Introduction of research

MODULE 1:
INTRODUCTION TO
CONCEPT OF RESEARCH
ASST.PROF. RANJANI SHUKLA

WHAT IS RESEARCH?
 Search for facts
 Answers to questions
 Solution to problems
 Explanation to unexplained
phenomenon
 Correcting misconceived facts
 Purposive investigation
 Organised Inquiry

Nature and Scope of Research
 Systematic and critical investigation
 Not a mere compilation, but purposive investigation
 Aims at describing, interpreting and explaining a phenomenon
 Adopts scientific method
 Objective and logical
 Based on observable experience or empirical evidence
 Directed towards finding answers

PURPOSE OF SOCIAL SCIENCE RESEARCH
Research extends knowledge of human being
It unravels the mysteries of nature
Theory building
Establishes generalization and general laws
It verifies and tests existing facts

PURPOSE
OF SOCIAL SCIENCE
RESEARCH
 Research helps improving our
knowledge and ability to handle
situation and events
 Aims to analyze the inter-
relationship between variables
 Applied research aims at finding
solution to problems
 Develops new tools, concepts, and
theories for better study of unknown
facts
 Research aids planning and thus
contribute to national development.

BASIC ASSUMPTIONS
OF RESEARCH
David Easton has laid down certain
assumptions,
 Regularities
 Varification
 Techniques
 Quantification
 Values
 Systematization
 Pure science
 Integration

SIGNIFICANCE OF RESEARCH
 Research contains scientific and inductive thinking and it promotes the
development of logical habit of thinking and organization
 The role of research in several fields of applied economics, related to business or
to the economy, has greatly increased in modern times.
 Research aid to economic policy, hence it has gained again added importance,
both for government and business.
 Research provides the basis for nearly all government policy in our
economic system. For instance Government budget rest in part on an analysis of
needs and desire of people and availability of revenue to meet these need.

 The cost of needs must be equated to expected revenue and this is a field where
research is most needed.
 By research we can devise alternative policies and can also examine the
consequences of each of these alternatives.
 Research facilitates the decision making of the policy method.
 Research is considered necessary for allocation of resources.
 It is necessary for collecting information about economic and
social structure of the nation.

 Research has its special significance in solving various
operational and planning problems of business and
industry.
 Research is equally important for social scientist in
studying social relationships and in
seeking answers to various social problems.
 It provides the intellectual satisfaction of knowing a
few things just for the sake of knowledge.

ADDITIONAL SIGNIFICANCE OF
RESEARCH
 To those students who are to write a master's or PhD thesis,
research may mean a better careerism or a way to attain a high
position in the social structure.
 To professionalism in research methodology, research may
mean a source of livelihood.
 To philosopher and thinker, research may mean the outlet for
new ideas and insights
 To analysts and intellectuals, research may mean
the generalization of new theories.
 Research is the sake of knowledge and an important source of
providing guidelines for solving different business,
governmental and social problems.

OBJECTIVITY IN
SOCIAL SCIENCE
RESEARCH
 Objectivity means the willingness and ability to
examine evidence impartially or dispassionately.
 Objectivity means finding out conclusion based
on facts without any bias and value judgement
 The conclusion should be independent of
one's personal beliefs, likes dislikes and hopes.
 In short, both the data and the inference
drawn from their analysis must be free from bias
and prejudices.

FACTOR
AFFECTING
OBJECTIVITY IN
RESEARCH
It is very difficult to achieve objectivity in
social science research. The following
factors affects objectivity in research;
Personal prejudice and biases
Value related problems
Personal preconceptions
Ethical Dilemmas
Social phenomenon

TYPES OF
RESEARCH
Pure Research
Applied Research
Exploratory Research
Descriptive Research
Action Research
Experimental Research
Analytical Research
Historical Research
Survey Research

Pure Research
 Pure Research is undertaken for the sake of knowledge without any
intension to apply it in practice. E.g. Einstein's theory of relativity,
Newton's Contributions, Galileo's contribution etc.
 Pure research is also as basic or fundamental research.
 It is undertaken out of intellectual, curiosity or inquisitiveness.
 It is not necessarily problem-oriented.
 It aims at extension of knowledge.
 It may lead to either discovery of a new theory or refinement of an
existing theory.

Applied Research
 Applied Research is carried on to find out solutions to a real-life problems
requiring an action or policy decision.
 It is thus problem-oriented and action-directed.
 It seeks an immediate and practical result, e.g. marketing research carried on
for developing a new market or for studying the post purchase experience of
customers.
 Though the immediate purpose of an applied research is to find solution to
a practical problem. It may incidentally contribute to the
development of theoretical knowledge by leading to the discovery of new facts
or testing of a theory or to conceptual clarity.

Exploratory or Formulative Research
 Exploratory research is preliminary study of an unfamiliar problem about which the researcher
has little or no knowledge.
 It is similar to a doctor's initial investigation of a patient suffering from an
unfamiliar diseases for getting some clues for identifying it.
 It usually takes the form of a pilot study.
 The purpose of an exploratory study may be;
To generate new ideas or
To increase the researcher's familiarity with the problem or
To make a precise formulation of the problem or
To gather information for clarification concepts or
To determine whether it is feasible to attempt the study.

Descriptive Research
 Descriptive study is a fact-finding investigation with adequate interpretation.
 It is more specific than an exploratory study.
 It is designed to gather descriptive information and
provides information for formulating more sophisticated studies.
 Data are collected by using one or more appropriate methods; observation,
interviewing and mail questionnaire.
 Descriptive research can be either quantitative or qualitative.
 A descriptive study is one in which information is collected without changing the
environment (I.e. nothing is manipulated).
 Present trends, beliefs, public mind, their viewpoint and attitudes, their effects or
developments of new trends are described.
 Ex. Instance of road accident...

Experimental Research
 Experimental Research is designed to assess the effects of particular variables on a
phenomenon by keeping the other variables constant or controlled.
 It aims determining whether and in what manner variables are related to each other.
 The factor, which is influenced, by other factor is called a dependent variable, and
the other factors, which influence it, are known as independent variables.
 For example, agricultural productivity, I.e. crop yield per hectare is a
dependent variable and the factors such as soil fertility, irrigation, quality of
seed, manuring and cultural practices which influence the yield are independent
variable.

Analytical Study or Statistical Method
Analytical Study is a system and techniques of analysis applied to quantitative data.
It may consist of a system of mathematical or statistical application to numerical data.
Hence, it is also known as the 'statistical method'
It concentrates on analyzing data in depth and examining relationships from various
angles by bringing in as many relevant variables as possible in the analysis plan.

Historical Research
 Historical study is a study of past records and other information
sources with a view to reconstructing the origin and development of
an institution or a movement or a system and discovering the trends
in the past.
 It is descriptive in nature.
 It is a difficult task; it must often depend upon inference and logical
analysis of recorded data and indirect evidences rather than
upon direct observation.
 Its objective is to draw explanation and generalizations from the past
trends in order to understand the present and to anticipate the future.

Surveys
Survey is a fact finding study.
It is a method of research involving collection of data
directly from a population or a sample thereof at particular time.
Data may be collected by observation, interviewing or
mailing questionnaire.

Introduction of research

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