Introduction to research methods

1. Introduction to Research
Methods
Dr. Robert Mugabe
0782365773
kakuhanda@yahoo.com

2. Course Aim and objectives
Aim
To give participants an appreciation of
the research process
Objectives
At the end of the module participants
will be able to:
 Describe what research is and its
importance to their work places

3.  Prepare a research proposal
 Design research instruments
 Collect data, analyze it and be able to
write research reports and
disseminate the findings.

4. NATURE AND SCOPE OF RESEARCH
Objectives
Participants will be able to:-
 Define research
 Appreciate the characteristics of research
 Describe the importance of research
 Describe research process/scope of
research
 Identification of research areas/topics
 Describe the philosophies and types of
research
 Describe basic approaches to research

5. INTRODUCTION
 Curiosity and inquisitiveness is a common
characteristic of every human being.
 All of us are curious to know about our
selves, our organizations, our institutions, our
homes and families, our wives, our husbands
etc.
 There are a number of questions we always
ask our selves of which some are not
answered well and thus necessitates
investigation, thus need for research .

6. Meaning of Research
 Research simply means a search for
facts or answers to the questions we
ask.
 It means seeking solutions to the
problems.
 It is a purposive investigation. It is an
organized inquiry. It seeks to find
explanations to unexplained
phenomenon, to clarify the doubtful
facts and to correct the misconceived
facts.

7.  It seeks to find explanations to
unexplained phenomenon,
 It is an advanced intellectual effort in pursuit
of truth
 Organized, systematic, data-based critical
inquiry or investigation into a specific
problem, undertaken with the objective of
finding answers or solutions to it.

8. cotd
 Scientific way of gathering (collecting
data), analyzing data, interpretation of
data and presentation of information
about a particular subject to clarify the
doubtful facts and to correct the
misconceived facts.
 Another name for research is
investigation

9.  Research is guided by a framework of
philosophies, procedures, methods
and techniques already tested for their
validity and reliability.
 A research philosophy is a belief about
the way in which data about a
phenomenon should be gathered,
analyzed and used.

10.  Ordinarily, the search for answers to
the questions we pose can be obtained
in two main ways:
 1. Arbitrary, crude or rudimentary
methods. This involves imaginations,
opinion, blind belief or impression. This
method of gathering facts has incurable
weaknesses. It is subjective, the
findings will vary from one person to
another depending on his or her
impression

11.  2. Scientific, logic, systematic
methods. This involves a
systematic rational approach to
seeking facts and it eliminates the
incurable effect of the above
method. This method is objective,
precise and it arrives at
conclusions on the basis of
verifiable facts or empirical
evidence.

12. Why do we do research?
 Generate and expand knowledge
 Deal with problems, attitudes and opinions
 Attempt to seek answers to questions.
 Draw conclusions from data
 Become “research literate.”
 Because we live in a society that’s driven by
research.
 purpose of research is to reduce the level of
risk of a decision
 Aids in forecasting and planning

13. cotd
 Improve our critical thinking skills.
 Learn how to critically evaluate
published
research.
 Learn how to conduct research in
case the need arises one day.
 To understand human behaviour and
action.
 Others class discussion

14. Characteristics of Research
 Research is Systematic; it starts with a
question that needs an answer or a
problem to be solved.
 Research is Logical; it needs a plan
and a specific procedure to follow.
 Research is Empirical; its findings
must be based on or supported by
carefully collected and analyzed data.

15. Cot’d
 Research is Reductive; i.e. main
research problem is broken down into
more specific and manageable sub-
problems.
 5. Research is Replicable; it can be
done again or repeated.
 6. Research is Transmittable; study
findings can be applied in new
settings.
 7. Research is Cyclical; it does not

16. What Research Is Not
 Research is not mere information
gathering.
 Research is not mere transportation of
facts from one location to another.
 Research is not merely rummaging for
information.
 Research is not a catchword used to
get attention

17. Summary
Research is a process through which
we attempt to achieve systematically
and with the support of data the
answer to a question, the resolution of
a problem, or a greater understanding
of a phenomenon.

18. RESEACH BEING SCIENTIFIC
Research is said to be scientific because
it involves the following :
 Searching for new knowledge-
something new
 Systematic-it follows procedures
 Empirical-evidence and truth about the
information you have
 Carefully designed-not speculation
 Based on expertise
 Objective –can be interpreted

19. Types of Social Research
 There are many kinds of social
research.
 Three dimensions are particularly
important these are;
◦ Basic research
◦ Applied research
◦ Evaluation research

20. Basic research
 Basic research is designed to
understand the underlying principles
behind human behavior..
 Basic research is sometimes called
pure research, fundamental research
and theory-based research.

21. cotd
 It is the research for academicians.
 It is not intended to solve a problem
but to extend a theory.
 It is undertaken out of intellectual
curiosity.
 It is not problem oriented. It aims at
extension of knowledge.
 The findings enrich the storehouse of
knowledge

22. Cot’d
 Basic science investigations probe for
answers to questions such as:
◦ How did the universe begin?
◦ What are protons, neutrons, and electrons
composed of?
Basic research lays down the foundation for
the applied science that follows.
If basic work is done first, then applied
research.

23. Applied research.
 Applied research is designed to solve
a particular problem in a particular
circumstance
 It is referred to as useful research
 its emphasis is on solving a practical
problem.
 The emphasis is not on theory but
solving a problem.

24. Cot’d
 applied researchers may investigate
ways to:
◦ improve agricultural crop production
◦ Improve participants understanding of
research
◦ improve performance of pupils in primary
schools. e.t.c
• Applied research may lead to the
development of a theory.

25. Evaluation Research
 Evaluation involves determining the
worth, merit, or quality of an
evaluation object.
 It is sometimes called impact
research, assessment research or
social accountability research.
 its interest is in assessing the impact
of an intervention

26. Steps in the Research
Process

.

27. Research process/scope of
research
 1. Select your topic ( identification of
problem)
 2. Refine your topic (review of existing
literature)
 3. Identify objectives
 4. Choose approach (methodology)
 5. Explore your topic (gather Data )
 6. Analyze the Data
 7. Write the report

28. Identification of Research
Area/Topic
Sources of research topics.
 From the theories
 From literature review
 From area of your interest
 Area of future carrier
 Brainstorming
 Discussion from friends

29.  Consulting the professionals in the
area of your interest
 Daily problems confronted
 Note books where you keep your
events
 Problems affecting
organizations/communities, etc.

30. QUALITIES OF AGOOD
TOPIC
 It should meet the specification of the
awarding institution
 It should fit within the available
resources
 It should be researchable
 Should enable you access
data/information easily
 It should be in a new area that has not
been researched
 It should enable you get solutions to
your research problem, etc.

31. Philosophy of research and types of
research (Methodology).
 Philosophy of research. Research is
guided by number of philosophies
some of which include:
(i) Epistemology: It is the branch of
philosophy concerned with the nature
and scope of knowledge and is also
referred to as "theory of knowledge"

32.  It questions what knowledge is and
how it can be acquired, and the extent
to which knowledge pertinent to any
given subject or entity can be
acquired.
 Much of the debate in this field has
focused on analyzing the nature of
knowledge and how it relates to
connected notions such as truth, belief
and justification.

33. Basic epistemological questions are
 To what extent can knowledge exist
before experience?
 By what process does knowledge
arise?
 How does one separate fact from
fantasy
 What constitutes meaningful
statement about reality

34. (ii) Axiology: Axiology is the branch of
philosophy that examines values of the
researcher and the extent to which such
values enter into the research process.
 It is the science of human values that
enables us to identify the internal
valuing systems that influence our
perceptions, decisions and actions - to
clearly understand "why" we do what
we do!

35. Three questions
 Can theory be value free?
 To what extent does the practice of
inquiry influence that which is studied?
 To what extent should scholarship
attempt to achieve social change?

36. (iii) Ontology: Ontology is the
philosophy that deals with the nature of
reality (Hudson and Ozanne 1988).

37. Types Of Research(By methodology)
1. Quantitative research
A type of research that describes
phenomena in numbers and measures
instead of using words.
data is expressed in numbers and analyzed
using statistical methods.
Quantitative research is positivism in
approach

38. 38
Key elements of positivism
 An objective truth exits
 Truth revealed through use of
scientific method
 Quantification
 Researcher is independent from what
is researched
 Deductive reasoning ( Moving from generalized
principles that are known to be true to a true and specific
conclusion)
 Quantitative methodology

39. 2. Qualitative Research
 It is a type of research in which phenomena
are described in words instead of numbers.
 Its used in a situation were the data to be
collected may not be represented
numerically.
 Such data can not be analyzed statistically
but descriptively.
 It is called Interpretivisim in nature

40. 40
Elements of Interpretivisim
 Individuals construct own version of
reality-no objective reality
 Aim of research is to understand and
interpret how individuals make sense
of that constructed reality
 Researcher has influence on the
context in which they study
 Inductive reasoning (moving from specific instances
to a generalized conclusion)
 Qualitative methodologies

41. Qualitative and Quantitative Research
Approaches…
Difference Quantitative Qualitative
Approach Scientific and formal. Scientific and neutral.
Data Reduced to scores Presented in a narrative
description
Knowledge Concrete, conceptual and
precise. Can be tested
contextual and best
expressed by the owners
process of Inquiry Linear, experimental.
“ how much, how many”.
Uses a random sample.
Cyclic and sophisticated.
patterns of occurrences
“why, who, when”.
Uses non random samples
& cases.

42. Mode of Analysis Statistical. Interpretative.
View of Reality Objective, singular &
independent of the
researcher
Subjective & multiple as
seen by the researcher
Relationship of the
Researcher
Withdrawn and
independent of that being
researched.
Interacts with that being
researched.
Role of Value Free of biased biased
Role of Research •Deductive: cause-effect.
•Generalizations leading
to
explanations/understandin
g,
• Inductive: mutual,
simultaneous studying
of factors.
• Transferability
• Particularization of
cases

43. Why Individuals think research is
difficult
 Individuals are ill-prepared.
 Individuals have the wrong perceptions about
what research is.
 Individuals have difficulty in formulating a
research question.
 Individuals have not undergone a creative
thinking course.
 Individuals do not read widely enough.
 Individuals do not know how to use the Web for
research (or CD-ROMs and the library as well!)
 Individuals& their supervisors do not themselves
fully understand the research process and how to
best explain it.

44. conclusion
 The research process therefore
should be understood as one of
ongoing planning, searching,
discovery, reflection, synthesis,
revision, and learning
 END OF PRESENTATION,
QUESTIONS, COMMENTS ARE
WELCOME.