Research Methodology: Its

Nature and Scope

Sasmita Mishra
 What is Research?

Research is a scientific and systematic search

for pertinent information on a specific topic.

It is a careful investigation or enquiry specially

through search for knowledge.
It is a movement from known to unknown.
 Objectives of Research
Methodology
 To gain familiarity with a phenomenon to achieve
new insights into it - Exploratory/formulative
research.
 To portray accurately the characteristics of a
particular individual, situation or a group -
Descriptive research.
 To determine the frequency with which something
occurs or with which it is associated with
something else - Diagnostic research.
 To test a hypothesis of a causal relationship
between variables – hypothesis testing research
 What makes people to
undertake research?
 Desire to get a research degree along with its
consequential benefits
 Desire to face the challenge in solving the unsolved
problems. Ex. Concern over practical problems
initiates research.
 Desire to get intellectual joy of doing some creative
work.
 Desire to be of service to society
 Desire to get respectability.
 Types of Research

 Descriptive vs. Analytical

 Applied vs. Fundamental
 Quantitative vs. Qualitative
 Conceptual vs. Empirical
 Others
 Cross sectional or longitudinal
 Field setting or laboratory
 Clinical or diagnostic research
 Conclusion-oriented and decision-oriented
 Research Approaches

Qualitative Quantitative

Inferential Experimental Simulation

Methods: Focus group discussions,

projective techniques, and depth
interviews.
 Significance of Research

 Research Provides the basis for nearly all

government policies in our economic system
 It solves various operational and planning
problems of business industry
 It is important for social scientists in studyin
social relationships and in seeking answers to
various social problem.