TYBA Research Methodology (504)

Study Material of IA2 August 2024

1. A research problem is a statement about an area of concern, a condition to be
improved, a difficulty to be eliminated, or a troubling question that exists in
scholarly literature, in theory, or in practice that points to the need for
meaningful understanding and deliberate investigation.
A research project may also be an expansion on past work in the field. A
research problem is a statement about an area of concern, a condition to be
improved, a difficulty to be eliminated, or a troubling question that exists in
scholarly literature, in theory, or in practice that points to the need for
meaningful understanding and deliberate investigation. In some social science
disciplines, the research problem is typically posed in the form of a question.
A research problem does not state how to do something, offer a vague or
broad proposition, or present a value question.
2. Defining a research problem properly and clearly is a crucial part of the
research process. Following are some of the techniques of defining a research
problem:
i) Statement of the problem in general terms: In the beginning the researcher
should state the problem in a very general way. At this level there can many
ambiguities in the research problem. In case of a social science research, it is
advisable to conduct a survey or a pilot study. Discussion with the research
guide may help at this stage. ii) Nature of the problem: The researcher should
know the origin of the research problem. He needs to understand the
background of the problem. He can seek help of the other people expert in the
concerned subject or those who have a good knowledge of the problem. iii)
Review of available literature: There can be earlier researches or theories or
other literature available on the concerned field of study. It will help him to
take an altogether new path of knowledge in which nobody has indulged
earlier. iv) Experience Survey: Experience survey involves discussions of the
researcher with his colleagues and others. It helps in clarifying ambiguous
areas of research problem. Research can be more focused with such
discussions.
3. Process of Literature Review:
Literature review should be planned meticulously. It would involve the
following steps:
a) Deciding the relevance of the available literature for the concerned research
:
At the beginning the researcher should decide the needs of his research.
Accordingly, he should decide the framework of the topic of study. It would be
now easy for the researcher to decide which literature to choose and which to
reject.
b) Method of noting the literature: The researcher has to decide whether the
literature should be noted down, verbatim, outlined or paraphrased.
 c) To set up a method of note taking: A good recording system requires ready
location of the available information; easy arrangements for classification and
analysis of information; all notes on an aspect available together.
For this the researcher may use loose sheets or a notebook. However, both
these systems suffer from major inconveniences. Therefore, the card system is
the best system that fulfills all the criteria of a good recording system.
4. A research design is a systematic plan to study a scientific problem. Good
research design helps reduce errors when carrying out research methods.
Research design works as a systematic plan outlining the study, the
researchers' methods of compilation, details on how the study will arrive at its
conclusions and the limitations of the research. Research design is not limited
to a particular type of research and may incorporate both quantitative and
qualitative analysis. When defining research design to an audience, there are a
few things you will need to make clear, while avoiding the use of scientific
terms that may lose your audience.
5. The main objective of exploratory research is to formulate a problem for more
precise investigation or of developing the working hypothesis from an
operational point of view. Such studies must also aim at discovery of insights
and ideas. Therefore, the research design for such studies must be flexible. It
should provide enough opportunity for exploring different aspects of a
research problem.
This type of research design generally involves three methods: (a) Survey of
concerning literature, (b) the experience survey (c) the analysis of 'insight -
stimulating' examples.
6. Fundamental research answers the initial question of how things work. This
fundamental knowledge is then used by applied scientists and engineers, for
example, to make improvements on existing products, technologies, and
processes.
7. Research is systematic and organized effort to investigate a specific problem
that needs a solution. It contributes to the general body of knowledge. It also
corrects human knowledge. Research is simply the process of arriving as
dependable solution to a problem through the planned and systematic
collection, analysis and interpretation of a data.
8. In other words, research is an art of systematic investigation. Someone says
that necessity is mother of all the inventions and the person engaged in this
scientific investigation can be termed as researcher.
9. Basic research is curiosity driven. It is motivated by a desire to expand
knowledge and involves the acquisition of knowledge for knowledge's sake. It
is intended to answer why, what or how questions and increase understanding
of fundamental principles.
10. Fundamental research answers the initial question of how things work. This
fundamental knowledge is then used by applied scientists and engineers, for
example, to make improvements on existing products, technologies and
processes.
 11. Exploratory research is defined as a research used to investigate a problem
which is not clearly defined. It is conducted to have a better understanding of
the existing problem, but will not provide conclusive results. Such a research
is usually carried out when the problem is at a preliminary stage.
12. In Historical research a researcher may use documents and records including
written or printed materials like Census reports, photos, newspapers etc. for
studying the past. Eyewitness accounts narrated by the persons who were
direct or indirectly a part of the experience or situation are important source
of data for such research.
13. Experimental research is designed to assess the effects of variables on a
phenomenon by keeping the other variables constant or controlled. It aims at
determining whether and in what manner variables are related to each other.
There are two variables studied under experimental research- dependent and
independent. The variable which is influenced by the other variables is called
as dependent variables. On the other hand variable which influences the
dependent variable is called as independent variable.
14. Informed consent: Sometimes researcher may involve human participants in
research without taking their consent. There should be informed consent from
participants before they take part.
15. Ethical issues
i. The individuals may be forced to participate in research by the researcher.
Sometimes incentives are provided to participate in the research Incentives, if
provided, have to be token.
ii. Even if the individual accepts to participate in the research, he should have
the freedom to withdraw from the research at any point of time.
iii. During research process the participant may be harmed either physically or
mentally and emotionally. The researcher must protect the participant
physically, mentally as well as emotionally.
iv. Research deception involves an intentional misrepresentation of facts related
to the purpose, nature or consequences of an investigation. A deception could
mean that investigator does not fully inform participants about important
aspects of the study. Part or all the information is withheld. It also involves a
situation in which the researcher gives false information about the
investigation, either partially or totally.
v. Plagiarism involves misrepresenting someone else’s work as your own. It
involves intentional unacknowledged use or incorporation of any other
person’s work in one’s own work done for either academic commitments or
public presentation.
vi. Data alterations take the forms of trimming and cooking. Trimming occurs
when the researcher corrects irregularities in the data to achieve a better fit
between actual and expected results. Cooking means selective reporting. It
means only those findings are reported that fit the hypothesis.
vii. Data collection can be done deliberately inaccurately. Strong implicit
pressures often tend to lead to such practices.
16. Observation is a method that employs vision as its main means of data
collection. It implies the use of eyes rather than of ears and the voice.
 Observation is accurate watching and noting of phenomena as they occur with
regard to the cause and effect or mutual relations.
17. Participant Observation – when the observation is characterized by a careful
definition of the units to be observed, the style of recording the observed
information, standardized conditions of observation and the selection of
pertinent data of observation. The respondent’s role is very important.
Non-participant Observation – when it takes place without the above
characteristics.
Direct/Indirect Observation: In the direct observation the researcher
personally observes the event by remaining present while it takes place.
In indirect observation when researcher does not remain present at the time
of the event but observes through recording devices is called indirect
observation.
Controlled/ uncontrolled: the observation is done under controlled condition
like laboratory conditions. Here the variables are controlled by the
researchers.
In uncontrolled observation variables are not controlled by and they behave in
their natural way.
Structured Interview - the use of a set of predetermined questions and highly
standardized techniques of recording.
Unstructured Interview - It do not follow a system of predetermined questions
and standardized techniques of recording information and it fully based on
flexibility and requirements.
Clinical Interview - is concerned with broad underlying feelings or
motivations or with the course of an individual’s life experience.
18. The case study places more emphasis on the full analysis of a limited number
of events or conditions and their interrelations. The case study method is a
very popular form of qualitative analysis and involves a careful and complete
observation of a social unit, be that unit a person, a family, an institution, a
cultural group or even the entire community. It is a method of study rather
than breadth.

19. Secondary data are basically second-hand pieces of information. They are not
gathered from the source as the primary data. To put it in other words,
secondary data are those which are already collected. So they may be
comparatively less reliable than the primary data. Secondary data is usually
used when the time for the enquiry is compact and the exactness of the
enquiry can be settled to an extent. Secondary data are basically second-hand
pieces of information. They are not gathered from the source as the primary
data. To put it in other words, secondary data are those which are already
collected. So they may be comparatively less reliable than the primary data.
Secondary data is usually used when the time for the enquiry is compact and
 the exactness of the enquiry can be settled to an extent. However, secondary
data can be gathered from different sources which can be categorised into 2
categories.
Namely:
1. Published sources
2. Unpublished sources

Students are expected to study the notes provided along with this study
material. Questions can be asked on the basis of the syllabus and not this study
material only.