Research Methods Lecture 1 PDF

Lecture 1 Introduction to Research Methods BY Stephen Boateng Dpt. Of Management Studies Contact Information: [email protected]...

Lecture 1 Introduction to Research Methods BY Stephen Boateng Dpt. Of Management Studies Contact Information: [email protected] UNIVERSITY OF MINES AND TECHNOLOGY Course Code: 451  Meaning of Research Most progress in life can be attribute to research. The advent of mobile phone – from 1980 to 2021. Research Methods 3/13/2024 Slide 2  START SMART| GRAB 2 MARKS WHAT DO YOU KNOW? Research Methods 3/13/2024 Slide 3  Meaning of Research In research, we engage in facts findings. The term ‘Research’ consists of two words: Research = Re + Search ‘Re’ means again and again and ‘Search’ means to find out something, the following is the process: Research Methods 3/13/2024 Slide 4  Definition of Research Burns (1997) defines research as ‘a systematic investigation to find answers to a problem.’ Grinnell (1993) defines research as ‘a structured inquiry that utilises acceptable scientific methodology to solve problems and creates new knowledge that is generally applicable.’ Redman and Mory (1923) defines research as ‘a systematized effort to gain new knowledge.’ Research Methods 3/13/2024 Slide 5  Definition of Research Cont. According to C. F. Rummel “research is an endeavour to discover, develop and verify knowledge. It is an intellectual process that has developed over hundreds of years, ever changing in purpose and form and always searching for truth.” Research is an organized and systematic way of finding answers to questions (Boateng, 2021). Research Methods 3/13/2024 Slide 6  Key Components in The Definition of Research SYSTEMATIC because there is a definite set of scientific procedures and principles which the researcher will NEED to follow in order to get reliable and accurate results. ORGANIZED because there is a structure or method for doing research. The research process has a number of steps to guide the researcher. QUESTIONS are central to research. If there is no question, then how do we begin the research. Research is focused on relevant, useful, and important questions. Without a question, research has no focus, drive, or purpose. FINDING ANSWERS because every research seeks to answer a question or a number of questions. Sometimes the answer is no, but it is still an answer. Research Methods 3/13/2024 Slide 7  Objectives of Research The main aim of research is to find out the truth which is hidden and has not yet been discovered. Research objectives may be broadly grouped as follows: To gain familiarity with new insights into a phenomenon (i.e., formulative research studies); To accurately portray the characteristics of a situation (i.e., descriptive research studies); To analyse the frequency with which something occurs (i.e., diagnostic research studies); and To examine the hypothesis of a causal relationship between two variables (i.e., hypothesis-testing research studies). Research Methods 3/13/2024 Slide 8  Types of Research 1. Descriptive vs. Analytical: Descriptive Research The major purpose of descriptive research is description of the state of affairs as it exists at present. It is a type of research that is used to describe the characteristics of a population. The main feature of this method is that the researcher has no control over the variables; he can only report what has happened or what is happening. Analytical Research The researcher has to use facts or information already available, and analyze these to make a critical evaluation of the material. Research Methods 3/13/2024 Slide 9  Types of Research Cont. 2. Applied vs. Fundamental: Applied (Or Action) Research aims at finding a solution for an immediate problem facing a society or an industrial/business organization. Thus, the central aim of applied research is to discover a solution for some pressing practical problem. Fundamental (to basic or pure) Research Fundamental research is mainly concerned with generalisations and with the formulation of a theory. Basic research is directed towards finding information that has a broad base of applications and thus, adds to the already existing organized body of scientific knowledge. Research Methods 3/13/2024 Slide 10  Types of Research Cont. 3. Quantitative vs. Qualitative: Quantitative Research: Quantitative research is based on the measurement of quantity or amount. It is applicable to phenomena that can be expressed in terms of quantity. Qualitative Research is concerned with qualitative phenomenon, i.e. phenomena relating to or involving quality or kind. For instance, when we are interested in investigating the reasons for human behaviour (i.e., why people think or do certain things), we quite often talk of ‘Motivation Research’, an important type of qualitative research. Research Methods 3/13/2024 Slide 11  Types of Research Cont. 4. Conceptual vs. Empirical: Conceptual Research is related to some abstract idea(s) or theory. It is generally used by philosophers and thinkers to develop new concepts or to reinterpret existing ones. Empirical Research relies on experience or observation alone, often without due regard for system and theory. It is data-based research, deriving conclusions that’s can be verified by observation or experiment. It can be called experimental research as it characterised by the experimenter’s control over the variables under study and his deliberate manipulation of one of them to study its effects. Research Methods 3/13/2024 Slide 12  Class Discussion Where will you categorize your final year project and why? Note: A project can be a combination of the different categories. Research Methods 3/13/2024 Slide 13  5. Some Other Types of Research: All other types of research are variations of one or more of the above stated approaches, based on either the purpose of research, or the time required to accomplish research, on the environment in which research is done, or on the basis of some other similar factor. Laboratory research or Simulation research, depending upon the environment in which it is to be carried out. Historical research is that which utilizes historical sources like documents, remains, etc. to study events or ideas of the past, including the philosophy of persons and groups at any remote point of time. Research Methods 3/13/2024 Slide 14  Research Methods versus Methodology Research Methods: may be understood as all those methods/techniques that are used for conduction of research. Researchers use several techniques in performing research operations and collecting data. In other words, all those methods which are used by the researcher during the course of studying his research problem are termed as research methods. Eg. Case Study, Survey, Ethnography, etc. Research Methods 3/13/2024 Slide 15  Research Methods versus Methodology Research Methodology is a way to systematically solve the research problem. It may be understood as a science of studying how research is done scientifically. In it, researchers study the various steps that are generally adopted by a researcher in studying his research problem along with the logic behind them. Researchers not only need to know how to develop certain indices or tests, how to calculate the mean, the mode, the median or the standard deviation or chi-square, how to apply particular research techniques, but they also need to know which of these methods or techniques, are relevant and which are not, and what would they mean and indicate and why. Research Methods 3/13/2024 Slide 16  Research Methods versus Methodology Researchers also need to understand the assumptions underlying various techniques and they need to know the criteria by which they can decide that certain techniques and procedures will be applicable to certain problems and others will not. Eg. Qualitative methodology, quantitative methodology, mixed-methodology Research Methods 3/13/2024 Slide 17  Research Methods versus Methodology Note: ✓ Research methodology has many dimensions and research methods do constitute a part of the research methodology. ✓ The scope of research methodology is wider than that of research methods. ✓ Thus, when we talk of research methodology we not only talk of the research methods but also consider the logic behind the methods we use in the context of our research study and explain why we are using a particular method or technique and why we are not using others so that research results are capable of being evaluated either by the researcher himself or by others. Research Methods 3/13/2024 Slide 18  Research Methods versus Methodology Class Exercise Write one difference between research method and research methodology in the chat room. Research Methods 3/13/2024 Slide 19  Research Ethics It is a simple matter to follow Research, the clear Working with however novel its guidelines in human participants discoveries, is citation that will in your research only of any value prevent you being always raises accused of ethical issues about if it is carried out how you treat honestly. passing off other people’s work as them. your own – called plagiarism. Research Methods 3/13/2024 Slide 20  Research Ethics There are two aspects of ethical issues in research: The individual values of the researcher relating to honesty and frankness and personal integrity. The researcher’s treatment of other people involved in the research, relating to informed consent, confidentiality, anonymity and courtesy. Research Methods 3/13/2024 Slide 21  Research Ethics Honesty is essential, not only to enable straightforward, above-board communication, but to engender a level of trust and credibility in the outcomes of the research. This applies to all researchers, no matter what subject they are investigating. Research Methods 3/13/2024 Slide 22  Intellectual Ownership And Plagiarism The worst offence against honesty in this respect is called plagiarism: directly copying someone else’s work into your report, thesis etc. and letting it be assumed that it is your own. Using the thoughts, ideas and works of others without acknowledging their source, even if you paraphrased into your own words, is unethical. Equally serious is claiming sole authorship of work which is in fact the result of collaboration. Research Methods 3/13/2024 Slide 23  Acknowledgement And Citation Obviously, in no field of research can you rely entirely on your own ideas, concepts and theories. You can avoid accusations of plagiarism by acknowledging the sources of these features and their originators within your own text. This is called citation. Example:Li, Wu and Zhang (2010) applied mutilate goals vehicle scheduling problem to investigate how time impacts product delivery in e-commerce logistics distribution. Research Methods 3/13/2024 Slide 24  Responsibility And Accountability Of The Researcher Apart from correct attribution, honesty is essential in the substance of what you write. You do have responsibilities to fellow researchers, respondents, the public and the academic community. Accurate descriptions are required of what you have done, how you have done it, the information you obtained, the techniques you used, the analysis you carried out, and the results of experiments – a myriad of details concerning every part of your work. Research Methods 3/13/2024 Slide 25  Data And Interpretations Distorting your data or results knowingly is a serious lapse of honesty. Scientific objectivity should be maintained as much as possible. If you can see any reason for a possibility of bias in any aspect of the research, it should be acknowledged and explained. If the study involves personal judgements and assessments, the basis for these should be given. Silently rejecting or ignoring evidence which happens to be contrary to one’s beliefs, or being too selective in the data used and in presenting the results of the analysis constitutes a breach of integrity. Research Methods 3/13/2024 Slide 26  The Research Process Overview Step 1: Formulating a Research Problem *Select a Research Topic *Formulating a Research Problem *Literature Review Step 2: Conceptualising a Research Design *The Research Design *Selecting a Study Design Step 3: Construction of Instrument for Data Collection * Selecting a Method of Data Collection *Experimental Method of Data Collection Research Methods 3/13/2024 Slide 27  The Research Process Overview Step 4: Writing a Research Proposal *How to write a research proposal Step 5: Processing and Displaying of Data * Processing a Data *Displaying a Data Step 6: Writing a Research Report Research Methods 3/13/2024 Slide 28  NEXT LECTURE [READ AHEAD] HOW TO FORMULATE A RESEARCH PROBLEM Research Methods - Stephen Boateng 3/13/2024 29