Research Methodology

1. Research Methodology Assist. Prof.Dr. Asmaa H. Alwaeli First semester 2015-2016 Al-Mustansiriyah University College of Science Physics Department

2. Research methodology CoursePhD students • Research methodology and its types. • Grammar (tenses) • Scientific vocabularies • Plagiarism and how to work out the text. • Presentations • regulations of a thesis • How to defend your project.

3. Expectations of course benefits • What do you expect to get from the course? • Advance understanding of Research, its classifications and the requirements for each. • Ability to deal with the problem and handle it. • acquire the skills of identifying some scientific vocabularies. • able to write and compare among a litter, paper and dissertation. • Able to make a perfect PowerPoint presentation. • Gain the skills to present your research. • Learn to work as a team work.

4. What is a research? • 1: careful or diligent search • 2: studious inquiry or examination; especially: investigation or experimentation aimed at the discovery and interpretation of facts, revision of accepted theories or laws in the light of new facts, or practical application of such new or revised theories or laws • 3: the collecting of information about a particular subject

5. What is a research? • So we can define the research as: Systematic plan for conducting research and gathering data to support the hypothesis under the investigation

6. Why undertake research? • To investigate some existing situation or problem. • To provide solutions to a problem. • To explore and analyse more general issues. • To construct or create a new procedure or system. • To explain a new phenomenon. • To generate new knowledge. • A combination of two or more of any of the above.

7. Research Theme • Professional experience • Burning questions • Literature • Professional meetings • Discussions

8. Main types of Research • Descriptive vs. Analytical • Applied vs. Fundamental • Quantitative vs. Qualitative • Conceptual vs. Empirical

9. Descriptive vs. Analytical • Descriptive research attempts to determine, describe, or identifywhat is? Describes a particular phenomenon, focusing upon the issue of what is happening, or how much of it has happened, rather than why it is happening. • Analytical research attempts to establish why it is that way or how it came to be.

10. Fundamental vs applied Basic Applied • Theoretical? • More Invasive? • Laboratory Based? • Tightly Controlled? • Lacks External Validity? • Focus on Mechanism • More Reductionist • Quick Answers? • Less Invasive? • Field Based? • Loosely Controlled? • Externally Valid? • Focus on Effect • Less Reductionist.

11. Quantitative vs. Qualitative Research • Quantitative – use of statistical, formulaic or numerical analysis to generate results • Main approach: analysis; causal determination, prediction, generalization of findings • Results: “This solution is N% better” • Qualitative – not quantitative; use of non-numeric techniques • Main approach: discovery; illumination, understanding, extrapolation to similar circumstances • Results: “This is a new way of solving our problem

12. THEORETICAL vs EMPIRICAL Theoretical researchgenerally uses the findings from existing works to develop new ideas through analysing existing theory and explanations. These new ideas are not tested through collecting evidence in the form of primary data. Empirical researchsupports the development of new ideas through the collection of data (empirical = observation or measurement rather than theoretical reasoning).

13. First things • Basics • Topic ideas • Typical methodologies • Common pitfalls • Getting started and putting it all together • Questions/discussion

14. Basic steps of a research project • Find a topicWhat, When • Formulate questionsWhat, Why • Define populationWho, When • Select design & measurementHow • Gather evidenceHow • Interpret evidenceWhy • Tell about what you did and found out

15. Research Process Research process Review the Available Literature Publish Findings Formulate a Question Interpret Findings Select an Appropriate Research Design Collect Relevant Data

16. How can collect Topic ideas • Online chat reference • Types of questions • Subject? Type? • # of turnaways* • Difference in discourse • In-person vs. chat • Partnership studies • Similar libraries with same software

17. How can collect Topic ideas • E-book usage • Usability studies of • Online tutorial(s) • ‘My Library” portals • Analysis of library web sites or library instruction sites or pathfinders by best practices • Student learning outcomes in LI programs

18. Types of methodologies • QuaLitative Measures • Descriptive • Numbers not the primary focus • Interpretive, ethnographic, naturalistic • QuaNtitative Measures • N for numbers • Statistical • Quantifiable

19. QuaNtitative measures • Compare Things • Count Things • Survey People About Things

20. QuaNtitative measures • Comparison studies • Experimental and control groups • Instructional methodologies • Program assessment using before/after analysis of research papers • Pre & Post Tests • Measures & Scales • Procrastination Assessment Scale • Numeric Studies • Citation AnalysisBibliometrics • Webometrics

21. Ready Made Data Sets • National Survey of Student Engagement • College Student Experiences Questionnaire • The Web • Internet Archive • Electronic journals • Library server logs

22. Common Pitfalls • Problems with population • Sampling? • Representativeness? • Self-selection? • Problems with operationalization • Defining of what is measured • Problems with generalizability • False conclusions • Transformations

23. Keep In Mind That • No study is perfect • “All data is dirty is some way or another; research is what you do with that dirty data” (Manuel) • Measurement involves making choices

24. Be Critical About Numbers • “Every statistic is a way of summarizing complex information into relatively simple numbers.” (Best) • How did the researchers arrive at these numbers? • Who produced the numbers and what is their bias? • How can key terms be defined & in how many different ways?

25. Be Critical About Numbers • How was the choice for the measurement made? • What type of sample was gathered & how does that affect result? • Is the statistical result interpreted correctly? • If comparisons are made, are they appropriate? • Are there competing statistics?

26. Getting Started • Read to learn; read to analyze • About research methodology • Studies on similar topics • Interesting studies • Non-library studies • Finding a topic needn’t be traumatic • Work projects Research studies • Library GO Bond Proposal Project • Library workshop trends • User repair strategies

27. Getting Started • Data collection involves agreement & consent • Forge partnerships • At some point you will need to leave the comfort zone of reading and literature gathering and • Data collection involves agreement & consent • Forge partnerships • At some point you will need to leave the comfort zone of reading and literature gathering and … • …

28. List of Active Verbs for Literature Review in Thesis/Dissertation • Abandon acknowledge adopt advocate allow alter analyze appear argue assert assess assume attribute be aware believe calculate challenge characterize clarify classify combine compare conceptualize conclude consider construct construe contain contend continue contribute criticize decide deduce

29. Just get out and do it!

30. Questions?