1. Sherzad Ali Ismael,
Community Medicine Dept,
College of Medicine.
Research Methods- Thinking about research & nature of research 1

2.  Subject Research Methods
 Credit units 1
 Hours 15 hours theory
 Assessment:
 Quizzes (3): 30%
 Assignments (2): 20%
 Course exam (1): 50%
 Success: 60%
Research Methods- Thinking about research & nature of research 2

3. 1. Thinking about research & nature of
research.
2. Formulating & clarifying research topic
3. Critically reviewing the literature
4. Formulating the research design
(Strategies)
5. Writing & presenting the research
protocol
6. Data collection methods (quantitative &
qualitative)
Research Methods- Thinking about research & nature of research 3

4.  Designing he questionnaires
 Reference writing using Endnote
 Technical research skills and IT
 Writing & publishing research paper
 Research ethics
 Academic writing in research
Research Methods- Thinking about research & nature of research 4

5.  Writing the reference (Harvard and
Vancouver).
 Clinical trials.
 Critical appraisal.
 Plagiarism.
Research Methods- Thinking about research & nature of research 5

6. 1. Bob Mathews & Liz Ross. Research Methods, a practical guide
for the social sciences. Pearson Education limited 2010.
England.
2. Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis, & Adrian Thornhill. Research
methods for business students. Pearson Education Limited
2009. Edinburgh.
3. Jonathan Grix. The Foundation of Research. Palgrave
Macmillan 2004. London.
4. Geoffrey Marczyk, David DeMatteo & David Festinger.
Essentials of Research Design & Methodology. John Wiley &
Sons, Inc 2005. New Jersey.
5. SK Gupta. Basic principles of clinical research & methodology.
Jaypee brothers medical publishers (P) limited 2007. New
Delhi. Research Methods- Thinking about research & nature of research 6

7. 6. RL Bijlani. Medical Research. Jaypee brothers
medical publishers (P) limited 2008. New Delhi.
7. Mohit Bhandari & Parag Sanchesti. Clinical
Research made easy, a guide to publishing in
medical literature. Jaypee brothers medical
publishers (P) limited 2010. New Delhi.
8. Yugish Kumar Singh. Fundamental of Research
Methodology & Statistics. New Age International
Publishers 2006. New Delhi.
9. Catherin Dawson. Practical Research Methods, A
user-friendly guide to mastering research. British
Library Cataloguing in Publication Data 2002. UK.
Research Methods- Thinking about research & nature of research 7

8.  Provide an understanding and overview of
different types of research methods.
 Formulate research topics, design & critically
reviewing the literature.
 Identify different types & design of
questionnaire.
 Use technical research skills to write &
publish researches.
 conduct academic research and present
research protocol.
Research Methods- Thinking about research & nature of research 8

9. Research Methods
Sherzad Ali Ismael,
Community Medicine Dept,
College of Medicine.
Research Methods- Thinking about research & nature of research 9

10.  Understand the concept of research,
approaches & components.
 Distinguish between quantitative and
qualitative researches.
 Explain the concepts of quality of researches
in terms of validity and reliability.
 Understand research methodology with
other dimensions of research.
Research Methods- Thinking about research & nature of research 10

11.  Knowledge: Information about or awareness
of something, an issue, a fact that you have
gained through learning or experience.
(Longman Dictionary)
 Information: Facts or details that tell you
something about a situation, person, events
etc. (Longman Dictionary)
Research Methods- Thinking about research & nature of research 11

12.  Hypothesis: an idea that is suggested as an
explanation for something, but that has not
been proved to be true.
 Theory: a set of ideas or related concepts
which can be used to explain & understand an
event, situation, social phenomena.
Research Methods- Thinking about research & nature of research 12

13.  Science:
 the study of the structure and behavior of the
physical and natural world and society, especially
through observation and experiment”. (The
Oxford Dictionary)
 Knowledge about the world, especially based on
examining, testing, and providing facts”.
(Longman Dictionary)
Research Methods- Thinking about research & nature of research 13

14.  Science is empirical
 Based on scientific tests or practical experiments,
not on ideas.
 Science is rational
 Based on reasons rather than emotions
 Science is cumulative
 Facts that can be built upon by future scientists.
Research Methods- Thinking about research & nature of research 14

15.  The Oxford Dictionary:
 Researches [plural], a careful study of a subject,
especially in order to discover new facts or
information about it”.
 Research is “a systematic method of finding
solution to a problem” (Kothari, 2004).
 the systematic method consisting of stating the
problem, formulating a hypothesis, collecting the
data, analyzing the facts & reaching certain
conclusions.
Research Methods- Thinking about research & nature of research 15

16.  Undertaken when:
 we have a question to answer.
 we need to acquire knowledge (causes of
headache are…)
 we want to extend our understanding of the social
world.
Research Methods- Thinking about research & nature of research 16

17.  To gain familiarity with a phenomenon.
 To portray accurately the characteristics of a
particular individual, situation or a group.
 To determine the frequency with which
something occurs.
Research Methods- Thinking about research & nature of research 17

18.  Desire to get a research degree.
 Desire to face the challenge in solving the
unsolved problems.
 Desire to be of service to society.
 Desire to get respectability.
Research Methods- Thinking about research & nature of research 18

19.  The question.
 The research process.
 The answer.
Research Methods- Thinking about research & nature of research 19

20.  The nature of research IS NOT:
 Simply gathering information or facts.
 Divorced from practical life.
Research Methods- Thinking about research & nature of research 20

21.  The nature of research IS:
 Structured & purposefulness (both in gathering &
interpreting data)
 Accurate.
 Strong & defensible.
 Systematic.
Research Methods- Thinking about research & nature of research 21

22.  …a search for knowledge
 … a scientific & systematic search
 … an art of scientific investigation
 … a systemized effort to gain new knowledge
Research Methods- Thinking about research & nature of research 22

23.  Descriptive vs. Analytic.
 Applied vs. Fundamental.
 Quantitative vs. Qualitative.
 Conceptual (Philosophers & thinkers) vs.
Empirical (Experiment or observation).
 Other types
 Clinical or diagnostic
 Cross-sections or longitudinal.
 Exploratory or explanatory.
Research Methods- Thinking about research & nature of research 23

24. 1. Quantitative Research
 Generates statistics through the use of large scale
survey methods, questionnaire or structures
interviews.
 Words like:
▪ how many?
▪ How often?
▪ test,
▪ verify, are used.
Research Methods- Thinking about research & nature of research 24

25.  Based on measurement – applicable where
quantitative measurements can be applied.
 Knowledge of statistical methods helps us
qualify our conclusions-attach scientific
probabilities (levels of significance)- and
provides a basis for accepting or rejecting
hypotheses.
Research Methods- Thinking about research & nature of research 25

26.  Explore attitudes, behavior & experience
through interviews or focus groups.
 Attempts to get an in depth opinion from
participants.
 Words like:
 Discover
 Motivation
 Experiences
 Think/ thoughts
 Problems
 Behave/ behaviors are used.
Research Methods- Thinking about research & nature of research 26

27.  When phenomenon being studied is
qualitative, not amenable to clear
measurement.
 E.g. motivation research (why do you study
research methodology?)
Research Methods- Thinking about research & nature of research 27

28.  …the term research refers to the systematic
method consisting of enunciating the problem,
 formulating a hypothesis,
 collecting the facts or data,
 analyzing the facts &
 reaching certain conclusions either in the form
of solutions toward the concerned problem, or in
certain generalizations for some theoretical
formulation” (Kothari, 2011: p.1-2).
Research Methods- Thinking about research & nature of research 28

29. Research Methods
Sherzad Ali Ismael,
Community Medicine Dept,
College of Medicine.
Research Methods- Thinking about research & nature of research 29

30.  The two words are often confused, used
interchangeably & misunderstood.
 Methods:
 Defined as “techniques or procedures used to collect
& analyze data” (Blaikie 2000: 8).
 Can be used in both quantitative & qualitative
researches.
 E.g. using questionnaire, interview, statistical
analysis,…etc.
Research Methods- Thinking about research & nature of research 30

31.  Methodology (Philosophy):
 A way of systematically solve the research
problem.
 Answer the questions:
▪ How the research is done scientifically?
▪ Which methods are used & why?
 The term refers to the choice of research strategy.
Research Methods- Thinking about research & nature of research 31

32.  Key aspects to research quality:
 Reliability- or dependability (replicability)
▪ Results may/ can be replicated by other researchers
using the same methods? How?
▪ (e.g. all data is included, & no data is lost)
Research Methods- Thinking about research & nature of research 32

33.  Key aspects to research quality:
 Validity: Do the methods & tools truly measure
what they are intended to measure?
▪ Internal validity: Are the data that I’m gathering
relevant to my research question?
▪ I.e. will they help me to answer my research question or test my
hypothesis?
▪ External validity: can results of my research be
generalized to the wider population?
Research Methods- Thinking about research & nature of research 33

34.  Quality criteria in Research (Becker et al
2006):
 Accessible to appropriate audience.
 Clearly addresses the research question.
 Transparency in data collection & analysis.
 A clear statement of how the research process
was conducted.
 The research makes a contribution to knowledge.
 More…
Research Methods- Thinking about research & nature of research 34

35.  Descriptive research: describe subjects
accurately.
 Exploratory research: ‘what is happening; to
seek new insights; to ask questions and to
assess phenomena in a new light’ (Robson
2002:59).
 Explanatory (causal relationship) research:
between variables of interest.
 Evaluation research: What changes in MOH
policy help young men to quit smoking?
Research Methods- Thinking about research & nature of research 35

36. THEORY
Inductive Deductive
DATA
Source: Bob Mathews & Liz Ross 2010
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37. Research Methods- Thinking about research & nature of research 37

38. Research Methods- Thinking about research & nature 38