RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

DR EILU
 Course Objectives

This unit shall cover;

1. The definition of research

2. Concept of research

3. Application of research

4. Characteristic of research

5. Types of research and Research design

 Learning outcomes

• By the end of this session, the learners should;

1. Appreciate the importance of carrying out research

systematically

2. Appreciate the role of research in daily life

3. Understand the steps taken to conduct research and the

roles they play in a research process

4. Be able to select the area of study

 INTRODUCTION

• Curiosity and inquisitiveness is a common characteristic of every

human being.

• All of us are curious to know about our selves, our organizations, our
institutions, our homes and families, our wives, our husbands etc.

• There are a number of questions we always ask our selves.

• These questions need answers and bring in the need for research
 Why Research
• Ordinarily, the search for answers to the questions we pose can be obtained in two
main ways:
1. Arbitrary, crude or rudimentary methods;
• This involves imaginations, opinion, blind belief or impression.
• This method of gathering facts has incurable weaknesses.
• It is subjective, the findings will vary from one person to another depending on his or
her impression
2. Research;
• Simply a studious inquiry/ examination/search for facts or answers to the questions
we ask.
• It means seeking solutions to the problems through investigation or experimentation
 Why Research 2…
Research…..

• Involves collecting information about a particular subject to clarify the doubtful facts
and to correct the misconceived facts.

• One can say research is investigation

Or

• a process through which we attempt to achieve systematically and with the support
of data the answer to a question, the resolution of a problem, or a greater
Research definition

1. Research is an organized and systematic way to find answers to questions

2. Research is a scientific inquiry aimed at learning new facts, testing ideas, etc.

3. It is the systematic collection, analysis and interpretation of data to generate

new knowledge and answer a certain question or solve a problem.
Why do we do research?
• Deal with problems, attitudes and opinions

• Attempt to seek answers to questions.

• Draw conclusions from data

• Become “research literate.”

• Because we live in a society that’s driven by research.

• purpose of research is to reduce the level of risk of a decision

• Aids in forecasting and planning

Why do we do research? 2…
• Improve our critical thinking skills. •
• Learn how to critically evaluate published research.
• Learn how to conduct research in case the need arises one day.
• To understand human behaviour and action.
• ETC
Characteristics of Research

• Research is Systematic; it starts with a question that needs an

answer or a problem to be solved
• Research is Logical; it needs a plan and a specific procedure to
follow.
• Research is Empirical; its findings must be based on or supported
by carefully collected and analyzed data.
• Problem stated; It demands a clear statement of the problem
• Requires Data; It builds on existing data, using both positive and
negative findings
• It requires data collection and interpretation.
Characteristics of Research 2…
• Research is Reductive; i.e. main research problem is broken down
into more specific and manageable sub-problems.
• Research is Replicable; it can be done again or repeated.
• Research is Transmittable; study findings can be applied in new
settings.
• Research is Cyclical; it does not end with finding solutions to an
identified problem
What Research Is Not

• Research is not mere information gathering.

• Research is not mere transportation of facts from one location to

another.

• Research is not merely rummaging for information.

• Research is not a catchword used to get attention

Application of research in health
• Testing on the efficacy of new drugs/interventions

• Studying etiology and epidemiology of diseases

• Determining cost effective health interventions

• Assessing the quality of healthcare services

• Monitoring and evaluation of health programs

• Assessing uptake of healthcare services

• Evaluating public perceptions about health services

• Testing new technologies in health care

• ETC
Steps in the Research Process
Research Process
• Research process forms a cycle. It starts with a problem and ends with a
solution to the problem.
• The research process can be summarized as:
Selection of the study topic
Formulation of a research problem
Extensive literature survey
Developing a research hypothesis
Preparing the research design
Determining the sample design
Collecting the data and analysis
Hypothesis testing
Generalizations and interpretations
Preparation of the report or presentation of findings
Research Process 2..
• The research process can also be imbedded in the following logical
questions:
1. What is the problem and why should it be studied?
2. What questions are we to answers?
3. How do we select an appropriate study type?
4. What information do we need?
5. What tools do we need to collect the data?
6. Where do we collect the data?
7. How can we determine whether our methods for data collection
are correct before implementation?
8. What will we do with the collected data?
Types of Research
• Research designing includes the three types which are classified
from the viewpoints of;
1. The perspectives of ‘objectives’ or conduct
2. Application and
3. enquiry mode
 Classification of research from the perspectives of ‘objectives’

Includes;

i. Descriptive (describing the frequency or characteristics of events)

ii. Analytic studies include; experimental designs (RCT) and

observational designs (case-control studies, cohort studies, cross
sectional, Meta-analysis, Historical, philosophical etc.).

iii. The case-crossover study design has received a lot of attention in

the past few years.
Classification of research by Application

i. Pure/Basic Research (Also fundamental research and theory-based

research)
ii. Applied Research
iii. Evaluation Research

• Basic research is necessary to generate new knowledge and

technologies to deal with major unresolved health problems.Basic re
• search is designed to understand the underlying principles behind
human behavior
Classification of research by Application 2…
• Basic research is the research for academicians.

• It is not intended to solve a problem but to extend a theory.

• It is undertaken out of intellectual curiosity.

• It is not problem oriented.

• It aims at extension of knowledge.

• The findings enrich the storehouse of knowledge If basic work is done

first, then applied research.
Classification of research by Application 3…

• Basic science investigations probe for answers to questions such as:

o How did the universe begin?
o What are protons, neutrons, and electrons composed of?
o Basic research lays down the foundation for the applied science that follows.

• Applied research is necessary to identify priority problems, design and evaluate

policies and programs that will deliver the greatest health benefit, making optimal
use of available resources.
Classification of research by Application 4…

• Applied research is designed to solve a particular problem in a

particular circumstance

• It is referred to as useful research

• Its emphasis is on solving a practical problem.

• The emphasis is not on theory but solving a problem.

Classification of research by Application 5…

• Applied researchers may investigate ways to:

o Improve agricultural crop production

o Improve participants understanding of research

o Improve performance of a health care programme

• Applied research may lead to the development of a theory

.
Classification of research by the mode of
enquiry perspective or methodology
These methods are used to study the former and hence make up the
“conventional types of research”
They include;
i. Quantitative
ii. qualitative and
iii. Mixed methods
 Classification of research by the mode of
enquiry perspective or methodology 2…
1. Quantitative research;

o A type of research that describes phenomena in numbers and measures instead of using
words.

o Is the systematic empirical investigation of observable phenomena via statistical or

mathematical techniques.

o data is expressed in numbers and analyzed using statistical methods.

o The objective of quantitative research is to develop and employ mathematical models, theories
and hypotheses pertaining to phenomena
Classification of research by the mode of
enquiry perspective or methodology 3…
o Measurement is central to quantitative research,

o provides the fundamental connection between empirical observation and

mathematical expression of quantitative relationships.

o Data is in numerical form such as statistics, percentages, etc.

 Classification of research by the mode of enquiry
perspective or methodology 4…
• Qualitative Research

• It is a type of research in which phenomena are described in words instead of

numbers.

• Its used in a situation were the data to be collected may not be represented
numerically.

• Such data can not be analyzed statistically but descriptively.

• Qualitative research is concerned with developing explanations of social

phenomena.
Classification of research by the mode of
enquiry perspective or methodology 5…
• Qualitative research aims to help us to understand the world in which we
live and why things are the way they are.
• It seeks to answer questions about:

o Why people behave the way they do

o How opinions and attitudes are formed
o How people are affected by the events that go on around them
o How and why cultures have developed in the way they have

• Mixed method is a combination of both quantitative and qualitative

types
Difference between Qualitative and
Quantitative Research Approaches
Difference Quantitative Qualitative

Approach Scientific and formal. Scientific and neutral.

Data Reduced to scores Presented in a narrative

description

Knowledge Concrete, conceptual and precise. contextual and best expressed by

Can be tested the owners

process of Inquiry Linear, experimental. “ how Cyclic and sophisticated. patterns

much, how many”. Uses a random of occurrences “why, who,
sample. when”. Uses non random samples
& cases.
Difference between Qualitative and
Quantitative Research Approaches 2…
Difference Quantitative Qualitative
Mode of Analysis Statistical Interpretative.
View of Reality Objective, singular & independent Subjective & multiple as seen by
of the researcher the researcher
Relationship of the Researcher Withdrawn and independent of Interacts with that being
that being researched. researched.
Role of Value Free of biased Biased
Role of Research •Deductive: cause-effect. • Inductive: mutual,
•Generalizations leading to simultaneous studying of
explanations/understanding, factors.
• Transferability
• Particularization of cases