COMMUNICATION SCIENCE (SBB3802) LECTURE NOTES - Week 6

SBB 3802SBB 3802SCIENCE COMMUNICATION

Week 6Dr. Edlic Sathiamurthy

No. 6, Annex. FSTTel: 668 3192Tel: 668 3192

[email protected]

5 Scientific research methodology – 1-Qualitative and quantitative-Inductive and deductive approach

5msp 3

Inductive and deductive approach-Research process-Research design

6 S i ifi h h d l 2 i l l 36 Scientific research methodology – 2-How to write a proposal

Tutorial – proposal writing exerciseScientific proposal

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7 Scientific research methodology – 3-How to write a scientific report

Scientific report 3

8 Poster Presentation Week Pass up poster 38 Poster Presentation WeekIndividual scientific proposalpresentation (1 – 13)

Pass-up posterPass-up scientific proposal

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9 Individual scientific proposalpresentation (14 – 26)

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10 Indi id al scientific proposal 310 Individual scientific proposalpresentation(27 – 40)

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11 Individual scientific proposalpresentation(41 54)

Group presentation topic

3

(41 – 54)

12 Group Presentation and Debate Group (14)

Group presentation topic

3– 4) topic

13 Group Presentation and Debate Group (5 Group presentation 313 Group Presentation and Debate Group (5– 8)

Group presentation topic

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14 Group Presentation and Debate Group (9– 11)

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15 No lecture Pass-up scientific reportp

Scientific research proposalScientific research proposal

• What is a scientific research proposal?What is a scientific research proposal?• What are the components of a scientific

research proposal?research proposal?• Why do I need to write a proposal?• How do I write a proposal? • How long should the proposal be?g p p• How to cite my references?

DefinitionDefinition

• Proposal means plan or schemeProposal means plan or scheme • Scientific research proposal could be

defined a formal documentation of adefined a formal documentation of a systematic plan to conduct a research that uses a scientific method withinthat uses a scientific method within certain time and financial frameworkIt i dj t bl th h• It is adjustable as the research progresses

Components of a scientific h lresearch proposal

• Proposal can have several formats but its components are basically the samethe same

• Components arranged according to usual order:– Title page– AbstractAbstract– Table of contents and list of figures, tables,

symbols/abbreviations – Introduction– Literature review– Problem statement, aim and objectives, hypothesis, scope– Research significance

M th d l– Methodology– Expected results– Tentative work plan and timetable

Estimated cost and equipment needed– Estimated cost and equipment needed – References

Title pageTitle page• Consists of:

– Working research title– Name(s) of researchers– AffiliationAffiliation– Name of supervisor(s) and affiliation– Date of delivery

Proposal title can be refined as the research progresses• Proposal title can be refined as the research progresses• Title should be short, accurate, descriptive and

comprehensive Cl l i di ti th bj t f th d h• Clearly indicating the subject of the proposed research

• In other words, it should be fairly self-explanatory • How to produce a research title? p

Producing a research titleProducing a research title• It is NOT an easy task yet not impossibley y p• First, start with a research idea/topic• Idea comes from background knowledge, experience

and observationand observation• Second, refine the idea by doing a literature search and

review to see what has been done before and how• Third, identify a specific area within the research

idea/topic which you can focus on (problem statement)• Fourth, put the identified focus into statements that bestFourth, put the identified focus into statements that best

represent your research focus/aim• Fifth, make the statements as concise as possible and

you will have your working titleyou will have your working title

AbstractAbstract• To be written last, i.e. after all other sections ,

are completed • It is a brief summary of your thesis proposal • Length: 200 - 300 words • Consists of:

– Brief introduction to the research issue (background) – Key statement of your research (aim) – Summary of how you want to address the issueSummary of how you want to address the issue

(methodology)– Possible implication of your work, if successfully

completed (expected result and researchcompleted (expected result and research significance)

Table of contentsTable of contents….• Table of contents – headings followed by sub-g y

headings, e.g. section/chapter title followed by sub-section/sub-chapterLi f fi (if )• List of figures (if any)

• List of tables (if any)Li t f b l d bb i ti (if )• List of symbols and abbreviations (if any)

• Their pages must be included• Every list type must start on a separate page• Every list type must start on a separate page• Format may differ between universities etc. • See example• See example....

IntroductionIntroduction• Sets the context or stage for research problem/question g p q• Explains research background starting from a broad

perspective • After that the explanation narrows down to the research• After that, the explanation narrows down to the research

question • Background must be supported by a broad review of

l t lit trelevant literature• Relevant literature referred to must be cited • The introduction should be at a level that is easy toThe introduction should be at a level that is easy to

understand for readers with a general science background

Literature reviewLiterature review• Vital component of a research• Literature review usually comes after the introduction • Its purpose is to:

– Prove the originality of the researchProve the originality of the research– Prove solid theoretical knowledge in the research field– Provide a conceptual or theoretical and methodical

foundation for the researchfoundation for the research– Justify the research aim– Show its significance

• The conclusion that should be reached is: – Research idea has not been undertaken yet – Research is based on good understanding of the research esea c s based o good u de sta d g o t e esea c

problem

Writing a literature reviewWriting a literature review• 1.0 What type of literature is suitable for research

k?work?– International journals (peer-reviewed) – most

important– Local journals (peer-reviewed) – very important – Seminar proceeding (edited or reviewed) – very

important – Books and published reports/technical manual –

important– Articles from websites (apart from e-journals, e-books ( p j ,

or conference papers) – important but make sure you can find the author or at least the institution that publishes the articles

– Newspaper articles and magazines – do not use unless very necessary

• 2.0 The literature can be divided into two categoriescategories.

• 2.1 Core Reference materials – These are references that are directly related to your:references that are directly related to your:– Research aim, objectives, problem statement or

hypothesisyp– Research methodology and techniques (including

alternative methods that have been used)S i tifi t d di tl li d i– Scientific concepts and processes directly applied in your research – for example if you are researching on interception by trees, then you must research into the p y , yconcepts and processes of interception

– Data analysis and synthesis technique( )– Expected results (so that you can make comparisons)

• 2.2 Relevant Reference materials – These are references that are not directly related to yourreferences that are not directly related to your research such as:– Scientific concepts and processes not directly applied p p y pp

but related to your research – for example if you are researching on interception by trees but you are not focusing on rainfall intensity or wind speed, you g y p , yshould at least review about the effect of these parameters on interception

– Background to your research – for example if you areBackground to your research for example if you are doing a research on the impact of urbanization on water quality of a particular river, i.e. Juru River, you may have to provide background information themay have to provide background information the factors that cause Juru River Basin to urbanize such as government policies and population growth of PenangPenang

• 3.0 How to review?STAGE 1 Id tif• STAGE 1 – Identify– Read the abstract and conclusion first and

see whether the article is relevantsee whether the article is relevant • STAGE 2 – Categorize

Decide whether they are Core Reference or– Decide whether they are Core Reference or Relevant Reference

• STAGE 3 – Read and Enquire• STAGE 3 – Read and Enquire– If it is a Relevant Reference, you should focus

on the Abstract and Conclusion and pay p yattention to the Introduction. But you must at least read through casually the whole article in order to get a ‘big’ picturein order to get a big picture

– If it is a Core Reference, you then should proceed to the Introduction and pay detailed attention to the Methodology and then how ‘good’ is the result by examining the Result, Discussion and Conclusionexamining the Result, Discussion and Conclusion section. Some of the questions you should ask:

• What method and why?Wh t th t ( i bl d t t ) d l• What are the parameters (variables and constants), models, equations and equipment used?

• What was the experimental design?• When was it conducted?• What were the methodological and technical limitations

mentioned or encountered?• How good was the result based on the discussion and

conclusion?• Are there any weaknesses or problems with the results y p

mentioned? If ‘Yes’, why?

– You will notice that you core papers will have similarities and differences in terms Methodologysimilarities and differences in terms Methodology, Results/Discussion and Conclusions. You should compare them and ask some critical questions such as:as:

• Why they are different?• Why there are similarities?• What factors (i.e. climate, location, equipment, models, etc.)

contribute to those differences and similarities?• Which method and results are better?

– Let say you only have one paper on a particular aspect of your research, certainly you cannot make comparative review but you can examine the papercomparative review but you can examine the paper critically concerning the effectiveness of its methodology by assessing its results. Usually, the author(s) will discuss the results

• STAGE 4 – Relate – You must relate what you review (Core and

Relevant References) with your research. The most important question is:most important question is:

• What do these articles contribute to a particular aspect or component of my research i.e.:aspect or component of my research i.e.:

– Background– Aim, objectives, problem statement, scope,

hypothesis– Methodology, techniques, experimental design

D t l i d th i– Data analysis and synthesis– Verification/validation of results– Evaluation of resultsEvaluation of results– Research significance

• STAGE 5 – Write – Write your review using your own words with

proper citation. What you write must show that hyou have:

• Categorized your literature into the relevant section of your researchof your research

• Summarized the essential points of what you have read

• Reviewed critically their contents• Synthesized those points into your research by

l i h i h hrelating them with your research components

Problem statement, aim and bj i h i ifiobjectives, research significance

• Come after literature review and they are related• Problem statement states your research problem or

question NOT the problem you encountered in your research

• This problem/question is identified from the literature review

• It can represent many things such as:– Knowledge gap in the research area– Need for enhancement or improvement of a model or

method– Further and more detailed research in a particular aspect– Need for alternative or new concept– Need to establish relevance with modification to different

i t l i l ditienvironmental or social conditions– Need of finding solutions to an existing problem

• Research aim is built from the problem• Aim is the purpose of your research which is to• Aim is the purpose of your research which is to

answer/solve the research question/problem• It is a concise and general statement on ‘what is

your research about’ and ‘why you do it’ (i.e. to answer the question/problem)

• Objectives are specific and concreteObjectives are specific and concrete interrelated statements arranged in a logical order on ‘what you are going to do in order to achieve the aim’achieve the aim

• Must not be confused with methodology• Methodology is on ‘how you going to achieve gy y g g

your aim and objectives’ • Research significance is a description of ‘how’

important is your research will be to scienceimportant is your research will be to science, society, nation etc.

ExampleExample• Thesis title:

– Interception Capacity of Rubber Trees and Its Implication to theInterception Capacity of Rubber Trees and Its Implication to the Hydrologic Behaviour of Rubber Plantations

• Problem statement: – It was found that interception capacity of rubber trees has not

b l t d t i f ll i t iti I t ti t f tbeen related to rainfall intensities. Interception rate of trees are affected by rainfall intensity as demonstrated in the literature reviewed. Hence, the relation between interception capacity of rubber trees with variability of rainfall throughout a rainfall event if k ld t ib t t b tt d t di f thif known would contribute to a better understanding of the hydrologic behaviour of rubber plantations.

• Aim: – Therefore, the aim of this research is to examine the effect of theTherefore, the aim of this research is to examine the effect of the

temporal variability of rainfalls on the interception capacity of rubber trees and its implication to the hydrologic behaviour of rubber plantations.

• Objectives:• Objectives:– What the objectives should be?

MethodologyMethodology

• About ‘how’ you intend to achieve each objectiveAbout how you intend to achieve each objective leading to achieving the research aim

• Refer to Week 3 Lecture to read more about methodology

• Basically deals with three aspects:y p– Concept (theoretical basis; approach; experimental

design)– Technique (instrument to be used and why)– Procedure (how the research is to be conducted)

Expected resultsExpected results

• The expected outcome of your researchThe expected outcome of your research work

• It is tentative as you would NOT know• It is tentative as you would NOT know what to expect exactlyEd t d• Educated guess:– according to literature review (published

lt f i il h k)results of similar research work)– according to theory

Tentative work plan and timetableTentative work plan and timetable

• List of research activities starting from literatureList of research activities starting from literature review to completion of thesis or report writing

• Arranged in logical order according to time g g gframe

• Usually in a form of a Gantt charty• For this course will not discuss estimated cost

and equipment needed• Example of a Gantt chart (but it is slightly

different in terms of research activities)….

APPENDIX 2: GANTT CHART OF RESEARCH ACTIVITIES

PROJECT SCHEDULE 2007 2008 2009

RESEARCH ACTIVITIES A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D J F M A M J J

i – Development of a mathematical (theoretical) framework for the proposed model

ii Topographic leveling andii – Topographic leveling and channel geometry survey

iii – Sandbar study (morphology and hydraulic properties))

iv – Surface and sub-surface hydrological data collection (peizometric levels, salinity flux and channel flow)

i M th ti l d lvi – Mathematical model development(i.e. channel flow model)

vii – Model calibration, testing and refinement

viii – Project documentation

MILESTONEMathematical (theoretical) frameworkMathematical (theoretical) framework Morphological and hydrological data collectionData synthesis and initial model Tested and refined modelProject completion

ReferencesReferences• Literature referred to must be cited• Two types citation:

– within texti h li f f h d f h– in the list of references at the end of the proposal

• Pay attention to their formatsPay attention to their formats• There are several citation systems used in the

academic worldR f PITA id b k f i i f d• Refer to PITA guidebook for citation format used by FST

• ExampleExample….

CITING REFERENCESPrepared by Dr. Cha T. S.

• Types of References:1. journals2. books3. proceedings / conferences4. bulletin5. dissertation / thesis / project report6. translation7. newspaper8. internet / electronic sources

- individual publicationp- electronic journal- personal communication- CD-ROM and Commercial Online Databases

Citing in text

Citing in list of referencesCiting in list of references

• Book chapter:Book chapter:Wilson, G. W. 1978. Economic systems. In Bittel, L. R. & Bittel, M.

A., eds. Encyclopedia of professional management (pp. 325-330). New York: McGraw-Hill.

Newspaper article from a printed publication:

F d B J (2002 J l 18) I B M B tFeder, B. J. (2002, July 18). I.B.M. Beats Forecasts but With Signs of Weakness. The New York Times, p. C1.New York Times, p. C1.

Newspaper article from an electronic database:p p

Feder, B. J. (2002, July 18). I.B.M. Beats F t b t With Si f W k ThForecasts but With Signs of Weakness. The New York Times, p. C1. Retrieved October 27, 2002, from Lexis Nexis database.27, 2002, from Lexis Nexis database.

AssignmentAssignment• Write a research proposal based on a published master p p p

thesis• Download a master thesis from Pro-Quest (the title page

of the thesis you referred to must be submitted togetherof the thesis you referred to must be submitted together with your proposal)

• Make sure it is not the same thesisP l l th 8 t 10 i i l di titl• Proposal length: 8 to 10 pages maximum including title page and references

• 1.5 spacing, font 12 of Times New Romansg• Dateline draft proposal: Week 8, Sunday 5.00 p.m.• Proposal write-up: 15 marks; Presentation: 5 marks

F t• Format….

– Title pageTable of Contents– Table of Contents

– List of Figures (if any)– List of Tables (if any)– List of Abbreviations and Symbols– Abstract

I t d ti– Introduction– Literature Review– Aim and Objectivesj– Research Significance– Methodology

E d R l– Expected Results– Tentative Work Plan and Timetable– ReferencesReferences