This document outlines the eight step research process: 1. Deciding what to research by formulating a research problem and questions. 2. Planning the study by conceptualizing a design, constructing data collection instruments, selecting samples, and writing a proposal. 3. Conducting the study by collecting data through various methods, processing and displaying both qualitative and quantitative data. 4. Writing a research report discussing what was done, discoveries made, and conclusions drawn from findings.

1. R E S E A R C H M E T H O D O L O G Y
LECTURE # 2:
“The Research Process
by Muhammad Salman Jamil

2. The Research Process
 The research process is very similar to
undertaking a journey.
 As with your drive, for a research journey
there are also two important decisions to
make. The first is to decide what you want to
find out about or, in other words, what
research questions you want to find answers
to.
 Then you need to decide how to go about
finding their answers.
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3. Eight Step Model
 It is based upon practical, step-by-step approach that
guide the researcher to conduct his/her research
systematically.
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Phases Steps
PHASE I DECIDING
WHAT TO
RESEARCH
 Step I Formulating a research problem
PHASE II
PLANNING A
RESEARCH STUDY
Step II Conceptualizing a research design
Step III Constructing an instrument for data
collection
Step IV Selecting a sample
Step V Writing a research proposal
PHASE III
CONDUCTING A
 Step VI Collecting data
 Step VII Processing and displaying data

4. Phase 1 :
Deciding What to
Research
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What Questions to Answer ?

5. Step I: Formulating Research Problem:
It is the first step for conducting research & considered
as it identifies the destination. It should be specific,
clearer & follows the research processes.
Formulating the research problem below mentioned
outcomes arrived after completion of Step I are:
 What is your area of interest?
 Where could you look for help in deciding upon a
specific research problem?
 What criteria will you apply when deciding upon a
specific research problem?
 How could you narrow down your research problem?
 How might your value-judgments (preconceived
ideas) affect your research endeavors?
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6. Research Problem
 A situation or circumstance that requires a
solution to be described, explained, or
predicted. It is an unsatisfactory situation that
wants you to confront.
 If there is a knowledge gap in an area that need
to be investigated, the research problem
identifies this gap.
 The research topic is simply a broad area of
interest, the research problem identifies what is
problematic about that topic.
 Research Statement: A statement specifies
exactly what is being studied. 6

7. Research Question
 It is a direct rewording of the statement of the
purpose phrased interrogatively rather than
declaratively.
 Questions that are simple and direct invite an
answer and help to focus attention on the
kinds of data needed to provide that answer.
 Example of a research question: What is the
relationship between the nurses’ job
satisfaction and their tendency to leave the
work setting?
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8. Phase II :
Planning a Research Study
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9. Step II : Conceptualizing a
Research Design
 An extremely important feature of research is the use of
appropriate methods / Research design.
 The research design sets out the specific details of
your enquiry.
 The research design defines the logistical
arrangements that you proposed to undertake, the
measurement procedures, sampling strategy, frame of
analysis & the time frame.
 A faulty design results in misleading findings &
wasting human and financial resources.
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10. Step III : Constructing an
instrument for Data Collection
 Anything that becomes a means of information for your study
is called research instrument. It is considered as one of the
most important tool for conducting research
 There are various methods / tools of data collection are:
a) Interactive Interviewing: People asked to verbally
described their experiences of phenomenon.
b) Written description by participant: People asked to
write descriptions of their experiences of phenomenon.
c) Observation: Descriptive observations of verbal and non-
verbal behavior.
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11. Step IV: Selecting a Sample
 A sample is “a smaller (but hopefully representative)
collection of units from a population used to determine
truths about that population” (Field, 2005).
 Why sample required because it gives resources (time,
money) and workload. It also gives results with known
accuracy that can be calculated mathematically.
 The sampling frame is the list from which the potential
respondents are drawn.
 3 factors that influence sample representative are
 Sampling procedure
 Sample size
 Participation (response)
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12.  When might you sample the entire population?
When your population is very small
When you have extensive resources
When you don’t expect a very high response
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13. Step V: Writing a Research
proposal
 The study should have a proper proposal in written form
before it is actually carried out. It’s like a blue print of a
building plan before the construction starts
 Writing a research proposal is both science and art and
the main purpose of research proposal is to evaluate
research questions.
 A good research proposal is based on scientific facts and
on the art of clear communication & validity of
methodology to obtain answers accurately.
 Writing a formal research proposal should be started by
the time one has decided on the topic for the study.
 The research proposal consists of below mentioned
contents are:
a) What you are proposing to do ?
b) How you plan to proceed ?
c) Why you selected proposed strategy ?
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14. Phase III
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Conducting a research study

15. Step VI: Collecting Data
 After the selection of research instrument it is important
that through your sample space draw inference and
conclusions.
 There are numerous methods that helps to gather
information such as interview, questionnaire & focus
groups.
There are two types of Data primarily are Secondary
data & Primary data
 Secondary data – data someone else has collected, this
is what you were looking for in your assignment.
 Primary data – data you collect
If that data exist in secondary form, then use them
to the extent you can, keeping in mind limitations.
But if it does not, and you are able to fund primary
collection, then it is the method of choice. 15

16. Step VII: Processing and Displaying Data
 When there is analysis going on regarding data is collected
for research report merely classify into two broad categories
are:
 Descriptive
 Quantitative
 Qualitative or Attitudinal
 There are numerous methods for analyzing quantitative.
 For quantitative research study Frequency distribution,
cross-tabulation, Statistical procedures, Regression
Analysis, Factor Analysis or Variance Analysis are utilizing.
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17. Step VIII: Writing a Research
Report
 There is same nature of research report writing that
we discussed for data collection. But when you are
writing the research report there is combination of
both categories i.e. Qualitative & Quantitative.
 It is one of the most difficult task of research
process.
 It includes below mentioned things are:
What have done so far
What new things you have discovered
What conclusions are drawn from your findings
 The writing style has its own importance such as it
bifurcate into multiple chapters, sections &
covering main theme of literature.
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