Pharos University in Alexandria

Faculty of Engineering
HU 164 Research Methods and Techniques
Lect1

Course Outline

Prof. Dr. Abdelsamie Moet

Fall 2012/13

HU 164 Research Methods and

Techniques
The course addresses effective methods
of research. Students learn how to arrange
their ideas and how to present them
properly, with emphasis on scientific and
technical tools.

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Learning Outcomes
The main objectives of this course are to help students:
To identify and define a research problem;
To develop and write a research proposal for their discipline
area;
To use information systems effectively;
To write a critical review of the relevant literature;
To choose and apply an appropriate experimental design to a
particular research problem, if required;
To understand and apply a range of standard techniques for
data acquisition;
To prepare a well written and concise research report

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U R 1 of 3
Research

Producer

User

Both must learn what is Good Research

None

Essential Steps of the Design

Process
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p8tCo8yfbPI&feature=rel
ated
Identify the need
Define the criteria (from the customer)
Explore/ Research/ Investigate
User
Generate alternative solutions
Choose a solution (based on pros and cons)
Create a detailed design
Modeling/ Development/ Execution
Testing and Evaluation
Redesign and Improvement.
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Both must learn what is Good

Research

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2 Hours

1 HR
Self-learning
Presentation

1 HR
Lecture

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Grades

Quizzes
Research Proposal
Intra-term Exam
Final Exam
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10
10 Weekly
10 Final
20
50
9

HU 164 Research Proposal:

Developmental Steps
Selection of Research Problem
Consult Faculty

- Consult a friend/relative

Pick your own

- Internet

Obtain Approval

Information
Literacy

Problem Definition
Literature Review
Research Plan
Suggested Data Acquisition Techniques
Suggested Data Analysis Techniques
Milestones
Expected Difficulties
Anticipated Results

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Research Proposal Reporting

Progressive

Weekly:
Power Point slides and Print-out
Start first progress report with a few slides
Then add more next report
Etc
Final Presentation (to be scheduled)

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Proposed Theme:

Sustainable Urban Environments

Design urban communities that provide a high quality life-style that

meets the needs of more people with a reduced carbon and
ecological footprint.
Ecologically friendly and healthy urban environments require
integration of

innovative multi-functional energy efficient buildings,

healthy personal and public transportation systems,
appropriate accessible green space,
integration of local food systems, and
incorporation of the natural environment into interior and exterior living
space.

Sustainable urban ecosystems foster physical and mental wellbeing, individual economic prosperity, more efficient per capita
consumption of water and energy, a higher return on public
investment in municipal infrastructure and more opportunities for
development of creative and ecologically responsible non-renewable
materials cycling and natural resource utilization.
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Proposed Theme: Green Technology

Innovate changes in daily life through material production and
process development that provide a healthy quality of life without
compromising the ecosystem, human health.
Green technology includes

life cycle analysis,

source reduction,
resilience engineering, and
responsible decision making which can simultaneously promote
economic development within the context of environmental stewardship.

Compelling issues in green technology include

new means of generating and evaluating energy and

energy efficiency,
environmentally friendly and
energy efficient building materials, chemical products and processes
that reduce or eliminate use and generation of hazardous substances,
and
green nanotechnology.

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Text Book
Research Methodology: An Introduction,
Wayne Goddard, Stuart Melville, Juta
Academic, 2004

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Lecture Topics

Lecture 1:
Lecture 2:
Lecture 3:
Lecture 4:
Lecture 5:

Lecture 6:
Lecture 7:
Lecture 8:
Lecture 9:

Course Outline
Information Literacy
Definitions
Problem Definition
Research Planning/ Cost &
Milestones
Data Acquisition and Error
Analysis
Data Analysis
Communicating Research
Research Ethics and
Intellectual Property
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Reference Books
Lindsay D. A Guide to Scientific Writing Longman, 1995
Coley S M and Scheinberg C A, "Proposal Writing", Newbury Sage
Publications, 1990
Ralph Berry. How to write a Research Paper, Pergamon, 1986
Alley, Michael, The Craft of Scientific Writing, 3rd edition (New York:
Springer-Verlag, 1996

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Online Sources
Maricoba Center for Learning and Instruction
http://www.mcli.dist.maricopa.edu/proj/res_meth/login.html

National Center for Supported electronic Text (NCSeT)

http://ncset.uoregon.edu/index.php/resources-mainmenu109/methodology-mainmenu-68/45-overview
Stanford University Policy, 1997. Retention of and Access to
Research Data. Research Policy Handbook, RPH 2.10.
http://www.stanford.edu/dept/DoR/rph/2-10.html
Advice on Writing Proposals Carnegie Mellon University
http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~sfinger/advice/advice.html
Proposal Template, University of Johannesburg
http://www.uj.ac.za/EN/Faculties/management/departments/bit/r
esearch/Documents/Masters%20Research%20Proposal%20Te
mplate.pdf
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