Research methodology for project work for undergraduate students

Research Methodology In SOCIAL
SCIENCES
(For Undergraduate Students)

Presented by
Dr. Sanjay PS Dessai
Associate Professor of Commerce
VVM’s Shree Damodar College, Margao, Goa.
&
Dr. B.P. Sarath Chandran
Associate Professor of Economics
VVM’s Shree Damodar College, Margao, Goa.
11/1/2013

sanjaydessai@gmail.com &
sarath.chandran7@gmail.com

1

Part A
What is Research?
•

Research means the systematic enquiry to find out
the truth. It involves systematic collection, analysis
and interpretation of data to answer a certain
question or solve a problem. The research process
involves four important stages:
planning
collection of data
analysis
Reporting

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2

Steps involved in research
• Selection of Study Area
• Identification of the topic
• Tentative research question
• Refined research question after literature survey
• Research hypotheses, goals and objectives
• Study design
• Population and Sampling
• Selection of Variables to study the objectives
• Research tools to be used in the study
• Pilot study
• Work plan
• Collection of data
• Data Analysis
• Interpretation
• Reporting
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3

Research Area and Research Topic
• Identification of the area (Ex: finance,
economics, marketing, entrepreneurship etc.)
• Look out for problems/issues in that area that
can be studied.
• Curious problem or a pressing issue can also
be studied
• Topics should be narrowly focused and
carefully defined
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4

Sources of research topic
• Theories
• Personal/professional questions

• Replication
• Library search

• Sponsoring agencies
• Issues confronting the society
• Problems that urgent solutions are required.

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5

How to refine research question
• Who?
• What?

• When?
• Where?
• Why?
Research topic can come ,
•
•
•
•
•

personal experience
theory
observations
contemporary issues
engagement with the literature

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6

Objectives
Objectives are the clear statements indicating
what the researcher wanted to answer at the
end of the study.
 The research problem becomes the broad
objective of the study
 This is can be divided in to specific objectives
 At the end of the study, the researcher should
be able to satisfactorily answer the objectives
of the study.
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7

Hypothesis
Hypothesis is a tentative statement to be tested
positive or negative.
When relationship between variables are not
known, it is better to formulate the hypothesis
and to be tested.
Null Hypothesis (H0): There is no perceptible
difference in the variables being studied.
Alternate Hypothesis (H1): Opposite of null
hypothesis. There is perceptible differences in
the variables being studied.
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8

Research Design
Research design basically answers the
following questions
(i) What is the study about?
(ii) Why is the study being made?
(iii) Where will the study be carried out?
(iv) What type of data is required?
(v) Where can the required data be found?
(vi) What periods of time will the study include?
(vii) What will be the sample design?
(viii) What techniques of data collection will be used?
(ix) How will the data be analyzed?
(x) In what style will the report be prepared?
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9

Population and Sampling
•

Sampling is the process of selection of a number of units
from a defined study population.

The process of sampling
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Identification of study population
Determination of sampling population
Definition of the sampling unit
Choice of sampling method
Estimation of the sample size

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10

Variables
Variable: a characteristic or phenomenon that may take on
different values; variables must vary!
There may be different characteristics affecting the
outcome we are studying
Variables are generally classified as Dependent and
Independent
Dependent Variable (DV): an outcome of interest that is
observed and measured by the researcher; hypothesised to
be affected by the independent variable
Independent Variable (IV): the controlled variable in a
study; hypothesised to have an effect on the dependent
variable
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11

Research Tools
•
•
•
•
•
•

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Experiments
Observations
Surveys
Questionnaire
Interviews
Standardized tests


12

Pilot Survey
• A small scale survey carried out prior to the
main survey
• to improve the efficiency of the main survey.
• To test whether questions are giving you the
type of answers you want.
• to modify questions to get better response
• pilot test help to work out solutions to the
problems encountered for better response.
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13

Work Plan
• Work plan is important for the timely
completion of the research.
• The research process is divided in to various
stages and a time frame is given.
• By following the time frame the researcher is
able to evaluate the progress of the study and
make the necessary changes if required.
• Work plan should not be rigid and it should be
able to incorporate the changes required.
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14

Collection of Data
• Data Collection is an important aspect of any
type of research study. Inaccurate data
collection can impact the results of a study
and ultimately lead to invalid results.
• Data Collected can be
• Qualitative
• Quantitative

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15

Data Analysis
• When selecting the tools of data analysis, a
researcher should make sure that the assumptions
related to the technique are satisfied.
• Descriptive Analysis – percentage, ratio, proportions
etc.
• Qualitative Data Analysis
• Statistical Data Analysis
• Descriptive Statistics
• Regression Analysis

• Economic Modeling
• Statistical software's such as SPSS, EVIEWS, STATA,
Gretel etc. are used for data analysis.
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16

Interpretation
Interpretation transforms the data collected into credible evidence of
outcome.
This includes the following steps:
·
Organising the data for analysis (data preparation)
·
Describing the data
·
Interpreting the data
Where quantitative data have been collected, statistical analysis can:

· help measure the degree of change that has taken place
· allow an assessment to be made about the consistency of data
Where qualitative data have been collected, interpretation is more
difficult.
Here, it is important to group similar responses into categories and
identify common patterns that can help derive meaning from what
may seem unrelated and diffuse responses.
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17

Reporting
• A report is a presentation of facts and
findings,
usually
as
a
basis
for
recommendations.
• Written for a specific readership, and probably
intended to be kept as a record.
• Report is written to be read by the intended
audience

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18

Structure of a Report
Title of the Report
Introduction
Background
Statement of the problem
Importance
Research gap
Objectives
Methodology of the study
Limitations of the study/Challenges
Chapter Structure
Review of the Literature
Profile of the Study Units
Analysis of data
Summary, Suggestions and scope for future research
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19

Part B
Project requirements for undergraduate
students of Goa University
based on project manual
of
Goa university

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20

Preliminaries
•
•
•
•
•
•

Title page
Declaration certificate
Certificate signed by supervisor
Acknowledgement / preface
Table of contents
Numbering of pages

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21

Table of contents
•
•
•
•

The chapter title
References / bibliography
Appendices
Annexures

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22

Introductory chapter
Includes
1. Introduction
2. Objectives of the study
3. Scope
4. Statement of the problem/ Hypothesis
5. Methodology
6. Chapter scheme and
7. limitations if any
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23

End matter
•
•
•
•
•

Reference notes
Bibliography- proper citation
Style and format important
Alphabetical order
(Name of the author, date of publication, title,
place of publication and name of the
publisher)

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24

General guidelines
•
•
•
•
•
•

Written in English
Handwritten or typed
Pages not to exceed 60 pages (40-60)
A4 Size paper
Font size 12
Margins – top, bottom and right 1 and left margin
1.2 or 1.4 inches
• In case of maps drawings no restriction on paper
size
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25

General guidelines
•
•
•
•

Should be typed only on one side of the paper
Spacing – 1.5 or double spacing
All pages should be numbered except title page
Arabic numerals for the preliminarily pages and
for all subsequent pages Numerals.
• Hard bound
• 2 copies to be submitted
• Second copy may be photo copy
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26

Marks
Internal examiner marks( 50 marks)
1. Report -20
2. Field / Library work / Practical work - 20
3. For attendance - 05
4. Maintenance of records / Diary- 05
External examiners (50 marks)
• Project Report - 25
• Viva- voce - 25
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27

Final summary
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•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•

Cover
Title page
Acknowledgements
Abstract
Contents page
List of figures or illustrations
Main body
Introduction
Literature survey
Methodology
Results
Discussion
Conclusion
Recommendations
Reference list / Bibliography
Appendices

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28

Thank you

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29

Research methodology for project work for undergraduate students

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