Research Methods

Lectures
 Introductory Questions
• What do you understand by the term research and
research methods?

• What do you think are the objectives of research?

• What if we do not conduct research? Is there any

need to conduct research? (Give examples)

• Is Research conducted only by gifted people?

 Eye – opening
• Issues related to failure of software development projects in
Ethiopia
• Reasons for users’ resistance of using software products
• Students’ opinion of the teaching learning process in the area
IT

• Predicting academic performance of a student based on some

personality traits?
Chapter One

Introduction
 Meaning of Research
Research may be defined as

Word ‘Research’ is comprises of two words = Re + Search.

It means to search again. So research means a
systematic investigation or activity to gain new
knowledge of the already existing facts.

• Research is a systematic effort to gain new

knowledge.

• The systematic investigation into and study of

materials and sources in order to establish facts and
reach new conclusions
 Meaning of Research … (cont’d)
• 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 : because 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.
Meaning of Research ..(cont’d)
– 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.
Meaning of Research … (cont’d)

– Research is an academic activity

• Search for knowledge
• An art of scientific investigation
– Research comprises
• defining and redefining problems.
• formulating hypothesis
• collecting, organizing and evaluating data
• making deductions and reaching conclusions
• Carefully testing the conclusions to determine whether they fit the
formulated hypothesis
 Research Vs. Project
• Research is a systematic investigation, a deep study of a
particular topic, whereas Project is a process of achieving a
particular result.
• Research is not time-bounded, but Project is assigned a
particular time frame.
• Research is done on an already known subject/topic to establish
facts & provide new conclusions. Project usually has a
predefined start and end point(conclusion)
Research Vs. Project ..(cont’d)

• In short, one can summarize that research projects are

undertaken in order to acquire new knowledge, while
projects in the classical sense, are aimed at concrete
results (products, services), which can be sold on the
market
•Project is a broad term, which may include research as
a methodology
Research and Scientific Method

• Research is a scientific method which constitutes the

“science of knowing”, or what philosophers
commonly refer to as Epistemology. Research is
scientific since it is based on systematic observation
and experimentation to explain natural phenomena
Scientific Research
• Employs systematic observation and rational
processes to create new knowledge.

• Based on logical relationships not just beliefs.

• Involves an explanation of the methods used to

collect and analyze data; explanation to “why the
results are meaningful?”
Objectives of Research

• To discover answers to questions through the

application of scientific procedures.

• To find out the truth which is hidden which

has not been discovered as yet.

• To gain familiarity with a phenomenon or to

achieve new insights into it;
Motivation in Research
• What makes people undertake research?
– Desire to get a research degree along with its consequential
benefits.
– Desire to solve a challenge in solving the unsolved
problems.
– Desire to design appropriate policies
– Desire to contribute to the existing stock of knowledge.
– Desire to get intellectual joy of doing some creative work
– Desire to be of service to society
– Directives of government.
– Curiosity about new things, etc....
 Significance of research
– A means of livelihood
– The outlet for new ideas and insights;
– The development of new styles and creative
work;
– The generalizations of new theories;
– Fountain of knowledge;
– Important source of providing guidelines for
solving different problems; etc.
 Requirements
Research requires resources, such as the following:
• Money;
• People;
• Time and space;
• Experimental Subjects, in some cases;
 Ethical Issues in Research

• Ethical concerns
– Moral issues: honesty, integrity
– Legal implications: confidentiality/privacy,
– Neutrality
– Protecting Human Subjects
 Types of Research
• Quantitative research is based on the measurement of quantity or
amount.
• It is applicable to phenomena that can be expressed in terms of
quantity.(When information is in the form of quantitative data )

• Qualitative research, is concerned with qualitative phenomenon,

i.e. phenomena relating to or involving quality or kind.

• Attitude or opinion research i.e., research designed to find out how

people feel or what they think about a particular subject or
institution is also qualitative research.

For instance, investigating the reasons for human behavior (i.e., why
people think or do certain things)
 Types of Research …cont’d

Applied research aims at finding a solution for an immediate problem

facing a society or an industrial/business organization, whereas
Fundamental research: is mainly concerned with generalizations and
with formulation of a theory. Research concerning some natural
phenomenon or relating to pure mathematics. (Deriving formulas)
Example.
Research carried to make generalizations about human behaviour
 Types of Research …cont’d

Explanatory/Causal Research
Main purpose: finding the ‘reasons why’
• desire to know how the causal factors relate to the
effects under predictions
• Usually referred as hypothesis-testing research
• Such studies require procedures that
– Reduce bias and increase reliability
– Permit drawing inferences about causality
Types of Research …cont’d
• Conceptual Research
• related to some abstract idea or theory - Generally
used by philosophers and thinkers to develop new
concepts or to reinterpret existing ones.
• Empirical Research –
• relies on experience or observation. It is a data-based
research, coming up with conclusions which are
capable of being verified - Appropriate when proof is
required.
• Evidence gathered through Empirical Studies is
considered to be the most powerful support possible
for a given hypothesis.
Types of Research …cont’d
• Experimental research
– is commonly used in sciences such as sociology and
psychology, physics, chemistry, biology and medicine etc.

– It is a collection of research designs which use manipulation

and controlled testing to understand causal processes.

– Generally one or more variables are manipulated to

determine their effect on a dependent variable.
 Types of Research …cont’d
• From the point of view of time, we may have
– One-time research :- where the research is confined
to a single time - period.
– Longitudinal research:- where the research is carried
on over several time periods.
• from the point of view of environment, we have
– Field-setting research
– Laboratory research
• All other types of research are variations of one or
more of the above stated approaches, based on.
– the purpose of the research
– the time required to accomplish the research
– the environment in which the research is conducted.