Researce Methods

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Prepared by: ASIF IQBAL


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RESEARCH METHODS

An Introduction

Research means, seeking the facts or realities, or analytical research,

scrutinize the problem. In fact research is purulent of two words re andsearch, which means to search again. It is in the nature of human being tokeep him or her active in seeking the fact.

Research is a systematic and refined technique of thinking employingspecialized tools, instruments and procedures in order to obtain moreadequate solution of a problem than would be possible under ordinary means.It starts with a problems, collects data or facts, analysis them critically andreaches decisions based on the actual evidence.

Types of Research

Basically there are two ends of research:

One is to solve current problems in work setting, or any micro and macroeconomics problems.

Next one can contribute knowledge in a particular area pf research e.g. ifyou want to analysis the causes of inflation. Regarding this problem ifresearch improves your knowledge.

However generally there are two types of research known as:

Basic research (Basic research deals with natural thing and explain it incareful examination).

Applied research (when the theory is applied to attain the desired result itis known as applied research).

Categories of Research

Basically the research may be divided into two main categories:

Qualitative Research Quantitative ResearchIn nominal and ordinal scale qualitative research is used. It deals with thequalitative phenomena of interest. In social research normally we usequalitative research. In quantitative research we investigate numerical orquantitative type of information.


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Classification of Research

Classification of Marketing Research:

a) Exploratory researchb) Conclusive researchc) Performance-monitoring researchThe exploratory research has systematic way, which includes use ofsecondary data sources, observations, interviews and group interviews withknowledgeable person and case histories. When researcher use suchinformation which help them to use the alternative course of action to studythe problem it is called conclusive research.

To describe the characteristics of variables we use descriptive research theparameter of system, or economic phenomena market phenomena, and

marketing prediction. Performance monitoring research provides informationregarding the monitoring of the market system.

Steps and Stages of Research Process

Chose a topic Design study Gather the data Analyze the data Data interpretation Research reportTHEORY AND BASIS OF RESEARCH

Importance of Research

To improve living condition For improvement in business Research in production and distribution problems For economic developmentResearch is equally helpful for economic development of country. As in caseof Pakistan economic research require in the following fields:

a) For rural-developmentb) For agricultural sectorc) For industrial sectord) For financial problemse) For unemployment problems


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f) For inflation problemsResearch Techniques

Basically research technique follows approaches:

Qualitative QuantitativeIn fact all research process is base on these two techniques. Further eachcategory uses several specific research techniques e.g.

1) Survey2) Interview3) Historical Analysis4) Managing Research5) Internet ResearchQuantitative Data

1) Experiment Research2) Surveys3) Content Analysis4) Existing StatisticsQualitative Data

Qualitative research is conducted through field research and HistoricalComparative Research. Field Research includes:

1) Gaining access to a group or site2) Adoption of social role in setting3) ObservationSCIENTIFIC THINKING

Nature of Scientific Method

Scientific nature reflects in two ways:

1) Static2) DynamicStatic view is one in which we systemize the information, that includesconnected, theories, principles and laws. The dynamic reflects as a process.


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Hall Mark or Criteria for a Good Research Problem

1) Originality2) Importance3) Aim of research/ purposivness4) Level of research5) Availability of guidanceRESEARCH DESIGN IN RESEARCH PROCESS

Research design is always necessary before conducting research. A researchdesign is a basic plan that guides the type of information to be collected, thesource of data and phase of analysis of the research project.

Classification of Research Design

However following are some important research designs are as following:

1) Survey method2) Exploring study3) Descriptive research design4) Experimental research design5) Time series designResearch Design

Three steps are to be noted in research design:

1) What is a research design?2) Basic issues of a research design3) Component of a researchComponent of a Research Design

Title of the Investigations or Research Purpose of the Study Statement of the Problem Scope of the Investigation Objective of the Study Variables Formulation of Hypothesis Selection of the Sample Data collection (Primary data, Secondary data) Testing the Reliability of the data Tabulation of the results


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Analysis of the Data Interpretation of the Result Suggestion for further Research Summary of the Report Preparation of the Research ReportVARIABLE AND HYPOTHESIS

Types of Variable

Independent Dependent

Income, Price. Fashion, Quantity demand Taste. Weather, Substitution goods. Income, previous, peak income, Consumption Transitory income, wealth.Hypothesis and Propositions

Hypothesis may be defined as instrument for finding relation ships betweenvariable to investigate further. Thus hypothesis is proposition as statementin which we assign variables to cases is defined as entity or thing thehypothesis talks about.

Types of Hypothesis

1) Null Hypothesis2) Alternative HypothesisNull Hypothesis explains the exact relationship between two variables. Inother words the difference in the means of two groups in the population isequal to zero. Opposite to null hypothesis or any hypothesis that is differentfrom null hypothesis.

The role of Hypothesis

In research a hypothesis serves important function:

It guides the direction of the study. It identifies facts that are relevant and those that are not. It suggests which form of research design is likely to be most appropriate. It provides a framework for organizing the conclusion that result.


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Characteristics of Hypothesis or Good Hypothesis

A good hypothesis should fulfill five conditions:

Adequacy for its purpose Clear Testable Prediction Better than its rivalsMEASUREMENT SCALES

Measurement means assignments of number to characteristics of objects orstudy. Measurement is fundamental aspect for any research. In socialresearch to study the behavior of people, nominal and ordinal scales are usedfor investigation of problems. A scale is infect a toll or phenomena by which

individual are distinguished on the variable of interest to our study in oneway or another way.

Scales are classified in four ways but there are basically two kinds of scales:

1) Quantitative2) QualitativeClassification or Types of Scales

Qualitative scales study the qualitative phenomena like, age, religion,attitude, opinion, diseases etc.

Qualitative scales have two types:

1) Nominal scales2) Ordinal scalesFor classifying or separating the properties into different classes, nominalscale is being used. Ordinal scale is used when variable of interest havedifferent categories and it is required to pull all them in natural order. It

means where the comparisons are required, like greater less or equal degreeis required.


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DATA COLLECTION AND SURVEY RESEARCH

For data collection there are several sources are available for data collectionlike, face-to-face interview. Telephone interview, computer assistedinterviews.

Data are basically of two kinds:

Primary data Secondary dataIn primary data, it simply means to attain the material initially for research.In other words we utilize this data for applying statistical techniques in orderto get result.

Secondary data already passed from statistical process and it is published in

any source in a systematic way. e.g. In Pakistan e often use in economicsdifferent secondary data from official sources and authenticated sourceslike.

1) Economic Survey of Pakistan2) Federal Bureau of Statistics3) Agriculture Statistics of PakistanSources of Secondary Data and Primary Data

1) Government Publications2) Researcher Compiling3) Interviews4) Questionnaire5) Internet6) Survey7) Annual ReportPrinciple and Techniques of Interviewing

Understanding the Responsibility of Interviews Comfortable Situation for Interview Gaining Acceptance Purpose Asking Questions Getting Proper Answers Probing the Respondent Repeating the Question Recording


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Closing the InterviewOpen Ended Versus Closed Questions

Open-ended questions allow respondents to answer them in any way they

choose. A closed question, in contrast, would ask the responds to makechoices among a set of alternatives gives by the researcher.

FIELD RESEARCH

Steps and Stages in Field Research

1) Prepare one self and defocuses2) Selection of field site3) Strategy for Entering4) Learning the Ropes5) Watching and Listening6) Analyze the Data7) Focusing and Sampling8) Field Interview9) Leaving the Field10) Publish the Field ReportsSAMPLING DESIGN

Sampling= Process of drawing a sample from population.

Sampling is a selection hopefully representative of the total population of

universe that one series to study.

Types of Sampling

There are basically two types of sampling:

1) Probability Sampling2) Non-Probability SamplingA simplest form of probability sampling is un-restricted simple randomsample, stratified sample, cluster sample, double sample.

According to researchers there are four kinds of non-probability sampling:

Convenience Sampling Quota Sampling Purposive Sampling


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Snowball SamplingSteps and Stages of Sample Design

1) Relevant Population2) Parameters of Interest3) Sampling Frame4) Type of Sample5) Sample size6) Cost AnalysisDATA ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION

Basic Objectives in Data Analysis

After the data editing and coding researcher has to focus on three core

objectives:

The feel for data Testing goodness of data HypothesisRegression and Discriminant Analysis

This technique is used for mixed scale problems by the dummy variabletechniques. This approach gives new equation, which is used in nominal andinternally scales variables.

THE RESEARCH PROPOSAL

The proposal is similar to research report but it is written before theresearch project begins. Proposal always contains how research will beconducted, picture of detailed methods and its importance.

Following are the main steps in the writing research proposal:

1) Title and Title Page2) Introduction3) Statement of problem4) Review of literature5) Objectives6) Data sources7) Methodology8) Hypothesis9) Model


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10) ReferenceThe Written Research Report

It normally seems unfair that poor final report can destroy whole study

analysis. Researcher can appreciate the results even with badly reported,but non-researcher always influenced by quality of the reporting. Theresearcher report contains the following contents:

Findings or Result Analysis of Findings Interpretation Conclusion RecommendationsResearch Section

Introduction Problem Statement Research Objectives BackgroundMethodology Section

Sampling Design Research Design Data CollectionConclusion Section

Summary and Conclusion Recommendation Appendixes Bibliography

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Researce Methods