MT-208 RESEARCH METHOIDOLOGY

STUDY NOTE

 Meaning, Characteristics and Importance of Research,

 Types of Research,
Module-1  The Research process (Overview and Steps),
 The Research problem (Definition, need, importance,
steps and related dimensions)

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MODULE - 1

Research is composed of two words ‘RE’ and ‘SEARCH’, which means to search
again, or to search for new facts or to modify older ones in any branch of
knowledge. The Webster’s International Dictionary proposes a very inclusive
definition or research as “a careful critical inquiry or examination in seeking facts
or principles diligent investigation in order to ascertain something”.

Characteristics of Research

1. Research gathers new knowledge or data from primary or first hand

sources.
2. Research is expert, systematic and accurate investigation.
3. Research is logical and objective, applying every possible test to verify the
data collected and the procedures employed.
4. Research endeavors to organize data in quantitative terms as far possible.
5. Research is patient and unhurried.

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 6. Research requires courage.
7. Research is highly purposive.
8. Research is carefully recorded and reported.

Objectives of Research

1. To gain familiarity with a phenomenon or to achieve new insights into it.

2. To portray accurately the characteristics of a particular individual, situation
or a group.
3. To determine the frequency with which something occurs or with which it
is associated with something else.
4. To test a hypothesis of casual relationship between variables.

Motivation in Research.

What makes people to undertake research? This is a question of fundamental

importance. The possible motives for doing research may be either one or more of
the following.
1. Desire to get a research degree along with its consequential benefits.
2. Desire to face the challenge in solving the unsolved problems, i.e. concern
over practical problems initiates’ research.
3. Desire to get intellectual joy of doing some creative work.
4. Desire to be of service to society.
5. Desire to get respectability.

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Importance of Research.

1. The role of research in several fields of applied economics, whether related

to business or to the economy as a whole, has greatly increased in modern
times.
2. Research provides the basis for nearly all government policies in our
economic system.
3. Research has its special significance in solving various operational and
planning problems of business and industry.
4. Research is equally important for social scientists in studying social
relationships and in seeking answers to various social problems.

Research Methods versus Methodology

Research Methods
Research methods may be understood as all those techniques that are used for
conduction of research. Research methods thus, refer to the methods the
researchers use in performing research operation. In other words, all those
methods which are used by the researcher during the course of studying his
research problem are termed as research methods.

Research Methodology
Research methodology is a way to systematically solve the research problem. It
may be understood as a science of studying how research is done scientifically. In
it we study the various steps that are generally adopted by a researcher in studying
his research problem along with the logic behind them. It is necessary for the
researcher to know not only the research methods/ techniques but also the
methodology.

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Types of Research
o Descriptive Vs. Analytical Research
o Applied Vs. Fundamental Research
o Quantitative Vs. Qualitative Research
o Conceptual Vs. Empirical. Research

1. Descriptive Vs. Analytical Research

Descriptive
Descriptive research, also known as statistical research, describes data and
characteristics about the population or phenomenon being studied. Descriptive
research answers the questions who, what, where, when and how.

Descriptive research includes surveys and fact-finding enquiries of different

kinds. The major purpose of descriptive research is descriptive research s
description of the state of affairs as it exists at present. The main characteristic of
this method is that the researcher has no control over the variables he can only
report what has happened or what is happening. One of its major limitations is that
it can not help determine what causes a specific behavior, motivation occurrence.

Analytical
An analytical research, on the other hand, the researcher has to use facts or
information already available and analyze these to make a critical evaluation of the
material.

2. Applied Vs. Fundamental Research

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Applied Research
It is mainly concerned findings solutions for an immediate problem facing a
society or industrial/business organization. In this research aimed at certain
conclusions solutions facing a concrete social or business problem is an example
of applied research. Research to identify social, economic or political trends may
affect particulars institutions or the copy research or the marketing research or
evaluation researches are examples of applied research. The main aim of applied
research is to discover a solution for some pressing problem.

Fundamental Research
Basic researches driven by a scientist curiosity or interest in a scientific question.
The main motivation is to expand man knowledge, not to create or invent
something. There is not obvious commercial value ot the discoveries that result
from basic research.

For example, basic science investigations probe for answers to questions such as :
 How id the universe begin ?
 What are protons, neutrons, and electrons composed of ?
 How do slime molds reproduce ?
 What is the specific genetic code of the fruit fly ?

3. Quantitative Vs. Qualitative Research

Quantitative Research:

Quantitative research is based on the measurement of quantity or amount. It is

applicable to phenomena that can be expressed in terms of quantity. Quantitative
research is widely used in both the natural and social sciences, from physics and
biology to sociology and journalism. The objective of quantitative research s to

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develop and employ mathematical models, theories and hypotheses pertaining to
natural phenomena. The process of measurement is central to quantitative
research because it provides the fundamental connection between empirical
observation and mathematical expression of quantitative relationships.

Examples of quantitative research :

 Research that consists of the percentage amounts of all the elements that
make up our atmosphere.
 Protest/survey which concludes that the average patient has to wait 2 hours
in the waiting room of a certain doctor before being selected.
 An experiment in which group x was given two tablets of Aspirin a day and
Group Y was given two tablets of Tylenol a day where each participant is
randomly assigned to one or other of the groups.

Qualitative :

Qualitative research s one of the two major approaches to research methodology in

social sciences. Qualitative research involves an in depth understanding of human
behaviour and the reasons that govern human behaviour. Unlike quantitative
research, qualitative research relies on reasons behind various aspects of
behaviour. Simply put, it investigates the why and how of decision making, as
compared to what, where and when of quantitative research. Hence, the need is
for smaller but focused samples rather than large random samples. From which,
qualitative research categorizes data into patterns as the primary basis of
reorganizing and reporting results.

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[Link] Vs. Empirical Research .

Conceptual : Conceptual research is that related to some abstract ides or theory.

It is generally used by philosophers and thinkers to develop new concepts or to
reinterpret existing ones.

Empirical : Empirical research relies on experience or observation alone, often

without due regard for system and theory. It is data-based research, coming up
with conclusions which are capable of being verified by observation or
experiment.

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 CHAPTER III
THE BASCI RESEARCH PROCESS

Research process consists of series of actions or steps necessary to effectively carry out research and the desired sequencing of these steps.

FF

Review the literature

Review Design research Collect date

Define concepts and Formulate Analyze data (Test Interpret and
research hypotheses (Including sample (Execution) hypotheses) Report
theories design)
problem Review Ii
previous
research
I finding
II III IV V VI VII

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The above chart indicates that the research process consists of a number of
closely related activities, as shown through I to IV.

The following order concerning various steps provides a useful procedural

guideline regarding the research process.
1. Formulating the research problem.
2. Extensive literature survey.
3. Developing the hypothesis
4. Preparing the research design.
5. Determining sample design
6. Collection the data
7. execution of the project
8. Analysis of data
9. Hypothesis testing
10. generalization and interpretation
11. Preparation of the report.

1. Formulating the research problem

There are two types of research problems, those which relate to states of nature
and those which relate to relationships between variables.

2. Extensive literature survey :

Once the problem is formulated, a brief summary of it should be written down.
At this juncture the researcher should undertake extensive literature survey
connected with the problem. Fir this purpose, the abstracting and indexing
journal and published or unpublished bibliographies are the first place to go to.

3. Development of working hypotheses :

After extensive literature survey, researcher should state in clear terms the
working hypothesis or hypotheses. working hypothesis is tentative assumption

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made in order to draw out and test its logical or empirical consequences. As
such the manner in which research hypothesis are developed is particularly
important since they provide the focal point for research.

4. Preparing the research design

The research problem having been formulated in clear cut terms, the researcher
will be required to prepare a research design, i.e., he will have to state the
conceptual structure within which research would be conduced. The
preparation of such a design facilitates research to be as efficient as possible
yielding maximal information.

5. Determining sample design

All the items under consideration in any field of inquiry constitute a
‘universe’ or ‘population’. A complete enumeration of all the items in the
‘population’ known as a census inquiry. It can be presumed that in such an
inquiry when all the items are covered no element of chance is left and high
accuracy is obtained.

6. Collection of the data

In dealing with any real life problem it is often found that data at hand are
inadequate, and hence, it becomes necessary to collect data that are appropriate.
There are several ways of collecting the appropriate data which differ
considerably in context of money costs, time and other resources at the disposal
of the researcher.

7. Execution of the project

Execution of the project is a very important step in the research process. If the
execution of the project proceeds on correct lines, the data to be collected
would be manner and in time.

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8. Analysis of data
After the data have been collected, the researcher turns to the task of analyzing
them. The analysis of data requires a number of closely related operations such
as establishment of categories, the application of these categories to raw data
through coding, tabulation and then drawing statistical inference. The
unwieldy data should necessarily be condensed into a few manageable groups
and tables for further analysis. Thus, researcher should classify the raw data
into some purposeful and usable categories.

[Link]- testing
After analyzing the data the researcher is in a position test the hypotheses, if
any, he had formulated earlier. Do the facts support the hypotheses or they
happen to be contrary? This is the usual question which should be answered
while testing hypotheses. Various tests, such as chi square test, t-test, F-test
have been developed by statisticians for the purpose.

10. Generalization and interpretation

If a hypothesis is tested and upheld several times, it may be possible for the
researcher to arrive at generalization i.e to build a theory. As a matter of fact,
the real value of research lies in its ability to arrive at certain generalizations. If
the researcher had no hypothesis to start with, he might seek to explain his
findings on the basis of some theory. It is known as interpretation. The
Process of interpretation may quite often trigger off new questions which in
turn may lead to further researches.

11. Preparation of the report or the thesis:

Finally, the researcher has to prepare the report of what has been done by them.
At the end of the report, appendices should be enlisted in respect of all
technical data. Bibliography, i.e., lit of books, journals, reports, etc. consulted,
should also be given in the end. Index should also be given specially in a
published research report.

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 RESEARCH PROBLEM

In research process, the first and foremost step happens to be that of selecting
and properly defining a research problem. A researcher must find the problem
and formulate it so that it becomes susceptible to research. like a medical
doctor, a researcher must examine all the symptoms concerning a problem
before he can diagnose correctly

A research problem, in general, refers to some difficulty which a researcher

experiences in the context of either a theoretical or practical situation and wants
to obtain a solution for the same. Usually we say that a research problem does
exist if the following conditions are met with.

1. There must be an individual or an organization to which the problem can

be attributed.
2. there must be some objectives to be attained.
3. There must be at least two courses of action, to be pursued. A course of
action is defined by one or more values of controlled variables.
4. There must be at least two possible outcomes of the course of action, of
which one should be preferable to the other.
5. the course of action available must provide some chance of obtaining
the objective, but they cant provide the same chance, otherwise the
choice would not matter.
6. there must be some environment to which the difficulty pertains.

Selecting the Problem

The following points need to be observed by a researcher in selecting a
research problem or subject for research.

1. subject which is overdone should not be normally chosen.

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 2. Controversial subject should not become the choice of an average
researcher.
3. too narrow or too vague problems must be avoided.
4. The subject selected for research should be familiar and feasible so that
the related research material or sources of research are within one’s
research.
5. the importance of the subject, the qualifications and the training of a
researcher, the costs involved and the time factor involved are few other
criteria that must also be considered in selecting the problem.
6. The selection of a problem must be preceded by preliminary study,
especially for a relatively new filed of inquiry.

Techniques involved in defining a Problem

Defining a research problem properly and clearly is a crucial part of a research

study and must in no case be a accomplished hurriedly. The research problem
should be defined in a systematic manner, giving due weight age to all related
points. This involves the following systematic sequential steps.

1. Statement of problem in a general way, keeping in view either some

practical concerns or some scientific or intellectual interest. The
researcher may undertake some pilot survey or can seek the guidance of
some guide or subject expert.
2. Understanding the nature of the problem by discussing it with those who
first raised it and those who have a good knowledge of the problem
concerned and similar problems.
3. Surveying the available literature-Relevant theories in the field, reports,
records, researches already undertaken similar to the field of study.
4. Developing the ideas through discussions – Experience surveys.

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 5. Rephrasing the research problem into a working proposition in
analytical or operational terms. This may also help in development of
working hypotheses.
6. Technical terms and words or phrases, with special meanings used in the
statement of problems should be clearly defined.
7. Basic assumptions or postulates relating to the research problem should
be clearly stated.
8. The criteria for the selection of the problem should be provided.
9. The suitability of the time period and the sources of data available must
also be considered by the researcher in defining the problem.
10. The scope of the investigation or the limits within which the problem is
to be studied must be mentioned explicitly in defining a research
problem.

Formulation of Research Objectives.

During the course of research objectives formulation, the researcher should be

able to

1. State the reasons for writing objectives for your research projuect
2. Define And describe the difference between general and specific
objectives.
3. Define the characteristics of research objectives.
4. Prepare research objectives in an appropriate format for the project;
you are developing.
5. Develop further research questions, and research hypotheses, if
appropriate for your study.

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Research Objectives

The objectives of a research project summaries what is to be achieved by the

study.
 Objectives should be closely related to the statement of the problem.
 The general objective of a study states what researchers expect to
achieve by the study in general terms.
 It is possible to break down a general objective into smaller, logically
connected parts. These are normally referred to as specific objectives.
 Specific objectives should systematically address the various aspects of
the problem as defined under statement of the problem and the key
factors that are assumed to influence or cause the problem. They should
specify what you will do in your study, where and for what purpose.

Why should research objectives be developed

The formulation of objectives will help you to :

 Focus the study (narrowing it down to essentials)
 Avoid the collection of data which are not strictly necessary for
understanding and solving the problem you have identified and
 Organize the study in clearly defined parts or phases.

How should you state your objectives?

Take care that the objectives of your study:

 Cover the different aspects of the problem and its contributing factors in
a coherent way and in a logical sequence :
 Are clearly phrased I operational terms, specifying exactly what you are
going to do, Where, and for what purpose

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  Use action verbs that are specific enough to be evaluated. Examples of
action verbs are : to determine, to compare, to verity, to calculate, to
describe and to establish.

Keeping in mind that when the project is evaluated, the results will be
compared to the objectives. If the objectives have not been spelled out clearly,
the project can not be evaluated.

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