RESEARCH

METHODOLOGY
COURSE OUTLINE

 Introduction: What Is Research?

 Formulating the Research Problem
 Literature Review and Technical Reading
 Technical Writing and Publishing
 Presentation Skills
 Attributions and Citations
 Ethics in Engineering Research
 Bibliometrics and Research Quality
COURSE AIM
This course provides a comprehensive and methodological approach to
research that spans philosophical perspectives of research, practical
matters of doing research, diverse research methods like qualitative
and quantitative research methods, literature reviews, ethics and
ethical approval. It is hoped that this course will enable the engineer to
learn about the basics and fundamental aspects of engineering
research and position the researcher to design and engineer the
research processes in one’s own field and topic so as to achieve the
ultimate objective which is about making a contribution to the
creation of new knowledge.
 RESEARCH DEFINITION

 Research: The word research is composed of two syllables “Re” and

“Search”.
 Research refers to a careful, well-defined (or redefined), objective, and
systematic method of search for knowledge,
 The study of conducting research is Research Methodology.

Research is not just about reading a lot of books and finding a lot of,
gathering a lot of existing information. It is instead adding, maybe small
and specific, yet original, contribution to that existing body of knowledge.
RESEARCH CYCLE
Problem refinement

Problem
Results
• Observations formulations • How to get results:
• Literature survey
• Problem statement • Experiments
• EXPERTES IDEAS
• Objectives, or • Questioners • Presentation: Tables, Figures
research questions, or • Previous data… etc etc.
hypothesis • Make observations
• Scope • Analysis
Ideas Methods
OBJECTIVES OF ENGINEERING
RESEARCH

 Solve new and important problems

 Ability to conduct thorough and accurate research while clearly
communicating the results is extremely important in decision-
making.,
MOTIVATION IN ENGINEERING
RESEARCH

(i) Intrinsic motivations like interest, challenge, learning, meaning, purpose,

are linked to strong creative performance;
(ii) Extrinsic motivating factors like rewards for good work include money,
fame, awards, praise, and status are very strong motivators, but may block
creativity.
(iii) Competition, collaboration, commitment, and encouragement are also
motivating factors in research.
(iv) Personal motivation in solving unsolved problems, intellectual joy, service
to community, and respectability are all driving factors.
:TYPES OF RESEARCH STUDIES

(i) Descriptive versus Analytical:

(ii) Applied versus Fundamental
(iii) Quantitative versus Qualitative

Exploratory
Diagnostic
Hypothesis-testing
APPLIED RESEARCH
Applied research refers to scientific study and research that
seeks to solve practical problems. Applied research is used to
find solutions to everyday problems, diagnosis, and develop
innovative technologies, rather than to acquire knowledge for
knowledge's sake.

For example, applied researchers may investigate ways to:

• Improve production
• Treat or cure a specific problem
• Improve the energy efficiency
 BASIC RESEARCH
Basic (aka fundamental or pure ) research is driven by a
scientist's curiosity or interest in a scientific question. The
main motivation is to expand man's knowledge, not to create
or invent something. There is no obvious commercial value to
the discoveries that result from basic research.

For example, basic science investigations probe for answers

to questions such as:

How did the universe begin?

What are protons, neutrons, and electrons composed of?
What is the specific genetic code of the fruit fly?
On a broader perspective, all researches
can be classified into two groups:

• Qualitative Research

• Quantitative Research
 QUALITATIVE RESEARCH
Qualitative research is research dealing with phenomena that are
difficult or impossible to quantify mathematically, such as beliefs,
meanings, attributes, and symbols

Qualitative researchers aim to gather an in-depth

understanding of human behaviour and the reasons that
govern such behaviour. The qualitative method investigates
the why and how of decision making, not just what, where,
when.
 QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH
Quantitative research refers to the systematic empirical
investigation of any phenomena via statistical, mathematical or
computational techniques. The objective of quantitative
research is to develop and employ mathematical
models, theories and/or hypotheses pertaining to phenomena

Quantitative research is generally made using scientific methods, which

can include:

• The generation of models, theories and hypotheses

• The development of instruments and methods for

measurement

• Experimental control and manipulation of variables

 Finding a Topic

Getting Research Ideas

Becoming an Active Reader and Listener
From where did the author seem to draw the ideas?
What exactly was accomplished by this piece of work?
How does it seem to relate to other work in the field?
What would be the reasonable next step to build upon this work?
What ideas from related fields might be brought to bear upon this
subject?
Directed Study
may start out with the research problems stated by the
Supervisor or posed by others that are yet to be solved
POSSIBLE AVENUES FOR
RESEARCH PROBLEMS

 Address the suggestions for future research that other researchers

have offered
 replicate a project in a different setting or with a different population
or methodology
 apply an existing perspective to a new situation
 challenge other research findings
 RESEARCH PROBLEM CHARACTERISTICS

It should be timely
It should be in an active area
Researchable
The researcher has to be convinced that the problem is worthwhile before beginning
to tackle it because best efforts come when the work is worth doing, and the problem
and/or solution has a better chance of being accepted by the research community.
Not all problems that one solves will be great, and sometimes major advancements
are made through solutions to small problems dealt with effectively.
 CHARACTERISTICS OF RESEARCH
PROBLEMS

 Research project not for self-explanation

 Simply comparing 2 data sets not sufficient
 Simply computing correlations between data sets not sufficient
 Need to ask why correlation exists
 Problems resulting in “yes” or “no” answers not good research problems
 Need to focus on the “what” and the “why”