This document provides an overview of the fundamentals of research, including sections on title formation, research report format, methodology, hypothesis testing, data analysis, and paper preparation. Some key points: - The introduction section of a research report should include a statement of the problem, objectives, importance of the study, scope, and hypotheses to be tested. It should also define key concepts and propose a model. - The literature review involves identifying relevant sources like books, journals, reports, and researching papers. References should be inserted in the appropriate style. - Methodology decisions include choosing a research design, determining sample size using appropriate methods, collecting data using tools like questionnaires and interviews, and selecting relevant statistical analysis techniques

1. FUNDAMENTALS OF
RESEARCH
S. Thowseaf

2. INTRODUCTION
• Research – Re- Search
• Validate or Novelty – Concept – Approach or
both

3. TITLE FORMATION
• Title Framing
– Discipline (Commerce, Management, Economics..)
• Subject (Marketing Mgt.)
– Topic & Study area – Based on statement of problem ( Consumer Behavior)
• Criteria
– Internal
• Researcher’s interest
• Researcher’s competence
• Researcher’s – Finance & Time
– External
• Feasibility
• Facility
• Importance and urgency

4. RESEARCH REPORT FORMAT
• Prefatory items
– Title page
– Researcher’s declaration
– The certificate of the research supervisor
– Acknowledgement
– List of content
– List of tables
– List of graphs and charts
– Abstract

5. RESEARCH REPORT FORMAT
• Body of the report
– Introduction
• Theoretical background of the topic
• Statement of problem
• Review of literature: Literature review, Review matrix and Research Gap
• The objectives of the study
• Importance or Implications of the study
• The scope for further study - Significance
• Hypotheses to be tested
• Definition of concepts based on research gap identified using review matrix
• Model
– Study Concepts
– The design of the study
• Methodology
– Overall typology
– Methods of data collection
• Sources of data
• Sampling plan
• Data collection instrument
• Field work
• Limitation of the study
– Data processing, Analysis and Interpretation
– Results: Findings and Discussion
– Summary, Conclusions and Recommendations

6. RESEARCH REPORT FORMAT
• Terminal Items
– Bibliography
– Appendix
• Copies of Data Collection Instruments
• Technical Details of Sampling Plan
• Complex Tables
• Glossary of new terms used in report

7. Intro.
• Statement of problem (should not be generic, justification-unique)
• Objective
– Study the concept
– Enumerate the variables
– Analysis on variables
– Suggestion
• Importance or Implications of the study
• The scope for further study - Significance
• Hypotheses to be tested
• Definition of concepts based on research gap identified using review
matrix (Brief description of your topic and its selection)-I.A.
• Model (based on identified variables through reviews) - I.A.
• (Study Concept) – Elaboration – topic & sub topics

8. Review
• Source
– Books: Encyclopedia, Year Books, Textbooks, Reference Books..
– Journals: Monthly, Quarterly, Half-yearly and Annually published.
– Reports: Committees/Commissions by Govt., Seminar reports,
Conference proceedings
– Research Dissertation & Theses
– Newspaper
– Websites
– Micro Forms: Audio & Video tapes; Micro cards; Micro films
• Reference
– Identifying – Skimming; topic, title, abstract, conclusion
– Referencing – Ms-Word, Mendeley, Endnote..
• Ms-Word – References->Insert citation->Add new Source + Bibliography
• Mendeley – Software designed store ref. doc. In cloud + ref. + free
• Endnote – Designed of searching Jon. + ref. + Paid

9. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
• Design
-Descriptive(Survey) -Analytical(analyses on sec. data)
-Applied(Solution to immediate problem) -Fundamental(formulation of theories)
-Quantitative(deals with definite values) -Qualitative(deals with Non numerical values)
-Conceptual(abstract ideas) -Empirical(experience or observation)
-Exploratory(Exploring from unit level) -Experimental(laboratory)
• Determining Sample Size (Raosoft calc. or manual method)
• Sampling Method
Non Probability Sampling Probability Sampling
-Convenience -Simple random
-Purposive -Systematic
*Judgmental -Stratified
*Quota -Cluster
*Snowball -Multi-stage
-Sequential
• Data Collection
- Observation - Telephonic interview - Mailing
- Personal Interview - Questionnaire

10. QUESTIONNAIRE & SCALING
TECHNIQUES – W. R.T. Tools
(S.P.S.S)• Questionnaire
– Demographic
– Hypothesis oriented (Hypothesis Creation)
– Supporting Questions
• Variables Selections –Questioner framing
• Using variables and scaling techniques already used with ref.
• Scaling (SPSS)
– Scale (Numerical)
– Nominal (Male, Female)
– Ordinal (S.D., D., N., A.,S.A.)
• Scaling techniques
– Paired Comparison
– Rank order
– Constant sum
– Continues ranking
– Itemized ranking *Likert *Semantic *Staped

11. Hypothesis
• Assumption
• Types
– Descriptive
– Relational
– Causal
– Working
– Null
– Statistical
– Common sense
– Complex
– Analytical
• Source
– Theory
– Observation
– Analogies
– Personal experience
– Previous study findings
• Characteristic of good hypothesis
– Objectivity
– Simplicity
– testability

12. Analyses
• Descriptive
– Mean (Avg.)
– Median (Middle value)
– Mode (Most repeated value)
– S.D. (deviation from mean)
– Max
– Min
– Range (Max-Min)
– Skew (Shift in curve)
– Kurtosis (Preakness)
– Normality test
• Statistical (S.P.S.S.)
– T-test (Significant difference between std. value & estimated value)
– ANOVA (Same as T-test with two or more category)
– Chi-Square (Significant association – 1 cat. & 1 met.)
– Correlation (Significant relationship)
– Regression (Y= a + b.x.)
– Factorial Analysis (Break down questions and making a factor)
– Cluster analysis
– Correspondence analysis
– Neural network analysis
• Model fit
– CFA (Confirmatory factor Analysis)
– SEM (Structural Equation Model)

13. Research tools
• Plagiarism
– SEO – online (limited to 1000 words)
– Plagiarism Checker X (Crack available)
– Viper (I don’t prefer)
• Plug in
– Save as PDF and XPS
– Grammarly
– Mendeley
– Endnote
• Analysis tool
– SPSS
– AMOS & its associated tools
– E-Views
– STATA
– R
– MATLAB
• Websites supporting research
– Wolframalpha.com (statistics)
– Google scholar
– Sci-hub.bz (cracking website to download articles from science direct & Springer)
– Academia.edu
– J-Gate
– UGC info net
– Research Gate
• Questionnaire circulation
– Google forms
– Survey monkey
• Others
– Latex
– Y writer
– Content re-writer
– Ginger
• Requirements
– P.C. (at least 2 G.B. Ram, dual core processor, 120 G.B. hard disk)
– Current version of MS. Office Package

14. PAPER PREPARATION
• Plagiarism – less than 15%
• Avoid basic grammatical errors
• Make proper referencing
• Follow journal syntax
– Abstract: Intro, methodology, descriptive conclusion & Key
words (Not more than 250 words)
– Introduction: Content Continuity with proper referencing,
integrated objective (At least 2 Para with sufficient wordings)
– Research methodology: Not more than 250 words – precise.
– Analyses with interpretation: Data set back-up (Make your own)
– Discussion if needed
– Conclusion: Suggestion and futuristic directions

15. THANKS FOR YOUR TIME
S. Thowseaf