Understanding Research Methodologies

• Research is a systematic investigation that requires data collection, analysis, and interpretation of social or natural phenomena.

Basic vs. Applied Research

• Basic research, also known as theoretical research, aims to test existing or generate new theories.
• Applied research aims to use acquired knowledge for practical purposes.

Reasoning Types

• Inductive reasoning infers theoretical concepts from observed data and is used for theory building.
• Deductive reasoning tests concepts and patterns known from theory using new empirical data and is used for theory testing research.

Qualitative vs. Quantitative Research

• Qualitative research (inductive) is based on experiences and perceptions of individuals and involves direct data collection.
• Quantitative research (deductive) aims to understand phenomena using a controlled, value-neutral process.

Research Types

• Exploratory research seeks to scope out the magnitude of a particular phenomenon, problem, or behavior.
• Explanatory research provides explanations of observed phenomena by answering "why" and "how" questions.
• Descriptive research describes an aspect of life richly, answering the "who," "what," "when," and "where" questions.

Research Design vs. Methodology

• Research design is a strategic plan for answering the research question, acting as a blueprint.
• Methodology is the rationale for the research design and is broader in terms of concepts.

Research Methodology vs. Methods

• Methodology is the justification and rationale for choosing the type of data.
• Methods are specific sets of tools used to conduct research.

Research Paradigm

• Research paradigm is a cluster of beliefs.
• Qualitative research (non-empirical) focuses on human problems based on building a complex understanding.
• Quantitative research (empirical) focuses on human problems based on testing a theory.

Ethical Principles

• Beneficence ensures the well-being of participants.
• Veracity or justice means that truth must always be stated.
• Voluntary participation/respect for persons means participation must be voluntary (no pressure).
• Anonymity and confidentiality protect subjects' identities.
• Disclosure involves setting boundaries on what to disclose to participants.
• Consent requires that participants must be fully informed about the study.

Good Qualitative Research Problem

• Feasibility includes having an adequate number of subjects to be interviewed.
• Novelty involves the newness of the topic.
• Ethics involves assurance of giving due respect to participants.
• Relevance involves significant contributions of the investigation to scientific knowledge.

Approaches to Qualitative Research

• Phenomenology involves understanding behavior and experiences.
• Ethnography focuses on studying shared practices and belief systems.
• Case Study involves an in-depth investigation of specific issues.
• Discourse/Conversation Analysis involves analyzing naturally occurring discourse.
• Inductive Thematic Theory involves presenting stories and themes.
• Grounded Theory involves developing a theory based on data.
• Narrative Analysis focuses on storytelling.

Components of a Good Qualitative Research Problem

• The ideal situation should be considered.
• The main problem should be identified.
• The scope of the problem should be defined.

Steps in Developing a Research Problem

• Selection of the research topic is the first step.
• Contemplating the ideas is the second step.
• Narrowing the topic is the third step.
• Reviewing related literature is the fourth step.
• Writing the statement of the research problem is the final step.

Research Question

• Research questions should be evocative and catch the interest of the readers.

Significance of the Study

• Significance of the study includes the importance of any inquiry.

Research Title

• The research title should make the topic interesting.

Scope and Limitations

• The scope of research covers the extent of the study.