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Research Methodology
The study of conducting research is Research Methodology.
Research: The word research is composed of two syllables “Re” and “Search”.
“Re” is the prefix meaning ‘Again or over again or a new’ and “Search” is the latter meaning ‘to examine closely and carefully’ or ‘to test and try’.
Together they form, a careful, systematic, patient study and investigation in some field of knowledge undertaken to establish principles / policies.
Research can also be defined as
- Search for knowledge
- Systematic and scientific search for getting relevant answers on any taken up specific topic.
- Scientific enquiry into a subject.
- Research is a movement from the unknown to the known.
- It is the voyage of discovery
Acc to Bulmer,
Research is primarily committed to establishing systematic, reliable and valid knowledge about the social world.
Acc. To Clifford Woody,
Research comprises of
- Defining and redefining problems.
- Formulating hypothesis (basic idea)
- Collecting
- Organizing
- Evaluating datas
- Making decisions
- Suggesting solutions
- Reaching conclusions
- Finally, carefully testing the conclusions To determine whether they fit the formulated Hypothesis. Research Methods: May be understood as all those methods or techniques that are used by a researcher for conducting a Research depending upon the methods.
(1) Library Research: analysis of historical records and documents.
- Statistical compilation, references, abstracts, guides manipulation (handle with skill) (2) Field Research: Observation, questionnaires, personal, Group or telephonic interviews, case study. (3) Laboratory Research: Group (team) study, use of audio visual tools.
Research Methodology: is the way do systematically solve the research problem.
- Will be trained better to do research
- Will help him develop disciplined thinking
- Will help him observe the field objectively.
- Will enable thoroughly to understand the logic behind the research problem.
- Will increase the ability to evaluate the results.
- Face the evaluated results with confidence.
- Useful in various fields such as Govt. Business, administration, community development & social work. To qualify a Research or study: To be a Good or perfect one, The Research adapted should process certain characteristics,
It must as far as possible be 1) Controlled
- Rigorous
- Systematic
- Valid
- Verifiable
- Empirical
- Critical
1. Controlled: The research problem should not be affected or influenced by external factors (i.e. variables other than the participating facts).
2. Rigorous: The procedures followed to find answers to questions should be relevant, appropriate & justified. But the degree of rigiour may vary from one problem to another problem. 3. Systematic: The investigation should follow a certain logical sequence (Not in a haphazard manner) 4. Valid & Verifiable: The findings should be valid & can be verified by you or others at any time. 5. Empirical: The conclusions drawn should be based on hard evidence, gathered from real life experiences or observations. 6. Critical: The process of investigation must be foolproof and free from drawbacks. The process adapted and the procedures used must be able to withstand any critical scrutiny. Types of Research Research can be classified from the view point or perspectives as, From the view point
Application objective Inquiry mode
- Pure Research 1) Descriptive 1) Quantitative Research
- Applied Research 2) Correlative 2) Qualitative Research
- Correlative Research :
- Goes on to discover the existing relationship or interdependence between two or more aspects / variables.
- Otherwise known as comparative study.
- Investigates association between variables. Eg: Sum of humour and job satisfaction, (related variable) Research problem is workers turnover
Analytical Research :
The researcher has to use facts / information already existing and analyze these data to make a critical evaluation. Eg: document study / historical evidence. Descriptive Vs Analytical Research :
Explanatory Research :
Attempts to clarify or explain why and how, any particular research problem arises and can be solved.
4. Exploratory Research: Study undertake to explore a new area or an unknown destination.
III. Based on the Inquiry Mode:
- Quantitative Research:
- Relates to aspects that can be quantified and expressed in terms of quantity.
- Otherwise known as structured Research.
- In this type of Research, the objectives, design, sample and all the other factors influencing the research is pre determined. The research problem and its solution will be expressed in terms of quantity and hence statistical and economic analysis is adapted in this type of Research.
Quantitative Research:
- Otherwise known as unstructured research.
- The aspects related to quality / kind or texture. Eg: Behaviour science
Apart from the above, other types of Research are ,
Conceptual Research: Research related to some abstract idea or theory
- Used by philosophers or thinkers for developing new concepts.
Empirical research
(based on experiments or experience)
- Otherwise known as experimental type of Research.
- The result obtained by adapting Empirical Research is considered to be most powerful (evidence enclosed)
Based on the time consumed to complete a particular research,
a) one time Research:restricted to a single time period.
b) Longitudinal Research: Conducted over several time period.
- Truthful data / facts – desire for accuracy of observation.
- No expressions like approximately, almost or nearly.
- Should poccess alert mind. Nature is constantly changing, be keen and watchful to notice such changes, no matter how small or insignificant they may.
- Scientific inquiry – desire for knowledge – it requires moral courage, Steadfast (constant / not changing) endurance (to tolerate the difficulty, suffer patiently)
- When a research scientist feel defeated or completely lost, he needs immense courage and the sense of conviction (found guilty)
Significance or Importance of Search
- Doubt is better than over confidence for it leads to inquiry, inquiry leads to invention. Process or the three stages of research to bring out economic policies.
- Investigation of prevailing economic structure with the available facts.
- Analyse or diagnose the data.
- Prediction for future developments.
- Research encourages scientific and inductive thinking. Eg:- Role of Research in :
- Econ omics: Researches done on applied (production and sales of goods in a profitable manner) economics is
increasing in modern days. Govt. & business sectors have become more complex, they face several operational problems to solve this problems, Research is carried on.
- To frame Govt. economic policies.
- Govt. budget a formulation depends on the analysis of needs & desires of the people, available of revenues needs research.
- Decision making – requires proper research.
- Allocation of a countries scarce resource – also needs research.
- Business Decisions:
- In business sectors there are both planning and operational problems. a) Problems Research: Investigation of the present structure and development of the market – relating to purchase, production, promotion and sales. b) Operational Research: Relates to application of logical, mathematical and analytical techniques – to solve market problems – there by minimize cost and profit maximization. c) Motivational Research: Helps to determine people behavior or consumer response.
- Examine all available literatures to get himself acquainted (get used to ) with the selected problem.
- Review two types of literature
Conceptual literature :
Concerning concepts & theories
Empirical Literature : Concerning studies made earlier which are similar to the one proposed.
- Outcome of the review will be the knowledge so as to pre determine what data or materials are available for operational purposes.
- Next step – the Researcher rephrases the problem into Analytical or operational terms. PUT THE PROBLEM INTO SPECIFIC TERMS This step is of greatest importance in the entire research process.
The problem to be investigated must be defined unambiguously or clearly.
Prof W.A. Neiswanger States,
- The statement of the objective of the Research problem is of basic importance because, (i) It determines the data which are to be collected (ii) Characteristics of the relevant data (iii) Choice of techniques to be used in these explorations
(iv) Frame a Final report
Step II
Extensive Literature Survey:
- A brief summary of the problem should be written down.
- Make extensive literature survey
- Sources of survey can be, journals, bio-graphics, Govt. reports, books, conference proceedings etc. Based on the nature of the problem.
- Earlier study if any which is similar to the study in hand should be carefully studied.
- A good library will be a great help to the researcher at this stage.
Stage III:
Developing Hypothesis : (Development of working Hypothesis)
- State in clear terms the working hypothesis (Basic Idea of the Research problem)
- It is a tentative assumption in order to test to logical or empirical consequences.
- Provide the focal point for research.
- Hypothesis should be very specific and very well limited to the place of research in hand because it has to be tested.
- Purpose of the study
- Location where the study would be conducted
- The nature of data required
- From where the data would be collected
- The techniques of data collection that would be used
- What time period the study would cover
- The type of sample design that would be used
- The method of data analysis that would be adapted
- The manner in which the report would be prepared
Type of Research Design : 4 types
- Sampling Research Design : Deal with selection of relevant items
- Observational Research Design: Deals with the observations (field observations) that is to be made.
- Statistical Research design: Deals with the information on the data collected & analysed.
- Operational Research Design: How the above three are carried out.
Determining sample Design:
- All the items considered in any field of inquiry constitutes a “universe” or population. Study of the entire population without leaving out a single item is known as “Census Study”
- This type of census study is practically not possible.
- So we select few items from the entire population for our study purpose. The items so selected constitutes what is technically called “sample”.
- The way of selecting such a “sample” is known as the “Sample Design”. These samples can be either probability samples or non probability samples. Probability: Each item in the population has on equal chance of being selected for the study.
- Simple random sampling
- Systematic random sampling
- Stratified random sampling
- Cluster / area random sampling. Non Probability sampling: All the items do not have an equal chance of being selected for the study. The selection depends upon the convenience & judgment of the Researcher. Mixed sampling: When more than one type of sampling technique is used for a study, it is mixed sampling. The sample design to be used in a Research study must be decided by the researcher considering the nature of the study.
- Collecting the Data: “ Gathering appropriate data” which are made use in Research study.
Eg) If the survey done in a project is via Questionnaire the answers can be machine coded / processed
- If interview were conducted, make sure that the interviewers is well trained – to keep the survey as much as realistic as possible.
- Analysis of Data :
- After the data are collected the researcher turns to the task of analyzing the data the analysis of data require closely related operations, like ‘coding, Editing & Tabulation’.
- The wide data collected should be condensed into small manageable groups, for easy analysis.
- Coding: The collected data are transformed into symbols that may be tabulated or counted.
- Editing: Unwanted & irrelevant data will be removed.
- Tabulation: Technical procedure where the data are put in the form of tables.
Research Design:
- The most important step after defining the ‘Research problem’ is preparing the Research Design
- Research design is the conceptual structure within which the research is conducted.
- It constitutes the ‘BLUE PRINT” for collection, measurement and analysis of data.
- Research design provides an answer to the question, what the Researcher is going to do with regards to framing hypothesis, its operational implications and how to analyse the data? Research Design: - Decisions Highlights certain decisions,
- Nature of the study
- Purpose of the study
- Location where the study would be conducted
- Nature of “DATA” required
- From where the “DATA” can be collected
- Time period of the study
- Type of sample design to be used
- Techniques of data collection
- Methods of Data Analysis
- Preparation of Report. Research Design
May be sub divided into,
Sampling design: Deals with, the method of ‘selecting items’ for the study.
Observational design: Relates to the condition under which the observations are to be made.
