RESEARCH METHODS AND MATERIALS

IN ENGLISH

Meenakshi Shrivastava
M.A., M.Phil.,
NET, SET.
 Topics to be Discussed
1. Research : Understanding the Concept

2. Research: It’s Nature

3. Literary Research : It’s features
4. Methods of Literary Research
5. Biographical Research
6. Bibliographical Research
7. Critical Approaches
8. Literary Thesis
9. Formatting : MLA
10.Question pattern
Research is to see what everyone else has seen,
but to think what nobody else has thought .
 Research : Understanding the Concept
 Reading, Studying & Researching
 Reading is a basic language skill; it has many
connotations.
Studying is an intense reading .
 Research is more than study; it is looking &
interpreting things from new perspectives.
 It has acquired new meaning in present time.
Research means systematic investigation in a field of
knowledge to discover or establish facts and
principles.
 Research : Definition & Features
Research is a search or investigation for the purpose of
gaining new knowledge. In a broad sense, research is
any study that leads to new knowledge for the person
doing research.
Research has following features:
1. Research is a systematic and critical investigation.
2. It aims at the discovery of new facts and their correct
information.
3. It is the revision of accepted laws and theories in the
light of new facts and discoveries.
4. It can be the practical application of new or revised
conclusions , theories or laws.
 Research : Its nature
 The nature of research differs from subject to subject and
therefore the tools and materials too vary.
 In Natural Sciences the object of study is natural phenomenon
and efforts are made to replicate natural conditions in the
laboratory.
 In Social Sciences the object of study is humans, their behaviour
and the society in which they live.
 The Literary Research is totally different as it is study of
literature which is product of a creative mind and expression of
human thoughts.
 Literary Research study both the literary text as well as the
creative writer therefore its scope is wider and comprehensive.
 Literary research’s tools and techniques are amalgamation of all
the varied techniques of Natural and Social Sciences.
 Literary Research
Literature is an eloquent artistic document, infinitely
varied, of mankind’s journey : the autobiography of the
race’s soul.
Literary research is systematic study of this artistic
document. It is discovering the truth and enlightenment of
criticism.
The object of study is the literary work and the work is the
product of an individual’ s imagination and intellect. No
writer exists in a vacuum and therefore influences and
inspirations are equally important.
Literary research therefore studies every aspect of the work
and the writer.
 Kinds of Literary Research
In Natural and Social Sciences there are two kinds of
research : basic and applied .
In Literary research due to the duality of its object there
are four kinds :
1. Biographical

2. Bibliography and Textual

3. Theoretical

4. Interpretive.
 Kinds of Literary Research
Biographical Research : It is deep study of author’s life
and work to know his/ her mind and art.
Bibliographical & Textual Research : Textual
research is concerned with the establishment of an
authoritative text , correction of past editions,
chronology and authenticity.
Theoretical : This kind of research is like basic research
in natural and social sciences. Its aim is to propound a
theory of literature or modify an already existing one.
Interpretive : This kind of research can be compared to
the applied research in sciences. It analyses , interprets
and evaluates a literary text of an author by applying the
principles of a particular theory.
 Methods of Literary Research

Biography
 Biography is an important method of research, it explores
writer as a person and as a writer.
 The concept of literary biography came in existence in the
seventeenth century.
There are various categories of biography
a) Bio-critical biographies.
b) Biographies focusing on the milieu of the author.
c) Biographies that narrate the life-story of a writer from ethical
and moral point of view.
d) Psychological biographies dealing with the inner working of
writer’s mind.
 Sources and Methods of Biography
The biographer can collect data from:
1. Data contained in official records
2. Information contained in semi-official reports
3. Statements occurring in the statements or writings of
the author’s circle
4. Material derived from the author’s statement.
 History of Ideas and Technique
Ideas :
Every literary work has two aspects : form and content.
Every writer has a theme or central idea in his/her literary
work which is sometimes overt and at times covert.
In India researchers use this method of research, they try
to trace the dominant and subsidiary ideas of creative
writers by analysing their literary works.
Technique :
The technique means the method of organizing the
material by the author. It includes narration, plot-
construction, characterization , imagery et cetera.
 Bibliography & Textual Criticism
1. Main aspects of bibliographical and textual criticism
are-
2. Editing
3. Chronology
4. Authenticity
5. Attribution
6. Source influence
 Critical Approaches & Theories
The method is concerned with the analysis ,
interpretation and evaluation of the works of an author.

An understanding of critical approaches and theories

enables researcher to differentiate between literary
works in terms of their content, technique and quality.

In this method critical theory is applied to the author’s

work giving the work new interpretation and
perspective.
 Literary Thesis
The research paper, M.Phil/M.A. thesis and Doctoral
dissertation are all products of research but differ in range
and scope of research.
A Research Paper is analytical, argumentative and
interpretive in nature and discusses a topic limited in range.
 The M.Phil / M.A. Thesis is wider in scope and in-depth
understanding of the topic is expected.
The Doctoral dissertation is the culmination of research.
It makes a thorough investigation of the subject. It is a fresh
interpretation of the known facts and also discovery of new
facts.
 Format of a Thesis
Preface
Table of Contents
Introduction
Main body of the thesis
Conclusion
Bibliography
Appendix
 Formatting : MLA
Citation
The Core Elements as per MLA Eighth Edition
1. Author .
2. Title of the source.
3. Title of the Container ,
4. Other Contributors ,
5. Version ,
6. Number ,
7. Publisher ,
8. Publication date ,
9. Location .
 Citation examples:
 Munro, Alice. Dance of the Happy Shades. London: Vintage,
2000. Print. (7th Edition)
 Munro, Alice. Dance of the Happy Shades. Vintage , 2000.(8th
Edition)
 Nunberg, Geoffrey, ed. The Future of the Book. Berkley: U of
California P, 1996. Print. (7th Edition)
 Nunberg, Geoffrey, editor. The Future of the Book. U of
California P, 1996.( 8th Edition)
 Puig, Manuel. Kiss of the Spider Woman. Trans. Thomas
Colchie, London: Vintage, 1991. Print. (7th Edition)
 Puig, Manuel. Kiss of the Spider Woman. Translated by Thomas
Colchie, Vintage Books, 1991. (8th Edition)
 Question Pattern
 When a Reviewer Reviews a Research article without
knowing the Author’s name , it is Referred to as:
a) Blind Review
b) Anonymous Review
c) Uncategorized Review
d) Behind-the- curtain review
 In which of the following formats , ‘Research abstract’ is a
must?
a) Research Aritcle
b) Seminar paper presented
c) Thesis
d) Research synopsis
 Question Pattern
Which of the following combination best describes the typical
methodology of literary research?
a) Direct , Empirical, Qualitative
b) Phenomenological , Speculative, Abstract
c) Textual, Critical, Historical
d) Synoptic, Conceptual, Speculative

 What do you understand by Textual research?

a) Establishment of past edition
b) Correctness of the text
c) Genuineness of the text
d) All the above.
 Suggested Reading

 Richard Attick – The Art of Literary Research

 Sanders – An Introduction to Research in Literary
History
 M.P. Sinha – Research Methods in English.
 MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers .