Research Methodology Notes

This page is dedicated to research methodology notes, articles and examples. Research methodology is an organized approach to address a problem. It is a science of studying how research is to be performed. Essentially, the processes by which investigators go about their work of describing, detailing and forecasting phenomena are called research methodology. It is also defined as the study of methods through which knowledge is acquired. Its aim is to give the work plan of research.

A methodology is the design procedure for performing research or the development of a process and is not by itself a tool for performing those activities. It is a process utilized to collect data for the objective of making business decisions. The research methodology normally includes publication research, interviews, surveys, etc. It can include both present and historical information. A Methodology isn't going to provide solutions but provides the theoretical underpinning for understanding which technique, set of approaches can be used to a specific situation. Usually for almost any research study both primary and secondary research are carried out that helps in the better understanding of the whole research. Primary research helps gather appropriate and adequate data of the present situation related to any topic and offers an understanding into the exact nature of the problem.

There are numerous methods to approach the research which fulfills the needs of a project. These could vary both within and between disciplines. You should consider the expectations and possibilities concerning research in your own field.

Characteristics of Interest in Research

The characteristics of interest determine what there is regarding the units which is of concern to the decision maker. These characteristics belong to two classes: the dependent variables and the independent variables. We will discuss about the 2 * 2 matrix created by Frank, Massy, and Wind also.

Features of Exploratory Research

Exploratory research operates as a source for building ideas that are then subjected to additional research investigation. It helps make certain that a far more comprehensive, definitive future research is not going to start with an inadequate understanding of the character of the problem. The most crucial features of exploratory research is its potential for future research.

Advantages of Exploratory Research Design

Exploratory Research Design is usually versatile and dynamic and can be rooted in existing literature. Having said that, it costs a lot and may be unsuccessful. The primary goal of exploratory research is to enhance a researcher’s understanding of a topic. It can help to discover possible methods to accomplish decision makers goals.

Trustworthiness in Qualitative Research

The objective of trustworthiness in qualitative studies is to support the argument that the inquiry’s outcomes are “worth paying attention to”. This really is not the same as typical experimental precedent of attempting to show validity, soundness, and significance. Trustworthiness has developed into an important concept because it allows researchers to explain the virtues of qualitative terms outside the parameters which are often utilized in quantitative research.

Criteria for Selecting a Research Problem

This article discusses about the criteria for selecting a research problem. The important considerations which should be borne in mind while selecting the research topic are: economic considerations, technical, environmental and human considerations,

Role of Research

The primary role and intent behind research is to help plan and accumulate information on a particular theme. Research really helps to keep track of something before performing it and also helps to discover new stuff by gathering and looking out for what others would have done. The article talks about the role of research in various fields like: government, production, banking, marketing, human resource development and materials.

Significance of Research in Business

The importance of research in many fields of applied economics, whether linked to business, market, commerce, trade, services or to the economy in general, has greatly increased nowadays. Research helps the organization to boost its productivity and reduce cost.

Exploratory Research Examples

Exploratory research is a methodological technique which is mainly focused on discovery and with producing or building theory. In a pure sense, all research is exploratory. I have provided quite a few exploratory research examples in this article which will help you to understand the subject easily.

Threats to Internal Validity in Quantitative Research

Internal validity says that variations in the dependent variable come from variations in the independent variable(s) – not from other confounding factors. In tests, internal validity can also be depending upon how much control has been achieved in the study while collecting data. Some examples of internal validity threats are also provided in this article.

Threats to External Validity in Research

External validity means the degree to which the outcomes of an investigation can be generalized to and across individuals, settings, and times. Take into account that all of the threats to internal validity will also be threats to external validity in research. The most frequent loss of external validity originates from the point that experiments utilizing human participants usually make use of small samples obtained from one geographical location or with idiosyncratic features