  Implementation of m-commerce in agriculture

Dr. Naji Shukri Alzaza ©2012 Gaza,

Dr. Naji Shukri Alzaza ©2012 Gaza,

Dr. Naji Shukri Alzaza ©2012 Gaza,

2. Good research is LOGICAL: This implies that research is guided by the

4. Good research is REPLICABLE: This characteristic

Dr. Naji Shukri Alzaza ©2012 Gaza,

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