Research Methodology

Text Books
• Kothari C R, Research Methodology – Methods &
Techniques, Wiley Eastern
• Kumar Ranjit, Research Methodology – A step by step
guide for Beginners, Pearson
• Paneerselvam R, Research Methodology, PHI Learning
• Arvindrai Desai, Research Methodology in management,
APH
 References
• Peter Bock, Getting Things Right, R & D Methods in
Science & Engineering, Academic Press
• Tony Greenfield, Research Methods for Post
graduates, Arnold
• Beveridge W I, The Art of Scientific Investigation
 Research
• A process;
• is being undertaken within a framework of a set of
philosophies ( approaches);
• uses procedures, methods and techniques that
have been tested for their validity and reliability;
• is designed to be unbiased and objective .
• Philosophies means approaches e.g. qualitative, quantitative and
the academic discipline in which you have been trained.
• Validity means that correct procedures have been applied to find
answers to a question. Reliability refers to the quality of a
measurement procedure that provides repeatability and accuracy.
• Unbiased and objective means that you have taken each step in
an unbiased manner and drawn each conclusion to the best of
your ability and without introducing your own vested interest.
• (Bias is a deliberate attempt to either conceal or highlight
something).
• Degree to which these criteria are expected to be
fulfilled varies from discipline to discipline and so
the meaning of ‘research’ differs from one academic
discipline to another.
• Difference between research and non-research
activity is, the process which must meet certain
requirements to be called research.
 Re-search
• re is a prefix meaning again, anew or over again
• search is a verb meaning to examine closely and
carefully, to test and try, or to probe.
• Together they form a noun describing a careful,
systematic, patient study and investigation in some
field of knowledge, undertaken to establish facts or
principles.
 Research.. some definitions
• A structured enquiry that utilizes acceptable
scientific methodology to solve problems and create
new knowledge that is generally applicable
• Search for knowledge
• a scientific and systematic search for pertinent
information on a specific topic.
 Research.. some definitions
• A careful investigation or inquiry specially through
search for new facts in any branch of knowledge
• a movement from the known to the unknown
 Research.. some definitions
• 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.
 Research.. some definitions
• The manipulation of things, concepts or symbols for
the purpose of generalizing to extend, correct or
verify knowledge, whether that knowledge aids in
construction of theory or in the practice of an art.
 Research
• A quest for knowledge & understanding
• An interesting and useful experience
• A career
• A style of life
• An essential process for commercial success
• A way to improve quality of life
• A course for qualification
• An ego boost for you
• A justification for funds & existence
 Research characteristics
• to qualify as research, the process must have
certain characteristics: it must, as far as possible,
be controlled, rigorous, systematic, valid and
verifiable, empirical and critical.
 Controlled
• In real life there are many factors that affect an outcome.
• In exploring causality in relation to two variables
(factors), set up the study in a way that minimizes the
effects of other factors affecting the relationship.
• Can be achieved to a large extent in the physical
sciences as most of the research is done in a laboratory.
• However, in the social sciences it is extremely difficult as
research is carried out on issues related to human
beings living in society.
 Rigorous
• Researcher must be scrupulous in ensuring that the
procedures followed to find answers to questions
are relevant, appropriate and justified.
• The degree of rigor varies markedly between the
physical and social sciences and within the social
sciences.
 Systematic
• The procedure adopted to undertake an
investigation should follow a certain logical
sequence.
• The different steps cannot be taken in a haphazard
way.
• Some procedures must be followed.
 Valid and verifiable
• Whatever researcher concludes on the basis of
findings of the study is correct and can be verified
by others.
 Empirical
• Any conclusions drawn should be based upon hard
evidence gathered from information collected from
real life experiences or observations.
 Critical
• Critical scrutiny of the procedures used and the
methods employed is crucial to a research enquiry.
• The process of investigation must be foolproof and
free from drawbacks.
• The process adopted and the procedures used
must be able to withstand critical scrutiny.
 Purpose of Research activity
• To gain familiarity with a phenomenon or to achieve new
insights into it (exploratory or formulative research studies);
• To portray accurately the characteristics of a particular
individual, situation or a group (descriptive research studies);
• To determine the frequency with which something occurs or
with which it is associated with something else (diagnostic
research studies);
• To test a hypothesis of a causal relationship between
variables (hypothesis-testing research studies).
• All progress is born of inquiry. Doubt is often better
than overconfidence, for it leads to inquiry, and
inquiry leads to invention.
• Research inculcates scientific and inductive thinking
and it promotes the development of logical habits of
thinking and organization.
 Research Methodology
• Research methods or techniques refer to the
methods the researchers use in performing
research operations.
• Research methodology is a way to systematically
solve the research problem.
• Research Methodology may be understood as a
science of studying how research is done
scientifically.
 Research & Development
• Research
- A process that acquires new knowledge
• Development
- A process that applies knowledge to create new devices or effects
• Research seeks truth while development seeks utility
• Research considered as unnecessary whereas development is
considered as necessary by the industry
• Researchers feel development is uninteresting and a menial activity
• Without research nothing could be developed, and
without development no research could be funded.
 Innovation / Creativity / Intellectual Discovery

• Analogy
similarity between your problem & one with known solution
• By parts –
break into series of sub-problems amenable to solution
• By random guess - brainstorming
• Generalize – if problem is baffling, generalize
• Add – an auxiliary sub-problem to a difficult problem
• Subtract – drop complicating features
• Particularize – look for special case with narrower set of conditions
• Stretch / contract – change the range of variables
• Invert – look at the problem from opposite viewpoint
• Restructure – redefine problem
- Assume the problem is solved & calculate backwards
- Assume a solution is impossible and try to prove why
 Sources of chaos & confusion
in R & D project - I

• research results can not be reproduced because of poor

methodology & documentation
• speculations are not identified as such and are intermixed with
supported conclusions
• knowledge is precarious, locked up in individual’s heads
• data collection is haphazard and confounded with political issues
• experimental methods are chaotic, dominated by try this, try that
mentality
• experiment processes cannot be audited or reviewed due to lack of
logs and records
 Sources of chaos & confusion
in R & D project - II
• reports are too long or too short, poorly organized,
incomplete and confusing
• project documentation is sparse or non existent
• statistical analysis of results is missing or naive
• oral presentations are disorganized, confusing and
emphasize on wrong things
• data visualization techniques are poor and presenters
are hard to follow
• project activities are isolated and inbred
 Thesis should
• Be on a specified & approved topic
• Constitute substantial piece of scholarship
• Be the work of the candidate
• Make original contribution to knowledge
• In principle, worthy of publication
 Research Topic
• Specific sponsored research
• Look at other work, find significant gaps,
disagreements / problems/ conflicting interpretations
& then reflect, refine and come up with a proposal
• May take weeks or months
• Can be frustrating, difficult and demoralizing
experience
• Look for: viable, do-able, sustainable, original,
acceptable
 Organize yourself
• Manage time
• Working conditions
• Necessary equipment
• Reference material database
• Regular review
• Acknowledge existence of problem
• Seek help
• Enjoy supportive & productive relationship with supervisor
• Supervisor: unable to help, unable to find time, unwilling to help, disagreement
between co-supervisors
• You may feel lost, adrift, isolated and lonely
• Mid-thesis crisis
 Ethics
Principles of Good human behavior
• Unethical to conduct research which is badly planned &
poorly executed
• Do not distort facts for political advantage.
• Avoid fraud
- hoaxing (cheating)
- forging (faking / falsifying)
- trimming (sprucing)
- cooking
- obfuscation