STA630 Handouts

STA630 (RESEARCH METHODS)

Table of Contents

Lesson 1 .................................................................................................................................................. 1 INTRODUCTION, DEFINITION & VALUE OF RESEARCH ....................................................... 1 What is the value of Research? ....................................................................................................... 1 Research helps in developing methodologies ..................................................................................... 2 Lesson 2 .................................................................................................................................................. 4 SCIENTIFIC METHOD OF RESEARCH & ITS SPECIAL FEATURES ........................................ 4 Important Characteristics of Scientific Method .................................................................................. 4 Lesson 3 .................................................................................................................................................. 7 CLASSIFICATION OF RESEARCH ................................................................................................ 7

Q1. Purpose of Doing Research ............................................................................................................ 7

1. Exploratory/Formulative Research ............................................................................................. 7
2. Descriptive Research: ................................................................................................................. 8
3. Explanatory Research:................................................................................................................. 8

Q2. The Uses of Research ..................................................................................................................... 9

1. Basic Research ............................................................................................................................ 9
2. Applied Research ........................................................................................................................ 9
3. Basic and Applied Research Compared .................................................................................... 10
4. Types of Applied Research ........................................................................................................... 10
5. The Time Dimension in Research: ............................................................................................... 11
6. Research (data collection) Techniques Used: .............................................................................. 11 Lesson 4 ................................................................................................................................................ 13 THEORY AND RESEARCH ........................................................................................................... 13 Role of Theory .................................................................................................................................. 15 Role of Facts (Research) ................................................................................................................... 17

Theory and Research: the Dynamic Duo .......................................................................................... 17 Lesson 5 ................................................................................................................................................ 18 CONCEPTS ...................................................................................................................................... 18 Concepts are an Abstraction of Reality ......................................................................................... 18 Degree of Abstraction ................................................................................................................... 18 Definitions: ....................................................................................................................................... 19 Dictionary Definitions: ................................................................................................................. 19 Operational Definition .................................................................................................................. 20 Lesson 06 .............................................................................................................................................. 21 VARIABLES AND TYPES OF VARIABLES ................................................................................ 21 Types of Variable .............................................................................................................................. 21

1. Continuous and Discontinuous variables ................................................................................. 21
2. Dependent and Independent Variables..................................................................................... 21
3. Moderating Variables ............................................................................................................... 22
4. Intervening Variables ................................................................................................................ 22
5. Extraneous Variables ............................................................................................................... 23 Lesson 7 ................................................................................................................................................ 24 HYPOTHESIS TESTING & CHARACTERISTICS ....................................................................... 24 Types of Hypotheses: ........................................................................................................................ 24 The Characteristics of a Testable Hypothesis: .................................................................................. 26 Lesson 8 ................................................................................................................................................ 28 REVIEW OF LITERATURE ........................................................................................................... 28 Goals of a Literature Review ............................................................................................................ 28 Types of Reviews .............................................................................................................................. 28 Lesson 9 ................................................................................................................................................ 30 CONDUCTING A SYSTEMATIC LITERATURE REVIEW ........................................................ 30 Define and refine a topic: .............................................................................................................. 30

Design a search ............................................................................................................................. 30 Locate research reports: ................................................................................................................ 30 Write the Review: ............................................................................................................................. 31 Lesson 10 .............................................................................................................................................. 32 THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK .................................................................................................... 32 The Components of the Theoretical Framework .............................................................................. 33 Lesson 11 .............................................................................................................................................. 35 PROBLEM DEFINITION AND RESEARCH PROPOSAL ........................................................... 35 Lesson 12 .............................................................................................................................................. 38 THE RESEARCH PROCESS ........................................................................................................... 38

1. Broad Problem Area................................................................................................................. 38
2. Preliminary Data Collection..................................................................................................... 38
3. Problem Definition ................................................................................................................... 38
4. Theoretical Framework ............................................................................................................ 39
5. Generation of Hypotheses ........................................................................................................ 39
6. Research Design ....................................................................................................................... 39
7. Data Collection, Data Processing, and Analysis ...................................................................... 40
8. Testing the Hypotheses; Answering the Research Questions .................................................. 41
9. Report Writing ......................................................................................................................... 41 Lesson 13 .............................................................................................................................................. 43 ETHICAL ISSUES IN RESEARCH ................................................................................................ 43 Codes of ethic applicable at each stage of the research ................................................................ 43 General Rights and Obligations of Parties Concerned .................................................................. 44 Ethical Treatment of Participants .................................................................................................. 44 Lesson 14 .............................................................................................................................................. 45 ETHICAL ISSUES IN RESEARCH (Cont.) .................................................................................... 45 Deception: ..................................................................................................................................... 45