Research process

1. Research

2. • Research has assumed a prominent place
in our society. Government, Industries and
Business organizations have started
specialised wing called Research and
Development (R&D) wing.

3. • Research is basic ingredient for
development. Provision of enormous
funds by all countries - extending the
boundaries of knowledge is an endless
process.
• Social needs:
Development of technology – adoption of
it for purposeful use is unending.

4. Research is not an exclusive
preserve of the chosen few, now any
individual, group, belonging to any
subject can lay their hands in
discovering new ideas.

5. • Research is a problem solving tool –
involving an open mind -
• Positive attitude
• Curiosity to know the unknown is the best
guide.
• It is actually a movement towards
advancement

6. What of Research
• “Research is an honest, exhaustive, intelligent
searching for facts and their meaning or
implications with reference to a problem”.
• “ … Research per see constitutes a method for
discovery of truth which is really a method of
critical thinking.”
• Research represents a critical and exhaustive
investigation to discover new facts, to interpret
them in the light of known laws and theories.

7. • Action words –
Research is a specific type of
– methodical search
– thinking
– an investigation
• How this specific work is done
– exhaustive search
– critical thinking
– honest and intelligent investigation.
• The aim and purpose of research is;
– Discovery of facts and truths,
– Their meaning, interpretation in the light of the known
ideas, theories and laws.

8. The Sanskrit equivalents of English word
‘RESEARCH’ are;
• Nirupana = Ascertaining,
determination
• Anvesana =searching after
• Anusandan = close inspection
• Vicharana = Reflection
• Jignasa = Inquisitiveness

9. Research in the remote past was not an
organized activity
Any act of creation was;
• a matter of chance
• trial and error method.
• generalizing from experience
­Knowledge
about fire – is a matter of chance.
­Classification
of herbs / insects – trial and error
­Accumulation
of body of knowledge –
Experience.

10. Types of Research
- Pure Research
- Applied Research
- Action Research

11. 1. Pure Research:
– Basic Research, Fundamental Research,
Theoretical Research are invariably used terms for
pure research.
– These suggest that no immediate application or use
of their findings.
– Carried out for sake of understanding and
comprehending a phenomena
– It is for the sake of knowledge (Albert Einstein)
– Pure research is like an infant – some one will
develop application or modify it
– The use of basic research is not of immediate
consequence.

12. Applied Research :
• It is aimed at solving a social or technical
problem.
• Applied Research need not be any technical
and engineering marvel, any evaluation or
assessment can be an applied study.

13. Action Research
• It is an interpretation of any aspects of human
activities, social practices and needs
• It is almost like an applied research but with
some difference
• It is finding local solution for a global problem.
‾ Ex: Discovery of Electricity is a pure research
‾ Its conversion into a Mechanical energy is also pure research
‾ Invention of electric fan, bulb, and electric motor is an applied
research.
‾ Discovery of regulator is an action research

14. Why of Research
• Social pressure in the form of population
pressure emphasizes the need to increase the
production of all kinds of commodities and
services to keep the teaming millions going.
New methods of production of commodities and
services have to be found out by applying
advanced technology.

15. • Basic Human Wants:
– Food
– Shelter
– Clothing &
– Transport
• Scarcity of Natural Resources –
• Intensification of Agriculture,
• Artificial forming, good yield etc.,
• Conversion of raw materials into consumable form
• Application of technology of complex nature

16. • Progress as we see today would be
impossible without research. Each year
new products, facts, concepts and ways
and methods of doing are the results of
research.
• “Research produces knowledge,
knowledge is needed for understanding
and understanding combined with skill
leads to effective action.”
-Martin Lowell

17. • Advances of Knowledge does not just happen, it
requires constant efforts by intelligent and highly
trained people who spend their lives pushing
back the boundaries of human ignorance. The
rapid development of extraordinary nature,
which characterizes our day to day improvement
and perfections which are taking place at offices,
factories, schools, fields and homes all over the
world.

18. • Application of scientific mind to the research
activity developed hardly from 300 years. It is a
gradual growth of pains taking study of facts
accumulated checked, empirically verified over a
period of time until the plausible evidence and
demonstrable relation of facts, consistent
generalizations or logical principles can be
formulated.

19. • This converted intellectual pursuit inspired
accidental curiosity into a systematic
development with specialized techniques of its
own.
• In this way objectives are formulated, techniques
invented and new sciences are evolved. This is
to say that research is attempting to construct a
pattern in which valuable facts are fitted with
specifying consistency.
• Ex: Newton’s Contributions.

20. Research at the moment enabled us to have
1. Better and faster transportation
2. More comfortable and cheaper housing
3. Effective medicines to cure our most critical
diseases.
4. Improved methods and materials for educating
our children

21. 5. Through understanding of the past
history
6. Most effective control over mental
processes
7. Different subject areas to study and
derive benefits.
8. All emerging, converging and cutting
edge technologies.
9. A networked society where both distance
and time have no meaning.

22. Research Process
• Nature does not reveal all its secrets at one go.
• Nor is the human wants for fresh knowledge is
one time activity
• New facts are observed, assessed in the light of
the established realities and fresh truths are
evolved.

23. Research Process contd…
– Research is about establishing facts
– Research is objective
– Research is scientific and time consuming

24. Research Process involves 3 phases;
– Formulation of the research plan
– Implementing research plan
– Implementation of research results.

25. First Phase: Formulation of the Research plan
1. Selection and identification of research topic
2. Review of the related literature
3. Formulation of objectives
4. Formulation of hypotheses
5. Selection of sampling techniques,

26. 6. Selection of methods for data collection,
7. Designing the appropriate tools and
techniques for recording and organizing
the data,
8. Identifying suitable methods of data
analysis.
9. Terminology.

27. Second phase: Implementation of the research
plan
1. Application of selected methods of data
collection and analysis
2. Using appropriate mathematical/ statistical
tools and techniques.
3. Using appropriate logical methods to make
meaningful observation and conclusion
4. Presentation methods
5. Research reporting

28. Third Phase: Implementing Research Results
• Research will not end by collecting the data and
analyzing the same for yielding the results.
• It is equally connected with implementing the
results
• Publications
• Propagation of research results
• Insisting the concerned authorities for
implementation etc.

29. Qualities of a Researcher:
• “The men of experiment are like the ant; they only collect
and use: The reasoners resemble spiders, who make
cobwebs out of their own substance. But the bee takes a
middle course; it gathers its material from the flowers of
the garden and of the field, but transforms and digests it
by a power of its own”.
– Clearly to be an effective researcher, one must resemble bee,
purposeful, industrious and imaginatively selective in assembling
the evidence.
– “A true scientist possesses the devotion of a mother, the poise of
a judge, the objectivity of a philosopher, courage of a soldier and
fervor of a patriot and the vision of a prophet.”

30. Research-Why?

31. • Social pressure in the form of population
pressure emphasizes the need to increase
the production of all kinds of commodities
and services to keep the teaming millions
going. New methods of production of
commodities and services have to be
found out through advances in technology.

32. • Basic Human Wants: F.S.C.T.
• Natural Resources-Scarcity
• Intensification of Agriculture, Artificial
forming, good yield etc., Raw materials -
Consumable form - Technology of
complex nature - Transport facilities.

33. • Research is an essential tool used to
solve problems. It has occupied the
rightful place in Educational Institutions,
Govt. Departments, Industries, and
Business Organisations, R& D wings.
• “Research is nothing but a Systematic
Quest for Knowledge ”.
• Research is a basic ingredient for
development and therefore serves as a
means for rapid socio-economic
development of the country.

34. • Progress as we see today would be
impossible without research. Each year
new products, facts, concepts and ways
and methods of doing are the results of
research.

35. • Advances of Knowledge does not just
happen, it requires constant efforts by
intelligent and highly trained people who
spend their lives pushing back the
boundaries of human ignorance. The rapid
development of extraordinary nature,
which characterizes our day to day
improvement and perfections which are
taking place at offices, factories, schools,
fields and homes all over the world.

36. • “Research produces knowledge,
knowledge is needed for understanding
combined with skill leads to effective
action.”
-Martin Lowell

37. • Application of scientific mind to the
research activity developed hardly from
300 years. It is a gradual growth of pains
taking study of facts accumulated
checked, empirically verified over a period
of time until the plausible evidence and
demonstrable relation of facts, consistent
generalizations or logical principles can be
formulated.

38. • This converted intellectual pursuit inspired
accidental curiosity into a systematic
development with specialized techniques
of its own.
• In this way objectives are
formulated, techniques invented and new
sciences are evolved. This is to say that
research is attempting to construct a
pattern in which valuable facts are fitted
with specifying consistency.
• Ex: Newton’s Contributions.

39. IDENTIFICATION AND SELECTION
OF A RESEARCH PROBLEM
• Environment with which the research
worker is concerned.
• Cognizance of and/or existence of
unsolved problems is the first step in
locating the Research Problem.
• Constructive imagination and
Reflective thinking are the two essential
pre-requisites for identification.

40. • Recognizing the mystery or controversy of
a subject, intensify or kindle the curiosity
of Research Worker.
• New comer faces lot of difficulty where
as an experienced does not.

41. • “…the beginner is likely to select a problem that
is much too broad in scope. This may due to
lack of understanding of the nature of the
research and systematic problem solving
activity. It may also be due to his enthusiastic
but naïve desire to solve an important problem
quickly and immediately. Those who are more
experienced now that research is often tedious,
painfully slow and rarely spectacular. They
realize that the search for truth and solution of
important problems take a great deal of time and
energy and the intensive application of logical
thinking”.
• -John Best, Research in Education, P.S.

42. • For a beginner selection of a problem is
really a problem. It requires a considerable
amount of time to acquaint with relevant
channels of research.
• Curiosity about the unknown is the best
guide for them.

43. • “The natural curiosity is the best guide in
selecting a problem. The scholar usually
decides to investigate a problem, because
it interests him, because he wants to know
the solution. Further more he is likely to do
a better job of research with a topic he
selects, because of the interest he holds
from him than with one that is arbitrarily
imposed”.

44. • A Caution:
• -Not to select the problem in a hurry.
• -It wastes the further operation.
• -Failure of project, Shock of failure- not
easily relieved.
• -Pave the way for breakdown of his
research career.

45. • Resources are imperative
1.Physical Resources
2.Monetary Resources
3.Library Resources

46. Pre-cautions
• Familiar field, field of depth understanding.
• It should be time bound and cost bound.
• With in the limits of the resources stated above.
• The basis of selection of the topic itself should be as
strong as the foundation of a building which requires
enormous reading, reference and discussion.
• One should not be in a hurry. Carefully considered and
objectively selected problems will imbibe confidence in a
research worker.
• Spending considerable time in selecting the topic wont
be a waste at all. It could well save time at latter stages.
• One should not be over-enthusiastic, must be balanced,
must be ready to face the unexpected twist,
unreasonable delay, incompletion of data and
subsequent visit to field.

47. Problems in Selection
• --Science and Social Science
The selected problems should have:
1. Purpose and application value
2. Intensity
3. Should provide the scope for deep analysis
4. Must take smooth and orderly course of action
5. It must be a running stream and not a stagnant
pool

48. Conditions:
1. Worth studying, i.e., it must have variability or
potentiality to stand as a research problem.
2. Social relevance, i.e., the study must catch the
attention of experts, policy makers, academics etc.
3. Should be a “felt need” for research over a
problem. There should be need for further
elaboration.
4. Should not be touched by others even if it is
touched, there must be need to further research
possibility.
5. Research problems must be up to date or relevant
to the current social happenings.

49. Suggestions
• The topic chosen must be neither too
vague nor too broad in scope.
• To make the problem clearer and more
understandable, state it as a question
which requires definite answer.
• Carefully state the limits of the problem,
eliminating all aspects and factors which
will not be considered in the study.
• Define any special terms that must be
used in the statement of your problem.

50. RESEARCH ATTITUDE
• Scientific Attitude-Synonym of an open
mind-In the research process collection of
data, facts or interpretation, all depends on
the maximum freedom of mind-free from
prejudices and pre-conceptions.
Prejudices:
1. Personal
2. Derived
1) Personal Prejudices
Lifelong habit-many varieties

51. • Temperamental weakness-over
crudality i.e., inclination to accept the
statements without proof .
Which tends to: unlimited results
Remedy:
Questioning attitude
If this is over done, again it becomes
weakness.
A skeptical attitude demands an undue
amount of proof.
Close the mind tight to any
suggestions.

52. • Remedy:
• To develop tolerance Forming opinions,
either too hastily or too positively.
This is due to the lack of balance in the
research worker.
Remedy:
Cultivate the habit of deferring
judgement till the facts are adequate
and fully weigh the pros & cons in
every case.
Research worker requires imaginative
thinking-while it is undesirable to have

53. • over-active imagination instead of
controlled and constructive one.
Otherwise it leads to coloured
interpretations and remains far away
from truth.
Remedy:
Paying close attention to the details and
emphasizing accuracy and precision.
Emotional Thinking: which is not having
any place in research work.
Because the researcher is a human
being, he cannot do with that.

54. Derived Prejudices
 Developed through the contacts with the
persons outside the scientific fraternity.
Improper training-longer the person is in
improper groove, incorrect habits are deep-rooted.
Custom and Tradition
Example: - Indian Social Institutions-caste
system engenders the prejudices.
This is more often seen in an under-developed
set-up.

55. • Remedy:
• It can be neutralized by a research
scholar considering every investigation
as a new piece of work, attacking it from
fresh and wider angle, reminding
himself that he is representing a new
approach to the problem.
• It is difficult to eradicate the prejudices
completely but can be reduced to a
certain extent if the research worker
follows some points.

56. • Tolerance, attempt to keep open mind,
power of analysis, viewing the evidence
from all the sides-habit of suspending
the judgement till all the essential facts
are gathered, and analyzing them
closely.
• Qualities of a research Worker
• Professional and Personal
Professional
1) Working knowledge of the subject
2) Principles of investigation

57. • Ability to make use of practical data –
should know where the information can
be got and how to use the sources. This
is obtained by training over the years.
General and Specific
General
1) Scientific attitude
2) Imagination and insight
3) Perseverance
4) A quick grasping power
5) Clarity of thinking

58. • Specific
• 1) Knowledge of the subject
• 2) Knowledge of the techniques of research
• 3) Personal taste in the study
• 4) Familiarity about the informants
• 5) Unbiased attitude
“ A scientist avoids personal and emotional
interpretation of data. He is not the debater
taking the issue with a side. He maintains an
open mind and test his findings and
assumptions. He looks for the facts which
would substantiate and give theory a new
meaning and vitality”
P.V.Young

59. • Analytical ability to tear down
propositions to its vital elements, ability
to synthesise the details into a new and
meaningful form-this can be acquired
through continuous study and actually
working at problems.
Practical experience
Proper emphasis to be placed on the
details-varies according to the problem
of investigation.

60. Features of the under-developed
countries
 Narrow outlook
 Brain drain
 Cost-benefit awareness
Personal Qualities
1) Ability to assess the adequacy,
relevance, value of the data,
To collect and interpret,
To collect more and co-ordinate them and
To draw upon apt inferences

61. 2) Integrity, honesty, sincerity of purpose.
It has been well-said that facts must be faced,
analysis must supplant guess-work, and surmise
must give place to absolute knowledge and
reason must prevail and natural law must be
obeyed.
3) Need for balance, the mental, moral and
physical qualities of the research worker what
may be called poise.
4) To carry out research successfully one should
have perseverance. In the opinion of the scholar,
a rough value scale of the following qualities:

62. • Knowledge 15%
• Experience 20%
• Special Qualifications 5%
• Judgement 10%
• Integrity 15%
• Poise 5%
• Vision 10%
Perseverance 10%
• Mix 10%

63. • A true scientist possesses the devotion of a
mother, the poise of a judge, the objectivity of a
philosopher, courage of a soldier and fervor of
patriot and the vision of a prophet.
• “The men of experiment are like ant, they only
collect and use. The reasoners resemble
spiders who make cob-webs out of their own
substance. But the bee takes a middle course,
it gathers its material from the flowers of the
garden and of the field, but transforms and
digests by a power of its own”. Clearly to be an
effective research worker one must resemble
the bee-purposeful, industrious and
imaginatively selective in the assembling
evidence”.

64. Francis Bacon: Scientific
Mind • 1) A mind at once discursive enough to size
resemblances
• 2) A mind steady enough distinguish differences
• 3) A mind eager to search
• 4) A mind patient of doubt
• 5) A mind fond of meditation
• 6) A mind slow to assert
• 7) A mind ready to re-consider
• 8) A mind careful to dispose and set-in-order
• 9) A mind not carried away by a love of novelty or
by administration of antiquity.

65. 10) A mind heating every kind of
imposture.
(Fraudulent, deception)
Sidney & Brentice Webb(Methods of
Social Study)
Develop keen power of concentration, be
deliberate, patient through going in his
collection, mastery of facts bearing
upon the problem conscious enough to
eliminate bias and a constant
endeavour to throw a new light.

66. • To sum up, to be an effective
investigator, one should have
 Attitude of mind
 Common honesty
 Desire to face facts, no matter where
they lead
 Point of view which is indispensable to
a reliable enquiry.

67. Qualities of Good Research
• Research is systematic
Research is pursued with organized
specified steps and set of rules. It is creative
in thinking which sets aside are the
guesswork, beliefs and feelings in arriving at
conclusions.
• Research is logical
• Research is guided by logical reasoning
which makes it more meaningful with regard
to decision making.

68. • Research is empirical
• Research is based on facts,
observable data forms a sound basis
for validity of research. Inductive and
deductive investigations lend greater
support for research findings.
• Research is replicable
• The results of the research can be
verified by repeating the study so as to
substantiate basis for decisions.

69. • Research at the moment enabled us to
have
1. better and faster transportation
2. more comfortable and cheaper housing
3. effective medicines to cure our most critical
diseases.
4. improved methods and materials for educating our
children
5. thorough understanding of the past history
6. most effective control over mental processes
7. different subject areas to study and derive
benefits.
8. all emerging converging and cutting edge
technologies
9. a networked society where both distance and time
have no meaning.

70. THANK YOU