Research methodology

M.Sc. In Engineering Management & M.Sc. In Information System Engineering

By PRADIP KUMAR PAUDYAL Purwanchal University (ACME ENGINEERING COLLEGE) 2070 Batch

Course Management Criteria

Credit hours= 3 Full marks=100 Final external examination=60 percent Internal criteria: 20 marks for internal written test 10 marks for active participation/Presentation 5 marks for research proposal 5 marks for attendance

Unit 1: INTRODUCTION TO RESEARCH

MEANING OF RESEARCH:
- A Search for knowledge - Research as a scientific and systematic search for pertinent information on a specific topic - An art of scientific investigation

Advance Learners Dictionary: A careful investigation or inquiry specially through search for new facts in any branch of knowledge Red Man & Mory: As a systematized effort to gain new knowledge
- A movement from the known to the unknown

Contd Research is an academic activity Clifford Woody: Res comprises defining & redefining problems, formulating hypothesis; collecting, organizing, and evaluating data; making deductions & reaching conclusions; and at last carefully testing the conclusions to determine whether they fit the formulating hypothesis

Significance of research
All progress is born of inquiry. Doubt is often better than overconfidence. Doubt leads to inquiry, and inquiry leads to investigation

Increased amounts of Res make progress possible

Scientific and inductive thinking promotes the development of logical habits of thinking and organization

Contd. Increased role of Research in business and economy: government has focused attention on the use of Resrearch in solving operational problems. Research as an aid to economic policy for the government Research provides the basis for nearly all government policies. Research facilitates decision makers to make effective decisions Facilitates to solve operational problems or social problems

Additional significance of Research

To become a professional researcher Students who are writing Ph.D. thesis Philosophers /thinkers- for new ideas & insights Readers may improve their own behavior with the help of new knowledge Important source of guidelines for solving the problems in business, government, and society.

Classification of Research (types of Research)

Descriptive Vs Analytical Research Basic Vs Applied Research

Quantitative Vs Qualitative Research

Conceptual Vs Empirical Research

Descriptive Vs Analytical Research

- Descriptive Research includes surveys & factfinding enquiries - Purpose of descriptive research is to describe the state of affairs as it exists at present - the term Ex post facto research is also used for descriptive research - Researcher can report what has happened or what is happening.

Contd Ex post facto Research used for Descriptive studies measure frequency of shopping, preference of people, etc. and to discover causes

Survey methods are used in Descriptive Research studies including comparative and co relational methods Analytical Research: use facts or information already available, and analyze these to make a critical evaluation of the material

Applied Vs Fundamental Research

Fundamental (Basic or Pure) Research Fundamental research: to formulate or generalize a theory. Conducted by Academicians Applied (action) Research

Applied research: to find solution for immediate problem in a society, industry, business, etc.

Quantitative Vs Qualitative Research

Quantitative Research: measures the quantity or amount. Used related to the phenomena that can be expressed in terms of quantity. Qualitative Research: related to qualitative phenomena. Example; why people think or do certain things? Qualitative Research aims to discover the underlying motives and desires. In behavioral science qualitative Research plays an important role.

Conceptual Vs Empirical Research

Conceptual research is used for making policies for future planning. Past events and present developments are made the basis for development of new concepts Empirical Research relies on observation or experience . It is data based research. It is also called experimental type research

Research Approaches
In general there are:
- Quantitative approach (inferential, experimental, and simulation) - Qualitative approach: for example; assessment of attitudes, opinion, and behaviors.
Recently new concept has developed to utilize both approaches (quantitative and qualitative) to generate more reach information from research study. It is called mixed approach or blending of qualitative and quantitative methodology.

Research process
Research process consists of series of actions: 1 Define Research problem 2 Review of the literature 3 Develop hypotheses 4 Research Design 5 Collect data 6 Analyze data 7 Interpret data and prepare report

Qualities of good Research (Characteristics of Scientific Research)

a. Purposiveness. b. Testability. c. Replicability. d. Objectivity. e. Rigour. f. Generalizability.

Deductive logic and Inductive logic

* Deductive Logic: Development of hypothesis from theory * Inductive Logic: Development of theory from observation of specific cases Deductive logic of Aristotle: General Specific Inductive logic of Bacon: Specific General

Both deductive and inductive methods are integrated by Charles Darwin. This integrated Deductive inductive method is now recognized as scientific approach.

Ethical issues in Research

Ethics are norms and standards of behaviors which guide moral choices about our behavior & relationship with others. The goal of ethics in research is to ensure that no one is harmed from research activities -ethical treatment of participants (respondents) - ethics and sponsor - ethics and research team members

Research in Engineering Functions

to form Theories/assumptions. Application of the established theories to perform engineering functions. to Identify problems in performance. To find the solution of problems to analyze the problem to Find new material and processes to keep repeating the cycle of research like problems-research-implementation of findings in a continuous basis.

CHAPTER - I

To be Continued.