Research - Introduction, Methodology, Problem and Design

2. What is Research?
Research is a systematic and scientific search for new facts or ideas
in any branch of knowledge --
 to find something new
 to establish well believed thoughts and facts
Research is a systematic method of defining a problem, formulating a
hypothesis, collecting the facts or data, analyzing the facts and
reaching certain conclusions either in the form of solutions of the
problem or generalization of some theoretical formula.
 Search for knowledge
 Scientific investigation
 Gaining New Knowledge
 Visiting Known to Unknown world

3. Objectives of Research-----------------
1) To gain familiarity with a phenomenon or to get new insight into it
2) To portray accurately the character of an individual or an object or
situation or a group
3) To determine the intensity of matters through frequency which is
associated with something else
4) To test the hypothesis of casual relationship between the variables
1) Null Hypothesis
2) Alternative Hypothesis
5) To relate findings to managerial decisions:
 Policies, objectives are interactive elements and feedbacks are necessary in
decision making
 Problem must be described and the decision must be given
 Managers must know how to solve problems
 Given the alternatives, managers must narrow down to most possible
course of action.

4. Why is Research Necessary?
1. Desire to upgrade the life and goal to the unsolved problems
of the society
2. To face the new challenges
3. Desire to get intellectual joy by creating new ideas
4. Desire to involve at works and contribute to the society
5. Desire to get respect and distinction

5. Basic Characteristics of a Scientific Method
1. It relies on empirical evidence
2. It utilizes relevant concepts
3. It is committed to only objective consideration
4. It pre-supposes ethical neutrality
5. It results into probability’s prediction
6. It’s methodology is made known to all concerned for
critical scrutiny and for use in testing the conclusions
through replications
7. It aims at formulating most general axioms or what
can be done as scientific theories

6. Ideal Research Steps
1. To formulate or design the research problem
2. To do extensive literature survey
3. To develop Hypothesis
4. To prepare the research design
5. To determine the sample design
6. To determine methods of collecting data
7. To analyze data properly
8. Test the hypothesis
9. Interpret the Results
10. Prepare the report and follow through

7. Types of Research
1. Descriptive Research Vs. Analytical Research
2. Applied Research Vs. Fundamental Research
3. Quantitative Research Vs. Qualitative Research
4. Conceptual Research Vs. Empirical Research

9. Criteria of Good Research
 The purpose of research should be clearly defined
 The research procedures should be described in detail so that other
researcher can repeat the research for further advancement, keeping the
continuity of what has already been done
 Research design should be carefully planned to yield objective results
 The procedural limitation should be mentioned
 The analysis of data should be sufficiently adequate to reveal its
significance and methods of analysis should be appropriate
 The validity and reliability of data should be checked carefully. Validity
must be measured what it is suppose to measure. Reliability is
consistency of results in repeated studies
 Conclusion should be based only on collected information
 It’s presentation should be logical and systematic
 Should be empirical and replicable

10. Steps in Good Research
 Defining the problem
 Identifying data needs and research design
 Communication methods (that will be applied for collecting data)
 Source of data and sampling procedure : sampling plan from
which data to be collected
 Data gathering and processing
 Analysis and interpretation
 Presentation and flow through with findings

11. Defining Research Problem
Research problem refers to the difficulty that a researcher
experiences in the context of theoretical or practical
situation and wants to obtain a solution for it

12. Defining the Research Problem: Conditions
1. There must be an individual or a group that has some problem
2. There must be some objectives to be attained
3. There must be alternative means of attaining the objectives
4. There must remain some doubt in the mind of the researcher
regarding the alternatives
5. There must be some environment to which the difficulty pertains.

13. Techniques involved in defining Problem
1. Statement of the problem in a general way
2. Understanding the nature of the problem
3. Surveying the available literature
4. Developing the idea through discussion
5. Rephrasing the research problem

15. What is Research Design
A research design is the pattern of an outline of a research
projects workings. It is a statement of only the essential elements
of a study that will provide the basic guidelines for the details of
the project.
It comprises a series of prior decisions that taken together to
provide a master plan.

16. Decision Area of a Research Design
 Contents of Research
 Types of Designing
 Important Features of Research Design
 Factors that must be considered for a Research Design
 Benefits of Research Design
 Major Types of Research Design

17. Contents of Research?
 What is the study about?
 Why is the study important?
 Where should be the area of operation?
 What type of data would be required?
 Where can be required data be found?
 Cost of project?
 Period of Time
 Sample Design
 Techniques of Data Collection
 Methods of Data Analysis
 Way of preparing the Report?

18. Types of Research Design
1. The Sample Design
2. Observational Design (Condition under which
observation are to be made)
3. Statistical Design (How many times are to be
observed ad how data are analyzed)
4. Operational Design (How the procedure that has
been specified in the above should be carried out)

19. Important Features of a Research Design
1. It must include a plan :
The plan will specify the sources and types of information
relevant to the research problem
2. It must include a Strategy :
It will specify that the approach can be used for gathering
and analyzing data.
3. It must include the time and cost budget :
Time and cost budget must be included since most studies
are done under these constraints.

20. Factors that must be considered for Research Development
1. The objectives of the problems to be studied
2. The nature of the problem to be studied
3. The availability and skills of the researcher and his staff
4. The means of obtaining the information
5. The availability of time and money for the research work

21. Benefits of a research Design …………………………………….
1. It serves as bridge between research objectives
and course of action to be taken to attain
objectives
2. It works as research light of research work :
 May have foggy notions
 All things cannot be memorized
 Sequence of action may be disrupted
3. It provides specific details of research works:
 What data are needed
 Whether there is any confusion irrelevancy in data or findings
4. It provides linkage between expectations and
findings of the study (on the basis of hypothesis)

22. Major Types of Research Design ……………………………….
1. Descriptive Research Design
a. Cross Sectional
b. Focus Group
2. Experimental Research Design
3. Quasi Experimental Research Design
a. One shot Case Study
b. One group pre test and post test design
c. Longitudinal Design
d. Static Group Comparison Design
e. Simulation Design

23. A sample design is a definite plan for obtaining a sample from the sampling
frame. It refers to the techniques or procedures the researcher would adopt in
selecting some samples from which inferences about the population is drawn

24. Characteristics of a good sampling design
1. It must result in a truly representative sample
2. It must lead to a small sampling errors
3. It must be supported by the available time & funds for research
4. It must control systematic bias in a better way
5. It should be selected in a way that the results can be applied in
general for the universe with a reasonable level of confidence

25. Steps in Sampling Design
1. To decide about the type of universe (finite/infinite /
heterogeneous/ homogeneous etc.)
2. To decide the sampling units (household/ union/village etc.)
3. To decide the sampling frame (source list)
4. To decide the size of sample
5. To decide the parameters of interests
6. To decide the budgetary constraints
7. To decide the specific sampling procedures

26. Types of Sampling Design
1. Purposive or biased sampling
2. Probability or random sampling
I. Pure Random Sampling
II. Restricted Random Sampling
a) Stratified sampling
b) Cluster Sampling
c) Multi-stage sampling
d) Systematic sampling

27. How to reduce it:
1. To keep sample survey as easy to execute as
possible
2. To use smallest sample size consistent with the
objectives of the study.
3. To restrict the questionnaire to data that are
essential to the main issue
4. To pretest the questionnaire
5. To make sure that no question is asked to the
respondent that s/he cannot answer
6. To train up investigators
7. To use alternative methods of testing
8. To be careful while editing the coding of data
9. To use appropriate statistical techniques to
analyze data

28. Advantages of Sample Survey Compare to Census Survey
1. It saves time
2. It saves money and other resources
3. It is useful in statistical quality control
4. It is only means to obtain information when size of
population is infinite or unknown
5. It is more reliable than population survey
6. It is highly useful in case of destructive and highly
expensive testes

29. How do you Collect your Primary Data?
1. Questionnaire
2. Interview
3. Observation
4. Mechanical or Electronic Means

30. How to Prepare the Questionnaire
1. There should be as few question as possible in the questionnaire
2. Questionnaire should be prepared in a means so that answers can be given easily
3. There should not be any biasness in the questions of the questionnaire
4. There should not be any leading question in the questionnaire
5. There should be sufficient check and balance in the questionnaire
6. There should not have any double barreled question in the questionnaire
7. There should be sufficient check and balance in the questionnaire
8. The questions in a questionnaire must be presented in a systematic and logical manner
9. The overall design of the questionnaire should be attractive
10. Every questionnaire must have a forwarding letter