RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

Dr. Swarnambuj Suman

Assistant Professor
Mechanical Engineering Department
NIT Patna
SYLLABUS

Module I: Introduction

Module II: Sample Design

Module III: Probability Distributions and Hypothesis Testing

Module IV: Analysis of Variance (ANOVA)

Module V: Design and Analysis of Experiments and Regression
Analysis

Module VI: Monte Carlo Simulation

SYLLABUS

Module 1: Introduction
• Definition of Research
• Research Methodology
• Types of Research
• Criteria for good research
SYLLABUS

Module 2: Sample Design

• Steps of sample design
• Types of sample design
• Classifications of measurement scales
• Data collection methodologies
• Guidelines for constructing Questionnaire /
Schedule
• Data pre-processing techniques
SYLLABUS

Module 3: Probability Distributions

and Hypothesis Testing

• Descriptive Statistics
• Important discrete and continuous probability
distributions
• Sampling Distributions
• Statistical Hypothesis Testing
SYLLABUS

Module 4: Analysis of Variance

(ANOVA)

• Basic principle of ANOVA

• One Way ANOVA
• Two Way ANOVA (single and multiple replicate)
SYLLABUS

Module 5 : Design and Analysis of

Experiments and Regression
Analysis
• Design and Analysis of Experiments
• 2k Factorial Design
• Regression Analysis:
• Simple Linear Regression
• Multiple Linear Regression
• Multivariate Regression
SYLLABUS

Module 6: Monte Carlo Simulation

• Monte Carlo Simulation

• Multivariate Statistical Techniques
• Technical articles
• Dissertation writing techniques
SYLLABUS

Suggested Books:

• “Research Methodology” by C R Kothari and Gaurav

Garg, New Age Techno Press
• “Research Methodology” by R Panneerselvam, PHI
• “Applied Statistics and Probability for Engineers” by D
C Montgomery and G C Runger, Wiley
• “Quantitative Techniques in Management” by N D
Vohra, Mc Graw Hill
MODULE 1
What is Research?
• A careful investigation or inquiry specially through search
for new facts in any branch of knowledge.1

• Redman and Mory define research as a “systematized effort

to gain new knowledge” . 2

• D. Slesinger and M. Stephenson in the Encyclopedia of Social

Sciences define research as “The manipulation of things,
concepts or symbols for the purpose of generalizing to
extend, correct or verify knowledge, whether that knowledge
aids in construction of theory or in the practice of an art.” 3

• 1 The Advanced Learner’s Dictionary of Current English, Oxford, 1952, p. 1069.

• 2 L.V. Redman and A.V.H. Mory, The Romance of Research, 1923, p.10.
• 3 The Encyclopedia of Social Sciences, Vol. IX, MacMillan, 1930.
Objectives of Research
• To gain familiarity with a phenomenon or to achieve new
insights into it.

• To portray accurately the characteristics of a

particular individual, situation or a group.

• To determine the frequency with which something occurs or

with which it is associated with something else.

• To test a hypothesis of a causal relationship between

variables.
Motivation in Research
• To get a research degree along with its consequential benefits

• To face the challenge in solving the unsolved problems, i.e.,

concern over practical problems initiated research

• To get intellectual joy of doing some creative work

• To be of service to society

• To get respectability
Types of Research
• Descriptive vs. Analytical
• Applied vs. Fundamental
• Quantitative vs. Qualitative
• Conceptual vs. Empirical
• Some Other Types of Research
- One-time research or Longitudinal research
- clinical or diagnostic research
- exploratory
- Historical research
- conclusion-oriented
- Decision-oriented
Descriptive Vs. Analytical Research
Descriptive Research:
• Aims to describe a situation, problem, or phenomenon accurately.
• Collects data to portray or snapshot the subject matter accurately.
• Provides a clear and detailed picture of the situation or issue.
• Generally more straightforward, it only describes the existing state of
affairs.

Analytical Research:
• More complex, involving critically examining data to draw meaningful
conclusions.
• Uses data to conduct deeper analysis, identify patterns, and explore
cause-effect relationships.
• Offers insights, explanations, or solutions based on a thorough analysis.
• More complex, involving critically examining data to draw meaningful
conclusions.
Applied vs Fundamental Research
• Applied and Fundamental Research are two distinct branches of
scientific inquiry.

• Applied Research focuses on practical problem-solving and finding

real-world solutions.

• Fundamental Research seeks to expand knowledge and

understanding, exploring theoretical concepts and underlying
principles.

• While Applied Research addresses specific issues, Fundamental

Research aims to uncover new frontiers and contribute to the
foundation of knowledge.

• Both branches play crucial roles in advancing scientific understanding

and making practical advancements.
Quantitative vs. Qualitative 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.

• Quantitative research refers to the systematic empirical investigation of any

phenomena via statistical, mathematical or computational techniques.

• Qualitative research, on the other hand, is concerned with qualitative

phenomenon, i.e., phenomena relating to or involving quality or kind. For
instance, when we are interested in investigating the reasons for human
behaviour. This type of research aims at discovering the underlying
motives and desires, using in depth interviews for the purpose.

• It may be stated, however, that to apply qualitative research in practice is

relatively a difficult job and therefore, while doing such research, one
should seek guidance from experimental psychologists.
Conceptual vs. Empirical 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.

• Empirical research relies on experience or observation alone, often

without due regard for system and theory.

• It is data-based research, coming up with conclusions which are capable

of being verified by observation or experiment.

• Empirical research is also known as experimental type of research, in

which it is important to first collect the facts and their sources, and actively
take steps to stimulate the production of desired information.
Some Other Types of Research
• One-time research : In one-time research, the research is confined to a
single time-period.
• Longitudinal research: In longitudinal research, the research is
carried on over several time-periods.
• Clinical or diagnostic research: Such research follow case- study
methods or in-depth approaches to reach the basic causal relations. Such
studies usually go deep into the causes of things or events that interest
us, using very small samples and very deep probing data gathering
devices.
• Exploratory research: The objective of exploratory research is the
development of hypotheses rather than their testing.
• Formalized research: Formalized research studies are those with
substantial structure and with specific hypotheses to be tested.
Some Other Types of Research
• Historical research: It is that which utilizes historical sources like
documents, remains, etc. to study events or ideas of the past, including
the philosophy of persons and groups at any remote point of time.

• Conclusion-oriented research: Here a researcher is free to pick up a

problem, redesign the enquiry as he/she proceeds and is prepared to

conceptualize as he/she wishes.

• Decision-oriented research: It is always for the need of a decision-

maker and the researcher in this case is not free to embark upon research
according to his own inclination.
Research Methods versus Methodology
• Research methods may be understood as all those methods/techniques

that are used for conduction of research.

• All those methods which are used by the researcher during the course of

studying his research problem are termed as research methods.

Research methods can be put into the following three groups:

• In the first group we include those methods which are concerned with

the collection of data. These methods will be used where the data
already available are not sufficient to arrive at the required solution;

• The second group consists of those statistical techniques which are

used for establishing relationships between the data and the unknowns;

• The third group consists of those methods which are used to evaluate

the accuracy of the results obtained.

Research Methods versus Methodology
• Research methodology is a way to systematically solve the research
problem.

• It may be referred 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 his research problem along with the logic behind
them.

• The scope of research methodology is wider than that of research

methods.
Research and Scientific Method
• Research can be termed as “an inquiry into the nature of, the reasons for,
and the consequences of any particular set of circumstances, whether these
circumstances are experimentally controlled or recorded just as they occur”.
• On the other hand, the philosophy common to all research methods and
techniques, although they may vary considerably from one science to
another, is usually given the name of scientific method.

• Scientific method is the pursuit of truth as determined by logical

considerations.
• The ideal of science is to achieve a systematic interrelation of facts.

• Scientific method attempts to achieve “this ideal by experimentation,

observation, logical arguments from accepted postulates and a combination
of these three in varying proportions.”
Research and Scientific Method
Research and Scientific Method
• RESEARCH PROCESS
Research Process
Research process consists of a series of steps or actions
required for effectively conducting research.

• Formulating the research problem

• Extensive literature survey

• Developing the hypothesis

• Preparing the research design

• Determining sample design

• Collecting the data

• Execution of the project

• Analysis of data

• Hypothesis testing

• Generalizations and interpretation

• Preparation of the report or presentation of the results i.e., formal write-up of

conclusions reached
Criteria for Good Research
• The purpose of the research should be clearly defined and common concepts
be used.
• The research procedure used should be described in sufficient detail to permit
another researcher to repeat the research for further advancement, keeping
the continuity of what has already been attained.
• The procedural design of the research should be carefully planned to yield
results that are as objective as possible.
• The researcher should report with complete frankness, flaws in procedural
design and estimate their effects upon the findings.
• The analysis of data should be sufficiently adequate to reveal its significance
and the methods of analysis used should be appropriate.
• Conclusions should be confined to those justified by the data of the research
and limited to those for which the data provide an adequate basis.
Criteria for Good Research
• In other words, we can state the qualities of a good
research as under
1. Good research is systematic.
2. Good research is logical.
3. Good research is empirical.
4. Good research is replicable.
Research Design
• Task of defining the research problem is the preparation of the
research project, popularly known as the “research design".

• Decisions regarding what, where, when, how much, by what

means concerning an inquiry or a research study constitute a
research design.

• The research design is the conceptual structure within

which research is conducted.

• It constitutes the blueprint for the collection, measurement,

and analysis of data.
Research Design
On the basis of research decisions, one may split the overall research design
into the following parts:
• The sampling design which deals with the method of selecting items to
be observed for the given study.
• The observational design which relates to the conditions under which
the observations are to be made.
• The statistical design which concerns with the question of how many
items are to be observed and how the information and data gathered are to be
analysed.
• The operational design which deals with the techniques by which the
procedures specified in the sampling, statistical and observational designs can
be carried out.
Important features of a research design
• It is a plan that specifies the sources and types of

information relevant to the research problem.

• It is a strategy specifying which approach will be

used for gathering and analysing the data.

• It also includes the time and cost budgets since most

studies are done under these two constraints.

Developing a Research Plan
• After identifying and defining the problem as also accomplishing
the relating task, researcher must arrange his ideas in order and
write them in the form of an experimental plan or what can be
described as ‘Research Plan’.
This is essential specially for new researcher because of the
following:

• It helps the researcher to organize his ideas in a form whereby it

will be possible for him to look for flaws and inadequacies, if any.

• It provides an inventory of what must be done and which materials

have to be collected as a preliminary step.

• It is a document that can be given to others for comment.

Research plan must contain the following
items…
• Research objective should be clearly stated in a line or two
which tells exactly what it is that the researcher expects to do.

• The problem to be studied by researcher must be explicitly

stated so that one may know what information is to be obtained
for solving the problem.

• Each major concept which researcher wants to measure

should be defined in operational terms in context of the
research project.

• The plan should contain the method to be used in solving the

problem.
Research plan must contain the following
items…
The plan must also state the details of the techniques to be adopted.

A clear mention of the population to be studied should be made. If the

study happens to be sample based, the research plan should state the
sampling plan i.e., how the sample is to be identified.

The plan must also contain the methods to be used in processing the
data. Statistical and other methods to be used must be indicated in the
plan.
Results of pilot test, if any, should be reported. Time and cost budgets
for the research project should also be prepared and laid down in the
plan itself.