Research Methodology

What is research?
Research is derived from a french word ​‘recerch’​ meaning ‘to search’ and a latin word
‘​circare’​ meaning ‘to go around in a circle.

Research is a process of ​systematic inquiry​ that entails ​collection of data​;

documentation of ​critical information​; and ​analysis​ and ​interpretation​ of that
data/information, in accordance with suitable ​methodologies​ set by specific
professional fields and academic disciplines. Research enhances knowledge.

Research is conducted to ​evaluate the validity of a hypothesis​ or an interpretive

framework; to assemble a body of substantive knowledge and findings for sharing them
in appropriate manners; and to generate questions for further inquiries.

Scholarly definitions of research:

According to ​Manheim ​- “Research is a careful, diligent, and exhaustive investigation of
a specific subjective matter, which has as its aim the advancement of mankind’s
knowledge.”

Redman and Mary ​define research as “systematised efforts to gain knowledge”.

According to ​Lundberg ​- “research is a method sufficiently objective and systematic to

make possible classification, generalisation and verification of the data observed.”

Clifford Woody​ - “Research is a careful enquiry or examination in seeking facts or

principles and diligent investigation to asserting to something.”

According to ​Dr. P.V. Young​ - “It is a scientific undertaking, aiming to discover new
facts or verify old facts, analyze the sequences, interrelationships and causal
explanations derived within an appropriate theoretical frame of reference, develop new
scientific tools, concepts and theory which would facilitate reliable valid study of human
behavior. It is done by means of logical and systematized techniques.

Characteristic of research:
1. Research requires clear articulation of goals
2. A research has an underlying research problem, it is not the end of the problem
but the beginning of a new search
 3. Research is based on hypothesis and insight
4. It is logical and objective
5. It is characterised by proper research methodology
6. Research is used to to find out a relationship between 2 or more variables
7. It is systematic, an expert, exact and accurate investigation
8. It gathers new knowledge and sometimes it replaces the old knowledge
9. Research is search for new knowledge, it is rediscovering existing knowledge
and adds to existing knowledge
10. It endeavours to record data in quantitative terms
11. It leads to decision making and action
12. It is free from opinion as it needs empirical evidence for testing the hypothesis

Research is one of the ways to find answers to your questions. When you say that you
are undertaking a research study to find out answers to a question, you are implying
that the process being applied:
1. is being undertaken within the framework of a set of philosophies;
2. uses procedures, methods and techniques that have been tested for their validity
and reliability;
3. is designed to be unbiased and objective.

The ​philosophical orientation​ may stem from one of the several paradigms and
approaches in research – positivist, interpretive, phenomenology, action or participatory,
feminist, qualitative, quantitative – and the academic discipline in which you have been
trained.
The concept of ​‘validity’​ can be applied to any aspect of the research process. It
ensures that in a research study correct procedures have been applied to find answers
to a question.
‘Reliability’​ refers to the quality of a measurement procedure that provides repeatability
and accuracy.
‘Unbiased and objective’​ means that you have taken each step in an unbiased
manner and drawn each conclusion to the best of your ability and without introducing
your own vested interest. Bias is distinctly different from subjectivity.
Subjectivity​ is an integral part of your way of thinking that is ‘conditioned’ by your
educational background, discipline, philosophy, experience and skills. For example, a
psychologist may look at a piece of information differently from the way in which an
anthropologist or a historian looks at it.
Bias​, on the other hand, is a deliberate attempt to either conceal or highlight something.
Research Methodology:
A research methodology involves specific techniques that are 
adopted in research process to collect, assemble and evaluate data. 
It defines those tools that are used to gather relevant information in 
a specific research study. Surveys, questionnaires and interviews are 
the common tools of research. 
 
Scholar definitions: 
Dickinson Mc Graw a ​ nd​ George Watson d ​ efine methodology as 
“the procedure by which researchers go about their work of 
describing, explaining and predicting phenomena.” 
 
Kaplan d ​ efines methodology as “a study-description, the 
explanation and the justification of methods and the methods 
themselves.” 
 
Martin Bulner​ says, “Methodology denotes the systematic and 
logical study of the general principles concerned in the broadest 
sense with the question of how- knowledge is established, and how 
others can be convinced that the knowledge is correct.” 
 
● The methodology determines the procedure which the 
researcher intent to adopt in the gathering of information. This 
describes how the research is going to be conducted either 
through interviews, through the use of study material which 
may be primary or secondary source, Internet research or field 
research. 
● Research methodology the system is investigation to gain new 
knowledge about the phenomena or problems. But it is vital 
since methodology includes the philosophy and practice of the 
whole research process. It provides standards which the 
researchers use for integrating data and reaching conclusions. 
● Techniques for collecting data referred to as methods, while 
the logic applying the scientific perspective to the study of 
 event system ‘methodology’. Various methods constitute only a 
part of methodology. 
● Paul Diesing says that the term “method’ or ‘mode’ of 
procedure implies the whole series of subject that a researcher 
follows in the process of making a contribution to the field of 
knowledge.  
● The method of data collection can be collected from primary 
source or secondary source. 
● Data from primary source is taken directly from the original 
source like legal documents, questionnaires, surveys and 
interviews.  
● Data from secondary sources can be taken from relevant 
literature review articles, credible websites, journals, 
newspapers, magazines and periodicals.  
 
The organized questioning and exploration either by hypothesis 
formation or scientific testing of any inquisition or query by following a 
set of standard rules and procedures is defined as ​research methodology​. 
 
Research methodology is applied on two important types of research 
process which involves basic research and applied research. Basic 
Research refers to the study that is aimed at expanding the existing base 
of scientific knowledge. Applied Research is the research that is designed 
to solve specific practical problems or answer certain questions. 
 
B.A. Worley ​listed out the implications of methodology in research: 
1. Discovery of truth -​ the basic assumption of a researcher is that the 
truth is knowledge, for practical purpose. They believe words can be 
used to convey meaning 
2. First hand study ​- the best evidence is the first hand study of an 
experiment. 
3. Rules in training the researcher -​ includes certain rules that the 
researcher must follow like being honestly with plagiarism, individual 
work, acknowledge the work with suitable reference, etc. 
 
 
 
Schools of Research Methodology: 
1. Positivism -​ The theory of Positivism is an epistemological position that 
concerns the application of the methods of the natural sciences to the 
study of social reality and beyond (Bryman, 2004). ​Positivism also 
addresses that the aim of research should be to identify causal 
explanations and fundamental laws that explain human behavior. It 
argues that both man and matter are a part of the natural universe and 
that the behaviour of both is governed by natural laws. Social and 
natural behaviour is therefore explained in a cause and effect 
relationship.  
 
2. Phenomenology -​ ​The theory of phenomenology can be used in 
contrast to Positivism. From a phenological perspective, there is a 
fundamental difference between the subject matter of the natural and 
social science. Since matter has no consciousness, its behaviour can be 
explained based on external stimuli. Qualitative data is mainly carried 
out by phenomenologists and used for inductive reasoning (Bryman, 
2004).