Ll about research methodology

1. Research Methodology
Prof. Vishal Sorathiya
Assistant Professor,
Faculty of Engineering and Technology
Research and Development Cell (PIET)
Parul University, Vadodara

2. About me
Ph. D, Marwadi University
Masters of Engineering (Electronics and
Communication) (Gujarat Technological University)
Bachelors of Engineering (Electronics and
Communication) (Gujarat Technological University)
Total Publication: 75
SCI/Scopus indexed paper: 44,
National/International Conference: 9, 2 (Production in
process)
Book/Book Chapters: 7, 2(Production in Process)
Published/Submitted Patents: 6.
Manuscript Revision: 5
Reviewer in Journal:
Microwave and optical technology letters, Wiley Publication
Plasmonics journal, Springer Nature
Superlattice and Microstructures, Elsevier Publication
Optics and Laser Technology, Springer Nature

3. Article Published in Notable Journals

4. Support Possible from my group
• Masters topics Guidance
• PhD topics Guidance
• Collaborative writing guidance
• Research Survey
• Publication support

5. Research Methodology: An Introduction
The Advanced Learner’s Dictionary of Current English lays down the meaning of research as
“a careful investigation or inquiry specially through search for new facts in any
branch of knowledge.”
Redman and Mory define research as a
“systematized effort to gain new knowledge.”
D. Slesinger and M. Stephenson in the Encyclopaedia of Social Sciences define research as
“the manipulation of things, concepts or symbols for the purpose of
generalising to extend, correct or verify knowledge, whether that knowledge
aids in construction of theory or in the practice of an art.”
Study Observation Comparison Experiment

6. Objectives of research
• To gain familiarity with a phenomenon or to achieve new insights into it (studies
with this object in view are termed as exploratory or formulative research studies);
• To portray accurately the characteristics of a particular individual, situation or a
group (studies with this object in view are known as descriptive research studies);
• To determine the frequency with which something occurs or with which it is
associated with something else (studies with this object in view are known as
diagnostic research studies);
• To test a hypothesis of a causal relationship between variables (such studies are
known as hypothesis-testing research studies).

7. Motivation in research
• Desire to get a research degree along with its consequential benefits;
• Desire to face the challenge in solving the unsolved problems, i.e.,
concern over practical problems initiates research;
• Desire to get intellectual joy of doing some creative work;
• Desire to be of service to society;
• Desire to get respectability.

8. Types of Research
• Descriptive vs. Analytical
• Applied vs. Fundamental
• Quantitative vs. Qualitative
• Conceptual vs. Empirical
• Some Other Types of Research

9. Significance of Research
“All progress is born of inquiry. Doubt is often better than
overconfidence, for it leads to inquiry, and inquiry leads to
invention” is a famous Hudson Maxim in context of which the
significance of research can well be understood. Increased amounts of
research make progress possible. Research inculcates scientific and
inductive thinking and it promotes the development of logical habits of
thinking and organisation.

10. Significance of Research
(a)To those students who are to write a master’s or Ph.D. thesis, research may
mean a careerism or a way to attain a high position in the social structure;
(b)To professionals in research methodology, research may mean a source of
livelihood;
(c)To philosophers and thinkers, research may mean the outlet for new ideas
and insights;
(d)To literary men and women, research may mean the development of new
styles and creative work;
(e)To analysts and intellectuals, research may mean the generalisations of
new theories.

11. Research Techniques and Methods

12. Importance of Knowing How Research is Done
Knowing research methodology and research techniques
Knowledge of how to do research
satisfaction of acquiring a new intellectual tool
able to judge the adequacy of method and make decision

13. Research Process

14. Criteria of Good Research
1. The purpose of the research should be clearly defined and common concepts be used.
2. The research procedure used should be described in sufficient detail to permit another
researcher to repeat the research for further advancement, keeping the continuity of what has
already been attained.
3. The procedural design of the research should be carefully planned to yield results that are as
objective as possible.
4. The researcher should report with complete frankness, flaws in procedural design and
estimate their effects upon the findings.
5. The analysis of data should be sufficiently adequate to reveal its significance and the methods
of analysis used should be appropriate. The validity and reliability of the data should be
checked carefully.
6. Conclusions should be confined to those justified by the data of the research and limited to
those for which the data provide an adequate basis.
7. Greater confidence in research is warranted if the researcher is experienced, has a good
reputation in research and is a person of integrity.

15. Problems Encountered by Researchers in India
• The lack of a scientific training in the methodology of research
• There is insufficient interaction between the university research departments on one side and business
establishments, government departments and research institutions on the other side.
• Most of the business units in our country do not have the confidence that the material supplied by
them to researchers will not be misused and as such they are often reluctant in supplying the needed
info
• Research studies overlapping one another are undertaken quite often for want of adequate information
to researchers.
• There does not exist a code of conduct for researchers and inter-university and interdepartmental
rivalries are also quite common
• Many researchers in our country also face the difficulty of adequate and timely secretarial assistance,
including computerial assistance
• Library management and functioning is not satisfactory at many places
• There is also the problem that many of our libraries are not able to get copies of old and new
Acts/Rules, reports and other government publications in time.
• There is also the difficulty of timely availability of published data
• There may, at times, take place the problem of conceptualization and also problems relating to the
process of data collection and related things.

16. Setting Up research Problem
Selecting the problem
Necessity of defining the problem
Technique involved in defining a problem
• Statement of the problem in a general way
• Understanding the nature of the problem
• Surveying the available literature
• Developing the ideas through discussions
• Rephrasing the research problem
An illustration

17. Research Design
(i) What is the study about?
(ii) Why is the study being made?
(iii) Where will the study be carried out?
(iv) What type of data is required?
(v) Where can the required data be found?
(vi) What periods of time will the study include?
(vii) What will be the sample design?
(viii) What techniques of data collection will be used?
(ix) How will the data be analysed?
(x) In what style will the report be prepared?

18. Research Design parameters
• Choice of variables
• Choice of Proxy Variables
• Design for Gathering Data
Need for data
Mechanism of Data collection
Design of data collection
• Measurement Design
• Quality of Measurement
• Design of Analysis
• Credibility and generalizability of finding
• Result interpretation
• Testing statistical hypotheses
• Value of information
• Ethical consideration

19. Research design for different types of study

20. Research Plan
1. Research objective
2. The problem to be studied by researcher
3. Each major concept which researcher wants to measure
4. The plan should contain the method to be used in solving the
problem.
5. The plan must also state the details of the techniques to be
adopted.

21. Role of Library and Effective search
Types of Library
1. Academic Library
2. University Library
3. College Library
4. School Library
5. Public Library
6. National Library
7. Special Library
Laws of Library Science
• Books are for use
• Every reader his (her) book
• Every book its reader
• Save the time of the reader
• Library is a growing organism

22. Types of Publications
Ephemeral Publications
• Local and national newspapers
• Newsletters
• Press releases
• Market reports
• Weather reports and forecasts
• Disease intelligence reports
• House magazines
• Many online publications.
Enduring: Non-scientific Publications
• Statutory and official publications (gazette, parliamentary reports, official statistics)
• Publications from agricultural boards, product manufacturers, trade and services
• Popular articles in magazines, books, reviews, reports, and surveys
• Advisory publications, advisory leaflets, farming notes, and extension bulletins
• Diaries
• Interviews (legal proceedings, personal, telephone, and e-mail)
• Letters
• Original documents such as birth certificates, title deeds, or a trial transcript
• Photographs
• Works of literature.

23. Types of Publications
Enduring: Scientific Publications
Primary Sources
• Thesis
• Dissertation
• Primary Journals
• Technical bulletin
• Technical reports
• Patent
• Specification standards
• Working papers
• Proceedings
Secondary Sources
• Textbook
• Handbook
• Monograph
• Yearbook
• Review
• Abstracting journals
• Indexing journals
• Popular articles
• Bulletins
• Research newsletter
• Blog

24. Interpretation and Report Writing
In one sense, interpretation is concerned with relationships within the collected data,
partially overlapping analysis. Interpretation also extends beyond the data of the study to include the
results of other research, theory and hypotheses
WHY INTERPRETATION?
• It is through interpretation that the researcher can well understand the abstract principle that works beneath his findings
• Interpretation leads to the establishment of explanatory concepts that can serve as a guide for future research studies
• Researcher can better appreciate only through interpretation why his findings are what they are and can make others to
understand the real significance of his research findings
• The interpretation of the findings of exploratory research study often results into hypotheses for experimental research and
as such interpretation is involved in the transition from exploratory to experimental research.
TECHNIQUE OF INTERPRETATION
• Researcher must give reasonable explanations of the relations which he has found
• Extraneous information, if collected during the study, must be considered while interpreting the final results
• It is advisable, before embarking upon final interpretation, to consult someone having insight into the study and who is
frank and honest and will not hesitate to point out omissions and errors in logical argumentation.
• Researcher must accomplish the task of interpretation only after considering all relevant factors affecting the problem to
avoid false generalization

25. Interpretation and Report Writing
PRECAUTIONS IN INTERPRETATION
• At the outset, researcher must invariably satisfy himself that (a) the data are appropriate, trustworthy and adequate for
drawing inferences; (b) the data reflect good homogeneity; and that (c) proper analysis has been done through statistical
methods.
• The researcher must remain cautious about the errors that can possibly arise in the process of interpreting results. Errors can
arise due to false generalization and/or due to wrong interpretation of statistical measures, such as the application of
findings beyond the range of observations, identification of correlation with causation and the like.
• He must always keep in view that the task of interpretation is very much intertwined with analysis and cannot be distinctly
separated.
• He must never lose sight of the fact that his task is not only to make sensitive observations of relevant occurrences, but also
to identify and disengage the factors that are initially hidden to the eye.
• The researcher must remember that “ideally in the course of a research study, there should be constant interaction between
initial hypothesis, empirical observation and theoretical conceptions.

26. Report Writing
DIFFERENT STEPS IN WRITING REPORT
• logical analysis of the subject-matter;
• preparation of the final outline;
• preparation of the rough draft;
• rewriting and polishing;
• preparation of the final bibliography; (Mendely and Zotero) and
• writing the final draft.

27. Preparation of Research Papers and Other Articles
1. Thesis/dissertation
2. Scientific papers
3. Short communications/notes/letters
4. Conference papers/abstracts/ extended abstracts/posters
5. Research/project proposal
6. Project reports/ progress reports
7. Review papers
8. Critical analysis of popular concepts
9. Semi-scientific articles/popular articles
10. Textbooks, handbooks, monographs, etc.
11. Book chapters
12. Book reviews in journals
13. E-publications
14. Creating Web pages
15. Writing in social media groups such as ResearchGate/Facebook.

28. Selecting a Journal
Impact Factor/Rating
Periodicity
Area of Circulation
Language
Promptness and Punctuality
Prospective Audience
Cost Involved
Type of Journals
• General Scientific Journals
• General Discipline Journals
• Specialist Journals
Open-Access Journals

29. References
• Kothari, C.R. (2009). Research Methodology: Methods and Techniques. New Age
International Publisher
• C G Thomas, Research Methodology and Scientific Writing, Springer Publication,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-64865-7
• Mukherjee, S. P. (2019). A guide to research methodology: An overview of research
problems, tasks and methods. CRC Press.

30. Questions
?
Publishing article seems very difficult until you
make it general habits in your life

31. Feedback link
https://forms.gle/AUXAWjZARaYeBb2h6
Contact me:
D312-Research and Development cell, PIET
Mob: +91 9033316057
Email: