Research Methodology:

Synopsis:
1.

Meaning of Research.

2.
3. 4. 5. 6.

Definition of Research.
Nature of Research. Objectives of Research. Importance of Research. Ethics in Research.

What is Research????
1. 2. 3.

4.

5.

Research is an art of scientific investigation. It is regarded as a systematic efforts to gain new knowledge. The dictionary meaning of research is a careful investigation or enquiry especially through search for new facts in any branch of knowledge. It is an activity of solving problems which adds new knowledge, and developing of theory as well as gathering of evidence to test generalisation. It is a movement which starts from the known situation and ends at a unknown situation.

Definition of Research:
1. According to John W.Best:
Research is a more systematic activity directed towards discovery and the development of an organised body of knowledge.

2. According to J. Francis Rummel:

Research is an endeavour to discover, develop and verify knowledge. It is an intellectual process that has developed over hundred of years, ever changing in purpose and form and always searching for truth.

Nature of Research:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. It strives to be objective and logical. It is based on observable experience or empirical evidence. It is characterized by patient and unhurried activity. It demands accurate observations, reservations and descriptions. It is directed towards the solution of the problem.

Cont..
6. 7. It is carefully recorded and reported. It requires expertise.

8.

It involves gathering new data from primary or first hand sources or using existing data for new purpose.

Objectives of Research:

Cont
1. To gain familiarity with a phenomenon or to achieve new insights into it (exploratory /formulative research ).

2.

To portray accurately the characteristics of a particular individual, situation or a group(descriptive research studies).
To determine the frequency with which something occurs or with which it is associated with something else (diagnostic research studies).

3.

Cont
4. To test a hypothesis of a casual relationship between variables . (hypothesis-testing research studies)

5.
6.

For carefully recording, reporting and presenting the facts.

To conduct a systematic enquiry of the subject.

Importance of Research:
1. 2. It provides the basis for nearly all government policies in our economic system. It helps in solving various operational and planning problems of business and industry. It is an aid to decision making. It establishes the relation between variables.

3. 4.

Cont..
5. 6. It provides a basis for innovation. It facilitates the process of thinking, analysis, evaluation and interpretation of various situation. It is equally important for social scientists in social relationships and in seeking answers to various social problems. It promotes the development of logical habits of thinking of organization studying

7.

8.

Different Perspectives:
1. For a Ph.D scholar, research may mean a careerism and helps in attaining high position in society. 2. For professionals in RM, it is a source of their livelihood. 3. For philosophers and thinkers, it mean the outlet for new knowledge, ideas and insights. 4. For literary men and women, it mean the development of new styles and creative work. 5. To analysts and intellectuals, it mean the generalization of new theories.

Ethics in Research:
CONSENT HARM PRIVACY

DECEPTION

Consent:

Informed consent:
1. 2.

Subjects must know potential risks, benefits, conditions of participation, and ability to withdraw without penalty If consent is not informed, it can be as bad as (or worse than) not getting consent at all. Direct or Substitute (3rd party). If the person has a legal guardian, need substitute

Two types:
1. 2.

When in doubt, ask for permission. Consent must be obtained in writing.

Elements of Consent:

Capacity:
1.

2.

Ability: individual is competent enough to understand, evaluate, and make a decision of whether to participate or not. Age: > 18 or emancipated minor.

Information:
Is it complete/comprehensive and fully understood?

Voluntariness:
Subjects have the choice to participate or withdraw and are aware of this choice.

Harm:

Subjects must be protected from harm, or at least fully informed about the potential costs and benefits resulting from the harm Research that is physically or psychologically dangerous is generally considered unethical. Care needs to be taken with subjects who are, or consider themselves to be, relatively powerlessChildren, elderly, w/ disabilities

Privacy:
1.

Sensitivity of Topic & or Data:

Can responses/results affect the subjects life if known by others?

2.

How public/private is the setting? Public Display of the Data:

Personally identifiable information should be removed or changed.

3.

Deception:
1.

Often tied to the informed part of consent:

a) b) c)

d)

Omission: withhold information ; Commission: provide false information i.e., lying Establishing false Intimacy: subject feels a high degree of comfort because he/she does not know is on the record. Using Accomplices: someone helping the researcher that the subject doesnt know is helping.

2.

Sometimes a degree of deception is necessary:

Subjects in the experimental groups not know what treatments they are getting because the knowledge might alter their response.

Cont..
3.

When it is, subjects MUST be debriefed after the study:

Dehoaxing: Researcher convinces (tells) each subject who was deceived that they were, in fact, deceived; Desensitization: A systematic process of demonstrating that there was deception Suggest that behavior was a result of the circumstances; Point out that subjects behavior was not abnormal or unusual;