Research Methods

2nd year Fashion Design

By: Beyene D.
 Basic terms in research
Population: total number of respondents which we want to

study. (finite/infinite)
Sample: it is a part selected from the population.(large/ small

Hypothesis: is an assumption which is yet to be tested.

Data: facts and statistics used for reference or analysis.

Analysis: a detailed examination of the elements or structure of

something.
Scope: the extent of the area or subject matter that something

deals with or to which it is relevant.

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 Introduction

Research refers to a search for knowledge.

a scientific and systematic search for pertinent

/relevant/ information on a specific topic.

In fact, research is an art of scientific investigation.

Redman and Mory define research as a “systematized

effort to gain new knowledge.”

 Conc..

Some people consider research as a movement, a

movement from the known to the unknown.

It is actually a voyage of discovery!

Research is the pursuit of truth with help of study,

observations, comparison and experiment.

Research is simply the process of finding solutions to

a problem after a thorough study and analysis of the

situational factors.
 Cont…

Re ---------------- Search

Re means (once more, afresh, anew) OR (back; with

return to a previous state)

Search means (look thorough or go over thoroughly

to look something) OR (examine to find anything

concealed(hidden)).
 Research?
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.

 Cont…

ORGANIZED
in that 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.

 Cont..

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.
 Cont..

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.
 Objectives of Research

Defining and redefining the problems.

Formulating the hypotheses or suggested solutions.

Collecting, organizing and evaluating data.

Making deductions and reading conclusions.

And at last carefully testing the conclusions to

determine whether they fit the formulating

hypotheses.
 Motivation in Research
Desire to get research degree.

Desire to face challenges in solving the unsolved

problems.
Desire to get intellectual joy doing some creative work.

Desire to be of service to the society.

Desire to get responsibility

 Steps in research:-

1) Understanding the nature of problem to be studied and

identifying the related area of knowledge.

2) Reviewing literature to understand how others have

approached or dealt with the problem.

3) Collecting data in an organized and controlled manner so as to

arrive at valid decisions.

4) Analyzing data appropriate to the problem.

5) Drawing conclusions and making generalizations.

Stages in research process
Types of Research

2nd year Fashion Design

Beyene D.
 Types Of Research
 Types of research methods can be classified into several
categories according to the nature and purpose of the
study and other attributes.  Comparative Classification of
Research
 General Classification of Research
 Quantitative Vs Qualitative
 Basic or Pure Research
Research
 Applied Research  Fundamental/Basic Vs
 Action Research Applied Research
 Basic Or Fundamental Research

Basic research is conducted solely for the purpose of theory

development and refinement.

For the purpose of gaining knowledge

It advanced understanding about social world.

Help in supporting & rejecting existing hypothesis & theories.

is conducted to verify the acceptability of a given theory or to

know more about a certain concept.

E.g Research on mathematics
 Applied research

Applied research is conducted for the purpose of applying or testing

theory and evaluating its usefulness in educational problems.

Aims at finding solution for an immediate problem facing a society

or an industry/ business organizations.

 is conducted when a decision must be made about a specific real-
life problem.

 The procedures and techniques utilized by basic and applied

researchers do not differ substantially
 Cont..

 Both employ the scientific method to answer the

questions at hand.
 Broadly characterized, the scientific method refers to
techniques and procedures that help the researcher to
know and understand the phenomena.
 It requires systematic analysis and logical
interpretation of empirical evidence (facts from
observation or experimentation) to confirm or disprove
 Action Research

 The purpose of action research is to take immediate

action but not any development of theory.
 If researcher is doing any investigation, he finds
any problem, he applies action research to solve
that problem.
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 Quantitative vs. Qualitative

 Quantitative research is based on the measurement of

quantity or amount.

 It is applicable to phenomena that can be expressed in terms

of quantity.

 Qualitative research, on the other hand, is concerned with

qualitative phenomenon, i.e. phenomena relating to or
involving quality or kind.

e.g. what motivates human

 Descriptive VS Analytical Research

 Descriptive research includes surveys and fact-

finding enquiries of different kinds.
 Its major purpose is description of the state of affairs
as it exists at present.
 The main characteristic of this method is that the
researcher has no control over the variables; he can
only report what has happened or what is happening.
Cont…

 For example, frequency of shopping,

preferences of people, etc.
 In analytical research, on the other hand, the
researcher has to use facts or information
already available, and analyze these to make a
critical evaluation of the material.
 Conceptual Vs Empirical Research

 Conceptual research is that related to some abstract

idea(s) or theory.
 It is generally used by philosophers and thinkers to
develop new concepts or to reinterpret existing ones.
 On the other hand, 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
Cont…

 We can also call it as experimental type of research.

 The researcher must first provide himself with a working
hypothesis or guess as to the probable results.
 He then works to get enough facts (data) to prove or
disprove his hypothesis.
 He then sets up experimental designs which he thinks
will manipulate the persons or the materials concerned so
as to bring forth the desired information.
 Exploratory Studies

 Exploratory studies are conducted to clarify ambiguous problems.

 Management may have discovered general problems, but
research is needed to gain better understanding of the dimensions
of the problems.
 Usually, exploratory research is conducted with the expectation
that subsequent research will be required to provide conclusive
evidence.
 Causal Research

 The main goal of causal research is identification of

cause and effect relationships between variables.
 Causal research attempts to establish that when we
do one thing, another thing will follow.

E.g. when the package changed, then the sales

may increase.
 Research Methods Vs. Methodology

 Research methods are all those methods/techniques

that are used for conduction of research.
 It refers to the methods the researchers use in
performing research operations.
 In other words, all those methods which are used by the
researcher during the course of studying his research
problem are termed as research methods.
 Cont’d
 Research methods can be put into the following three

groups:

1) Those methods which are concerned with the collection

of data. These methods will be used
where the data already available are not sufficient to
arrive at the required solution;

2) Those statistical techniques which are used for

establishing relationships between the data and the
 cont’d

 Research methodology is a way to systematically solve the research

problem.

 It may be understood as a science of studying how research is done

scientifically.

 In it we study the various steps that are generally adopted by a

researcher in studying his research problem along with the logic

behind them.
 Cont’d

 Researchers not only need to know how to develop certain

indices or tests, how to calculate the mean, the mode, the

median or the standard deviation or chi-square, how to apply

particular research techniques, but they also need to know

which of these methods or techniques, are relevant and which

are not, and what would they mean and indicate and why.
 Cont’d
 Research methodology has many dimensions and research
methods do constitute a part of the research methodology.
 The scope of research methodology is wider than that of
research methods.
 Thus, when we talk of research methodology we not only talk of
the research methods but also consider:-
 the logic behind the methods

 explain why we are using a particular method or technique and

 why we are not using others.

 ResearchProcess
Research Process

 Research process consist of series of action or steps

necessary to effectively carry out research and desired
sequencing of these steps
 CHAPTER 2

Componentsof
Components of
ResearchMethods
Research Methods
 Define Research Problem

 Research Problem refers to some difficulty /need which a

researcher experiences in the context of either theoretical or

practical situation and wants to obtain a solution for the same.

 Proposed research topic should have a genuine need for

investigation.
 How do we know we have a research
problem?
 Customer complaints

 Conversation with company employees

 Observation of inappropriate behavior or conditions in the firm

 Deviation from the business plan

 Success of the firm’s competitor’s

 Relevant reading of published material (trends, regulations)

 Company records and reports.

 SOURCES OF PROBLEMS

 Reading

 Academic Experience

 Daily Experience

 Exposure to Field Situations

 Consultations

 Brainstorming

 Research

 Intuition/sixth sense/
 Steps in defining a Problem

1) Statement of the problem in a general way

2) Understanding the nature of the problem

3) Surveying the available literature

4) Developing ideas through discussions

5) Rephrasing the research problem

 REVIEW OF LITERATURE

 It is an extensive survey of all available past studies

relevant to the field of investigation.
 It gives us knowledge about what others have found out
in the related field of study and how they have done so.

Sources of literature:-  Books and Journals

 Govt. and Industry Reports
 Internet
 Research Dissertations / Thesis
 Purpose of Review

 To gain a background knowledge of the research topic.

 To identify the concepts relating to it, potential relationships
between them and to formulate researchable hypothesis.
 To identify appropriate methodology, research design,
methods of measuring concepts and techniques of analysis.
 To identify data sources used by other researchers.
 To learn how others structured their reports.
 Formulate Hypothesis

 Research Hypothesis is a predictive statement that relates

an independent variable to a dependent variable.

 Hypothesis must contain at least one independent

variable and one dependent variable.

e.g. temp vs. time

 Research Design and Methodology

 A detailed blueprint (plan) specifying how the research will be carried out.

 The purpose of research design is to provide the collection of relevant

evidence with minimal expenditure of effort, time and money.

 Selection of respondents
 Description / location of the study area.
 Data collection instrument.
 Selection of company / enterprise.
 Respondents contact method.
 Data source.
 Data analytical tool.
 Selection of quantitative parameters.
 Scope of the study.
 Selection of qualitative parameters.
 Duration of the study.
 DETERMINE SAMPLE
DESIGN

 Probability sample:- every  Non probability sample:- which

item has equal chance to is selected by the researcher

be selected as sample with his own judgment

Examples:-
Examples:-
1.judgement
I. cluster 2.convenience
II. simple random 3.quota

III. stratified
 Data Collection

 Statistical data is classified into two:-

 Primary data collection:- is the data that are collected directly

by the researcher using:-
 Observation

 Experimentation

 Questionnaire

 Interviewing

 Case study method.

 Cont’d

 Secondary Data Collection:-

 When an investigator uses the data, which has already

been collected by others, such data is called secondary data.

 This data is actually primary for the researcher that collects

it and becomes secondary data for someone else who uses

it for his own purpose.

 Analysis of Data

 The analysis of data requires a number of closely related

operations such as establishment of categories.
 This stage mainly include :

1. Coding

2. Editing

3. Tabulation, etc
 Generalization and Interpretation

 If a hypotheses is tested and upheld (defended) several

time it may be possible for the researcher to arrive at
generalization to build a theory .
 If the researcher had no hypothesis to start with, he might
seek to explain his finding on the basis of some theory.
 It is none as interpretation.
 Preparation of the Report

 Prepare the report of what has been done by him.

 Writing the report must be done with great care keeping
in view the following points:

1.the preliminary page

2.the main text

3. the end matter

Thank you
 Research title for 2nd year
Fashion Design students.

1) Improving Role of Fashion Design in Ethiopian Film Industry.

2) Increasing the Role of Fashion Design in Garment Industry.

3) Study on the Role of Fashion Design in the Development of a

Cultural clothes .

4) Analyzing Role of Fashion Design in Nation Development.

5) Assessing the Importance of Fashion Design in the cloth

market. Due date:- 25/03/10