AN OVERVIEW OF RESEARCH METHODS

AND TECHNIQUES: PURPOSE, OBJECTIVES

AND SELECTION OF PROBLEM

PRESENTED BY:
HIMANSHU
 WHAT IS RESEARCH??
• A common phrase “search for knowledge”.

Research is defined as a process

through which we attempt to achieve
systematically and with the support
of data the answer to a question,
resolution to a problem, or greater
understanding of a phenomenon.
 RESEARCH IS SOMETHING YOU HAVE
DONE INFORMALLY ALL YOUR LIFE

Compared two types of apple to see which one you preferred

Collected the statistics of your favorite team or favorite player

Enjoyed a novel and then read reviews to see what critics
thought of it
Compared brochures to choose a holiday vacation

Gone on a diet and computed the calories of your meals

Researched all the literature when deciding to buy a new cycle

Compared different colleges for seeking admission

TYPES OF RESEARCH METHODS

Some other types of research..

 One-time Research – Research confined to a single
time period.

 Longitudinal Research – Research carried on over

several time periods.
4
 Experimental Research – It is designed to assess the
effect of one particular variable on a phenomenon by
keeping the other variables constant or controlled.

 Historical Research – It is the study of past records

and other information sources, with a view to find the
origin and development of a phenomenon and to
discover the trends in the past, in order to understand
the present and to anticipate the future.

 Diagnostic Research – It is also called clinical

research which aims at identifying the causes of a
problem, frequency with which it occurs and the
possible solutions for it.
 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Research methodology is a systematic way to solve a problem.

It is a science of studying how research is to be carried out.

Essentially, the procedures by which researchers go about their
work of describing, explaining and predicting phenomena are
called research methodology.

It is also defined as the study of methods by which knowledge is

gained.

Its aim is to give the work plan of research

LITERATURE REVIEW
 PURPOSE OF RESEARCH
To get a research degree (Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)) along with its
benefits like better employment, promotion, increment in salary, etc.

To solve the unsolved and challenging problems

To get joy of doing some creative work

To acquire respectability

To get recognition

Curiosity to find out the unknown facts of an event

Curiosity to find new things

To serve the society by solving social problems.

 OBJECTIVES OF RESEARCH
The prime objectives of research are:
To discover new facts

To verify and test important facts

To analyze an event or process or phenomenon to identify the cause and

effect relationship
To develop new scientific tools, concepts and theories to solve and
understand scientific and nonscientific problems

To find solutions to scientific, nonscientific and social problems

To overcome or solve the problems occurring in our every day life.

 RESEARCH PROBLEM
• A research problem refers to some difficulty in the
context of either a theoretical or practical situation and
wants to obtain a solution for the same.
SELECTING THE PROBLEM
• Every researcher must find out his own salvation for
research problems cannot be borrowed.
• The following points may be observed by a researcher in
selecting a research problem:-
 Subject which is overdone should not be normally chosen.
 Too narrow or too vague problems should be avoided.
 Contd…

The selection of a problem must be

preceded by a preliminary study.
Importance of the subject, qualification,
training of a researcher, costs involved and
time factor are few other criteria that must
also be considered in selecting a problem.
 The DO’s
• Listen attentively
• Be analytical and critical in your approach to
learning research methodology
• Mention if you do not understand something
and seek clarification
• Read the prescribed course literature. It is the
basic requirement for comprehending research
methodology and succeeding in this course
• Start reading from the beginning of the course
and not towards the end!
 The DONT’s
• Be late to class
• Distract the attention of other course participants
• Use mobile phones or send SMS messages in the
class
• Feel afraid to bring up any relevant point for
discussion
• Hesitate to visit at office, individually or as a
group, if you have a course-related problem and
seek counseling in this regard
“I keep six honest serving men, (they taught me
all I knew), their names are
what, and why, and when, and how,
and where and who.”
--Rudyard Kipling

“ THANK YOU”