RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

Professor Titela VÎLCEANU, PhD

Re-search...
Research is what I’m doing when I don’t know what I’m
doing. (Wernher von Braun)

Research is to see what everybody else has seen and think

what nobody has thought. (Albert Szent Gyorgyi)

“Research” is no longer confined just to students and

academics but is an important component for all
professionals and promising experts (both offline and
online) in every domain. (Bairagi and Munot, 2019: ix)

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 Key words

methodology
research

quantitative
qualitative

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 Research methodology
标题数字等都可以通过点击和
重新输入进行更改。

AIMS
Understand
basic
terminology Write research
and proposal for
fundamental selected
Select and write concepts in problem Define research
problem research definition methodology for
definition in
selected
domain of choice
Comprehend problems
Analyze types
basic flow of of research
research methods and
process and apply
formulate it for appropriate
individual methods for
research defined
problem
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 Definition
标题数字等都可以通过点击和
重新输入进行更改。

Research = a systematic investigation to gain

Efficient solutions
new knowledge from already existing facts
problems
Routine

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 Creativity
Good researcher qualities

Commitment and
enthusiasm

Field-related
knowledge

Written and oral

communication skills

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 Typology
标题数字等都可以通过点击和
重新输入进行更改。
Descriptive research (ex-post facto) examines and describes accurately the characteristics of situations,
problems, phenomena, services, groups, or individuals
Correlational research identifies and establishes the existence of relationship, association, and
independence between two or more aspects (variables) of a situation or phenomenon
Analytical research uses existing information to explain a complex phenomenon or to perform a critical
evaluation
Experimental research focuses on the fieldwork and experiments that can control the independent
variable
Explanatory research seeks to analyze and justify the reason behind the occurrence of particular
phenomenon or association between the variables
Exploratory research addresses the areas that have required meagre attention or it is for checking the
possibility of research in the particular domain or area
Quantitative research involves measurements of quantities of characteristics that can be used as features
for the research study
Qualitative research deals with the quality or the types of the parametres considered for the research
Basic research – theoretical, reviews mainstream literature 7
Applied research seeks to solve an immediate specific problem faced by industry or society.
 Research stages

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

To
establish
the
importanc
Research Identificat Testing of
e of Data Research
Problem objectives ion of research Research
discourse
Field and collection findings
statement Literature + Research variables design report /
analysis
topicin and +
+ review Research proposal + and thesis/
contextual
selection represent Discussion
Key words hypothese Research hypothese patent
ising the ation of findings
s design s
translatio
n of
metaphori
c language

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01
FIELD AND
TOPIC
SELECTION

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Select There are different purposes behind
undertaking a particular research.
If it is getting the
degree, there is a high possibility to
select the domain of the research guide
FIELD or the guide
may suggest selection of the particular
domain.
Otherwise, the research field can be
TOPIC selected from area of interest, identified
gap in the literature and individual skill
set.
Note:
One should avoid selection of overdone topics unless you have some
unique aspect for it. Also, a topic should not be too general and old. One
should concentrate on current social or technical affairs of interest and
keyword of that can also be used for research. The researcher should
choose a challenge suitable for his/her skill set.
02
PROBLEM
STATEMENT +
KEY WORDS

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 Problem Research statement should be clearly
defined and its objectives should be

Specific
Measurable
STATEMENT Achievable
Realistic
Time-bound.

KEY WORDS

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03
LITERATURE
REVIEW

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Literature review The literature survey is a
comprehensive study of technical and
authorised content related to research
keywords.
WHAT? Literature review provide details of
research development in a particular
field.
It enables the researcher to
WHERE? understand the approaches,
methodologies, algorithms, and
datasets used by other scientists.
HOW? It is important to identify where the
gap is: Where can I contribute to an
existing knowledgebase?
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Literature review Backward reference search – the
researcher can choose the latest article
from a well-known journal written and
study all related references of that
WHAT? paper.

Forward reference search - the

researcher can find an important old
WHERE? article in the field and find all the papers
that referred the article.

HOW?

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Literature review Download 100–120 research papers
from published papers of IEEE/ACM/
Wiley/Elsevier/Springer/T and F or some
other good SCI Indexed Journals
Steps related to research topic and start
reading it. Use the keywords. Search
engines: Google Scholar, Citeseer, etc.
Novice Initially read only title, abstract and
researchers conclusion of each research paper and
decide whether it is related to research
topic. If yes, include it in list.
You will get to know “What has been
done in this area and what can be done
in future?”.
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Literature review Read the title, Download 100–120
research papers related to research topic -
access IEEE/ACM/Wiley/Elsevier/Springer/T
and F, etc. and start reading. Use the
Steps keywords. Search engines: Google Scholar,
Citeseer, etc.
 abstract and conclusion of each research
Novice paper . You will get to know “What has been
researchers done in this area and what can be done in
future?”
Read in detail and start taking notes of
different parametres considered, theories
and methodologies used, conclusions
derived, etc.
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04
RESEARCH
OBJECTIVES +
RESEARCH
HYPOTHESES

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RESEARCH Clear indication of the research work
which should not be the recurrence of
the same research.
An outcome which has be initialized
Objectives while mentioning the research objective.
Objectives should be provided
pointwise (three to six points).
Define outcomes which should show
Hypotheses an impact of the proposed research
work.

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RESEARCH Reporting problem with the
tentative solution is a research
hypothesis.
The hypothesis is based on insufficient
Objectives evidence.
The hypothesis can prove to be true or
false.
Hypotheses
Note:
The exhaustive examination of all possible cases is
required to prove the hypothesis. If the outcome
does not support the null hypothesis, we conclude
with an alternate hypothesis.

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05
RESEARCH
PROPOSAL

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RESEARCH
Sections:
Introduction (Topic, Rationale,
Significance of the Study)
Literature Survey
Proposal Motivation
Research Statement
Objectives of the Research Proposed
Approval + Probable Methodologies/Techniques to
be Used
funding
Expected Outcome(s) (conclusions
expected and their possible value)
Plan of Research Work
References/Bibliography

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06
IDENTIFICATION
OF VARIABLES +
RESEARCH
DESIGN

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RESEARCH Variables/parametres and research design
– variables can be identified during
literature survey; they may vary depending
on the research hypothesis.
Variables
Variables can be either dependent or
independent. A factor varied or introduced
by an experimentalist is said to be an
Design experimental factor or independent
variable. Factors changed by the impact of
an independent variable are called
dependent variables.

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 07
DATA COLLECTION
AND REPRESENTATION

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DATA
Data collection and representation

directly collected afresh = primary data,

or
Collection already collected and used data =
secondary data .

Data can be represented in simple text,

Representation tables, graphs, audio, video, or images.

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08
TESTING OF
RESEARCH
DESIGN AND
HYPOTHESES

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Testing

The validity of the research hypotheses

Research should be tested on the basis of the data
design collected.

Research
hypotheses

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09
RESEARCH
FINDINGS +
DISCUSSION OF
FINDINGS

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Outcomes
If the topic is totally new then the
researcher cannot compare his/her results
with existing ones
the hypothesis should be tested with
Research multiple approaches and results can be
findings compared.
If other scientists worked on methodologies
or on the topic
Discussion it is important to compare the results
with the existing state of the art in the
literature (consider parametres, dataset,
etc.).
Results should be represented in the visual
format using tables, figures and or graphs,
coupled with statements.
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10
RESEARCH
REPORT /
THESIS / PATENT

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Research
Structure and organisation
Abstract
Introduction
Review of Literature
Report Problem Definition and Objectives
Methodology
Observations and Results
Discussion
Dissertation / Conclusion
thesis  Bibliography/References
Appendices

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Research
Plagiarism issues
https://www.turnitin.com/
https://www.urkund.com/
https://sistemantiplagiat.ro/
Report

Dissertation /
thesis

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THANK
YOU!