Research Process and Research Design.

•Define research Problem

•Review the Literature

•Formulating Hypothesis

•Developing the Research Design

•Determining Sample Design

•Collection of Data

•Execution of Projects

•Analysis of Data

•Generalization & Interpretation

•Writing of Report or Thesis

Define Research Problem - The 1st step in the Research Process is defined or redefining the study will be based. The research problem may be something the agency identifies as a problem, some knowledge or information that is needed by the agency. The researcher should understand the problem thoroughly & examine all available literature related to that problem.

Review the literature - Now that the problem has been defined, the researcher must learn more about the topic under investigation. To do this, the researcher must review the literature related to the research problem. This step provides foundational knowledge about the problem area. The review of literature also educates the researcher about what studies have been conducted in the past, how these studies were conducted, and the conclusions in the problem area.

Formulating Hypothesis - After Literature

survey , researcher should state the working hypothesis in clear terms. Hypothesis should be very specific & limited to the piece of research because is has to be tested. The role of Hypothesis is to guide the researcher & keep him on the right track.

Developing the Research design- The Research

Problem having being formulated . The researcher will be required to prepare a research design i.e. he will have to state the structure within which research will be conducted .The function of research design is to provide for the collection of relevant data with minimum expenditure of time, efforts & money.

Determining Sample design - A sample can be

defined as a small piece of group. The

researcher must decide the way of selecting a

sample which is known as SAMPLE DESIGN.

Sample can be of various types such as:-

i) Simple/Random Sampling

ii) Systematic Sampling

iii) Quota Sampling

Collection of Data- The actual study begins

with the collection of data. The collection of

data is a critical step in providing the

information needed to answer the research

question. Every study includes the collection of

some type of data—whether it is from the

literature or from subjects—to answer the

research question.

Execution of Projects - Execution of projects is

very important step as it requires correct lines,

adequate & dependable matter.

Analysis of data – After the data has been

collected, the researcher has the task of

analysing them. The analysis of data requires a

number of related operations such as; creating

raw data through tabulation pie-charts, coding

& then drawing statistical inferences.

Generalization & Interpretation – In this

stage, hypothesis is compared by testing

various statistical tools such as Chi-square test,

F test, T test. Any test may be applied

depending upon the nature & object of the

research hypothesis. Testing will result in

either accepting or rejecting the hypothesis.

Report Writing or Thesis - Finally the

research has to prepare the report of what has been

done by him, writing of report must be done with

great care keeping in view the following points:-

The layout of the report should be in a

proper format starting from the introduction which

includes Title, Acknowledgement, Introduction,

Data Analysis, Finding & Conclusions at the end of

the report a list of books, journals, magazines,

websites, etc. consulted during research work

should be given in the Bibliography.

“Research Design is a planned sequence of the entire process involved in conducting a research

study.”

- MillerA research design is the "blue print" of the study.

The design of a study defines the study type and sub-type , research question, hypotheses, independent and dependent variables, experimental design, and, if applicable, data collection methods and a statistical analysis plan. Research design is the framework that has been created to seek answers to research questions.

It is a plan that satisfies the objective of

the study & the hypothesis to be tested.

It is an outline that specifies the sources &

types of information relevant to the

research study.

It is a blue print specifying the method for

gathering & analysing a data.

It also includes the time and cost budget

according to the research study.

Types of Research

Design

Exploratory

DescriptiveCausal

Exploratory Research design is defined as the initial

research into a hypothetical or theoretical idea.

This is where a researcher has an idea of getting

a solution of his problem. The main purpose of

this study is to determine the general nature of the

problem & the variables related to it & then

discover new ideas. It is appropriate for any

problem in which a very little problem is available.

These Designs are used for some definite purpose.

It attempts to describe and explain conditions of

the present by using many subjects and

questionnaires to fully describe a phenomenon.

Descriptive Research Design is a act of exploring

the thing in the dark , creating a complete picture

of what you are looking at.

These designs tends to specify the nature of

relationship between two or more variables

present in the problem environment. This

research design attempts to explore cause and

affect relationships where causes already exist

and cannot be manipulated.

The lowest measurement level you can use, from a statistical point of view, is a nominal scale. A nominal scale, as the name implies, is simply some placing of data into categories, without any order or structure.

A physical example of a nominal scale is the terms we use for colours. The underlying spectrum is ordered but the names are nominal.

The most common statistical tool used in measurement may be Chi-Square.

An ordinal scale is next up the list in terms

of power of measurement .The simplest

ordinal scale is a ranking When a market

researcher asks you to rank 5 types of

Drinks from most flavourful to least

flavourful, he/she is asking you to create

an ordinal scale of preference.

A ratio scale is the top level of measurement

. The factor which clearly defines a ratio

scale is that it has a true zero point . It

represents the actual amount of variable.

The amount of physical dimensions ,

weight, height , etc are example of the

ratio scale. It facilitate a kind of

comparison between two variables.

The standard survey rating scale is an interval scale . When you are asked to rate your satisfaction with a piece of software on a 7 point scale, from Dissatisfied to Satisfied, you are using an interval scale . It is an interval scale because it is assumed to have equidistant points between each of the scale elements. This means that we can interpret differences in the distance along the scale. We contrast this to an ordinal scale where we can only talk about differences in order, not differences in the degree of order.

1) Respondent – At times the respondent

may fail to express positive feelings or

sometimes may have little knowledge on that

particular topic. All these factors may create

errors in the final results.

2) Situation - Situational factors may also

come as an errors in the way of correct

measurement. Any condition which places

strain or stress on interview can create effects

on the interviewer respondent report.

3) Measure – The interviewer can distort

responses by reordering questions . Errors may

occur because of incorrect coding, wrong

tabulation or statistical calculation.

4) Instrument – Errors may arise because of

defective measuring instruments the use of

complex words , poor printing inadequate

space for replays are a few things that make

the measuring instrument defective & may

result in measurement errors.