PhD Coursework Presentation on Research Methodolgy

1. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
SUBMITTED BY:
DEBANJAN PARBAT
PH.D. EXAMINATION ROLL NO: PHDBMD18201
REGISTRATION NO: D-7/ISLM/70/16 OF 2016-2017
UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF
DR. MONISHA CHAKRABORTY
ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR
SCHOOL OF BIOSCIENCE & ENGINEERING
JADAVPUR UNIVERSITY
KOLKATA- 700032

2. CONTENTS
• INTRODUCTION
• WHAT IS RESEARCH ?
• DEFINITION
• OBJECTIVES
• MOTIVATION
• THESIS RESEARCH
• IMPORTANCE OF
RESEARCH
• TYPES OF RESEARCH
• STAGES OF RESEARCH
• ANATOMY OF A PAPER
• RESEARCH ETHICS &
GUIDELINES
• CONCLUSION
• REFERENCES

3. INTRODUCTION
• IN THIS REPORT ON RESEARCH METHODOLOGY, VARIOUS COMPONENTS AND
ATTRIBUTES OF RESEARCH ARE DISCUSSED THOROUGHLY. THE REPORT
ENCOMPASSES THE OVERALL IDEA AND DIFFERENT MODALITIES ONE MUST ADAPT
TO START A RESEARCH CAREER.
• THE TRICKS AND TECHNIQUES OF RESEARCH, SPECIFICALLY SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH,
IS BEEN PRESENTED WITH ENOUGH EMPHASIS ON THE HARD AND SOFT SKILLS
METRICS REQUIRED TO ACHIEVE A FLOURISHING RESEARCH WORK. THE FINE AND
COARSE DETAILS WHICH IS NEEDED TO CONDUCT A FULL PROOF RESEARCH WORK
IS ALSO DISCUSSED.
• THE VARIOUS STAGES OF RESEARCH ARE DISCUSSED IN DETAIL. THE WAYS HOW
RESEARCH WORK SHOULD BE REPORTED THROUGH VARIOUS MODES OF
COMMUNICATION IS ALSO DISCUSSED HEREWITH. THE VALUES AND ETHICS IS OF
UTMOST IMPORTANCE IN RESEARCH AND HOW ONE SHOULD NOT COMPROMISE

4. INTRODUCTION..
• RESEARCH METHODOLOGY IS A SYSTEMATIC WAY TO SOLVE A PROBLEM. IT IS A
SCIENCE OF STUDYING HOW RESEARCH IS TO BE CARRIED OUT. ESSENTIALLY,
THE PROCEDURES BY WHICH RESEARCHERS GO ABOUT THEIR WORK OF
DESCRIBING, EXPLAINING AND PREDICTING PHENOMENA ARE CALLED RESEARCH
METHODOLOGY. IT IS ALSO DEFINED AS THE STUDY OF METHODS BY WHICH
KNOWLEDGE IS GAINED. ITS AIM IS TO GIVE THE WORK PLAN OF RESEARCH.

5. WHAT IS RESEARCH
DEFINITION:
• AS STATED BY GERALD MILBURN SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH IS A CHAOTIC BUSINESS, STUMBLING
ALONG AMIDST RED HERRINGS, ERRORS AND TRULY, CREATIVE INSIGHTS. GREAT SCIENTIFIC
BREAKTHROUGHS ARE RARELY THE WORK OF A SINGLE RESEARCHERS PLODDING SLOWLY BY
INEXORABLY TOWARDS SOME FINAL GOAL. THE CRUCIAL IDEA BEHIND THE BREAKTHROUGH
MAY SURFACE A NUMBER OF TIMES, IN DIFFERENT PLACES, ONLY TO SINK AGAIN BENEATH THE
BABBLE OF AN ENDLESS SCIENTIFIC DISCOURSE.
• RESEARCH HAS TO BE AN ACTIVE, DILIGENT AND SYSTEMATIC PROCESS OF INQUIRY IN ORDER
TO DISCOVER, INTERPRET OR REVISE FACTS, EVENTS, BEHAVIORS AND THEORIES. APPLYING
THE OUTCOME OF RESEARCH FOR THE REFINEMENT OF KNOWLEDGE IN OTHER SUBJECTS, OR
IN ENHANCING THE QUALITY OF HUMAN LIFE ALSO BECOMES A KIND OF RESEARCH AND
DEVELOPMENT.

6. • OBJECTIVES OF RESEARCH:
• THE PRIME OBJECTIVES OF RESEARCH ARE AS FOLLOWS
• (1) TO DISCOVER NEW FACTS
• (2) TO VERIFY AND TEST IMPORTANT FACTS
• (3) TO ANALYZE AN EVENT OR PROCESS OR PHENOMENON TO IDENTIFY THE CAUSE
AND EFFECT
• (4) TO DEVELOP NEW SCIENTIFIC TOOLS, CONCEPTS AND THEORIES TO SOLVE
SCIENTIFIC PROBLEMS
• (5) TO FIND SOLUTIONS TO SCIENTIFIC, NONSCIENTIFIC AND SOCIAL PROBLEMS AND
• (6) TO OVERCOME OR SOLVE THE PROBLEMS OCCURRING IN OUR EVERYDAY LIFE AND
SOCIETY

7. • MOTIVATION BEHIND RESEARCH
THE VARIOUS MOTIVATING FACTORS WHICH ENCOURAGES PEOPLE TO TAKE UP RESEARCH ARE AS FOLLOWS:
• (1) TO GET A RESEARCH DEGREE (DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY (PH.D.)) ALONG WITH ITS BENEFITS LIKE
• BETTER EMPLOYMENT, PROMOTION, INCREMENT IN SALARY, ETC.
• (2) TO GET A RESEARCH DEGREE AND THEN TO GET A TEACHING POSITION IN A COLLEGE OR
UNIVERSITY
• OR BECOME A SCIENTIST IN A RESEARCH INSTITUTION
• (3) TO GET A RESEARCH POSITION IN COUNTRIES LIKE U.S.A., CANADA, GERMANY, ENGLAND, JAPAN,
• AUSTRALIA, ETC. AND SETTLE THERE
• (4) TO SOLVE THE UNSOLVED AND CHALLENGING PROBLEMS
• (5) TO GET JOY OF DOING SOME CREATIVE WORK
• (6) TO ACQUIRE RESPECTABILITY
• (7) TO GET RECOGNITION
• (8) CURIOSITY TO FIND OUT THE UNKNOWN FACTS OF AN EVENT
• (9) CURIOSITY TO FIND NEW THINGS
• (10) TO SERVE THE SOCIETY BY SOLVING SOCIAL PROBLEMS.

8.  Importance of research:
Research is important both in scientific and nonscientific fields. In our life new problems, events,
phenomena and processes occur every day. Practically, implementable solutions and suggestions are
required for tackling new problems that arise. Scientists have to undertake research on them and find
their causes, solutions, explanations and applications. Precisely, research assists us to understand nature
and natural phenomena.
Emphasizing the importance of research Louis Pasteur said: I beseech you to take
interest in these sacred domains called laboratories. Ask that there be more and that
they be adorned for these are the temples of the future, wealth and well-being. It is
here that humanity will learn to read progress and individual harmony in the works of
nature, while humanity’s own works are all too often those of barbarism, fanaticism
and destruction.

9. 3C’S OF RESEARCH

10. TYPES OF RESEARCH

11. RESEARCH CAN ALSO BE CLASSIFIED AS
UNDER:
• FORMAL –PH D STUDIES (PUBLIC GOOD OR PERSONAL
GOOD)
• NON-FORMAL –INNOVATION AND INTEREST (PUBLIC GOOD OR
PERSONAL)
• YOU HAVE A DESTINATION –USE MAPS AND TOOLS
–USE EVERY VALID OPPORTUNITY AND
ENVIRONMENT

12. Formal Public Good
Initiates at undergraduate project
based studies,Matures to graduate
level master’s thesis;Culminates to
graduate level PhD studies.
Going from horizontal knowledge to
vertical learning
Time-bound
Undergraduate and Masters level:
Major survey, Marginal contribution
PhD level: Major survey, Major
contribution
•Rewards: mainly in the form of
marks, degrees, awards, publications
Formal Personal Good
Rare but not uncommon (especially
in US)
Counter-intuitive
Facebook, Google,etc
Non-Formal
Public Good
Mainly in academic research
institutions
Complements teaching
Majority funding from Government
and non-Governmental Philanthropic
Trusts
Encourages “blue-sky” projects
Rewards: mainly in the form of
awards, publications besides
respectable career
Non Formal Personal
Good
Government and Industry Research
Lab
Emphasis on Time line and
Deliverables
Specific Milestone
Strong Peer-review
Encourages application-driven (basic)
research as opposed to “blue-sky”
projects
Rewards: Patent, Profit, Awards

13. STAGES OF RESEARCH
Selection of a research
topic
Problem definition
Extensive Literature
Survey and selection of
references
Assesment of current
status of the chosen
topic
Hypothesis formulation
Design of experiment
protocols
Actual Investigation
Data processing and
analysis
Valid Interpretation of
the results
Reporting the findings

14. ANATOMY OF A RESEARCH PAPER
Title
Author(s)
Abstract
Keywords
Introduction
Related Works
Methodology (Subsections ...)
Results and Discussions
Conclusions
Acknowledgement
References
Appendices

15. • PAPER ACCESSORIES:
• EQUATIONS–MUST BE NUMBERED AND REFERRED IN THE PAPER
• TABLES, FIGURES, –MUST BE NUMBERED AND REFERRED IN THE PAPER, BRIEF CAPTIONS WITH
RELATED DETAILS IN THE TEXT
• GRAPHS–LEGIBLE LEGENDS, CLEAR MENTION OF AXES
• FOOTNOTE–AVOID AS FAR AS POSSIBLE
• NUMBERING (SECTION, SUBSECTION, EQUATION, TABLES, FIGURES) –SHOULD BE IN ORDER, NO
FUTURE REFERENCING, COMMON MISTAKE (REFERRING FIGURE 2 BEFORE FIGURE 1 IN THE TEXT

16. CHARACTERISTICS OF A GOOD PAPER
• DO NOT WRITE THE PAPER FOR YOU BUT FOR THE READER
• OFTEN THE FIRST READER IS REVIEWER, SO WRITE THE PAPER FOR REVIEWER
• ALWAYS ASK THE QUESTION “CAN AN INITIATED READER UNDERSTAND THIS WORD, THIS LINE, THIS EQUATION ....”
• IT IS LESS IMPORTANT WHETHER YOU UNDERSTAND IT, IT IS MORE IMPORTANT WHETHER READER UNDERSTANDS IT
• IS A DIALOGUE BETWEEN THE AUTHOR AND THE READER
• IS A RUNNING COMMENTARY OF A NEW FINDING
• WHAT DOES THE READER KNOW SO FAR?
• WHAT DOES THE READER EXPECT NEXT?
• LIKE IN A CLASS WHAT ARE THE QUESTIONS THAT ARE CROPPING IN STUDENTS’ MIND? AND WHY?
• SMOOTH FLOW OF THE THEME
• EACH SECTION SHOULD BE LINKED TO THE NEXT SECTION, EACH PARAGRAPH SHOULD BE LINKED TO THE NEXT
PARAGRAPH, EACH LINE SHOULD BE LINKED TO THE NEXT LINE
• TITLE SHOULD BE BOLD, MEANINGFUL, MUST REFLECT THE MAIN ISSUES OR FINDINGS(10-15WORDS)
• NO ABBREVIATIONS IN THE TITLE, FIRST APPEARANCE OF ABBREVIATIONS MUST BE EXPANDED IN THE TEXT

17. • THE DIFFERENT PUBLICATION CHANNELS WHERE A RESEARCHER CAN REPORT
THE RESEARCH FINDINGS ARE AS FOLLOWS:
• JOURNALS (WRITTEN)
• CONFERENCES (ORAL AND WRITTEN)
• WORKSHOPS (ORAL OR WRITTEN OR BOTH)
• SYMPOSIUMS OR MEETINGS (ORAL OR WRITTEN OR BOTH)

18. RESEARCH ETHICS AND GUIDELINES
• AS POINTED OUT BY THE PHYSICS NOBEL LAUREATE ERNST LAWRENCE IN SCIENTIFIC WORK,
CREATIVE THINKING DEMANDS SEEING THINGS NOT SEEN PREVIOUSLY, OR IN WAYS NOT
PREVIOUSLY IMAGINED; AND THIS NECESSITATES JUMPING OFF FROM NORMAL POSITIONS AND
TAKING RISKS BY DEPARTING FROM REALITY.
• ACTUAL INVESTIGATION SHOULD LEAD TO ORIGINAL CONTRIBUTION AND NOT INVOLVE
OBJECTIONABLE DUPLICATION. ORIGINALITY IS THE BASIC CREDIT POINT OF ANY RESEARCH.
THEREFORE, ACTUAL INVESTIGATION MUST BE DIRECTED TOWARDS OBTAINING NOVEL
RESULTS. A RESEARCHER SHOULD DEVELOP NEW IDEAS AND OBTAIN DEEP INSIGHT INTO THE
PROBLEM IN ORDER TO GET NOVEL AND NEW RESULTS WHICH ARE THE CHARACTERISTICS OF
A GOOD RESEARCH.

19. • ONE OF THE BASIC RESEARCH ETHICS, ONE SHOULD STRICTLY ADHERE TO, IS AVOIDING PLAGIARISMS.
• PLAGIARISM MAY BE DEFINED AS THE PRACTICE OF TAKING SOMEONE ELSE'S WORK OR IDEAS AND PASSING THEM OFF AS ONE'S OWN. WHICH IS AN ACT OF
FRAUD, STEALING AND LYING AND IS A COGNIZABLE OFFENCE.
• TYPES OF PLAGIARISM CAN BE CLASSIFIED AS UNDER:
• SUBMITTING ANOTHER’S WORK, WORD-FOR-WORD, AS ONE’S OWN
• CONTAINS SIGNIFICANT PORTIONS OF TEXT FROM A SINGLE SOURCE WITHOUT ALTERATIONS
• CHANGING KEY WORDS AND PHRASES BUT RETAINING THE ESSENTIAL CONTENT OF THE SOURCE
• PARAPHRASES FROM MULTIPLE SOURCES, MADE TO FIT TOGETHER
• BORROWS GENEROUSLY FROM THE WRITER’S PREVIOUS WORK WITHOUT CITATION
• COMBINES PERFECTLY CITED SOURCES WITH COPIED PASSAGES WITHOUT CITATION
• MIXES COPIED MATERIAL FROM MULTIPLE SOURCES
• INCLUDES CITATIONS TO NON-EXISTENT OR INACCURATE INFORMATION ABOUT SOURCES
• INCLUDES PROPER CITATION TO SOURCES BUT THE PAPER CONTAINS ALMOST NO ORIGINAL WORK (AGGREGATOR)
• INCLUDES PROPER CITATION, BUT RELIES TOO CLOSELY ON THE TEXT’S ORIGINAL WORDING AND/OR STRUCTURE (RE-TWEET)

20. ATTRIBUTES OF A RESEARCH SCHOLAR
• ABSOLUTE HONESTY, PATIENCE, STAMINA, PRECISION AND DEVOTION TO THE
SUBJECT OF MATTER TOGETHER WITH IMAGINATION AND ANALYTICAL ABILITY
ARE AMONG THE REQUIREMENTS FOR SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH.
– Self-confidence – Dedication
– Concentration – Determination
– Analytical mind – Scientific discipline
– Global outlook – Innovative approach
– Originality – Intellectual curiosity
– Freedom from the obsessions of clock and calendar – Flexibility
– Keen observation – Intelligence
– Passion for knowledge – Questioning attitude
– Spirit of enquiry – Insight
– Precision and accuracy – Resilience to withstand temporary setbacks
– Persistence – Patience
– Social skills – Presentation skills
– Writing skills

21. TIPS FOR CONDUCTING SUCCESSFUL
RESEARCH
• DISCUSSION WITH THE SUPERVISOR, EXPERTS AND COLLEAGUES ABOUT THE RESEARCH WORK,
PARTICULARLY, THE PROBLEM AND ITS ORIGIN, OBJECTIVES AND DIFFICULTIES FACED IN THE
EXECUTION OF THE PROBLEM.
• READING OF THE LATEST RESEARCH PAPERS, RELEVANT THEORIES AND POSSIBLE APPLICATION TO
THE PRESENT PROBLEM AND TO OVERCOME THE DIFFICULTIES FACED.
• REVIEW OF THE WORK REPORTED ON THE SIMILAR PROBLEMS.
• THEORETICAL CALCULATIONS, SETTING-UP OF AN EXPERIMENTAL SETUP, NUMERICAL
CALCULATIONS, COMPUTER PROGRAMS, PREPARATION OF GRAPHS, TABLES AND OTHER RELEVANT
WORK RELATED TO THE RESEARCH SHOULD BE DONE BY A NEW RESEARCHER BY HIMSELF WITHOUT
ASSISTANCE FROM OTHERS.
• HAVE A PRACTICE OF PERIODICALLY WRITING THE WORK DONE, RESULTS OBTAINED AND STEPS
FOLLOWED IN A WORK. THIS IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE SOMETIME WE MAY THINK THAT A PARTICULAR
ASPECT WILL BE A CENTER PIECE OF THE PROBLEM UNDER INVESTIGATION. BUT ONCE WE MAKE A
WRITE-UP OF IT, THIS ASPECT OR PART OF IT MAY TURN OUT TO BE ONLY OF MARGINAL
IMPORTANCE. IN FACT, WRITING OF THE PROGRESS OF THE WORK WILL HELP US BETTER
UNDERSTAND OUR WORK AND FORMS A SOLID BASIS FOR FURTHER PROGRESS. IT ALSO POINTS OUT
THE GAPS IN OUR WORK.

22. • TED GOTTFRIED THE AUTHOR OF BIOGRAPHY OF FERMI SAID: SCIENTIFIC
RESEARCH IS LIKE SPORTS. TO SCORE, THE FOCUS OF THE SCIENTIST MUST BE
NARROW AND INTENSE TO THE EXCLUSION OF EVERYTHING ELSE AROUND HIM.
THE BATTER NEVER TAKES HIS EYE OFF THE BALL, THE HOOPSTER SHUTS OUT
EVERYTHING BUT THE COURT, THE GOLFER ALWAYS FOLLOWS THROUGH–AND
THE SCIENTIST FOCUSES HIS COMPLETE ATTENTION ON THE TASK AT HAND
AND NOTHING ELSE

23. CONCLUSION
• TO GET A DEEP INSIGHT ON THE TOPIC OR THE RESEARCH PROBLEM A SUGGESTION FROM DR
K.P.N. MURTHY IS THAT ONE SHOULD ENJOY DOING RESEARCH AND APPROACH IT AS AN
ENTERTAINMENT AND A MODE OF GETTING HAPPINESS. IN THE RESEARCH CAREER ONE
SHOULD TREAT DOING RESEARCH AS A WAY OF LIFE AND NOT JUST A JOB. IN ORDER TO
ACHIEVE A GOAL IN THE RESEARCH ONE HAS TO WORK HARDER. THE HARDER ONE WORKS
THE HAPPIER ONE FEELS. ONE NEED NOT TRY TO CONQUER THE WORLD OF SCIENCE. ONE HAS
TO COME IN ORDER TO WORK AND TO FIND HIS WAY. INITIALLY ONE MUST WORK HARD.
GETTING INSIGHT IN A RESEARCH TOPIC OR A RESEARCH CAREER IS LIKE A PUSHING A DOOR.
IT IS HARD TO PUSH THE DOOR OPEN. BUT WHEN ONE UNDERSTANDS IT, IT IS VERY
INTERESTING AND JOYFUL. ENJOYMENT IS NOT A GOAL, IT IS INDEED A FEELING THAT
ACCOMPANIES IMPORTANT ONGOING ACTIVITY. GAUSS ONCE SAID: IT IS NOT KNOWLEDGE,
BUT THE ACT OF LEARNING, NOT POSSESSION BY THE ACT OF GETTING THERE, WHICH
GRANTS THE GREATEST ENJOYMENT.

24. REFERENCES
• S.RAJASEKAR, P.PHILOMINATHAN, V. CHINNATHAMBI, RESEARCH METHODOLOGY, ARXIV:PHYSICS/0601009V3 [PHYSICS.GEN-PH] 14 OCT 2013
• M.R. BEASLEY AND L.W. JONES, PHYSICS TODAY JUNE 1986 PP.36.
• RESEARCH METHODOLOGY IN YENZA, HTTP:// WWW.NRF.AC.ZA/YENZA/RESEARCH/INTERNET.HTM
• C.R. KOTHARI, RESEARCH METHODOLOGY: METHODS AND TECHNIQUES (WILEY EASTERN, NEW DELHI, 1985).
• P. SARAVANAVEL, RESEARCH METHODOLOGY (KITAB MAHAL, ALLAHABAD, 1987).
• E.M. PHILLIPS AND D.S. PUGH, HOW TO GET A PH.D.? (UBSPD, NEW DELHI, 1993).
• R. SPANGENBURG AND D.K. MOSER, THE HISTORY OF SCIENCE IN THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY (UNIVERSITY PRESS, HYDERABAD, 1999)
• B.S. WARRIER, THE HINDU, 18 SEPTEMBER 2006 PP.6 OF EDUCATION PLUS; 30 OCTOBER 2006 PP.6 OF EDUCATION PLUS; 6 NOVEMBER 2006 PP.6
OF EDUCATION PLUS; 20 NOVEMBER 2006 PP.2 OF EDUCATION PLUS; 27 NOVEMBER 2006 PP.4 OF EDUCATION PLUS; 4 DECEMBER 2006. PP.6 OF
EDUCATION PLUS.
• EMOTIONAL FACTORS IN, HTTP://WWW.CS.INDIANA. EDU/MIT.RESEARCH.HOW.TO/SECTION3.13.HTML
• COMMON ERRORS MADE IN RESEARCH IN, HTTP://SOCIOLOGY.CAMDEN.RUTGERS.EDU/JFM/TUTORIAL/ERRORS.HTM
• B.S. WARRIER, THE HINDU, 11 MAY 2004.

25. THANK YOU…!!!