Module-01 RM
Module-01 RM
MODULE 1: INTRODUCTION
• Research refers to a careful, well-defined (or redefined), objective, and systematic method
of search for knowledge, or formulation of a theory that is driven by inquisitiveness for that
which is unknown and useful on a particular aspect so as to make an original contribution
to expand the existing knowledge base.
• Research involves formulation of hypothesis or proposition of solutions, data analysis, and
deductions; and ascertaining whether the conclusions fit the hypothesis.
• Research is a process of creating, or formulating knowledge that does not yet exist. Thus
research is an art of scientific investigation
The purpose of research is to discover answers to questions through the application of scientific
procedures. The main aim of research is to find out the truth which is hidden and which has not
been discovered as yet. Though each research study has its own specific purpose, we may think of
research objectives as falling into a number of following broad groupings:
3. Diagnostic research studies: To determine the frequency with which something occurs or
with which it is associated with something else
4. Hypothesis-testing research studies: To test a hypothesis of a causal relationship between
variables
• Studies have shown that intrinsic motivations like interest, challenge, learning, meaning,
purpose, are linked to strong creative performance;
• Extrinsic motivating factors like rewards for good work include money, fame, awards,
praise, and status are very strong motivators, but may block creativity. For example:
Research outcome may enable obtaining a patent which is a good way to become rich and
famous.
• Influences from others like competition, collaboration, commitment, and encouragement
are also motivating factors in research. For example: my friends are all doing research and
so should I, or, a person that I dislike is doing well and I want to do better.
Several other factors like government directives, funding opportunities in certain areas, and terms
of employment, can motivate people to get involved in engineering research.
• Empirical research is appropriate when proof is sought that certain variables affect other
variables in some way. Evidence gathered through experiments or empirical studies is today
considered to be the most powerful support possible for a given hypothesis.
Research process consists of series of actions or steps necessary to effectively carry out research
and the desired sequencing of these steps.
The chart indicates that the research process consists of a number of closely related activities, as
shown through I to VII. But such activities overlap continuously rather than following a strictly
prescribed sequence
1. Formulating the research problem: There are two types of research problems, viz., those
which relate to states of nature and those which relate to relationships between variables.
At the very outset the researcher must single out the problem he wants to study, i.e., he
must decide the general area of interest or aspect of a subject-matter that he would like to
inquire into.
2. Extensive literature survey: Once the problem is formulated, a brief summary of it should
be written down. It is compulsory for a research worker writing a thesis for a Ph.D. degree
to write a synopsis of the topic and submit it to the necessary Committee or the Research
Board for approval. At this juncture the researcher should undertake extensive literature
survey connected with the problem.
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 made in order to draw out and test its logical or empirical consequences.
Hypothesis should be very specific and limited to the piece of research in hand because it
has to be tested. The role of the hypothesis is to guide the researcher by delimiting the area
of research and to keep him on the right track. It sharpens his thinking and focuses attention
on the more important facets of the problem.
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 conducted. The preparation of
such a design facilitates research to be as efficient as possible yielding maximal
information. In other words, the function of research design is to provide for the collection
of relevant evidence with minimal expenditure of effort, time and money.
5. Determining sample design: The researcher must decide the way of selecting a sample or
what is popularly known as the sample design. In other words, a sample design is a definite
plan determined before any data are actually collected for obtaining a sample from a given
population. Sampling can be done choosing a particular unit, random unit selection,
systematic pattern, homogenous group (stratified sampling), quota, cluster or area, multi
stages and sequential.
6. Collecting 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. Primary data can
be collected either through experiment or through survey. If the researcher conducts an
experiment, he observes some quantitative measurements, or the data, with the help of
which he examines the truth contained in his hypothesis. But in the case of a survey, data
can be collected by any one or more of the following ways by observation, through personal
interview, through telephonic interview, by mailing the questionnaire etc
7. Execution of the project: It 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
adequate and dependable. The researcher should see that the project is executed in a
systematic manner and in time. A careful watch should be kept for unanticipated factors in
order to keep the survey as much realistic as possible.
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 inferences. 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.
9. Hypothesis-testing: After analyzing the data as stated above, the researcher is in a position
to 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. The hypotheses may be tested through the use of one or
more of such tests, depending upon the nature and object of research inquiry. Hypothesis-
testing will result in either accepting the hypothesis or in rejecting it.
10. Generalizations 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
11. Preparation of the report or the thesis: Finally, the researcher has to prepare the report
of what has been done by him. Writing of report must be done with great care keeping in
view the following:
• The layout of the report should be as follows: (i) the preliminary pages; (ii) the main text,
and (iii) the end matter.
• In its preliminary pages the report should carry title and date followed by
acknowledgements and foreword. Then there should be a table of contents followed by a
list of tables and list of graphs and charts, if any, given in the report.
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• The main text of the report should have the following parts:
(a) Introduction: It should contain a clear statement of the objective of the research
and an explanation of the methodology adopted in accomplishing the research. The scope
of the study along with various limitations should as well be stated in this part.
(b) Summary of findings: After introduction there would appear a statement of
findings and recommendations in non-technical language. If the findings are extensive,
they should be summarized.
(c) Main report: The main body of the report should be presented in logical sequence
and broken-down into readily identifiable sections.
(d) Conclusion: Towards the end of the main text, researcher should again put down
the results of his research clearly and precisely. In fact, it is the final summing up.
• At the end of the report, appendices should be enlisted in respect of all technical data.
Bibliography, i.e., list of books, journals, reports, etc., consulted, should also be given in
the end. Index should also be given specially in a published research report.
• A researcher may start out with the research problems stated by the Supervisor or posed by
others that are yet to be solved. Alternately, it may involve rethinking of a basic theory, or
need to be formulated or put together from the information provided in a group of papers
suggested by the Supervisor.
• Research scholars are faced with the task of finding an appropriate problem on which to
begin their research. Skills needed to accomplish such a task at the outset, while taking care
of possible implications are critically important but often not taught
• Once the problem is vaguely identified, the process of literature survey and technical
reading would take place for more certainty of the worthiness of the intended problem.
• However, an initial spark is ideally required before the process of literature survey may
duly begin.
• Sometimes, an oral presentation by somebody which is followed by asking questions or
introspection provides this perspective which reading papers do not.
• At other times, a development in another subject may have produced a tool or a result which
has direct implications to the researcher‘s subject and may lead to problem identification.
• A worthwhile research problem would have one or more attributes.
• It could be non-intuitive/counterintuitive even to someone who knows the area, something
that the research community had been expecting for some time, a major simplification of a
central part of the theory, a new result which would start off a new subject or an area,
provides a new method or improves upon known methods of doing something which has
practical applications, or a result which stops further work in an area.
• The researcher has to be convinced that the problem is worthwhile before beginning to
tackle it because best efforts come when the work is worth doing, and the problem and/or
solution has a better chance of being accepted by the research community.
• Not all problems that one solves will be great, and sometimes major advancements are
made through solutions to small problems dealt with effectively. Some problems are
universally considered hard and open, and have deep implications and connections to
different concepts.
• The reality is that most researchers in their lifetime do not get into such problems.
However, hard problems get solved only because people tackle them.
• The question a researcher has to grapple with whether the time investment is worth it given
that the likely outcome is negative, and so it is a difficult personal decision to make.
• At the same time, even in the case of failure to solve the intended hard problem, there may
be partial/side results that serve the immediate need of producing some results for
the dissertation. George Pólya (1887–1985) suggested a 4-step procedure for mathematical
problem-solving, which is relevant to engineering researchers as well.
• Understand the problem, restate it as if it‘s your own, visualize the problem by drawing
figures, and determine if something more is needed.
• One must start somewhere and systematically explore possible strategies to solve the
problem or a simpler version of it while looking for patterns.
• Execute the plan to see if it works, and if it does not then start over with another approach.
Having delved into the problem and returned to it multiple times, one might have a flash of
insight or a new idea to solve the problem.
• Looking back and reflecting helps in understanding and assimilating the strategy, and is a
sort of investment into the future.
• Ethics generally refers to a set of rules distinguishing acceptable and unacceptable conduct,
distinguishing right from wrong as such
• Most people learn such norms in their formative years, but moral development continues
through different stages of growth. Although everyone recognizes some common ethical
norms, but there is difference in interpretation and application.
• Ethical principles can be used for evaluation, proposition or interpretation of laws.
Although ethics are not laws, but laws often follow ethics because ethics are our shared
values.
• International norms for the ethical conduct of research have been there since the adoption
of the Nuremberg Code in 1947.
• According to Whitbeck, the issues related to research credit dates back to the establishment
of the British Royal Society (BRS) in the seventeenth century to refine the methods and
practices of modern science. This event altered the timing and credit issues on the release
of research results since BRS gave priority to whoever first submitted findings for
publication, rather than trying to find out who had first discovered.
• Whitbeck raised two simple but significant questions to address the tricky issue of
authorship in research:
o Who should be included as an author and o
The appropriate order of listing of authors.
• In an increasingly interconnected world, the issue of co-authorship is very relevant to all
researchers. There are issues around individuals who may be deeply involved during the
conduct of the research work, but may not contribute in the drafting phase
• Government bodies and universities worldwide have adopted certain codes for research
ethics. 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.
• Technological developments raise a whole range of ethical concerns such as privacy issues
and data related to surveillance systems, and so engineering researchers need to make
ethical decisions and are answerable for the repercussions borne out of their research as
outcomes.
• The reason that ethics matter in data used in engineering research is usually because there
is impact on humans. Certain practices may be acceptable to certain people in certain
situations, and the reasons for unacceptability may be perfectly valid.
• We have unprecedented access to data today, and unprecedented options for analysis of
these data and consequences in engineering research related to such data. Are there things
that are possible to do with this data, that we agree we should not do?
• Engineering ethics gives us the rule book; tells us, how to decide what is okay to do and
what is not. Engineering research is not work in isolation to the technological development
taking place.
• Researchers make many choices that matter from an ethical perspective and influence the
effects of technology in many different ways:
o By setting the ethically right requirements at the very outset, engineering
researchers can ultimately influence the effects of the developed technology.
o 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.
o Thirdly, engineering researchers have to choose between different alternatives
fulfilling similar functions.
• Research outcomes often have unintended and undesirable side effects. It is a vital ethical
responsibility of researchers to ensure that hazards/risks associated with the technologies
that they develop, are minimized and alternative safer mechanisms are considered.
• If possible, the designs should be made inherently safe such that they avoid dangers, or
come with safety factors, and multiple independent safety barriers, or if possible a
supervisory mechanism to take control if the primary process fails.
There may be different types of research misconduct as described, which can be summarized as
follows:
• Plagiarism (Taking other’s work sans attribution): Plagiarism takes place when
someone uses or reuses the work (including portions) of others (text, data, tables, figures,
illustrations or concepts) as if it were his/her own without explicit acknowledgement.
Verbatim copying or reusing one‘s own published work is termed as self-plagiarism and is
also an unacceptable practice in scientific literature.
The increasing availability of scientific content on the internet seems to encourage
plagiarism in certain cases, but also enables detection of such practices through automated
software packages. How are supervisors, reviewers or editors alerted to plagiarism?
(i) Original author comes to know and informs everyone concerned.
(ii) Sometimes a reviewer finds out about it during the review process. (iii)
Or, readers who come across the article or book, while doing research.
Although there are many free tools and also paid tools available that one can procure
institutional license of, one cannot conclusively identify plagiarism, but can only get a
similarity score which is a metric that provides a score of the amount of similarity between
already published content and the unpublished content under scrutiny.
However, a low similarity score does not guarantee that the document is plagiarism free. It
takes a human eye to ascertain whether the content has been plagiarized or not.
It is important to see the individual scores of the sources, not just the overall similarity
index. Setting a standard of a maximum allowable similarity index is inadequate usage of
the tool. Patchwork plagiarism is more difficult to evaluate.
There are simple and ethical ways to avoid a high similarity count on an about to be
submitted manuscript. Sometimes, certain published content is perfect for one‘s research
paper, perhaps in making a connection or fortifying the argument presented. The published
material is available for the purpose of being used fairly.
One is not expected to churn out research outcomes in thin air.
However, whatever is relevant can be reported by paraphrasing in one‘s own words, that
is, without verbatim copy.
One can also summarize the relevant content and naturally, the summary invariably would
use one‘s own words. In all these cases, citing the original source is important. However,
merely because one has cited a source, it does not mean that one can copy sentences (or
paragraphs) of the original content verbatim.
A researcher should practice writing in such a way that the reader can recognize the
difference between the ideas or results of the authors and those that are from other sources.
Such a practice enables one to judge whether one is disproportionately using or relying on
content from existing literature.
Other Aspects of Research Misconduct: Serious deviations from accepted conduct could be
construed as research misconduct. When there is both deception and damage, a fraud is
deemed to have taken place. Sooner or later ethical violations get exposed. Simultaneous
submission of the same article to two different journals also violates publication policies.
Another issue is that when mistakes are found in an article or any published content, they
are generally not reported for public access unless a researcher is driven enough to build
on that mistake and provide a correct version of the same which is not always the primary
objective of the researcher.
Module-01 Question
1. What are Research and Research Projects? Discuss research cycle with a neat diagram?
6. What is the primary goal of literature review? also explain google scholar?