Methodology of a Scientific Research - Chapter 1 PDF

# University of Mustapha Stambouli-Mascara ## Faculty of Sciences of the Nature and the life-Department of Biology ### Methodology of a scientific research: Chapter 1 #### Dr. Belaouni M. ## Chapter 1: Introduction to the module ### Specific Objectives: At the end of this chapter you will be able...

# University of Mustapha Stambouli-Mascara ## Faculty of Sciences of the Nature and the life-Department of Biology ### Methodology of a scientific research: Chapter 1 #### Dr. Belaouni M. ## Chapter 1: Introduction to the module ### Specific Objectives: At the end of this chapter you will be able to: - Define methodology. - Define a scientific research. - Discover the types of scientific research. - Distinguish between the types of scientific research. ### I. Definition of methodology: The term "logy" is taken from the Latin word "Logos" that means "speech, investigation and interpretation", this term has been useful to define the science of different fields, for example: biology, pharmacology, virology, parasitology... Methodology is then the science of a method. It refers to the systematic and scientific approach used to conduct research, investigate problems, and gather data and information for a specific purpose. ### II. Research methodology: A research methodology describes the techniques and procedures used to identify and analyze information regarding a specific research topic. The research methodology is a key part of thesis, dissertation and even the research paper (term paper) that should include the following items: - The type of the conducted research. - Explanation of data collection and analysis. - The tools and materials involved in the research. - The mitigation of research biases. **Note:** The research methodology is typically written after the research proposal has been approved and before the actual research is conducted. ### III. Definition of scientific research: A research can be related to the seeking of information or knowledge in different domains, as scientific staff, these information and knowledge should be in the scientific field. A scientific research is a process over which scientists decide to study and investigate various phenomena, theories or hypothesis using various methods and techniques in order to acquire new knowledge or to validate existing knowledge. ### IV. Classification of scientific research: The scientific research can be classified in several ways as shown in Figure 1: - Data collection techniques - Causality relationships - Relationships with time - The medium through which they are applied ### 1. Classification based on data collection techniques: The data collection can be done either observationally or experimentally, these two techniques are vastly different: - **Observational scientific research:** in this type of study, the researcher needs to observe the effect of an intervention without trying to interfere, for example: the study of the enzymatic browning of a sliced or a cut apple, here the researcher needs to watch the darkening of the sliced spot of the apple that is exposed to the air and takes the notes, the reaction occurs naturally without adding anything. Another example: a zoologist that needs to study the normal behavior of some animal into the wild, this scientist needs to set on the camera, observe and takes notes (documentary types of movies). - **Experimental scientific research:** in this type of study, the researcher needs to interfere within the experiment, and then observe the changes that may occur ever since. For example: the study of enzymatic kinetics, the researcher needs to add the proper enzyme to a solution containing the proper substrate in order to be able to study the interaction between them. ### 2. Classification based on the causality relationships: The different reasons that could be included while conducting a scientific research refer to the different goals, methods and application used to build up the research. In this regard, there are two classes of a scientific research: descriptive and analytical. - **Descriptive scientific research:** this type of research gives a description on what is going on regarding the topic (population, situation or phenomena). For example: an article made to understand the autism spectrum disorder in the field of psychology. Another example: A survey made on some village to investigate malnutrition. - **Analytical scientific research:** this type of research explains why certain changes are occurring into that specific topic, this requires critical thinking skills and the examination of relevant facts and information. For example: the explanation of the different phases found in the microbial growth curve. ### 3. Classification based on time relationships: The studied topic could be from different era of time as it could also be done one time or repeatedly. In this case, the scientific research could be further classified into: - **Retrospective scientific research:** also called "historic cohort study" refers to an experimental design that looks back in time and assesses events that have already occurred. The researcher identifies a group of individuals who have been exposed to a certain factor and a group who have not been exposed (the cohorts), and then looks back in time to see how the rate of a certain outcome (like the development of a disease) differs between the two groups. The data in this type of study is collected by researchers from existing records. For example: a researcher might identify a group of people who smoked and a group who never smoked, and then look back at medical records to see how the rate of lung cancer differs between the two groups. - **Prospective scientific research:** is the opposite of retrospective study. Refers to an experimental design that looks forward in time and observes events as they happen. For example: the observation of diabetes among a group of participants to identify factors that may increase or decrease its occurrence. - **Cross sectional scientific research:** also called "prevalence study" and "transverse study", is an observational study in which data is collected from different individuals at a single point of time, here, researchers observe the variables without influencing them. For example: the investigation of smoking rate between two groups of individuals, the first group represents adults and the second group represents teenagers. - **Longitudinal scientific research:** the same concept as the cross sectional study only the data here is collected many times after a specific period of time. For example: to investigate the effect of smoking on two groups of men and women in order to evaluate the correlation between the effect of cigarettes with time and its correlation with sex. **Figure 2 illustrates the difference between cross sectional and longitudinal scientific study:** *** Dr. Belaouni M. Page 1 *** # University of Mustapha Stambouli-Mascara ## Faculty of Sciences of the Nature and the life-Department of Biology ### Methodology of a scientific research: Chapter 1 #### Dr. Belaouni M. ### 4. According to the medium through which they are applied: Studies can be done in many places depending on its nature and objective, in this regard, we distingue: - **Clinical scientific research:** refers to studies that need to be done into clinics. For example: the determination of the effectiveness of some treatments. - **Medical records scientific research:** studies that require information collected from medical records. For example: study of biochemical analysis by third year students in biology field. - **Laboratory scientific research:** studies that need to be done at laboratory. For example: oxidation test of olive oil. - **Social descriptive research:** this type of studies is mainly used by researchers in social science; it aims mainly to evaluate cultural norms, values and beliefs. For example: comparative study to investigate the differences in lifestyle between Kabyle and Touareg population. ### V. Homework: In a suitable table, classify these following researches according to their type: - Study of drug effect on hamsters (male and female) for six months, the effect of solanine on the health of 6 subjects of people after one year of consumption, the investigation of the development of brown color on fried potato, the investigation of the distribution of diabetes among patients in the public hospital of Ghriss-Mascara, the effect of inhaled morphine with different concentrations on hamsters, a survey made for estimating the percentage of obesity in Mascara and its relation to lifestyle. *** Dr. Belaouni M. Page 5 ***