Research Methodolgy

Research Methodology
PART 1 Introduction to Research & Research Methodology

M S Sridhar
Head, Library & Documentation ISRO Satellite Centre Bangalore 560017

E-mail: sridhar@isac.gov.in & sridharmirle@yahoo.com

Preamble

• Why did you choose research methodology ? • Understanding the concepts is important • Study materials are often incomplete & lack cohesiveness and integration •Suggested main reading : Kothari’s Research
Methodology (see references at the end)

M S Sridhar, ISRO

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Synopsis
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. Introduction to Research & Research methodology Selection and formulation of research problem Research design and plan Experimental designs Sampling and sampling strategy or plan Measurement and scaling techniques Datacollection methods and techniques Testing of hypotheses Statistical techniques for processing & analysis of data 10. Analysis, interpretation and drawing inferences 11. Report writing

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Background
Man coming to grips with his environment and to understand the nature through experience, reasoning and research 1. EXPERIENCE (Subsume a number ofsources of information) Personal experience, i.e., body of knowledge and skills derived from encounters and acquaintance with facts and events in his environment Experience of others Sources beyond immediate circle, i.e., authoritative sources EXPERIENCE & AUTHORITY are richly fertile sources of hypotheses, but they are common sense knowing, often based on haphazard events and use loose & uncriticalmanner and hence not scientific Contd...

M S Sridhar, ISRO

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Background

Contd.

2. REASONING Deductive (Aristotle) – From whole to part Inductive (Francis Bacon) – From number of observations Combined 3. RESEARCH Systematic, controlled, empirical & critical investigation of hypothetical propositions about the presumed relations among natural phenomena, I.e.,Systematic & controlled Empirical Self-correcting Research is a combination of both experience & reasoning and must be regarded as the most successful approach to the discovery of truth (particularly in natural sciences)

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Part I: Introduction to Research & Research Methodology Synopsis 1. Introduction to Research & Research
methodology 2.Selection and formulation of research problem 3. Research design and plan 4. Experimental designs 5. Sampling and sampling strategy or plan 6. Measurement and scaling techniques 7. Data collection methods and techniques 8. Testing of hypotheses 9. Statistical techniques for processing & analysis of data 10. Analysis, interpretation and drawing inferences 11. Report writing
M S Sridhar, ISRO

• • •What is research ? Why research ? Terms used
Research Methodology Research Method Research Technique

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Research methodology Scientific method Benefits of research methodology Qualities of good research & researcher Research process Types of research
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Research Methodology 1

What is Research ?
1. A voyage of discovery; A journey; An attitude; An experience; A method ofcritical thinking; A careful critical enquiry in seeking facts for principles An art of scientific investigation
Scientific and systematic search for pertinent information on a specific topic Process of arriving at dependable solutions to problems through the planned and systematic collection, analysis and interpretation of data

2.
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3.
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A systematized effort to gain newknowledge; A movement from the known to the unknown
Search for (new) knowledge/ facts through objective, systematic and scientific method of finding solution to a problem Implicit question + Explicit answer + data to answer the question Not synonymous with commonsense, but systematic, objective (purposeful), reproducible, relevant activity having control over some factors

4.

An activity caused...