Research methods_ concepts

Basic research: Its main objective is to extend the existing domain of knowledge
above certain subject or topic
Applied: it is the research relating a specific product, service or system . It aims
at solving the problem or resolving any issue in a scientific and systematic
manner.
Empirical research: it is a research which is based on observed data without the
support of any theory or model.
Scientific research: This is systematic and organised way of inquiry
Social research: It attempts to analysis reasoning for behavioural issues leading
to criteria for selection, preference etc.
Historical research: The process of systematically examining past events to give
an account, may involve interpretation to recapture the occurrences,
personalities and ideas.
Business research: It is the research relating to problem or issues to business
entities or business environment or a group of business
Exploratory research: It is conducted to explore a problem, at its preliminary
stage to get some basic idea It is general and lacks in objective.
Descriptive research: It aims to describe the characteristic feature of the
phenomenon. It answer the questions who, what, where, when and how.
Casual research: It is concerned with finding the root cause of a symptom
Normative research: It is usually conducted which developing new product,
service or system to assure whether desire objective has been achieved.
Deductive logic: Inference are drawn from a general principle to particular
conclusion
Induction: the inference is from particular to general.
Research process: problem identification, literature review, formation of research
question and objective, hypothesis, research design, sampling, data collection,
analysis and interpretation of data, finding and conclusions, report writing.
Variable: a variable is anything that can take on differing or varying values.
Dependent variable: It is the variable of primary interest to the researcher The
goal is to understand and describe the dependent variable to explain its
variability or predict it.

Independent variable; It is one that influences the dependent variable either in

the positive or negative way. Ie. The variance in the dependent variable is
accounted by the independent variable.
Mediating variable: It is one that surfaces between the time the independent
variable start operating to influence the dependent variable and the time their
impact is felt on it.
Moderating variable: It is one that has a strong contingent effect on the
independent variable-dependent variable relationship. That is the presence of
third variable(the moderating variable) modifies the original relationship between
the independent variable and the dependent variable.
(It has been found that there is a relationship between the availability
of reference manuals that manufacturing employees have access to,
and the product rejects. That is when the workers follow the procedures
laid down in the manual, they are able to manufacture products that
are flawless.
IV availability of manual, DV rejects the dv is moderated by moderating
variable (interest and inclination)
Hypothesis: It can be defined as a tentative, testable statement which predicts
what you expect to find in your empirical data.
Exploratory design: an exploratory study is undertaken when not much is known
about the situation at hand, or no information is available on how similar
problems or research issues have been solved in the past.
Descriptive : It is study undertaken in order to ascertain and be able to describe
the characteristics of variable of interest in a situation
Sampling process: Step I
extent, time

defining the population: elements, sampling units,

Step 2- indentifying the sampling Frame- a complete list of population units

(registers)
Step 3 specify the sampling unit- target population
Step4- specify the sampling method any one method
Step 5- determine the sample size number of elements to be chosen
Step 6 specify the sampling planSteps 7- select the sample
(elements- product, sampling units- retail outlets, super markets, extent- New
Delhi, Mumbai, Time- may2nd 2014)
Report : a final draft of the findings of the study

Technical report (research article, research abstract)

Popular report ( summary)
Interim
Data processing : editing, coding and tabulation.