Research Methodology Research Methodology

Research
Research Methodology
Methodology Research Methodolog
Research Methodology
Research Methodology
Research Research
Methodology Research Methodology
Research Research Methodology
Methodology Research Methodology
Methodology
Research Methodology

BIX 1002: Research Methodology for the

Built Environment
INTRODUCTION TO
RESEARCH
DR HASNIYATI HAMZAH

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Lecture outline
• Overview of the course.
• What is research.
• Types of research.
• Basic research principles.
• Basic research structure.
• Formulating research questions and research
objectives.

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Overview of the course
This course provides basic grounding on how to carry out real
estate research. It provides an introduction to the research
methodology and research design.

Learning outcomes
• Conduct literature review critically for research
problems for the built environment.
• Evaluate research methods in terms of their fit for
various types of research for the built environment.
• Develop a research proposal for the built environment.

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Overview of the course
Course structure
• Lecture and consultancy.
• Preparation, Submission and Presentation of Research
Proposal.
• Preparation, Submission and Presentation of Literature
Review.
Timeline, deadlines and consultancy
• Refer to Course Information constantly.
• Reminders through Spectrum, so check emails
constantly.
• Make and keep appointments.

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Overview of the course
Submission
• Research Proposal (Chapter 1)
• QS: Week 6 (15 October)
• EM: Week 9 (14 November)
• Literature Review (Chapter 2).
• QS & EM: Week 14 (19 December)
• Submission requirement
• 1 hardcopy (ring bound)
• Softcopy

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What is research?
An organised, systematic, data-based, critical,
objective, scientific inquiry or investigation into a
specific problem, undertaken with the purpose of
finding answers into a specific problem, undertaken
with the purpose of finding answers or solutions to it.
Sekaran (2007)
• A systematic endeavour that involves
• formulating the research questions (RQs) based on a
problem,
• transforming the research questions into research
objectives (ROs) guided by an overall research aim, and
• achieving the ROS by means of a series of steps
(research methods).
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 Establish Gather Analyse
problem information information

CONCLUDE. PROBLEM SOLVED!

• Problem: What is the trend of rental levels of apartments

around UM?
• Research: Obtain and analyse rental data and undertake
interview with valuers to gain insight into their perspective.
• Problem: Did GST influence construction cost?
• Research: Undertake regression analysis to determine the
relationship between GST and construction cost.

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The bigger picture: What is
research?
• Joining a ‘conversation’.
• Creating and discovering new knowledge.
• Contributing and improving the body of knowledge.
• An opportunity to apply your knowledge to a real
world issue.

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Types of research
• In essence, there are four types of research:
• Reporting.
• Descriptive.
• Explanatory.
• Exploratory.
• Research questions and objectives will dictate the
research approach you use in order to collect data.
• Basically a research may use quantitative
approach, qualitative approach or mixed methods.
• Will be explained further in Lecture 4.

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Basic research principles
• Research proposal must be realistic and contribute
to knowledge.
• New data, new methodology.
• New data, old methodology.
• Old data, new methodology.
• Literature review must be as comprehensive as
possible and must contain critical analysis element.
• Can be provided through Critical Commentary and/or
Theoretical or Conceptual framework.
• Data collection must be purposeful and arise from
literature review.
• Observe ethics and integrity.
• Honest and accurate work. 10
 Basic research principles
• Data analysis must consider validity and reliability.
• Careful data collection, appropriate analysis tools and
accurate reporting.
• Writing up must follow convention.
• Respect towards other researchers.
• Correct citation.

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Basic research structure
1. Research topic
2. Research questions (RQ)
3. Research hypothesis*
4. Research aim and Research objectives (Ros)
5. Research methods
*Not necessary for all research.

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Research topic
• Any specific areas in your field
• for real estate: property management, facilities
management, valuation, property law, property
development, property market trends, etc.
• for QS: project management, value management, etc.
• For real estate students,
• an opportunity to explore a specific topic that you are
interested in or you are strong in.
• confirm your topic has not been completely covered in
another research/dissertation/paper and ‘researchable’
by consulting with lecturers or looking at seniors’ thesis.

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Research topic
• For real estate students: How to find a topic
• Use the internet (Google, Google Scholar).
• Discuss your ideas with lecturers (either HH or
subject lecturers).
• Look at previous theses in UM library and other
universities’ libraries.
• Read!

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 Research question
• State your topic idea as a question.
• Determine what questions you want answered.
• The gaps in knowledge that you found in that topic.
• What has not been covered by other researchers?
• The effect of any recent developments in your field.
• Identify the main concepts or keywords in your
question. These are potential search terms.

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 Research question
• A research question is a clear, focused, concise and
complex and arguable question around which you
centre your research.
• Unclear: Is the OSC a good government initiative?
• Clear: How successful has the OSC been in reducing
development approval time?

• Unfocused: Has IBS been successfully implemented in

Malaysia?
• Focused : To what extent has IBS been accepted by
developers for residential developments in Malaysia?

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Research question

• Lengthy: Seeing that Facebook has boosted many

online businesses, which real estate agents have taken
advantage of, has Facebook managed to boost the
businesses of real estate agents in terms of reaching
new clients?
• Concise: How successful is Facebook as a marketing
tool for real estate agents?

• Too simple: Are green building occupants satisfied with

their buildings?
• Complex and arguable: Are the expectations of green
building occupants different from conventional building
occupants and are these expectations being met?

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Research hypothesis

• “Hypo”=inadequate, incomplete, “thesis”=theory, idea.

• Thus, hypothesis is the assumptions made regarding
the likely direction of the research or specific testable
predictions.
• In other words, a hypothesis is a prediction of a
relationship between one or more factors and the
problem under study that can be tested.
• You must think about the arguments that you plan to
make/support.
• NOTE: Not all research have research hypothesis e.g.
qualitative research.
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Research hypothesis

• EXAMPLE
• Research question: Are the expectations of green
building occupants different from conventional building
occupants and are these expectations being met?
• Hypothesis 1: Occupants of green buildings choose the
buildings due to green features such as energy saving,
compared to conventional building occupants.
• Hypothesis 2: Most green buildings are newly
completed and thus may still have some issues
concerning green features which may frustrate some
expectations.

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Research aim and objectives
• Research aim and objectives should be linked with
the research questions and summarise what is to be
achieved by the study.
• The research aim states what the researcher expect
to achieve by the study in general or abstract terms.
• The research aim may be broken down into smaller,
logically connected parts i.e. research objectives.
• Research objectives should
• systematically address the research questions.
• be written in a logical and sequential manner.
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 Research aim and objectives
• In writing research objectives, they must
• Use action verbs that are measurable.
• Measurable: to determine, compare, examine, verify,
calculate, describe, identify, etc.
• Non-measurable: to appreciate, understand, study,
etc.
• Research objectives should appear explicitly in the
Introduction and Conclusion chapters and implicitly
in the Results and Discussion chapter.
• In the Conclusion chapter, you must indicate if and
how your research objectives have been achieved.
This is done by relating the results with RO.
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 Example of RQs, Research Aim and ROs
Problem statement:
Old towns in Malaysia commonly experienced problem such as urban decay whereby a
previously prosperous city, or part of the city falls into disrepair and decrepitude due to
the rising of maintenance costs and urban sprawl. In order to arrest this trend, there
must be a systematic way of identify the urban decay features and corresponding urban
revitalization tools. However, there has been only a small number of studies that have
focused on this issue in Malaysia.
RQs Research Aim ROs

1. What are the urban To study 1. To identify urban

revitalisation tools that can
be used to rejuvenate the
dying town area?
2. What are the urban decay
features exhibited by Ipoh’s
historic core?
3. What are the critical
components that should be
revitalized in Ipoh Old Town.
revitalization revitalisation tool from
efforts that could successful case studies.
be undertaken to 2. To examine urban decay
revive Ipoh Old features currently experience
Town. by Ipoh Old Town.
3. To recommend the critical
components to be revitalized
in Ipoh Old Town.

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 Example of RQs, Research Aim and ROs
Problem statement:
There have been many studies into how green buildings affect health, wellbeing and
productivity of the occupants. However, there has not been a study into employees’
perception towards productivity factors conferred by green building, especially in
Malaysia context.
RQs Research Aim ROs

1. What is the perception of To study the 1. To establish productivity

green buildings occupants on perception of factors related to green
productivity factors conferred green buildings buildings work
by the green building? occupants on environment.
2. What are the productivity productivity 2. To examine the link between
factors related to green factors conferred green buildings work
building work environment? by the green environment and productivity
3. What is the link between building factors.
green buildings work 3. To determine the productivity
environment and productivity factors most influenced by
factors? green buildings work
4. Which productivity factors are environment.
influenced the most by green
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buildings work environment?
Summary of research process
Questions you must ask Steps you will take Important elements of
each step
-problem identification
What is the problem and Selection, analysis and
-prioritising problems
why should it be statement of the
-analysis
studied? research problem
-justification

What information is -Literature and other

Literature review available information
available?

Why do we want to carry Formulation of -Research questions (RQs),

out the research? What research objectives Research aim and research
do we hope to achieve? objectives (ROs).

What are the data needed Formulation of -Variables

to achieve ROs? research objectives -Type of study
How to collect the -Data collection methods,
information? data analysis
*The double-headed arrows indicate how the process is never linear.
Constraints: Time, budget, capabilities, rules, data 24
References
• Creswell, J. W. (2014). Research design: Qualitative,
Quantitative and Mixed methods approaches. USA: Sage.
• Sekaran, U. (2007) Research Methods for Business: A Skill
Building Approach, Wiley Student Edition, New Delhi

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