2. Chapter one A review of the Fundamentals
1. Meaning of Research
2. Definitions of Research
3.Sources of Knowledge
4. Objectives of Research
5. Motivation in Research
6. General Characteristics of Research
7. Criteria of Good Research
3. Meaning of Research
• The starting point in Research Methodology, is the
examination of the sources of knowledge?, Put
differently, what are the methods people use to
seek and acquire knowledge as they struggle to
make life worth living every day? Research is all
about the search for knowledge (truth),
preservation of acquired or existing knowledge, as
well as the advancement of the frontiers of existing
knowledge.
• A discussion of the methods for acquiring
knowledge therefore, is very important because
everyone is involved in this search for useful
knowledge in our daily lives
4. cont
• Research seeks the answer of certain questions
which have not been answered so far, and the
answers depend upon human efforts. In common
parlance, it refers to a search for knowledge.
Definition of Research
• The term ‘research’ consists of two words:
Research: Re+ search ‘Re’ means again and again
and ‘search’ means to find out something.
5. cont
• According to George J. Mouly "Research is the
systematic and scholarly application of the
scientific method interpreted in its broadest
sense, to the solution of social problems;
conversely, any systematic study designed to
promote the development of social studies as
a science can be considered research
6. Sources of Knowledge
There are many sources through which anyone can gain
knowledge in everyday life. Some scholars discuss
these sources as methods of seeking knowledge (see
Jones, 1971; Cohen.
1. Authority as a Source of Knowledge
2. Tradition as a Source of Knowledge
3. Media Myths as a Source of Knowledge
4. Experience as a Source of Knowledge
5. Faith as a Source of Knowledge
6. Reason as a source of Knowledge
7. Science as a Source of Knowledge
7. Authority as a Source of Knowledge
• Authority as a source of knowledge comes
from ‘parents, teachers, experts as well as
from books and television and other media.
• When you accept something as being true
just because someone in a position of
authority says it is true
8. Tradition as a Source of Knowledge
• According to Neuman (2000), tradition is a
special form of authority (i.e the authority of
the past), and tradition means you accept
something as being true because it is the way
things have always been. But this may not
always be true as things may change because
of changing circumstances in society
9. Media Myths as a Source of
Knowledge
• The media in general foist a particular way of
looking at something repeatedly that every
one would believe it to be true.
• This may be far from the reality.
• But whatever is the case, many people acquire
knowledge from what Neuman(2000) called
‘myths of a culture
10. Experience as a Source of Knowledge
• The encounters we have in daily lives including
the deliberately designed ones and the
accidental ones (which in totality become the
conditions we pass through in life), constitute
an experience.
11. Faith as a Source of Knowledge
• Faith is belief on revealed knowledge as
contained The QURAN and HADITH
12. Reason as a source of Knowledge
• Reason refers to mental reflection which
emphasizes ideas more than material
substances
13. Science as a Source of Knowledge
• Knowledge can be acquired through science,
and this is made possible by following what is
called the scientific method.
14. Objectives of research
• The purpose of research is to discover answers
to questions through the application of
scientific procedures. The main aim of
research is to find out the truth which is
hidden and which has not been discovered
yet. Kothari (1990) sees that each research
study has its own specific purposes
15. cont
These objectives often fall under a number of broad
groupings. Some examples of these are as
follows:
1. 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.
2. 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.
16. cont
3. To test a hypothesis of a causal relationship
between variables. Studies with this object are
known as hypothesis-testing research studies.
4. 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)
17. Motivation in research
• What makes people to undertake research is a
question of fundamental importance. The possible
motives for doing research may be either one or more
of the following:
• Desire to get a research degree with its consequential
benefits;
• Desire to face challenge in solving unsolved problems;
• Desire to get intellectual joy of doing more creative
work;
• Desire to be of service to society; and
• Desire to get respectability (Kothari, 1990).
18. cont
• However, this is not an exhaustive list of
factors motivating people to undertake
research studies. Many more factors, such as:
directives of government, employment
conditions; curiosity about new things; desire
to understand causal relationships, social
thinking and awakening, and the like may as
well motivate people to perform research
operation
19. General Characteristics of Research
• The following characteristics may be gathered from the
definitions of “research”:
• It gathers new knowledge or data from primary or first-
hand sources.
• It places emphasis upon the discovery of general
principles.
• It is an extent systematic and accurate investigation.
• It uses certain valid data gathering devices.
• It is logical and exact.
• Research is patient and unhurried activity
Research is carefully recorded and reported.
20. Criteria of a Good Research
• Whatever may be research is, one can state
the qualities of good research should be as
under:
• Good research is systematic: It means that
research is structured with specified steps to
be taken in specified sequence in accordance
with the well-defined set of rules.
21. continue
• Good research is logical: This implies that
research is guided by the rules of logical
reasoning and the logical process.
In fact, logical reasoning makes research more
meaningful in the context of decision making.
• Good research is replicable: This characteristic
allows research results to be verified by
replicating the study and thereby building a
sound basis for decisions (Kothari, 1990).
