RESEARCH METHODOLOGY &
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS
(BRMK557)
Dr. GURURAJ K S
Professor & Head
Dept. of ISE
MODULE 1 and MODULE 2
MODULE 3 MODULE 4 and MODULE 5
TEXT BOOKS
Research : An Introduction
Research involves formulation of hypothesis or proposition of solutions, data analysis, deductions and
ascertaining whether the conclusions fit the hypothesis.
Research is a process of creating or formulating knowledge that
does not yet exist.
Categories of Knowledge in Research
Objectives of Engineering
Research
The objective of engineering research is
to solve new and important problems
through scientific approaches and
innovative thinking.
Research Objectives
The objective of engineering research is to solve new and important
problems,
and since the conclusion at the end of one’s research outcome has to be new,
but when one starts, the conclusion is unknown.
So, the start itself is tricky, one may say.
The answer is, based on “circumstantial evidence”, intuition, and
imagination, one guesses what may be a possible conclusion
Research Objectives
• Knowing where and how to find different types of information helps one solve engineering
problems, in both academic and professional career.
• Lack of investigation into engineering guidelines, standards, and best practices result in
failures with severe impacts.
• As an engineer, the ability to conduct thorough and accurate research while clearly
communicating the results is extremely important in decision-making.
• The main aim of the research is to apply scientific approaches to seek answers to open
questions, and although each research study is particularly suited with different approach
Motivation in Engineering Research
1 Intrinsic Motivations 2 Extrinsic Motivating Factors
Interest, challenge, learning, and purpose Rewards such as money and fame can be
drive strong creative performance. strong motivators but may hinder creativity.
3 Influences from Others 4 Personal Motivation
Competition, collaboration, commitment, Unsolved problems, intellectual joy, and
and encouragement also play a role in service to the community are driving
motivating research. factors.
Motivating Factors
Personal Achievement
Striving to surpass previous achievements and contribute to the improvement of
society.
Influence of Others
Competition and collaboration with peers can motivate individuals to engage in
engineering research.
Government and Funding Opportunities
External factors like government directives and funding opportunities play a role in
motivating people to participate in research.
Types of Engineering Research
1 Descriptive and Analytical
Descriptive research describes the present state while analytical research utilizes
already available facts for analysis.
2 Applied and Fundamental
Applied research solves immediate problems, while fundamental research focuses
on generalizations and theory formulation.
3 Quantitative and Qualitative
Quantitative research draws conclusions from statistical observations, while
qualitative research relies on nonrepresentative cases or verbal narrative.
Descriptive research includes comparative and correlational methods, and fact-finding inquiries, to effectively
describe the present state of art.
The researcher holds no control over the variables
Applied and Fundamental
Quantitative and Qualitative
• Quantitative research uses statistical observations of a sufficiently large
number of representative cases to draw any conclusions,
• Qualitative researchers rely on a few nonrepresentative cases or verbal
narrative
Importance of Thorough Research
1 Engineering Problems
Thorough and accurate research aids in solving complex engineering problems, both
in academia and professional career.
2 Guidelines, Standards, and Best Practices
Investigating engineering guidelines, standards, and best practices ensures
successful outcomes and prevents failures.
3 Clear Communication
Conducting research and effectively communicating the results is crucial for informed
decision-making.
Research Studies
1 Exploratory or Formulative
Studies aimed at exploring new ideas or formulating hypotheses to guide
further research.
2 Descriptive
Research focused on describing the present state of a particular
phenomenon or subject.
3 Diagnostic
Investigations conducted to identify the causes and factors contributing to a
problem or condition.
The Pursuit of Knowledge
Engaging in engineering research is a way to apply scientific
approaches and seek answers to open questions, contributing to
the advancement of knowledge.
Research Ethics
• Ethics generally refers to a set of rules distinguishing acceptable and unacceptable conduct,
distinguishing right from wrong.
• Most people learn such norms in their formative years, but moral development continues through
different stages of growth.
• Everyone recognizes some common ethical norms, but there is difference in interpretation and
application.
• Research ethics and the Responsible Conduct of research are often erroneously used
interchangeably.
• Research ethics examines the appropriate application of research outcomes, while responsible
conduct of research deals with the way the work is undertaken.
Ethics in Engineering Research Practice
• Technological developments raise a whole range of ethical concerns such as privacy issues and
data related to surveillance systems.
• Engineering researchers need to make ethical decisions and are answerable for the repercussions
borne out of their research as outcomes.
• Researchers make many choices that matter from an ethical perspective and influence the effects
of technology in many different ways:
By setting the ethically right requirements at the very outset, engineering researchers can ultimately influence
the effects of the developed technology.
Influence may also be applied by researchers through design (a process that translates the requirements into a
blueprint to fulfill those requirements). During the design process, decision is to be made about the priority in
importance of the requirements taking ethical aspects into consideration.
Thirdly, engineering researchers have to choose between different alternatives fulfilling similar functions.
Types of Research Misconduct
• Engineering research should be conducted to improve the state-of-the-art of technologies.
• Research integrity encompasses :
Dealing fairly with others.
Honesty about the methods and results.
Replicating the results wherever possible so as to avoid errors.
Protecting the welfare of research subjects.
Ensuring laboratory safety.
• Different types of research misconduct :
Fabrication (Illegitimate creation of data).
Falsification (Inappropriate alteration of data).
Plagiarism (Taking other’s work sans attribution).
Serious deviations from accepted conduct.
Ethical Issues Related to Authorship
• Academic authorship involves communicating scholarly work, establishing priority for their
discoveries, and building peer-reputation, and comes with intrinsic burden of acceptance of the
responsibility for the contents of the work.
• Credit for research contributions is attributed in three major ways in research publications:
by providing authorship (of the intended publication).
citation (of previously published or formally presented work).
through a written acknowledgment (of some inputs to the present research).
• Including “guest” or “gift” (co authorship bestowed on someone with little or no contribution to
the work) authors dilutes the contribution of those who actually did the work, inappropriately
inflates credentials of the listed authors and is ethically a red flag highlighting research
misconduct.
Ethical Issues Related to Authorship
• Unfortunate malpractice of coauthorship that can be described as “career-preservation
authorship”
• Actual contributor abstains from the list of authors due to nondisclosed conflict of interest within
the organization
• All listed authors have the full obligation of all contents of a research article and so naturally, they
should also be made aware of a journal submission by the corresponding author.
• Double submission is an important ethical issue related to authorship.
End of Module 1