INTRODUCTION
TO RESEARCH
METHODOLOGY
Dr. Thomas Varghese
Dept. of Physics
Nirmala College,
Muvattupuzha
tv@nirmalacollege.ac.in
November 5, 2025
1
Research?
 A careful investigation for new facts in any
branch of knowledge
 Redman and Mory: Research is a systematic
effort to gain new knowledge
November 5, 2025
2
Research?
 Clifford Woody: Research-
 defining and redefining problems, formulating
hypothesis/objectives;
 collecting, organizing and evaluating data;
 making deductions and reaching conclusions;
 testing the conclusions to determine whether
they fit the formulating hypothesis/objectives
November 5, 2025
3
Why do research?
 Desire to get a research degree along with its
consequential benefits
 Desire to face the challenge in solving the
unsolved problems
 Desire to get intellectual joy of doing some
creative work
 Desire to be of service to society
 Desire to get respectability
 Directives of government, employment conditions
etc.
November 5, 2025
4
Why do research?...
 Validate intuition
 Improve methods
 Demands of the Job
 For publication/patent
November 5, 2025
5
Choose a subject
 Based on an idea
 Based on your experience
 Based on your reading
 Originality
November 5, 2025
6
7/42
The important features of a research
design
 A plan
Specify the sources & types of information
relevant to the research problem
 A strategy
Which approach will be used for
gathering and analyzing the data
 The time and budgets
Most studies are done under these two
constraints
CHARACTERISTICS OF RESEARCH
Systematic- All steps must be inter
related- one to another
Logical- Agreeing with the
principles of logic
Empirical-Conclusions should be
based on evidences/observations
CHARACTERISTICS OF RESEARCH…
Objectivity- It must answer the
research questions
Replicable- reproducible
Transmittable
 Quality control- Accurate
measurements
 All well designed and conducted
research has potential application
November 5, 2025
9
Define Your objectives
 Try to keep these simple
 The more variables the more difficult
 Use the opportunity
 Get help at this stage
 Senior colleagues
 Experienced researchers
November 5, 2025
10
Literature search
 Check to see if your idea is original
 Get articles
 Read articles and their references
 Most of these will be vital when writing up
reports
 Find gap areas
 Find obsolete measurements and results
 Define objectives of the study
November 5, 2025
11
Steps involved in a research
 Choose a subject
 Literature survey
 Defining and formulation of specific
objectives
 Prepare Synopsis
 Procuring of suitable apparatus/materials
 Design of experimental set up
 Preliminary experiments
 Execution of the project
 Accurate measurements/data collection
November 5, 2025
12
Steps involved in a research…
 Data analysis and error compounding
 Hypothesis testing and verification
 Results and discussion
 Generalization, interpretation and drawing
conclusions
 Preparation of the project report or writing thesis
November 5, 2025
13
14
The Process of Research
Research article writing
November 5, 2025
15
Authorship/ethics
 All authors should directly involved in
entire study
 Article is free from plagiarism
 Should follow ethics
November 5, 2025
16
A Research Report
A Research Report generally include:
 Introduction and Statement of problem
 Review of relevant literature
 Statement of hypothesis or research objectives
 Theoretical resume
 Description of research design
 Description Experimental design
 Description of measurement and data analysis
 Error compounding
 Presentation of Results
 Discussion
 Conclusion, limitations, and implications
 Suggestions for future work
 Acknowledgements
 References cited
 Appendices
Types of research
1. Application- Pure and Applied Research
Applied- Finding solutions for immediate problems
facing a society/industry
Pure- Concerned with generalization and
formulation of a theory
2. Inquiry Mode- Quantitative and qualitative
Quantitatative- Measurements of quantity or amount
Qualitative- Concerned with qualitative phenomena
(reasons for human behavior)
November 5, 2025
18
Research Studies
 Based on research objectives:
 Exploratory or formulative research- To
gain familiarity with a phenomenon or to
achieve new insights into it
 descriptive research- To study accurately
the characteristics of a particular
individual, situation or a group-includes
survey
November 5, 2025
19
Research Studies
 Diagnostic research- To determine the
frequency with which something occurs or
with which it is associated with something
else
 hypothesis-testing research- To test a
hypothesis of a causal relationship
between variables
November 5, 2025
20
November 5, 2025
21
Thank you
“Science is not belief,
but the will to find out.”

INTRODUCTION-TO-RESEARCH-METHODOLOGY-2020.ppt

  • 1.
    INTRODUCTION TO RESEARCH METHODOLOGY Dr. ThomasVarghese Dept. of Physics Nirmala College, Muvattupuzha [email protected] November 5, 2025 1
  • 2.
    Research?  A carefulinvestigation for new facts in any branch of knowledge  Redman and Mory: Research is a systematic effort to gain new knowledge November 5, 2025 2
  • 3.
    Research?  Clifford Woody:Research-  defining and redefining problems, formulating hypothesis/objectives;  collecting, organizing and evaluating data;  making deductions and reaching conclusions;  testing the conclusions to determine whether they fit the formulating hypothesis/objectives November 5, 2025 3
  • 4.
    Why do research? Desire to get a research degree along with its consequential benefits  Desire to face the challenge in solving the unsolved problems  Desire to get intellectual joy of doing some creative work  Desire to be of service to society  Desire to get respectability  Directives of government, employment conditions etc. November 5, 2025 4
  • 5.
    Why do research?... Validate intuition  Improve methods  Demands of the Job  For publication/patent November 5, 2025 5
  • 6.
    Choose a subject Based on an idea  Based on your experience  Based on your reading  Originality November 5, 2025 6
  • 7.
    7/42 The important featuresof a research design  A plan Specify the sources & types of information relevant to the research problem  A strategy Which approach will be used for gathering and analyzing the data  The time and budgets Most studies are done under these two constraints
  • 8.
    CHARACTERISTICS OF RESEARCH Systematic-All steps must be inter related- one to another Logical- Agreeing with the principles of logic Empirical-Conclusions should be based on evidences/observations
  • 9.
    CHARACTERISTICS OF RESEARCH… Objectivity-It must answer the research questions Replicable- reproducible Transmittable  Quality control- Accurate measurements  All well designed and conducted research has potential application November 5, 2025 9
  • 10.
    Define Your objectives Try to keep these simple  The more variables the more difficult  Use the opportunity  Get help at this stage  Senior colleagues  Experienced researchers November 5, 2025 10
  • 11.
    Literature search  Checkto see if your idea is original  Get articles  Read articles and their references  Most of these will be vital when writing up reports  Find gap areas  Find obsolete measurements and results  Define objectives of the study November 5, 2025 11
  • 12.
    Steps involved ina research  Choose a subject  Literature survey  Defining and formulation of specific objectives  Prepare Synopsis  Procuring of suitable apparatus/materials  Design of experimental set up  Preliminary experiments  Execution of the project  Accurate measurements/data collection November 5, 2025 12
  • 13.
    Steps involved ina research…  Data analysis and error compounding  Hypothesis testing and verification  Results and discussion  Generalization, interpretation and drawing conclusions  Preparation of the project report or writing thesis November 5, 2025 13
  • 14.
  • 15.
  • 16.
    Authorship/ethics  All authorsshould directly involved in entire study  Article is free from plagiarism  Should follow ethics November 5, 2025 16
  • 17.
    A Research Report AResearch Report generally include:  Introduction and Statement of problem  Review of relevant literature  Statement of hypothesis or research objectives  Theoretical resume  Description of research design  Description Experimental design  Description of measurement and data analysis  Error compounding  Presentation of Results  Discussion  Conclusion, limitations, and implications  Suggestions for future work  Acknowledgements  References cited  Appendices
  • 18.
    Types of research 1.Application- Pure and Applied Research Applied- Finding solutions for immediate problems facing a society/industry Pure- Concerned with generalization and formulation of a theory 2. Inquiry Mode- Quantitative and qualitative Quantitatative- Measurements of quantity or amount Qualitative- Concerned with qualitative phenomena (reasons for human behavior) November 5, 2025 18
  • 19.
    Research Studies  Basedon research objectives:  Exploratory or formulative research- To gain familiarity with a phenomenon or to achieve new insights into it  descriptive research- To study accurately the characteristics of a particular individual, situation or a group-includes survey November 5, 2025 19
  • 20.
    Research Studies  Diagnosticresearch- To determine the frequency with which something occurs or with which it is associated with something else  hypothesis-testing research- To test a hypothesis of a causal relationship between variables November 5, 2025 20
  • 21.
    November 5, 2025 21 Thankyou “Science is not belief, but the will to find out.”