RESEARCH

METHODOLOGY

Asst. Prof. Dr. Abdul Baseer Qazi
Source: Research Methodology by Ranjit Kumar & Paul Wagner

Lecture # 2: The Research Process: A Quick

Glance
 Session Objectives

 The Overall Research Process: an eight step
Model
 Research Methodologies in Computing
 Scope of Research
 Who Does Research?
 The Research Team

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 Research Process In
SimpleWords
 Realize there is a problem
 Look to see if anyone has solved it
 Develop a plan to solve it
 Solve it
 Evaluate your solution
 Disseminate your solution

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The Overall Research Process


4
The Overall Research Process

 THE RESEARCH PROCESS

1. Formulating a research problem


2. Conceptualising a research design

3. Constructing an instrument for data collection

4. Selecting a sample

5. Writing a research proposal

6. Collecting data

7. Processing and displaying data

08/11/2020 8. Writing a research report 6
STEP 1. Formulating a research problem

1. A crucial stage, as an inappropriate topic or question will

often lead to irretrievable difficulties later in the research.

2. It is unlikely that you will develop a final question and set

of objectives at this stage of the research process, and stages
2 and 3 are important in developing and assessing your
question more comprehensively.

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Attributes of a good research problem (1)
Capability: is it feasible?

 Are you fascinated by the topic?

 Do you have, or can develop within the time frame, the

necessary research skills

 Can you complete the project

in the time available
 Will the research still be current when you finish?

 Do you have sufficient financial and other resources ?

 Will you be able to gain access to data?

 Attributes of a good research problem (2)

Appropriateness: is it worthwhile?

 Will the examining institute's standards be met?
 Does the topic contain issues with
clear links to theory?
 Are the research questions and objectives
clearly stated
 Will the proposed research provide fresh insights
into the topic?
 Are the findings likely to be symmetrical
?
 Does the research topic match your career goals?
 Generating research ideas
Useful Techniques

Rational thinking

Creative thinking

Searching the literature Brainstorming

Discussion Relevance Trees

Scanning the media Keeping an ideas

notebook
Exploring past projects
STEP 2. Conceptualising a research design

• Research involves systematic, controlled, valid and rigorous

exploration and description of what is not known
• It also involves identifying gaps in knowledge, verification of
what is already known and identification of past errors and
limitations.
• The strength of what you find largely rests on how it was found
•What overall research design should I use? For example, a cross-
sectional, experimental or longitudinal design?
•Will I need to collect primary or secondary data?
•What methods, for example interviews, questionnaire surveys
and so on, will be best to collect the primary data?
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STEP 2. Conceptualising a research design (2)

• Who should participate in the research?

• How will I gain access to them?
• What are the exact procedures that I should adopt in my data
collection to ensure reliability and validity?
• Are there any ethical issues associated with the research?

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STEP 3. Constructing an instrument for data
collection
• Anything that becomes a means of collecting information for
your study is called a ‘research instrument’
• Observation forms
• Interview schedules
• Questionnaires
• Interview guides

•What data do I need to collect to answer this question?

• What is the best way to collect this data?

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 STEP 4. Selecting a sample

• The basic objective of any sampling design is to minimize,

within the limitation of cost, the gap between the values
obtained from your sample and those prevalent in the
study population
•The underlying premise in sampling is that a relatively
small number of units, if selected in a manner that they
genuinely represent the study population, can provide –
with a sufficiently high degree of probability – a fairly true
reflection of the sampling population that is being studied

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STEP 5. Writing a research proposal
•A research proposal must tell:
what you are proposing to do;
how you plan to proceed;
why you selected the proposed strategy
•There it should contain the following information:
a statement of the objectives of the study;
a list of hypotheses, if you are testing any;
the study design you are proposing to use;
the setting for your study;
the research instrument(s) you are planning to use;
information on sample size and sampling design;
information on data processing procedures;
an outline of the proposed chapters for the report;
the study’s problems and limitations; and
the proposed time-frame.
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 STEP 6. Collecting data

You have to consider

•which methods to utilise.
Depending upon your plans, you might commence
•interviews
•mail out a questionnaire
•conduct nominal/focus group discussions
•make observations.

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STEP 7. Processing and displaying data
Analysis depends upon 2 things:
1. the type of information (descriptive, quantitative,
qualitative or attitudinal)
2. the way you want to communicate your findings to
your readers
The data you collect in step 6 is analysed to provide
answers to your research question.
• How do the findings add to this literature?
• Do they support the literature?
• If not, what are the possible reasons why?

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 Overview of Techniques
Data Collection
 Data Analysis
 Ethnography  Coding
 Participant  Constant Comparison
Observation Method
 Interviewing  Cross-case analysis
 Surveys  Member checking
 Document Analysis  Auditing

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STEP 8. Writing a research report

•Last and, for many, the most difficult step of the research
process
•Informs the world what you have done, what you have
discovered and what conclusions you have drawn.
•Your report should be written in an academic style and be
divided into different chapters and/or sections based upon the
main themes of your study
•Conclusions should relate back to the focused research
question.
• You can highlight the strengths and weaknesses of the
research.
• You may also want to make recommendations for further
research.
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 SUMMARY
1. Research is not just about the collection of data. Data
collection is important, but it is simply part of a wider
process – the research process.
2. The research process follows 8 steps:
3. Relating your project to the research process will allow
you to develop and answer your research question in a
logical and systematic manner.

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 Scope of Research

 Varies by level of work
 Ph.D. students – contribution expected at world level;
e.g.
 background investigation on all past work
 make meaningful & significant addition to world
knowledge
 Graduate students – contribution can be at local to
national to world level; e.g.
 background investigation at university up to world level
 make meaningful addition to university up to world
level of knowledge

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 Who Does Research?

Graduate Students
 Masters Degree (lower standard)
 Ph.D. Degree (higher standard)
Researchers at universities
 Post-Doctoral students
 Faculty members
Researchers in industry
 Research scientists
 Many other technical workers
Undergraduate students (very limited)
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 Who Does Research? (2)

 Individuals
 Teams

 Teams almost always make the process easier

 Division of labor
 Feedback from team members
 Each member can work to own strengths

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 The Research Team (at
PhD/Master
 Level)
 Researcher
 Supervisor(s)
 Evaluator(s)/Reviewer(s)

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 The Researcher

Discuss with your supervisor what
supervision and work schedule is good
for you and them.
Discuss the topic and timetable with the
supervisor
Stick with the schedule and don’t
disappear from the supervisor’s radar
Keep systematic records of work
Submit written material with enough
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time for the supervisor to read it. 25
 The Researcher

Discuss the final submission details with
the supervisor
Don’t ignore criticisms or guidance from
the supervisor
Make sure you don’t do anything illegal
Remember you are the driver
Let the supervisor know of any problems
Do your best.

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 The Supervisor

 Know the rules and standards of the
organization regarding research
 Make sure the supervisees know the rules
and standards
 Discuss dates and work schedules
 Give needed guidance
 Continuously update skill set
 Schedule regular meetings

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 The Quality Evaluator
Examiner

Evaluates the completed project.
Evaluates based on the contribution,
complexity of the problem, the usefulness of
the solution, and the presentation style.
Very objective … well, it’s supposed to be :-)

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 The Quality Assuror
Reviewer

 Reviews and gives feedback at various checkpoints
in the research.
 Can eliminate big problems from occurring at the
end of the project
 Can be too subjective, but not nearly as subjective as
the supervisor.

 The END

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