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Research Methodology Basics - I

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vigneswaran81
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This document provides an overview of research methodology basics, including the meaning of research, objectives of research, types of research, and the research process. It discusses quantitative and qualitative research methods. Quantitative research uses numerical data and statistical analysis, while qualitative research seeks to understand human behavior through in-depth exploration. Both methods have limitations, such as issues of validity, reliability, and generalizability for qualitative research, and lack of context for quantitative. The document also lists top international research institutes for economics and important research institutes in India. It provides definitions and characteristics of research and covers the key steps in the research process.

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Research Methodology Basics-I Edited by Dr.S.Vigneswaran Assistant Professor, Department of Economics, Mannar Thirumalai Naicker College, Madurai-4.
Topics Covered Research: Meaning – Objectives – Types – Significance – Research process – Problems in quantitative and qualitative research.
Top 10 International Research Institutes for Economics Ran k Name of Institution Location 1 Harvard University U S 2 Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) U S 3 Stanford University U S 4 University of California, Berkeley (UCB) U S 5= London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) U K 5= Princeton University U S 7 University of Chicago U S 8 Yale University U S 9 University of Oxford U K 10 University of Cambridge U K
Important Research Institutes for Economics in India
Research..!!! What it is? Research: composed of two syllables, re and search.  re is a prefix meaning again or anew  search is a verb meaning to examine closely and carefully  together they form a noun describing a careful, systematic, patient study undertaken to establish facts or principles.
Meaning: Research is a process of collecting, analyzing and interpreting information to answer questions. Definition: “Systematized effort to gain new knowledge” by Redman and Mory Meaning of Research Methods: Systematic Plan for conducting research.
Characteristics of Research  Solution of a problem.  Generation of principles or theories.  Based on observable or empirical evidence.  Demands accurate observation.  Involves gathering new data or using existing data for a new purpose.
 Applying rigorous analysis.  Requires expertise (understand and analyse).  Applying possible test to validate.  Requires courage.  Characterised by patient and unhurried activity.  Carefully recorded.
Types of research Research can be classified from three perspectives: 1. application of research study 2. objectives in undertaking the research 3. inquiry mode employed
1. Application basis  From the point of view of application, there are two broad categories of research:  - pure research and  - applied research.
Pure research  Pure research involves developing and testing theories and hypotheses  intellectually challenging to the researcher  may or may not have practical application at the present time or in the future.
Applied research  Applied research is done to solve specific, practical questions.  It can be exploratory, but is usually descriptive.
II. Objectives basis  From the viewpoint of objectives, a research can be classified as  -descriptive  -correlational  -explanatory  -exploratory
 Descriptive research attempts to describe systematically a situation, problem,  phenomenon, service or programme, or provides information about , say, living condition of a community, or describes attitudes towards an issue.
 Correlational research attempts to discover or establish the existence of a relationship/ interdependence between two or more aspects of a situation.
 Explanatory research attempts to clarify why and how there is a relationship between two or more aspects of a situation or phenomenon.
 Exploratory research is undertaken to explore an area where little is known or to investigate the possibilities of undertaking a particular research study (feasibility study / pilot study).  In practice most studies are a combination of the first three categories.
III. Inquiry Mode:  From the process adopted to find answer to research questions – the two approaches are: - Structured approach - Unstructured approach
Structured approach:  The structured approach to inquiry is usually classified as quantitative research.  It is more appropriate to determine the extent of a problem, issue or phenomenon by quantifying the variation.  e.g. how many people have a particular problem? How many people hold a particular attitude?
Unstructured approach:  The unstructured approach to inquiry is usually classified as qualitative research.  This approach allows flexibility in all aspects of the research process.  It is more appropriate to explore the nature of a problem, issue or phenomenon without quantifying it.
THE RESEARCH PROCESS For a research journey there are two important decisions to make: 1) What you want to find out about? 2) How to go about finding their answers? The path to finding answers to your research questions constitutes research methodology.
Steps in Research Process: 1. Formulating the Research Problem 2. Extensive Literature Review 3. Developing the objectives 4. Preparing the Research Design including Sample Design 5. Collecting the Data 6. Analysis of Data 7. Generalisation and Interpretation 8. Preparation of the Report or Presentation of Results-Formal write ups of conclusions reached.
Research Methodology Basics - I
Quantitative & Qualitative Research Quantitative research is “explaining phenomena by collecting numerical data that are analysed using mathematically based methods (in particular statistics).” Qualitative research seeks to answer questions about why and how people behave in the way that they do. It provides in-depth information about human behaviour.
Research Methodology Basics - I
Limitations of Qualitative Research:  Because of the time and costs involved, qualitative designs do not generally draw samples from large- scale data sets.
 The problem of adequate validity or reliability is a major criticism. Because of the subjective nature of qualitative data and its origin in single contexts, it is difficult to apply conventional standards of reliability and validity.
 For example, because of the central role played by the researcher in the generation of data, it is not possible to replicate qualitative studies. Also, contexts, situations, events, conditions, and interactions cannot be replicated to any extent nor can generalizations be made to a wider context than the one studied with any confidence
 The time required for data collection, analysis and interpretation are lengthy. Analysis of qualitative data is difficult and expert knowledge of an area is necessary to try to interpret qualitative data, and great care must be taken when doing so, for example, if looking for symptoms of mental illness.
Limitations of Qualitative Research:  Context: Quantitative experiments do not take place in natural settings. In addition, they do not allow participants to explain their choices or the meaning of the questions may have for those participants (Carr, 1994).
 Researcher expertise: Poor knowledge of the application of statistical analysis may negatively affect analysis and subsequent interpretation (Black, 1999).
 Variability of data quantity: Large sample sizes are needed for more accurate analysis. Small scale quantitative studies may be less reliable because of the low quantity of data (Denscombe, 2010). This also affects the ability to generalize study findings to wider populations.
 Confirmation bias: The researcher might miss observing phenomena because of focus on theory or hypothesis testing rather than on the theory of hypothesis generation.
Objectives of research:  Development of knowledge.  Scientific study of social life.  Welfare of humanity.  Classification of facts.  Social control and prediction.
Reference: 1. Dawson, Catherine, 2002, Practical Research Methods, New Delhi, UBS Publishers’ Distributors 2. Kothari, C.R.,1985, Research Methodology- Methods and Techniques, New Delhi,Wiley Eastern Limited. 3.Kumar, Ranjit, 2005, Research Methodology-A Step-by-Step Guide for Beginners,(2nd.ed.),Singapore, Pearson Education.
Thank you.

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Research Methodology Basics - I

  • 1. Research Methodology Basics-I Edited by Dr.S.Vigneswaran Assistant Professor, Department of Economics, Mannar Thirumalai Naicker College, Madurai-4.
  • 2. Topics Covered Research: Meaning – Objectives – Types – Significance – Research process – Problems in quantitative and qualitative research.
  • 3. Top 10 International Research Institutes for Economics Ran k Name of Institution Location 1 Harvard University U S 2 Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) U S 3 Stanford University U S 4 University of California, Berkeley (UCB) U S 5= London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) U K 5= Princeton University U S 7 University of Chicago U S 8 Yale University U S 9 University of Oxford U K 10 University of Cambridge U K
  • 4. Important Research Institutes for Economics in India
  • 5. Research..!!! What it is? Research: composed of two syllables, re and search.  re is a prefix meaning again or anew  search is a verb meaning to examine closely and carefully  together they form a noun describing a careful, systematic, patient study undertaken to establish facts or principles.
  • 6. Meaning: Research is a process of collecting, analyzing and interpreting information to answer questions. Definition: “Systematized effort to gain new knowledge” by Redman and Mory Meaning of Research Methods: Systematic Plan for conducting research.
  • 7. Characteristics of Research  Solution of a problem.  Generation of principles or theories.  Based on observable or empirical evidence.  Demands accurate observation.  Involves gathering new data or using existing data for a new purpose.
  • 8.  Applying rigorous analysis.  Requires expertise (understand and analyse).  Applying possible test to validate.  Requires courage.  Characterised by patient and unhurried activity.  Carefully recorded.
  • 9. Types of research Research can be classified from three perspectives: 1. application of research study 2. objectives in undertaking the research 3. inquiry mode employed
  • 10. 1. Application basis  From the point of view of application, there are two broad categories of research:  - pure research and  - applied research.
  • 11. Pure research  Pure research involves developing and testing theories and hypotheses  intellectually challenging to the researcher  may or may not have practical application at the present time or in the future.
  • 12. Applied research  Applied research is done to solve specific, practical questions.  It can be exploratory, but is usually descriptive.
  • 13. II. Objectives basis  From the viewpoint of objectives, a research can be classified as  -descriptive  -correlational  -explanatory  -exploratory
  • 14.  Descriptive research attempts to describe systematically a situation, problem,  phenomenon, service or programme, or provides information about , say, living condition of a community, or describes attitudes towards an issue.
  • 15.  Correlational research attempts to discover or establish the existence of a relationship/ interdependence between two or more aspects of a situation.
  • 16.  Explanatory research attempts to clarify why and how there is a relationship between two or more aspects of a situation or phenomenon.
  • 17.  Exploratory research is undertaken to explore an area where little is known or to investigate the possibilities of undertaking a particular research study (feasibility study / pilot study).  In practice most studies are a combination of the first three categories.
  • 18. III. Inquiry Mode:  From the process adopted to find answer to research questions – the two approaches are: - Structured approach - Unstructured approach
  • 19. Structured approach:  The structured approach to inquiry is usually classified as quantitative research.  It is more appropriate to determine the extent of a problem, issue or phenomenon by quantifying the variation.  e.g. how many people have a particular problem? How many people hold a particular attitude?
  • 20. Unstructured approach:  The unstructured approach to inquiry is usually classified as qualitative research.  This approach allows flexibility in all aspects of the research process.  It is more appropriate to explore the nature of a problem, issue or phenomenon without quantifying it.
  • 21. THE RESEARCH PROCESS For a research journey there are two important decisions to make: 1) What you want to find out about? 2) How to go about finding their answers? The path to finding answers to your research questions constitutes research methodology.
  • 22. Steps in Research Process: 1. Formulating the Research Problem 2. Extensive Literature Review 3. Developing the objectives 4. Preparing the Research Design including Sample Design 5. Collecting the Data 6. Analysis of Data 7. Generalisation and Interpretation 8. Preparation of the Report or Presentation of Results-Formal write ups of conclusions reached.
  • 24. Quantitative & Qualitative Research Quantitative research is “explaining phenomena by collecting numerical data that are analysed using mathematically based methods (in particular statistics).” Qualitative research seeks to answer questions about why and how people behave in the way that they do. It provides in-depth information about human behaviour.
  • 26. Limitations of Qualitative Research:  Because of the time and costs involved, qualitative designs do not generally draw samples from large- scale data sets.
  • 27.  The problem of adequate validity or reliability is a major criticism. Because of the subjective nature of qualitative data and its origin in single contexts, it is difficult to apply conventional standards of reliability and validity.
  • 28.  For example, because of the central role played by the researcher in the generation of data, it is not possible to replicate qualitative studies. Also, contexts, situations, events, conditions, and interactions cannot be replicated to any extent nor can generalizations be made to a wider context than the one studied with any confidence
  • 29.  The time required for data collection, analysis and interpretation are lengthy. Analysis of qualitative data is difficult and expert knowledge of an area is necessary to try to interpret qualitative data, and great care must be taken when doing so, for example, if looking for symptoms of mental illness.
  • 30. Limitations of Qualitative Research:  Context: Quantitative experiments do not take place in natural settings. In addition, they do not allow participants to explain their choices or the meaning of the questions may have for those participants (Carr, 1994).
  • 31.  Researcher expertise: Poor knowledge of the application of statistical analysis may negatively affect analysis and subsequent interpretation (Black, 1999).
  • 32.  Variability of data quantity: Large sample sizes are needed for more accurate analysis. Small scale quantitative studies may be less reliable because of the low quantity of data (Denscombe, 2010). This also affects the ability to generalize study findings to wider populations.
  • 33.  Confirmation bias: The researcher might miss observing phenomena because of focus on theory or hypothesis testing rather than on the theory of hypothesis generation.
  • 34. Objectives of research:  Development of knowledge.  Scientific study of social life.  Welfare of humanity.  Classification of facts.  Social control and prediction.
  • 35. Reference: 1. Dawson, Catherine, 2002, Practical Research Methods, New Delhi, UBS Publishers’ Distributors 2. Kothari, C.R.,1985, Research Methodology- Methods and Techniques, New Delhi,Wiley Eastern Limited. 3.Kumar, Ranjit, 2005, Research Methodology-A Step-by-Step Guide for Beginners,(2nd.ed.),Singapore, Pearson Education.