Chapter One Research Methods

Research Methods and Presentation (ECEg4341)
Chapter One
Research Methods
Friday, September Haramaya Institute of Technology, SECE

03, 2021
Introduction
2
 Humans possess the vital instinct of inquisitiveness

 Inquisitiveness makes human
 probe and attain fuller understanding of the unknown
 harness and utilize the knowledge acquired
 Improve quality of life
 Inquisitiveness is the mother of all knowledge
 At present, there is a vast body of knowledge in almost every discipline in the
form of
 literature, art, culture and even on the Internet (in electronic form)
 However, we still need much more knowledge and understanding to overcome
 existing challenging problems
 emerging challenging problems
 In society, business, technology, the environment, etc
Haramaya University, Haramaya Institute of Technology, SECE Friday, September 03, 2021
Definitions of Research
3
 Research refers to:-

 a search for knowledge
 a scientific and systematic search for pertinent information on a
specific topic
 an art of scientific investigation
 Process of searching for (general) answers in any given field of
study, or the solution of just one particular problem.
 Understanding of a cause and effect relationship of a given
phenomenon or uncovering a new phenomenon
 In general, the method, which man employs for obtaining the
knowledge of whatever the unknown, can be termed as research
Definitions of Research…
4
 A careful investigation or inquiry specially through search for new

facts in any branch of knowledge (The Advanced Learner’s Dictionary of Current
English)
 A detailed study of a subject, especially in order to discover (new)
information or reach a (new) understanding (Cambridge Dictionaries Online
– Cambridge University Press 2003)
 A studious inquiry or examination; especially : investigation or
experimentation aimed at the discovery and interpretation of facts,
revision of accepted theories or laws in the light of new facts, or
practical application of such new or revised theories or laws (The
Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary)
 The detailed study of something in order to discover new facts,
especially in a university or Scientific institution (Macmillan Publishers Ltd.
2002)
5
 A careful and systematic investigation in some field of

knowledge, undertaken to establish facts or principles (Kumar
1996)
 Organized Inquiry to provide information for the solution to a
problem (Emery & Cooper, 1991)
 Scientific and scholarly inquiry or investigation and the
proper communication of the findings. (McCuen, 1996)
 Note
 Definition includes what research is and its purpose
 Systematic, controlled, empirical, rigorous and precise methods
are used to obtain solutions or to discover and interpret new
information
6
 Research in science
 It is a process
 a scientific and an orderly/structured process
 The process involves
 exploration/testing through experimentation and observation
 Exploration/testing is carried out
 on natural and social phenomenon
 Why do we explore?
 to discover and/or interpret new scientific facts, and/or
 utilize the new or revised theories or laws for practical
application
Elements of Research
7
 According to Clifford Woody research comprises

 Defining and redefining problems, Formulating
hypothesis or suggested solutions;

 collecting, organizing and evaluating data;
 making deductions and reaching conclusions; and
 at last carefully testing the conclusions to determine

whether they fit the formulating hypothesis
Essential Features of Research
8
 Research is
 Logical and Systematic:
 Clear, reasonable and understood by others
 Creative:
 Leads to new solutions, theory or technology
 Generalizable:
 Investigates a small sample but the result(s) can be generalized to a
larger population
 Replicable:
 Others can test the results by repeating it
 Presentation:
 Presentation of the work and its results to others through writing or
orally is an essential element of carrying out research
Motivation in Research
9
 What makes people to undertake research?

 This is a question of fundamental importance
 The possible motives for doing research may be either one
or more of the following:
1. Desire to get a research degree along with its
consequential benefits
2. Desire to face the challenge in solving the unsolved
problem
 i.e concern over practical problems initiates research
3. Desire to get intellectual joy of doing some creative work
4. Desire to be of service to society
5. Desire to get respectability
Motivation in Research…
10
 And Many more

 such as
 directives of government
 employment conditions
 curiosity about new things
 desire to understand causal relationships
 social thinking and awakening, and the like
 may as well motivate (or at times compel) people to perform
research operations.
Approaches to Research
11
 Epistemology:-
 is a branch of philosophy which studies the theory of knowledge,
especially with regard to its methods, validity, and scope.
 Approaches to research depend on epistemologies
 It varies considerably both within and between sciences,
humanities and art
 Science:- is the intellectual and practical activity
 It encompasses the systematic study of the structure and behavior
 physicaland natural world (what is to be studied?)
 experiment, observation and logical argument (through what ? how ?)
…………………(From The Oxford Dictionary)
Approaches to Research…
12
 Science is also a systematically and orderly

organized/arranged body of knowledge on any
subject
 Orderliness is law, and is the test of true science
 Social science:- is the scientific study of human
society and social relationships.
 Subjects within this field include psychology,
economics and politics.
Approaches to Research… in Science
13
 Research in science
 relies on the application of the scientific method/principles
 empirical activities involving experimentation, observational
study and logical argument/reasoning
 provides scientific information and theories for the
explanation of the nature and the properties of the world
 the conclusion thus found usually has universal significance
 Scientific research can be subdivided into different
classifications according to their academic and
application disciplines
Approaches to Research…in Humanities
14
 Humanities is a study concerned with human culture

 Literature, History, Art, music, philosophy…
 Research in the humanities
 Humanities scholars usually do not search for the ultimate correct
answer to a question, but instead explore the issues and details that
surround it
 Context is always important which can be social, historical,
political, cultural or ethnic.
 Involves different methods such as for example
 Hermeneutics: concerned with the science and methodology of
interpreting texts
 Semiotics: the study of signs and symbols and their use or interpretation
Approaches to Research…in Humanities
15
 An example of research in the humanities is historical

research
 Embodied in historical method
 Historians use primary and/or secondary sources to

systematically investigate a topic, and then to write
 Primary sources (monuments, archeological findings,..)
 Secondary sources (books, literature, etc) and other
evidence
Approaches to Research… in Arts
16
 Art is
 the quality, production, expression, or realm, according
to aesthetic principles, of what is beautiful,
appealing, or of more than ordinary significance
 the expression or application of creative skill and
imagination, especially through a visual medium such
as
 [artifacts]
painting, drawings, sculpture
 [performance] music, literature, and dance
Approaches to Research… in Arts
17
 Research in Art: also seen as 'practice-based research '

 can take form when creative works are considered both the research
and the object of research itself
 May usually utilize methods such as intuition and heuristics
 used in science when we have no or insufficient theories/principles to explain
certain phenomenon
 Intuition
 is the ability to acquire knowledge without proof, evidence, or conscious
reasoning, or without understanding how the knowledge was acquired
 the ability to understand something instinctively
 Heuristics
 Describes a rule or a method that comes from experience and helps you
think through things, like the process of elimination, or the process of trial
and error
Objectives of Research
18
 The purpose of research is to discover answers to

questions through the application of scientific
procedures
 The main aim of research is to find out

 thetruth which is hidden and
 which has not been discovered yet
Objective of Research…
19
 Each research study has its own specific purpose

 We usually group the objectives under of the following
1. To gain familiarity with a phenomenon or to achieve new
insights into it
 studies with this object in view are termed as exploratory or formulative
research studies
2. To portray accurately the characteristics of a particular
individual, situation or a group
 studies with this object in view are known as descriptive research studies
3. To determine the frequency with which something occurs or
with which it is associated with something else
 studies with this object in view are known as diagnostic research studies
4. To test a hypothesis of a causal relationship between variables
 such studies are known as hypothesis-testing research studies
Types of Research
20
 Based on the purpose, methodology and/or discipline

(area) researches may be classified in a number of ways as
follows:
 Basic/applied research
 Experimental (empirical)/ conceptual
 Descriptive (exploratory)/formulative
 Quantitative/qualitative research
 Analytic/synthetic research
 Primary/Secondary research
 Miscellaneous (Historical, Conclusion-oriented research,
Decision-oriented research)
Basic research Vs Applied research
21
 Basic/Pure Research
 The main objective is to generate theoretical and scientific laws of nature
 Mainly done in an experimental laboratories (or in fields) and under strictly
controlled situations
 It is mainly concerned with generalizations and with the formulation of a theory
 Example
 most researches done in physics, biology, chemistry and psychology
 Applied research
 Main objective
 Finding an immediate solution for pressing practical problem facing an
industrial/business organization or a society
 to discover a solution for some pressing practical problem
 Example
 identifyproblems and/or their sources and the means to obtain solutions
 in engineering, health, education, socio economics, agriculture, etc.
Experimental/Empirical Research
(hypothesis-testing )
22
 Used to test a hypothesis of a causal relationship between variables
 Uses empirical method
 Exploration
 Observation
 interpreting (logical reasoning)
 testing and
 formulation
 It is data-based research, coming up with conclusions which are

capable of being verified by observation or experiment
 The experiment may employ
 physical setups and/or simulations representing either the entire real

world system or
 down scaled pilot sample or model
Conceptual
23
 Is related to some abstract idea(s) or theory

 It is generally used by philosophers and thinkers
 develop new concepts or to reinterpret existing ones
 Mainly involves
 logical reasoning and
 applies
 pre-established theorems and axioms
 Examples: - mathematics, statistics, philosophy
Descriptive
24
 Gives description of phenomenon that has taken place

 In certain time, place and situation
 The major purpose of descriptive research is description of the
state of affairs as it exists at present.
 That is it is mainly used to portray accurately the characteristics of a
particular entity (individual, situation or a group)
 The main characteristic of this method is that the researcher has
no control over the variables
 He/she can only report/describe what has happened or what is
happening.
 It may further be subdivided into: survey study, comparative case
study and co-relational.
Descriptive…. Survey study & Case Study
25
 Survey study
 As the name implies, it does not go into the depth of the issue (problem &
solution) but only in shallow
 It generates useful preliminary findings on the problems and possible means of
solutions that may then be utilized as hints for full researches that intend to go
to deep and broad researches.
 Case study
 problems and means of solutions are studied in depth but for a narrow scope of
the problem and coverage at hand.
 The problems may be studied in an individual basis or in group basis.
 Example: Energy efficiency status of the Muger Cement factory
 Here the “energy” is a broad generic term which may be of electrical, thermal,
chemical or mechanical.
 Muger Cement factory is a case in point among other cement factories or even other
industries.
Descriptive…. Comparative study
26
 Comparative Study
 Itis used to identify better or best means/solution under certain conditions
among existing ones
 Done by comparative analysis
 we may have to use certain metricized and/or weighted parameters against
which the overall comparison among alternatives has to be made.
 Example:
 The Question: Which electricity energy supply method is the most
feasible?
 Among: Electricity from hydropower, from diesel generator, nuclear
power plant, wind energy or photovoltaic?
 Analysis may be based on:
 Economical considerations, Environmental friendliness Technologically Need of
skilled man power, Resource requirement (water, diesel oil, nuclear fuel, …)
Space requirement
Descriptive… Co-relational Study
27
 This is used to explore and study if there is some

correlation among two or more variables in order to
gain greater situational insight
 For instance
 we may wish to know If there is a relationship between
gender and choice of field of study
 If criminal behavior is related to social class background
 If there is a relationship between electric power demand
level and modern electronic appliance utilization by
customers
Quantitative Research
28
 Quantitative Research
 is based on the measurement of quantity or amount
 is applicable to phenomena that can be expressed in
terms of quantity
 may involve mathematical, statistical or
graphical/empirical models
 Usually involves collecting and converting data into
numerical values
 statistical calculations can be made and
 conclusions can be drawn
Quantitative Research… the Process
29
 The process
 Have one or more hypotheses
 The hypotheses are the questions the researcher want to address
 include predictions about possible relationships between the things they want to
investigate (variables)
 Use Instruments and materials like
 paper or computer tests
 observation check lists
 Has clearly defined plan of action
 Data is collected by various means
 Follow a strict procedure and
 Are prepared for statistical analysis.
 Nowadays, this is carried out with the aid of sophisticated statistical computer
packages.
Quantitative Research… the Process
30
 The analysis enables the researchers to determine

 The extent of a relationship between two or more variables.
 Example
 a simple association
 People who exercise on a daily basis have lower blood pressure
 a causal relationship
 Daily exercise actually leads to lower blood pressure
 Statistical analysis permits researchers
 To discover complex causal relationships and
 To determine to what extent one variable influences another.
 The results of statistical analyses are presented in journals in a
standard way
Quantitative Research… the Principle
31
 Principles
 Objectivity is very important in quantitative research
 Researchers take great care to avoid their own
 Presence, behavior or attitude
 They also critically examine their methods and conclusions for any possible bias
 Researchers need to ensure that they are really measuring what is claimed to be
measured
 External factors, which might affect the results, must also be controlled
 The main emphasis of quantitative research is on
 Deductive reasoning
 Tends to move from the general to the specific.
 Sometimes referred to as a top down approach.
 The validity of conclusions is shown to be dependent on one or more premises
(prior statements, findings or conditions)
Quantitative Research… the Principle
32
 Researchers rarely have access to all the members of a particular group

 They are usually interested in being able to make inferences from their study
about these larger groups
 For this reason, it is important that the people involved in the study are a
representative sample of the wider population/group
 Extent of generalizations
 depends to a certain extent
 on the number of people involved in the study
 how they were selected and
 whether they are representative of the wider group
 In most cases, random samples are preferred

 so that each potential participant has an equal chance of participating
 Sometimes researchers might want to ensure that they include a certain
number of people with specific characteristics
Qualitative Research
33
 Qualitative research is concerned with

qualitative phenomenon
 phenomena relating to or involving quality or kind
 emphasizes the socially constructed nature of reality
 It is about
 Recording
 Analyzing and
 Attempting to uncover the deeper meaning and
significance of human behavior and experience
Qualitative Research…The process
34
 The approach adopted by qualitative researchers tends to be

inductive
 The researchers develop a theory or look for a pattern of meaning on
the basis of the data that they have collected
 This involves a move from the specific to the general
 sometimes called a bottom-up approach.
 Qualitative researchers do not base their research on pre-
determined hypotheses
 They clearly identify a problem or topic that they want to explore and
may be guided by a theoretical lens
 Data collection and analysis allows for greater flexibility than in
quantitative research
Qualitative Research… The
35
process
 Data is collected in textual form on the basis of observation and interaction
with the participants
 participant observation
 in-depth interviews and
 focus groups.
 It is not converted into numerical form
 is not statistically analyzed
 Data collection may be carried out in several stages
 Sometimes Researcher might try
 toaddress additional issues or
 drop questions
 In some cases, the researchers will interview or observe a set number of people
 In other cases, the process of data collection and analysis may continue until the
researchers find that no new issues are emerging
Qualitative Research… The principle
36
 Researchers will tend to use methods which give participants a certain degree
of freedom
 permit spontaneity rather than forcing them to select from a set of pre-determined
responses
 try to create the right atmosphere to enable people to express themselves
 This may mean adopting a less formal and less rigid approach than that used in
quantitative research
 The methods used may be more open-ended, less narrow and more exploratory
 This is true particularly when very little is known about a particular subject
 Qualitative research often involves a smaller number of participants
 May be because the methods used such as in-depth interviews are time and labor
intensive
 May be because a large number of people are not needed for the purposes of statistical
analysis

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Research Methods and Presentation (ECEg4341)

Friday, September Haramaya Institute of Technology, SECE

 Humans possess the vital instinct of inquisitiveness

 Research refers to:-

 A careful investigation or inquiry specially through search for new

 A careful and systematic investigation in some field of

 According to Clifford Woody research comprises

hypothesis or suggested solutions;

 making deductions and reaching conclusions; and

 at last carefully testing the conclusions to determine

 What makes people to undertake research?

 And Many more

…………………(From The Oxford Dictionary)

 Science is also a systematically and orderly

 Humanities is a study concerned with human culture

 An example of research in the humanities is historical

 Historians use primary and/or secondary sources to

 Research in Art: also seen as 'practice-based research '

 The purpose of research is to discover answers to

 The main aim of research is to find out

 Each research study has its own specific purpose

 Based on the purpose, methodology and/or discipline

 interpreting (logical reasoning)

 It is data-based research, coming up with conclusions which are

 physical setups and/or simulations representing either the entire real

 Is related to some abstract idea(s) or theory

 Gives description of phenomenon that has taken place

 This is used to explore and study if there is some

 The analysis enables the researchers to determine

 Researchers rarely have access to all the members of a particular group

 In most cases, random samples are preferred

 Qualitative research is concerned with

 The approach adopted by qualitative researchers tends to be

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