Research Methodology

Research is considered as a pursuit to push forward and enhance our understanding about the world. As against the common notion of looking at research that it is just for academicians and PhD scholars, it has increasingly been recognized that research skills are required for meaningfully working in certain organisations, viz., private and public sector undertakings and many frontline departments to deal with the research-oriented nature of functions carried out by them. There are some organisations predominantly engaged in data collection and regularly bringing out reports for planning and development including policy formulation such as Department of Economics & Statistics, State Planning Board etc. Immersing in research activities is part and parcel of their core functions and existence. Institutions of higher learning also dwell upon research as part of generating new knowledge. Apart from this, research as a tool for thinking is used by all, every educated person to learn and think critically in the continuum of learning process. Sharpening these skills are necessary even for a beginner of learning in order to collect the relevant information and meaningfully interpret it to answer the questions springing up out of curiosity. As such research is the best way to learn and develop in an ever-expanding world. 

Despite the importance of research as above, and in deepening our understanding of the world, the acquisition of skills for doing research (as against the knowledge) is often neglected or not taken seriously even by our institutions of higher learning. An employee or scholar longing for training on such skills shall be turned down in the dumps, by the sheer absence of well-designed training on research skills. It is in this context a comprehensive training on research skills is conceived and designed strictly following the training protocol approved by the Department of Personnel & Training (DoPT) of Government of India. The present training titled ‘Training on Research Methodology’ is formulated using the Design of Training Package developed by DoPT in collaboration with Thames Valley University, United Kingdom. This training very specifically focuses, the essential skills required for thinking as a researcher. It encompasses the disciplines covered under the social sciences. The participants of this training, preferably employees of research organisations, college teachers and research scholars can hope to involve in research projects more confidently if they do their own research or they can meaningfully evaluate the research of others, if they relate to others’ work in their career for whatever, be the purpose. As far as the trainers engaged in this project are concerned, the design and implementation of this training is undoubtedly a highly rewarding exercise and will be a humble attempt to improve the ‘national research scene’ leading to enhanced learning experience.

COURSE STYLE

The course consists of three phases. The first phase of reading and individual assignments commences 30 days before the second phase of six-day workshop, followed by the third phase of an individual research design project which may extend up to two months after the second phase.  Altogether this training course is for a period of around three months’ duration. Despite the innovative nature of the course, it follows and shares common terminology and procedures used in the research methodology literature, and highly participative in style.  The workshop gives emphasis to helping participants tackle methodology related issues in research pursuits.

This training provides a comprehensive selection of handouts and checklists.  These are intended to provide participants with information needed during the workshop; to provide advice for their research project; and to help them develop their competence to undertake research design activities in their career.

The tutor of this course will form participants into 'research teams' for the workshop, each team tackling a common research-related problem for which research design is needed.  Team members will also act as 'research consultants or peer reviewers' to other teams to provide feedback and to widen their knowledge of research methodology. The workshop is based on an intensive series of individual and team activities.  This requires full-time commitment for the full six days, including some evening study.  We therefore assume that course participants will be either residential or within easy commuting distance.

On completion of the workshop participants will be required to complete an agreed research design project for submission to the course tutor.  Participants who satisfactorily complete both the workshop and the project will be awarded a Certificate of successful completion of the course on ‘ Research Methodology’.

AIM OF THE COURSE

The aim of the course is to equip the participants with the skills of designing a research project and to develop a road map of methodological principles for their research journey in pursuit of knowledge claim in the field of social sciences.

TRAINING OBJECTIVES

At the end of the training course the participants will be able to:

1.    Select a topic for research 
2.    Formulate research problem
3.    Design literature review for the problem identified
4.    Distinguish qualitative, quantitative and mixed method research designs 
5.    Design a theoretical framework for the research project
6.    Prepare reference entries of the articles, books etc.
7.    Set research objectives, questions and hypotheses
8.    Discuss the theory of sampling
9.    Identify the concepts of epistemology and ontology in the research design
10.    Identify ethical issues while conducting the research
11.    Discuss the importance of research eco-system
12.    Operationalise the concepts and constructs
13.    Apply Hypothetico-Deductive Method of Scientific Enquiry
14.    Design a quantitative method section
15.    Analyse five elements of research argument
16.    Prepare a quantitative research proposal 
17.    Present the research proposal before a committee (role play)
18.    Prepare an action plan for a research proposal (individual)
19.    Complete a research proposal individually