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Research Methodology
Types of Research & Research Design
Dr Puja Khare
Principal Scientist

Organization of this lecture
Research and Methodology:
• Research defined and described
• Some classifications of research
• Classifications of research design
• Define methodology
• Description of the research process
• Discuss creativity and its role in the research
process

Research Defined and Described
“Research is the systematic
approach to obtaining and
confirming new and reliable
knowledge”
– Systematic and orderly
(following a series of steps)
– Purpose is new knowledge,
which must be reliable
This is a general definition
which applies to all disciplines

Notice that:
“… truth was not used in the definition of
research”
“This concept of truth is outside of the
productive realm of thinking by researchers”

Research is not
Accidental discovery :
1. Accidental discovery may occur in
structured research process
2. Usually takes the form of a
phenomenon not previously
noticed
3. May lead to a structured research
process to verify or understand
the observation
… cont.
Discovery of Penicillin
Blood Thinner Warfarin

Research is not
Data Collection
• an intermediate step to gain
reliable knowledge
• collecting reliable data is
part of the research process
… cont.

Research is not
Searching out published research
results in libraries (or the internet)
• This is an important early step of
research
• The research process always
includes synthesis and analysis
• But, just reviewing of literature is
not research

Research is…
1. Searching for explanation of events,
phenomena, relationships and causes
– What, how and why things occur
– Are there interactions?
2. A process
– Planned and managed – to make the information
generated credible
– The process is creative
– It is circular – always leads to more questions

• All well designed and conducted research has
potential application.
• Failure to see applications can be due to:
– Users not trained or experienced in the specialized
methods and reasoning
– Researchers often do not provide adequate interpretations
and guidance on applications of the research [Example
Pesticide application, Prototype application]
– Researchers are responsible to help users
understand research implications

The Process of Research
• The process is initiated with a question or
problem (step 1)
• Next, goals and objectives are formulated to
deal with the question or problem (step 2)
• Then the research design is developed to
achieve the objectives (step 3)
• Results are generated by conducting the
research (step 4)
• Interpretation and analysis of results follow
(step 5)
• Conclusion

Methodology Defined & Described
Methodology and Method are often (incorrectly)
used interchangeable
• Methodology – the study of the general approach
to inquiry in a given field
• Method – the specific techniques, tools or
procedures applied to achieve a given objective
– Research methods in economics include regression
analysis, mathematical analysis, operations research,
surveys, data gathering, etc.

Classification of Research
• Before classification, we must first define types
of research
• Different criteria are used to classify research
types
(All of these are somewhat arbitrary and artificial)

Disciplinary, Subject-matter, and Problem-
solving Research (Johnson, 1986)

Basic vs Applied Research
• Basic – to determine or establish fundamental facts and
relationships within a discipline or field of study.
oHow did the universe begin?
oWhat is the specific genetic code of the fruit fly?
oHow do slime molds reproduce?
• Applied – undertaken specifically for the purpose of obtaining
information to help resolve a particular problem
oImprove agriculture crop production
oTreat or cure a specific disease
oImprove the energy efficiency of home, office or more of transportation
• The distinction between them is in the application
– Basic has little application to real world policy and management but
could be done to guide applied research

How to write good research papers by Scholars

• designed to improve a discipline
• dwells on theories, fundamental
relationships and analytical procedures and
techniques
o Development of DNA extraction Kit in biology
o Development of chromatographic techniques in
Chemistry
• It is synergistic and complementary with
subject matter and problem-solving research
• Provides the foundations for applied
research [Metabolomics analysis]
Disciplinary

Subject-matter research
• Tends to follow subject-matter
boundaries within a discipline
Example: Extraction of Pesticide residue using QuEChERS
• Inherently multidisciplinary, drawing
information from many disciplines
Example: Synthesis of nano-material
• It involves direct application to
contemporary issues.

Problem-solving research
• Designed to solve a specific problem
for a specific decision maker
• Often results in recommendations on
decisions or actions
• Problem-solving research is holistic –
uses all information relevant to the
specific problem
• Disciplinary research is generally the
most “durable” (long lasting);
problem-solving research the least
durable

Descriptive vs Analytic Research
• Descriptive Research
the attempt to determine, describe, or identify
something

Analytic –
The attempt to establish why something occurs or how
it came to be
Analytical research focuses on understanding the
cause-effect relationships between two or more
variables
Use facts or information already available and analyzed
them to make critical evaluation
All disciplines generally engage in both
Descriptive vs Analytic Research

Research design
• A research design is the frame work or guide used for
planning, implementation, and analysis of a study
• It is a systematic plan what is to be done, how it will be
done, how the data will be analyzed
• Research design basically provides an outline of how
the research will be carried out and method that can be
used

Important Elements
Time
Frequency
Setting
Natural or laboratory
Subject
Individual who take part in study or who will be observed
Variables
Focus on study (cause and effects)
Investigator Role
In some condition un-obstuctive, data interpretation or allocate participant to
different conditions
Research Design

Qualitative and Quantitative Research Design
Qualitative
A study in which the researcher merely observes what is happening or what has
happened in the past and tries to draw conclusion based on these observations
Quantitative Research Design
It is a formal, objective, systematic process in which numerical data are
used to obtain information. [observations: recording what you have seen, heard, or
encountered in detailed field notes. Interviews: personally asking people questions in one-on-one
conversations. Focus groups: asking questions and generating discussion among a group of people]

Pre-Experimental Design
A group, or various groups, are kept under observation after implementing cause
and effect factors. You’ll conduct this research to understand whether further
investigation is necessary for these particular groups
Quasi-Experimental Design
The word “Quasi” indicates similarity. A quasi-experimental design is similar to an
experimental one, but it is not the same. The difference between the two is the
assignment of a control group. In this research, an independent variable is
manipulated, but the participants of a group are not randomly assigned.
Quasi-research is used in field settings where random assignment is either irrelevant
or not required.
True Experimental Design
It relies on statistical analysis to prove or disprove a hypothesis, making it the most
accurate form of research. Of the types of experimental design, only true design can
establish a cause-effect relationship within a group.
Experimental Research Design

 Manipulation –Control of independent variable by the researcher through treatment/
intervention. Subjects are randomly assigned to different treatment levels
 Control – The use of control group without treatments
 Randomization – Every subject gets equal chance being assigned to experimental
Treatment Group
The group in an experimental study that
received the special instruction
.
Control Group
The group that did not receive the special
instruction
Experiment: Will student test scores be
affected by distracting sounds in the
testing environment?
Continue..
Characteristics of true experimental design

Terminology
Si mediated heavy metal tolerance in rice
Independent Variable
The variable in an independent study that
is being manipulated by the research
[Explanatory Variable]
Dependent Variable
The resultant variable [Outcome Variable].
Continue..

Disadvantages
 May occur in unnatural settings
 Subjects change their behavior when they know they are participating in a
survey.
 Confounding Variables: A variable that influences the dependent or outcome
variable but cannot be separated from the independent variable Example:
Coffee drinkers have more heart disease than non-coffee drinkers
may be influenced by another factor
Experimental Studies
Advantages
 Researcher can decide how to select subjects and how to assign
them to different groups
 Researcher can manipulate the independent variable

• Research is a creative process
• “…research includes far more than
mere logic …
• It includes insight, genius, groping,
pondering – ‘sense’ … The logic we
can teach; the art we cannot”
• Research requires (or at least works
best) with imagination, initiative,
intuition, and curiosity.
• There are different types of
creativity, characteristic of different
situations – “applied” and
“theoretical” most closely associate
with economic research
Creativity in the Research Process

Fostering Creativity … cont.
 Allow curiosity to grow
 Set problems aside … and come back to them
 Write down your thoughts
 “… frequently I don’t know what I think until I write
it”
 Freedom from distraction … some time to think.
Creativity may provide the difference between
satisfactory and outstanding research.

•It is mandatory.
•It is morally required.
•Violable is punishable.
•International/abroad rule are very
astringent
•Boycott from Scientific
society…………….

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