This document provides an overview of key aspects of research, including: - Definitions of research as finding answers to unanswered questions or a scientific search for information on a topic. - Types of research such as descriptive, analytical, applied, basic, quantitative, qualitative, conceptual, and empirical. - Research methods like library research, field research, and laboratory research. - Key parts of the research process including developing a research methodology, designing the study, formulating research questions and hypotheses, developing a research protocol, and interpreting results. - Principles of research design for different types of studies. The document outlines considerations for all stages of the research process from selecting a topic to analyzing

1. BY – SHIVANGI SHREYA.
1ST M.D.S

2. CONTENTS-
 Definition
 Types
 Methods
 Methodolgy
 Design
 Research Question
 Formulation
 Protocol.
 Testing of Hypothesis

3. •What is Research?
Research may be summarised as finding an answer to an
unanswered question.
Acc. To Kerlinger ,A problem is an interrogative statement that
asks what relation exists between two or more variables.The
answer to question will provide what is having sought in the
research.
• One can also define research as
a scientific and systematic search for
pertinent information on a
specific topic.

5. • Descriptive Research- Descriptive research includes surveys and fact-
finding enquiries of different kinds. The major purpose of descriptive
research is description of the state of affairs as it exists at present.
• Analytical Research-In analytical research, on the other hand, the
researcher has to use facts or information already available, and
analyse these to make a critical evaluation of the material.

6. • Applied Research- Applied research aims at finding a solution for an
immediate problem facing a society or an industrial/business
organisation.
• Basic Research- Research is mainly concerned with generalisations
and with the formulation of a theory.
.

7. • Quantitative Research- Quantitative research is based on the
measurement of quantity or amount. It is applicable to phenomena
that can be expressed in terms of quantity.

8. • Qualitative Research- Qualitative research, on the other hand, is
concerned with qualitative phenomenon, i.e., phenomena relating to
or involving quality or kind.

9. • Conceptual Research- Conceptual research is that related to some
abstract idea(s) or theory. It is generally used by philosophers and
thinkers to develop new concepts or to reinterpret existing ones.
• Emperical Research- empirical research relies on experience or
observation alone, often without due regard for system and theory.
• Non Scientific Research - Historical research works .

11. Research methods may be understood as all those
methods/techniques that are used for conduction of research.
Research methods or techniques, thus, refer to the methods the
researchers use in performing research operations.
Different research methods –
1. Library Research
2. Field Research
3. Laboratory Research

13. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Research methodology is a way to systematically solve the research
problem. It may be understood as a science of studying how research
is done scientifically .In it we study the various steps that are generally
adopted by a researcher in studying the research problem along with
the logic behind them. It is necessary for the researcher to know not
only the research methods/techniques but also the methodology.

14. When we talk of research methodology we not only talk of the
research methods but also consider the logic behind the methods we
use in the context of our research study and explain why we are
using a particular method or technique and why we are not using
others so that research results are capable of being evaluated either
by the researcher himself or by others.

16. RESEARCH DESIGN
Research designs can be conveniently described if we categorize them
as:
(1) research design in case of exploratory research studies;
(2) research design in case of descriptive and diagnostic research
studies, and
(3) research design in case of hypothesis-testing research studies

17. • 1. Research design in case of exploratory research studies: Exploratory
research studies are also termed as formulative research studies. The
main purpose of such study is formulating a problem for more
precise investigation or of developing the working hypotheses from an
operational point of view.
• 2. Descriptive or diagnostic research design : Descriptive research
studies are those studies which are concerned with describing the
characteristics of a particular individual, or of a group, whereas
diagnostic research studies determine the frequency with which
something occurs or its association with something else.

18. The design in such studies must be rigid and not flexible and must
focus attention on the following:
• (a) Formulating the objective of the study (what the study is about and why
is it being made?)
• (b) Designing the methods of data collection (what techniques of gathering
data will be adopted?)
• (c) Selecting the sample (how much material will be needed?)
• (d) Collecting the data (where can the required data be found and with
what time period should the data be related?)
• (f) Reporting the findings.
• (e) Processing and analysing the data.

19. Hypothesis research design:
Hypothesis-testing research studies (generally known as experimental
studies) are those where the researcher tests the hypothesis of causal
relationships between variables. Such studies require procedures that
will not only reduce bias and increase reliability, but will permit
drawing inferences about causality.

20. Three principles of experimental designs:
(1) the Principle of Replication;
(2) the Principle of Randomization; and the
(3) Principle of Local Control.

21. • Principle of Replication- The experiment should be repeated more than
once.
• Principle of Randomization- This provides protection, when we conduct
an experiment, against the effect of extraneous factors by
randomization.
• Principle of Local Control - is another important principle of
experimental designs. Under it the extraneous factor, the known
source of variability, is made to vary deliberately over as wide a range as
necessary and this needs to be done in such a way that the variability it
causes can be measured and hence eliminated from the experimental
error.

23. RESEARCH QUESTION.
• The First requisite for research is selection of a problem or topic or
question. The aspects to be considered in selecting a question are
primarily –
Significance and relevance
Researchability
Feasibility
Personal curiosity.

24. Significance and Relevance-
The answer to the question should have the potential of contribution
to existing body of knowledge and it should benefit the health
professionals or the community.

25. Researchability-
All research problems may not be amenable to scientific study.To be
researchable, the question should involve variables,which can be
precisely defined and measured.

26. Feasibility-
Feasibility in terms of physical settings resources should be carefully
examined before the question is taken up for study.

27. Personal Curiosity-
Because a lot time and effort have to be expended
and full involvement of the researcher is absolutely
necessary,genuine curiosity and personal interest
of the researcher is essential for the
success of the study.

28. FORMULATION
OF
RESEARCH
PROBLEM.

30. Selection of a research area : Formulate of research problem begins
with selection of broad research topic from personal experience
,literature,previous research & theories in which researcher is
interested .
Reviewing literature : After getting a broad idea for research ,one needs to
review the literature &theories.
Literature is reviewed to know what has already been done in this area.
Delimiting the research topic : In this step,researcher proceeds from a
general area of interest to more specific topic of research to conduct a
study.

31. Evaluating the research problem : The research problems must be
carefully evaluated for its significance, researchability, & feasibility.
Formulating final statement of research problem : After establishing
the significance ,researchability & feasibility , then researcher finally
formulates a statement of research problem.

33. RESEARCH PROTOCOL
A clinical trial needs a carefully structured, written plan in order not
only to ensure its smooth running and successful conclusion but also
to gain the compulsory agreement of an ethical committee. Such a
plan is called a protocol.

34. It consists of several stages.
These are:
1. An introduction;
2. A statement of aims, objectives, hypotheses and the calculation of sample
size;
3. A detailed account of the methodology, which itself is divided into a
number of sections including the methods used in the statistical analysis of
the data;
4. A study schedule and costing;
5. Any necessary appendices; and
6. A supporting bibliography.

35. The following points generally require careful consideration and should be
dealt in as much detail as possible:
AIMS &OBJECTIVES;Hypothesis to be tested
CATEGORIES OF MATERIALS TO BE COVERED ;Criteria for inclusion or exclusion
SAMPLING METHOD
PILOT STUDY
METHODS OF DEALING WITH NON RESPONSE
ANALYSIS OF DATA

36. Why to write a protocol.
 It states the question the researcher wants to answer.
 It encourages one to plan the project in detail.
 It allows to visualize the total process of the project.
 It acts as a reminder of initial structure and aims of the project.
 Enables to moniter the progress of the project .

37. TYPES OF PROTOCOL
1.The problem to be investigated-
 Project title
 The research problem
 Background
 Aims
 Hypothesis
2.Method of investigation-
 Plan of investigation
 Project milestones
 Dissemination of the results
 Resources required

38. HYPOTHESIS-
• Hypothesis is usually considered as the principal
instrument in research.
• Its main function is to suggest new experiments
and observations. In fact, many experiments are
carried out with the deliberate object of testing
hypotheses.
• When one talks about hypothesis, one simply means a mere
assumption or some supposition to be proved or disproved.

39. INTERPRETATION
• Interpretation refers to the task of drawing inferences from the
collected facts after an analytical and/or experimental study.
• The task of interpretation has two major aspects viz.,
(i) the effort to establish continuity in research through linking the results of
a given study with those of another, and
(ii) the establishment of some explanatory concepts.
• One should always remember that if the data are properly
collected and analysed, wrong interpretation would lead to inaccurate
conclusions.
Interpretation must be accomplished with patience in an impartial
manner and also in correct perspective.

40. THANK
YOU .