Methods of Research

Research Methodology (RCH 601)

Nepal Engineering College

Center for Postgraduate Studies (nec-CPS)

(Some parts of the lectures are adapted from the Dr. M.K. Dhamala, nec-CPS)
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RESEARCH METHOD
Research methods are the methods used by
researchers to collect data to conduct research
on a particular research topic.
The objective of the research method is to find
the solution.
Research methods are useful to apply during the Research methodologies are applied in the initial
latter stage of the research process.
Research methods are small part of research
methodology.
Research methods consist of various techniques
where various studies and experiments are used
to conduct research and reach an appropriate
conclusion.
Research methods consist of different
investigation techniques.
Research method encompasses of carrying out
an experiment, survey, test and so on.
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
A Research methodology is systematic approach
to solve the research problem and to reach a
new conclusion.
The objective of the research methodology is to
determine the solution by applying correct
procedures of research.
stage of the research being conducted.
A Research methodology is a multi-dimensional
concept.
Research methodologies are used applied during
the initial stage of the research to explain the
purpose of chosen methods and how they will
serve its function.
Research methodologies is a
systematic strategy to achieve the decided
objective.
Research methodology encompasses different
techniques which are used during
the performance of the experiment, surveys, and
test, etc.
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 Qualitative
• It is the process of collecting naturalistic inquiry that seeks
in-depth understanding off social phenomena within their
natural setting.
• It focus on the “Why” rather than the “What” of Social
Phenomena based on the direct experiences of human
beings
• Exploring issues, understanding phenomenon and
answering questions
• Understanding a social problem from multiple
perspectives (perception, behaviors, beliefs, opinions,
emotions, and relationships, social norms,
socioeconomic status)

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 Qualitative
• uses multiple system of inquiry for the study of
human phenomena like biography, case study,
historical analysis, discourse analysis, ethnography,
grounded theory and Phenomenology.
• provide complex textual descriptions of how people
experience a given research issue
• Uses techniques like in-depth interview
(individuals’ personal histories, perspectives, and
experiences), focus group interviews, behavior
observation(naturally occurring behaviours)
– Examples: Field research, historical research
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 Quantitative
• systematic investigation of phenomena by gathering
quantifiable data and performing statistical,
mathematical or computational techniques.
• It is an inquiry into an identified problem based on
testing a theory, measured with numbers and analyzing
with statistical techniques
• Involves the measurement of quantity or amount (e.g.
economic, statistical)
• Uses experimental, inferential and simulation
approaches to research
• Goal is theory testing through replication and
refinement
– Example: Experimental research, survey research
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 Field study Research
  A field study is a general method for collecting data
about users, user needs, and product requirements
that involves observation and interviewing Based on
careful observation of behavior in a natural
environment (field)
 Researcher need to immerse in the day-to-day life
of the entire social unit without altering their social
environment (maintain personal/social peace-
brotherhood)
 Careful observation, taking notes on observations
 Researcher must be very observant

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 Library Research
 It itself involves identifying and locating relevant
information, analyzing what is found, and then
developing and expressing the ideas.
 They describe, analyze, and/or evaluate
information found in primary sources. By
repackaging information, secondary sources
make information more accessible.
 A few examples of secondary sources are
books, journal and magazine articles,
encyclopedias, dictionaries, handbooks,
periodical indexes, and reviews, etc.
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 Experimental Research
 Such research describes what will happen if
certain variable(s) are carefully controlled or
manipulated
 Researchers are expected to control or vary all
the variables involved in the study
 Natural science research are mostly
experimental research
 Conducted either in the laboratory or in the field
Concrete mix design/At sea level, water boils at
100°C but by the time you've reached the top of
Everest your kettle will boil at just 72°C.
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 Survey Research
 Surveys are conducted in case of descriptive research
studies describing certain aspects or characteristics of
population
• concerned with describing, recording, analyzing and
interpreting conditions that either exist or existed
• A technique of investigation by collecting information
through interviews, questionnaires
 Usually understood as a sample survey
 Often begins by identifying number of individuals
considered to be representatives of the group to be
studied

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 Survey Research
• researcher does not manipulate the variable or arrange
for events to happen. only concerned with conditions or
relationships, opinions, processes, effects that are
developing.
• They are primarily concerned with the present but at
times do consider past events and influences as they
relate to current conditions. Thus, in surveys, variables
that exist or have already occurred are selected and
observed.
• Surveys are usually appropriate in case of social and
behavioral sciences
• data collection happens to be either observation, or
interview or questionnaire
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 Survey Research
 To accomplish the researcher’s
purpose, a survey research must have:
– A carefully designed set of question (questionnaires)
– A specific group of individuals to be studied
– A plan for how these questions will be analyzed
 The subject matters of survey include:
– Demographic characteristics (gender, age, income)
– Social environments (road, ws, man made component)
– Social activity (occupation)
– Opinions and attitudes

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 Interview Method
• A verbal technique for obtaining data (face to face or
telephone)
• to explore people’s perspectives on a particular idea,
program or situation
• Most commonly used method of data collection in study
of human behavior
• In the case of direct personal investigation the
interviewer has to collect the information personally
from the sources concerned
• suitable for intensive investigations
• Can be structured/unstructured/semi-structured

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 Case Study
• A form of qualitative analysis and involves a careful
and complete observation of a social unit, be that
unit a person, a family, an institution, a cultural group
or even the entire community or phenomenon
• It is a method of study in depth rather than breadth
• The case study places more emphasis on the full
analysis of a limited number of events or conditions
and their interrelations
• Purpose: description, although attempts at
explanation are also acceptable

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• Case studies distinguished by their
exclusive focus on a particular case (or
several cases in a multiple-case study)
and their use of a full variety of evidence
regarding that case
• Rationale for using case study method
typically is the availability of a special
case that seems to merit intensive
investigation
• effort is made to know the mutual inter-
relationship of causal factors
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 Steps in Case Study

1. Determine and define the research

questions
2. Select the cases and determine data
gathering and analysis techniques
3. Prepare to collect the data
4. Collect data in the field
5. Evaluate and analyze the data
6. Prepare the report
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 Questionnaire Method
• Questionnaire is a printed list of questions sent
through mail to respondents to be returned by
the respondents after filling up the questionnaire
• ‘fundamentally, the questionnaire is a set of
stimuli to which literate people are exposed in
order to observe their verbal behaviour under
these stimuli’ – GA Lundberg
• ‘in general, the word questionnaire refers to a
device for securing answers to questions by
using a form which the respondents fills in
himself’ – WJ Goode & PK Hatt
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• the most economical of all other research
methods of data collection
• ‘questionnaire is generally quicker and cheaper
that other methods’ – CA Moser
• Scope is limited: sent to a restricted number of
individuals; can be addressed only to literate
people
• High chance of no return so to be sent to large
number of sample

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Schedule
• The researcher may present himself/herself
the questionnaire to the respondents
• ‘schedule is the name usually applied to a set
of questions which are asked and filled by an
interviewer in a face to face situation with
other’ – WJ Goode & PK Hatt
• Less chance of no return
• Expensive than questionnaires

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 Opinion Poll
• An opinion poll, sometimes simply referred to as a poll,
is a human research survey of public opinion from a
particular sample
• to find out how people feel or what they think about a
particular subject or institution is also qualitative
research (can be quantitative as well)
• designed to represent the opinions of a population by
conducting a series of questions and then extrapolating
generalities in ratio or within confidence intervals
• Use of attitude scales, projective techniques, use of
sociometric scales

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 Empirical Method
• It is a way of gaining knowledge by means of
direct and indirect observation or experience
• Relies on the observation or experience with
hardly any regard for theory or system
• Empirical evidence (the record of one's direct
observations or experiences) can be analyzed
quantitatively or qualitatively
• https://www.questionpro.com/blog/empirical-resear
ch
/ Please visit this

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• For example: A research is being conducted to find
out if listening to happy music while working may
promote creativity? An experiment is conducted
by using a music website survey on a set of
audience who are exposed to happy music and
another set who are not listening to music at all,
and the subjects are then observed. The results
derived from such a research will give empirical
evidence if it does promote creativity or not.

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 Analytical Method
• The Analytical Method is a generic
process combining the power of the scientific
method with the use of formal process to solve
any type of problem
• involves critical thinking skills and the
evaluation of facts and information relative to
the research being conducted
•  Is critical to solving the sustainability problem
because it appears that current processes are
inadequate
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• used for establishing relationships between the data
and the unknowns
• to evaluate the accuracy of the results obtained.
• to find supporting evidence to current research being
done in order to make the work more reliable.
• conduct analytical research to form new ideas about
the topic being studied
• is conducted in a variety of ways including literary
research, public opinion, scientific trials and Meta-
analysis
Ex: (Research done do eliminate the yearly
flooding problem )
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 Verstehen Method
• Verstehen (which means to understand in a deep way in
German) is concerned with identifying the meaning as well
as cause of social phenomena
• concerned with the meaning or value contained in
phenomena
• In this approach, when a researcher aims to understand
another person's experience, he can try to put himself in
the other person's shoes.
• He can do this by learning from the other person, through
conversations and interactions that give the researcher
greater insight.
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 Sample Method
• Sampling is the process of selecting “few cases” from a target
population in order to provide information that can be used
to make judgments about a much larger number of cases.
Sampling is the process of selecting a representative group.
• A sample is the group of people who take part in the
investigation.
• The target population is the total group of individuals from
which the sample might be drawn from the population under
study
population

sample

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 Ideal Method
•   It is an analytic tool for his historical and
comparative studies; used for systematic
comparative analysis of historical data was originally
developed by Max Weber.
• to ascertain similarities as well as deviations in
concrete cases (society, economics)
• Ideal types are logical rather than real or empirically
observable versions of a given phenomenon, such as
bureaucracy

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 Approaches to Solve the Problem
Problem to be solved

Discipline
A
Problem to be Discipline
solved A
Discipline Discipline
B C

Disciplinary Approach
Interdisciplinary Approach

Discipline
A

Problem Discipline
Discipline
B to be B
solved
Multidisciplinary Approach 28
 Interdisciplinary Research
• Today’s problems are mostly complex in nature
• Interdisciplinary research are integration of several fields
(natural science and social science)
• This demands integration of expertise of several fields
• Interdisciplinary research is a mode of research by teams
or individuals that integrates information, data, techniques,
tools, perspectives, concepts, and/or theories from two or
more disciplines or bodies of specialized knowledge to
advance fundamental understanding or to solve problems
whose solutions are beyond the scope of a single
discipline or area of research practice

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 Interdisciplinary Approaches to Solve the Problem

Concrete crack-healing using microorganisms in 2 weeks!

Jonkers H.M. HERON Vol. 56 (2011) No. 1/2

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• Differentiate between Qualitative research
and quantitative research

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