Research Methodology and

Scientific Writing
Process and Methodologies
Content
1. Introduction
2. Commencing The Research Works
3. Process and Methodologies
4. Variable, Research Instrument, and Measurement
5. Sampling and Data Analysis
6. Research Report Writing
7. Presenting Research Report
Content
• Research Process
• Common Methodologies
• Methodology Comparison
Research Process
• Research is an extremely cyclic process.
• Later stages might necessitate a review of earlier work.
• This isn’t a weakness of the process but is part of the
built-in error correction machinery.
• Because of the cyclic nature of research, it can be
difficult to determine where to start and when to stop.
Research Process
Research sequences
• Begin with observation, literature surveys, and raise
questions or hypothesis.
• Determine the methodology used and research design.
• Construct the proposal: clear objectives, scopes,
significances, research design structure and tools, time
schedule, financial budget, etc.
• Data mining and processes, results, analysis.
• Iteration, validations.
• Conclusions, reports, publication.
Step 1: A Question Is Raised
• The question needs to be converted to an appropriate
problem statement like that documented in a research
proposal.
• It doesn’t mean that someone else doesn’t already have
an answer.

• Questions shall represent the holistic problems to be

answered.
Step 2: Suggest Hypotheses
Hypotheses hints at a strategy for acquiring information that
may resolve the problem:

• The researcher generates intermediate hypotheses to describe

a solution to the problem.

• This is at best a temporary solution since there is as yet no

evidence to support either the acceptance or rejection of the

• Hypotheses not always exist when commencing the research

works
Notes: Literature Review

• Literatures can be used as sources of methods, tools, existing theories,

foundation of the research.

• The available literature is reviewed to determine if there is already a

solution to the problem.

• Existing solutions do not always explain new observations.

• The existing solution might require some revision or even be discarded.

• Never do copy and paste the literatures only without analysis the essence
of information.

• Preferable literatures search in five most recent years..

Note: Literature Evaluation
• It’s possible that the literature review has yielded a solution
to the proposed problem.

• This means that you haven’t really done research.

• On the other hand, if the literature review turns up nothing,

then additional research activities are justified.
The Journal Metrics
Acquiring Data
• Gather data related to the research problem.

• Primary data and secondary data shall be differentiated.

• This might involve only data gathering, but it could also

require the creation of new measurement instruments.

• The most valuable data usually come from reputable

scientific journal.

• Handbooks, text books, business magazines, technical

reports, are less preferable.
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Data Analysis
• The data that were gathered in the previous step are
analyzed as a first step in ascertaining their meaning.

• As before, the analysis of the data does not constitute

research, only part of the researh sequence

• Tools might be used to ease data analysis

Six general tools of research

• 1. The library and its resources

• 2. Computer technology
• 3. Measurement
• 4. Statistics
• 5. Language
• 6. The human mind
Data Interpretation
• The researcher interprets the newly analyzed data and
suggests a conclusion.
• This can be difficult.
• Keep in mind that data analysis that suggests a
correlation between two variables can’t automatically
be interpreted as suggesting causality between those
variables.

Note: A statement of causality is very difficult to demonstrate because there

often many other confounding factors. For an example of this, do a quick bit
of reading on the hoops researchers had to go through while trying to show a
causal link between smoking and certain kinds of cancer.
Data Interpretation: Hypothesis Support

• The data will either support the hypotheses or they

won’t.
• This may lead the researcher to cycle back to an earlier
step in the process and begin again with a new
hypothesis.
• This is one of the self-correcting mechanisms associated
with the scientific method.
Common Methodologies
• Methodologies are high-level approaches to conducting
research.
▫ The individual steps within the selected methodology might vary
based on the research being performed.
• Two commonly used research methodologies:
▫ Quantitative.
▫ Qualitative.

Note:
• The choice of methodology might be governed by the kind of research
being conducted. For example, the hard sciences tend to favour
quantitative methodologies whereas the social sciences often gravitate
toward qualitative approaches.
• It’s quite common for both methodologies to be used during the course of
a single research project.
Methodology Comparison
Quantitative Qualitative
• Explanation, prediction • Explanation, description
• Test theories • Build theories
• Known variables • Unknown variables
• Large sample • Small sample
• Standardized instruments • Observations, interviews
• Deductive • Inductive