MSC-IE/ES/SE&EA

RESEARCH METHODS & SCIENTIFIC

WRITING/
ADVANCED RESEARCH METHODS
AND TECHNIQUES

Course Outline
 OUTLINE

1. Role of research
• Meaning of research
2. Purpose of research
• Objectives of research
• Research Challenge
3. Introduction to literature
review
 1. ROLE OF
RESEARCH

• Meaning of RESEARCH?
 1. ROLE OF RESEARCH
Meaning of RESEARCH?
 1. ROLE OF RESEARCH

Meaning of RESEARCH?
 1. ROLE OF RESEARCH

Meaning of RESEARCH?
 1. Role of research
SEARCH FOR KNOWLEDGE
FIND OUT
What you know, What you think you know
Knowledge
What you don't know
that you need to
know
What you need to know What you need to
know

What you think you

know

What you know

·
USE DIFFERENT KINDS OF SOURCES, FIND INFORMATION AND ASK QUESTIONS.
 MEANING OF RESEARCH

• Research is:
• Search / inquisitive for knowledge
• Systematic scientific investigation on a specific topic.
• Systematic effort to gain new knowledge
• Voyage of discovery

“……………Search for knowledge through objective & systematic

method of finding a solution to a problem”
 MEANING OF RESEARCH

• Research comprises:
² Defining & redefining problems
² Formulating hypothesis or suggested solutions
² Collecting, organizing & evaluating data
² Making deductions & reaching conclusions
² Carefully testing the conclusions to establish whether they fit to the
hypothesis.
 2. PURPOSE OF RESEARCH

• The purpose of research is to discover:

v Answers to questions through the application of scientific procedures
² New knowledge (novelty)
² {requires innovation competencies}
2. PURPOSE OF RESEARCH

INNOVATIVE COMPETENCIES

CREATE

COOPERATE

NAVIGATE

DO

COMMUNICATE

LEARN
 OBJECTIVES OF RESEARCH

• The broad grouping of research objectives entail:

1. To gain familiarity with a phenomenon/to achieve new insights =
explorative/formulative research
2. To portray accurately the characteristics of a subject of study = descriptive
research
3. To determine the frequency of occurrence of subject of study = diagnostic research
4. To test a hypothesis of a causal relationship between variables = hypothesis-testing
research

…………..Research always seeks to resolve a challenge

 EXAMPLE OF A CHALLENGE

River Sosiani provides a source of livelihood for

thousands of farmers in eastern Kipkaren. The
challenge is that so much water is pumped out
from the river for irrigating crops, that the river
loses its healthy flow. The county government
therefore prohibited the directing of water from the
river to the fields from December 2020. The
farmers along the riverbanks have no other
source of water, and so the lives of thousands of
families are threatened.
Choose a challenge
TASK # 1. CHOOSE AND DESCRIBE A CHALLENGE THAT YOU WANT TO ADDRESS

Task Formulate a suitable research challenge

Task# Task #1: mail to: [email protected]

Due Date Due Date: 22.9.2023

Submit Submit Msword copy via email

Email Email Subject: Coursecode/Reg#/TASK1/2023

Critique Later you will be required to share your challenge with the class who will critique it.
 3. INTRODUCTION TO LITERATURE
REVIEW

What is a Literature Review?

• A Literature Review is a way to:

Compare studies and know “what’s out there” on a specific topic

Analytically examine existing body of research
Identify an article that documents a particular fact
Bring order to an abundance of information spread across too many places
STEPS IN A LITERATURE
REVIEW

1. Establish research focus

2. Identify where to search
3. Select appropriate search terms
4. Use ‘operators’ and ‘wildcards’
5. Organize research history
6. Determine relevant literature
7. Analyze, synthesize and summarize
evidence into a report
 STEP 1: ESTABLISH RESEARCH FOCUS

What do you need or want to know?

How will this data help your project?

IMPORTANT ….

• Keep your topic specific and focused

• Be prepared to revise it along the way based on what you discover in

the literature
 EXERCISE 1

Consider the research topics below and answer the following questions for each
topic:
1. Would you revise this topic?
2. Why or why not? If yes, how?
Research Topics
i. Technology and the youth
ii. Technology and youth development
iii. Innovation and development
iv. Emotional distress and mental health service use among adolescents.
v. Engineering materials and technology
vi. Advances in civil engineering structures
vii. Challenges in research
viii. Wastewater purification
 STEP 2A: IDENTIFY WHERE TO SEARCH

• Academic Literature
• Books, scholarly journal articles
• Dissertations
• Government documents
• Policy reports
• Grey Literature
• Papers published by professional societies
• Internet search engines: Google.ca or Yahoo.ca
• Online databases: Scopus, web of science, Science direct, PsychInfo, Social Service
Abstracts, Medline, ERIC, etc.
 STEP 2B: IDENTIFY RELEVANT SEARCH
ENGINES

• Why?
• To save time and stay focused.
•

• Sample sources?:
 STEP 2C: SECURE DATABASE ACCESS

Certain publications are not readily accessible to the public

To secure access to databases you need:

1. To establish a partnership with a university that has access to the database

OR

2. Pay a database search fee

 STEP 3: SELECT APPROPRIATE SEARCH TERMS

A search term is a term used to find information on your topic

Search terms can include:

• Key words
Example: For a literature review on
“ Impact of technology on society”
possible key words may include: technology effects,
society, media effects, …… others???
• Author
• Title
• Journal or publication
• Other descriptors
 WHERE TO FIND KEY WORDS

• Reference Books
•
• Abstracts

• Scientific journals

• Government reports

• Electronic databases
FOCUSING YOUR KEY WORDS

• Be specific .… expect numerous results!

• Example:

• Technology effects (999,000 items)

• Media reports (898,000 items)
 EXERCISE 2: KEY WORDS

• You have been asked to design a technology assessment program. Your search
questions are:

1. “What are the determinants and consequences of technology adoption by the

youth?

2. “What are the determinants and consequences of technology selection on the

production of Nano scale engineering materials?

• What Search Engines and / or databases would you use?

• Working individually, for each question list 10 key words to search information on
the “determinants and consequences” for youth who are addicted to technology.

• Share your answers.

 STEP 4: USING ‘OPERATORS’ & ‘WILDCARDS’

• ‘Wildcards’ are symbols that expand the scope of your

search
• e.g. (*) patent* -- retrieves patent, patents, patentable, patented

• ‘Operators’ define the relationships between words or

groups of words

• Note:
• Operators and wildcards vary by search engine to check each database’s Help
section
 EXAMPLES OF ‘OPERATORS’

• Sample operators:

• Use AND to narrow search and retrieve records containing all of the words
it separates.

• Use OR to broaden search and retrieve records containing any of the words
it separates.

• Use NOT to narrow search and retrieve records that do not contain the
term following it.

• Use ( ) to select a phrase or groups of words

- Phrase - (participatory action research)
- Groups of words – (determinants and consequences) AND
(technology or youth)
 EXERCISE 3: OPERATORS & WILDCARDS

Generate a total of 6 operators and 2 wildcards using the

search terms you came up with for the topic of:
1. “What are the determinants and consequences of
technology adoption by the youth”
2. “What are the determinants and consequences of
technology selection on the production of Nano scale
engineering materials?
 STEP 5: ORGANIZING YOUR RESEARCH

Document your search process:

• Keep record of all materials examined

• Keep a record of all Web searches
• Set a bookmark of the Universal Resource Locator(URL) for commonly used
web sites
• Record key words used for electronic searches
• Print home pages of the web sites
• Photocopy journal articles, book chapters and other materials
• Organize information using a “Review Matrix”
 EXAMPLE OF A REVIEW
MATRIX
Author, Title, Year of Purpose Type of Study Key findings Research
Journal Publication Design gaps

A.B. Carol, 2023 Technology Experimental (specify) (specify)

2023. Research and society study
& development
in 20th Century.
Journal article

D.E. Fatima, 2024 Technology Review of (specify) (specify)

2020. Research and society published works
in the future: A
review. Book
chapter

Journal article 2006 Long-term Cross-sectional (specify) (specify)

effect of survey
technology to
the youth

What other categories could be included in a Review

Matrix?
 STEP 6: DETERMINE RELEVANT LITERATURE

• To determine what is relevant literature:

• Check article abstracts for summaries of research design and findings instead of reading
entire article

• Consider type of measurement and analysis

• Consider contribution of the article/research to the field

• Does it help you know what to do or what not to do in your study?

 EXERCISE 4: REVIEW OF ABSTRACT

Pick an abstract from, “Building Innovation Capabilities for Sustainable

Industrialisation” https://routledge.pub/3lH5j8c

Review the abstract and answer the questions below:

1. What were the issues discussed by the researchers?

2. What methods did they use?
3. What were the results?
4. Are there any missing or inadequate topics?
 STEP 7: ANALYZE, SYNTHESIZE & SUMMARIZE
EVIDENCE INTO A REPORT

• Briefly summarize findings

• Synthesize literature by identifying common themes
• Differentiate between what is “known” and “not known”
• Identify topics of debate
• Evaluate and analyze findings
• Identify relevance of data to your research project

• Remember:
Reference all citations & create a bibliography
 WAYS TO STRUCTURE YOUR REVIEW

• Chronological

• Topical or thematic organization

• Inverted pyramid organization (broad to narrow)

 WHAT IS A GOOD LITERATURE REVIEW?

• A good literature review:

• Includes a clear research question or purpose

• Makes an argument for the necessity of your research and/or service,
program, etc.
• Explains methods and theories if review is to be used for a larger study or
program
• Describes search methodology
- databases, search terms, etc.
• Is thorough (include classic studies and a range of literature, not just studies
that make your point)
• Is well-organized, clear and concise
 FINAL TIP!

• Get help when you need it...

• Make use of the Library and digital resources

 EXERCISE 5- SAMPLE LITERATURE REVIEW

Read & Highlight Skim

• Working individually read the Main Points
text of Chapters 4 &8 in:
“Building Innovation Capabilities for 1. Abstract 1. Research
Sustainable Industrialisation” 2. Introduction concerning the
https://routledge.pub/3lH5j8c 3. Background topic
concerning the 2. Appendices
topic
• Highlight and take notes 3. Summary of
4. Research
on the main points of the related studies on
methods
assigned ‘reading’ sections the topic
5. Key findings
as per the RHS table. 6. Implications of
the research/
• Take note of the structure of review of the
literature for
the assigned ‘skimming’
practice &
sections further research
EXERCISE 5- SAMPLE LITERATURE REVIEW CONT’D
…

•Once previous steps are complete, answer the following questions for your
‘assigned section’ *. Be prepared to present your findings to the class.

1. How is your section organized?

2. What are the key points?
3. How does it fit in with the rest of the literature review?
4. Was it clear and understandable?
5. Other thoughts about it?

•
 REVIEW OF LESSON OBJECTIVES

• Upon completion of this lesson you should be able to:

• Explain the value and purpose of a literature review

• Describe the steps involved in doing a Literature Review
• Identify the sources of “literature”
• Use various techniques to conduct an efficient & concise search
• Synthesize your findings to produce a report / literature review
 DEBRIEF OF THE LITERATURE REVIEW

• What did you think of the literature review overall?

• In what ways do you think your own literature review would be similar or
different?