Debre Tabor University

College of Health sciences

Social and Public Health Unit

Research Methodology

By: Marelign Tilahun (Assistant Professor, MPH/Epidemiology & Biostatistics)

12/10/24 1
Introduction

Definition: Research is the systematic collection,

analysis and interpretation of data to generate
new knowledge and answer a certain question or
solve a problem.
 Research is a systematic search for information
and new knowledge.

12/10/24 2
Types of research

Classification based on purpose

[Link] research:
The primary objective is to generate new knowledge
and technologies to deal with major unresolved health
problems
The advancement of knowledge and the theoretical
understanding of the relations among variables
2. Applied research: is a research that seeks to solve
practical problems
12/10/24 3
Types of research
 The primary objective is:
 To identify priority problems
To design and evaluate policies and programs that will
deliver the greatest health benefit,
Making optimal use of available resources.

Classification based on nature of research

1. Quantitative research: is based on the measurement of
quantity or amount.
 It is applicable to phenomena that can be expressed in
terms of quantity.

12/10/24 4
Types of research
 Concerned with questions about:
→ how much? How many? How often? To what
extent? etc.
2. Qualitative research: Is concerned with qualitative
phenomenon, i.e., phenomena relating to or
involving quality or kind.
 Concerned with finding the answers to questions
which begin with:
→ why? How? In what way?
12/10/24 5
Topic selection
 Criteria for selecting a research topic
1. Relevance: The topic you choose should be a priority
problem.
 How large or widespread is the problem?
 Who is affected?
 How severe is the problem?

2. Avoidance of duplication: Investigate whether the

topic has been researched.
3. Feasibility: Consider the complexity of the problem
and the resources you will require to carry out the study.
12/10/24 6
Topic selection, …
4. Political acceptability: It is advisable to research a topic that
has the interest and support of the authorities.
5. Applicability of possible results and recommendations
Is it likely that the recommendations from the study will be
applied?
6. Urgency of data needed
How urgently are the results needed for making a decision?
Which research should be done first and which can be done late?

7. Ethical acceptability:
We should always consider the possibility that we may inflict harm
on others while carrying out research

12/10/24 7
Main components of any research
work

I. Preparing a research proposal

II. Fieldwork (i.e., data collection)

III. Analyzing data and preparing a

research report

12/10/24 8
 Research proposal
A research proposal is a document that presents a plan
for a project to reviewers for evaluation.
Its purpose is to convince reviewers that you are
capable of successfully conducting the proposed
research project.

Reviewers have more confidence that planned project

will be successfully completed if the proposal is well
written and organized, and if you demonstrate careful
planning.

Proposal is similar to a research report but written

before the research project begins
It lacks result, discussion and conclusion sections.
12/10/24 9
 Written proposal is important

 To clearly define the problem under

study
 To avoid reinventing the wheel
 To clearly depict the methodology to be
used
 To be cost and time conscious
 To be clear about what to expect in the
end
12/10/24 10
Components of Research Proposal
Title pages
 Title page 1
 Title page 2
Acknowledgements: 100 words
Proposal summary
Table of contents
List of tables
List of figures
Acronyms

12/10/24 11
 Components of Research Proposal
cont’d
1) Statement of the Problem/Introduction

2) Literature review

 Significance of the study

3) Objectives

4) Methods

5) Work plan

6) Cost of the Project/Budget

References
Annexe

12/10/24 12
 Statement of the Problem
 All research is set in motion by the
existence of a problem.
 A problem is a perceived difficulty, a
feeling of discomfort about the way
things are, or a discrepancy between
what someone believes should be the
situation and what the situation is in
reality.

 While problems are the initiating force

behind research, not all problems
require research. 12/10/24 13
 Cont’d
 Information included in the statement of a problem:
A brief description of socio-economic and cultural
characteristics
A concise description of the nature of the problem
 An analysis of the major factors that influence the
problem.
A brief description of any solutions to the problem that
have been tried in the past.
A description of the type of information expected to result.
 Size, distribution, and severity of the problem
 Why further research is needed (more in the justification)

12/10/24 14
Sources
 Literature review
 Professional conferences
 Observations
 Experts

12/10/24 15
 Literature review
 Literature review is an account of what has
been published on a topic by accredited
scholars and researchers.
 Entertain confounding factors and other
related matter only pertaining to the current
research.
 Avoid reinventing the Wheel/avoidance of

duplicating previous work.

 Learn the gaps

 Learn the various methods used

12/10/24 16
Literature review cont…

Importance of literature review:

Prevents duplication
Help to find out what others have
learned
Helps to become more familiar
with the various research
approaches
Helps to justify your research

12/10/24 17
Justification
Why your research is needed?
E.g
◦ Others not large enough
◦ Different populations ????
◦ Different intervention

12/10/24 18
 Research Objectives
 A research objective is a statement that
clearly depicts the goal to be achieved
by a research project.
 In other words, the objectives of a
research project summarize what is to
be achieved by the study.

12/10/24 19
Objective should be
stated
 Objectives should be stated using
“action verbs” that are specific enough
to be measured:
Examples:
 To determine …,
 To compare…,
 To verify…,
 To calculate…,
 To describe…, etc.

12/10/24 20
 Types of Research
Objectives

The General Objective

 The general objective or purpose of
the research identifies in general terms
 what is to be accomplished by the
research project & why.

12/10/24 21
Specific Objectives
 Identify the specific aims of the research
project often breaking down what is to be
accomplished into smaller logical
components.
 They identify the questions that the
researcher wants to answer through the
study.
 Address key factors that are assumed to
influence or cause the problem.
 They should specify what you would do in
your study, where and for what
purpose. 12/10/24 22
 Examples of General & Specific
Objectives
Example 1: In the assessment of prevalence of
premarital sexual practices and factors
contributing to premarital sex among students in
Arba Minch University.

General objectives
 To assess the prevalence of premarital sexual
practices and factors contributing to premarital
sexual practices among Arba Minch University
students, Arba Minch, Ethiopia, 2012.

Specific objectives
To determine the prevalence of premarital sexual
practices among university students.
To determine factors contributing to premarital
sex among AMU students. 12/10/24 23
 Methodology
Possible sub-sections of the methodology:
 the study design
 Setting/Area
 study population
 variables
 sample size and sampling strategies
 Data collection: what type, how (tool/procedure), who

(enquires/responds), where (geography/enquiry

place), when
(period/time)
 Data quality control issues
 Data management: coding, entering, cleaning, storing,
recoding
(software to be used)
 Data analysis: choice of statistical methods
 Ethical Concerns 12/10/24 24
Study area
Location, Physical features
(climate, altitude...), Population
size and composition
Infrastructures -education,
health, communication…
Economy

12/10/24 25
Study period
Time required to conduct
the study

12/10/24 26
Study Design
A study design is the process
that guides researchers on how
to collect, analyze and interpret
observations.
Itis a logical model that guides
the investigator in the various
stages of the research.

12/10/24 27
Selection of study design
depends on:
 State of knowledge
 Type of information you want to
obtain
 The nature of the problem
 The resources available
 personal experience
 Audience
12/10/24 28
Selection of study design
depends on …
The knowledge and creativity of
the researcher
Sample to be taken
Purpose of the research
Access of study subject.

12/10/24 29
12/10/24 30
 A cross-sectional study
(survey)

 Snapshot of the health status of

populations at a certain point in time.
 Compare prevalence of disease in persons
with and without the exposure of interest
 Cross-sectional studies must be done on
representative samples of the population.

12/10/24 31
 Advantage of Cross-sectional
Provides prevalence estimates of
exposure and disease.
Easier to perform than studies that
require follow-up (hence relatively
inexpensive).
Can evaluate multiple risk (and
protective) factors and health outcomes
at the same point in time
12/10/24 32
Advantage …

May identify groups of persons at high

or low risk of disease

• Can be used to generate hypotheses

about associations between predictive
factors and disease outcomes

12/10/24 33
Limitation of cross-sectional
 Temporal sequence between exposure and disease
cannot be established
* i.e. chicken-or-egg dilemma.

Example: In the study of knowledge of modern

contraceptive, did the women know about it and
then start to use it or did they learn about it
because they were using it.

12/10/24 34
12/10/24 35