Guide to Introduction of research and Chapter 1. Focus area: architecture but not limited to.Research Methodology Class BAGS6106 in University of Malaya, Malaysia. Feb 2019

1. BAGS 6106
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
PREPAREDBY DRHAZRINA HAJA BAVA MOHIDIN
2018/2019-2

2. Welcome to the
course

3. Overview of the lecture
Part 1
•Course information
•Content
•expectations
Part 2
•Introduction to Research
•Finding good research topic
•What is academic writing
- background and setting
Part 3
•Research Question
•Objectives
At the end of the lecture..
Research task 1 briefing

4. Part 1
About the course BAGS 6106

5. Part 2
About Research

6. https://www.oxforddictionaries.com/
What is research?

7. Research and how is it linked to methods and
methodology?
✘ can be understood as the systematicand rigorous searchfor
appropriate information on a specific subject.
✘ involvesenunciation of the problem,developing ahypothesis,
collecting and analysing data and drawing conclusions,based on the
facts and data collected
✘ to do so, the researcheruses research methods,during thecourse
of conducting research..

8. Method
ResearchMethod implies
the methods employed by
the researcher to conduct
research..
Research method vs methodology
Methodology
Researchmethodology
signifies wayto efficiently
solving researchproblems
Method is simply a research tool, a component of research – say for
example, a qualitative method such as interviews. Methodology is the
justification for using a particular research method
Clough, P., and Nurbrown,C. (2012) A Student’sGuideto Methodology(3rd ed.) Sage Publication:California.
Thisisthe
STRATEGY(ies)
InvolvesTECHNIQUE(s)

9. Research methodology
✘ Methodologyis the philosophicalframeworkwithin which the
researchis conducted or the foundationupon whichthe research is
based
✘ Research methodologyis a systematic way to solvea problem. It is
a scienceof studying how research isto be carried out.
✘ It is the processused to collectinformation and data for the purpose
of making decisions

10. Types of research methods in general
Qualitative
Used when a research cannot be
analysed by means of mathematical
techniques. Other than non-numerical
and unquantifiable elements.
Theoretical
Based onobservation
Interpretations
etc
Quantitative
Resolves problems using numbers.
Emphasis is placed on the collection
of numerical data, the summaryof
those data and the drawing of
inferences from the data.
Mathematical solutions
Data based on numbers

11. Research Topic

12. In search for a good research topic
✘ Ways of getting a good research topic
✗ Given/assigned by supervisor
✗ Out of your own interest
✗ Based on current situation (economics, political,cultural)
✘ Deciding a topic requires thinking and decision making
✘ You will need to
✗ Brainstorm for ideas
✗ choose a topic that will enable you to read and understand the literature
✗ ensure that the topic is manageable and that material is available
✗ make a list of key words
✗ define your topic as a focused research question
✗ research and read more about your topic – read read and read
✗ formulate a thesis statement – clearly state purpose
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13. Useful keywords
✘ Keep track of the words that are used to describe your topic.
✗ Look for words that best describe your topic
✗ Look for them in when reading encyclopaedia articles and
background and general information
✗ Find broader and narrower terms, synonyms, key concepts for
key words to widen your search capabilities
✗ Make note of these words and use them later when searching
databases and catalogues
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14. Defining a topic as a focused research question
Eg:
Ideas = Frank Lloyd Wright or modern architecture
Research Question = How has Frank Lloyd Wright influenced
modern architecture?
Focused Research Question = What design principles used by
Frank Lloyd Wright are commonin contemporary homes?
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15. A research is like a small brick in the wall.. It
is a small component that makes the whole
wall a wall..You don’t have to solve the
world’s problem.
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16. Environment of research topics
✘ by geographical area
Example: Micro Housing and Land Scarcity in Singapore
✘ by culture
Example: Baba Nyonya Cultural Hub
✘ by time frame:
Example: Post-colonial architecture
✘ by discipline
Example: Deaf architecture
✘ by populationgroup
Example: Approaches in designing for Seletar Community
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17. Try to avoid topics that are..
✘ locally confined - Topics is too specific may only be covered by a
limited context.
✘ Too recent - If a topic is quite recent, books or journal articles may not
be available,but newspaper or magazine articles may. Also, Web sites
related to the topic may or may not be available.
✘ broadly interdisciplinary - You could be overwhelmed with superficial
information.
Example: How can the environment contribute to the culture, politics and
society of Malaysia?
✘ popular - You will only find very popular articles about some topics
such and find it has already being covered by others.
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18. Academic writing

19. Thesis Structure – Chapter 1 (see example)
What I know?
- Introduce the topic
- Background information
What I want to know?
- Aim
- research question
- Objective
How to do it?
- Methodology and methods
Closing/Summary
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Background and setting
Identification of problem
State objective (aim)
Purpose statement
Scope and Limitations
Definition of terms
Significance of the study
Clear statement of intent
Strategies to the problems and
what are the techniques used to
achieve this?

20. Background information
✘ This is the first passage in a dissertation, thesis, or research article.
✘ The introduction should address the following:
✗ Create reader interest in the topic
✗ Establish the problem that leads to the study
✗ Place the study within the larger context of the scholarly
literature
✗ Reach out to a specific audience
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21. Background and Setting
✘ Where is the research taking place?
✘ Who is to be affected by your research?
✘ What is already known? This will begin to lead us to your Review of
Literature (Chapter II).
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22. What is the difference between Introduction &
Background?
✘ Introduction – addresses the main points of
the study – what the research will reveal
✘ Background – preliminarydiscussion of the
topic – opening up ventures into problems
and gaps of the topic
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23. See it like a movie, the introduction
is the trailer of the movie,
background is the elaborated
story..
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24. Scope and Limitation
✘ This section informs the readers of the
boundaries you set in your research. The
perimeters and limit to you research are.
✘ For example, only on elderly as a target
group, or school as a typology.
✘ Can go even more focused
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25. Part 3
Research Question & Objective

26. Research questionsand research objectives
✘ The two components are highly important.
✘ research objectives are directly linked to
your research questions and are used to
describe the general and specific aims and
outcomes that are intended to be achieved by
a study
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27. Difference between..
✘ Research Questions and Hypothesis
✗ Researchquestionis open ended (non-
predictive) while hypothesisaims for a specific
prediction, proving it to betrue or false.
✘ Research Questions and Aim
✗ Researchquestions are more specific – leadsto the
aim (smaller componentsor a series of processes)
while aim of the research is covers a broader idea
(what is the big idea?)
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28. Afterwards..
The methodology and method sections in
chapter 1 will usually be in a framework. That will
also show readers what the finding and outcome
will be. (see example)
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29. Research Task 1
Finding the right topic for you

30. Task 1
✘ List out 3 topics
✘ Rank the topics according to your preference
✘ Submit to me via dropbox (to fill in a single
document)
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31. What will be observed in Chapter 1
✘ Introduction
• ResearchbackgroundProblem Statement
✘ Explore related topics
• Extractpoints fromliteraturereview
• Usesthe literaturepoint out researchgap
✘ Research Questions, Aim and Objectives
• Formulationof researchquestions
• Identifyingreasonable researchobjectives
• Inclusion of ResearchMethodologyTable
✘ Academic English
• Grammar, spelling,syntax, punctuation, expression, tone, vocabulary, flow
✘ Presentation
• Logicalstructureof reportand acceptableproperlength (maximum 2000words)
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