Research Methodology

Part B
Instructor: Vesna Covic Palikuca
Objectives
• Introduction to Research and the Research Process:
• Assess sources of information – archives, bibliographic sources, current literature,
journals, the Internet and online resources;
• Discuss different sources of data and their importance in research, e.g. field data,
experimental data, demographic data, scientific data, questionnaire data, etc.;
• Explain correlation and the difference between qualitative and quantitative
assessments;
• Describe different software packages that are available for statistical analysis, e.g. MS
Excel, SPSS, GIS, ‘R’, etc.;
• Develop an outline of a research process to resolve an engineering problem, e.g.
research statements, research outline and research schedule;
• Acknowledge information sources and describe and apply different referencing
techniques.
When Should You Use the Internet?
• Typical Internet Sites: Government sites, Educational Sites, Non-Profit
Organization Sites, News Sites, Business Sites, Personal Web Page Site,
Wikipedia, Discussion Groups

• Current books, texts, and full-text journal articles are not usually
freely available on the Internet.
• Internet sources tend to be recent; information prior to 1993 is
generally not available.
Student activity
“Fake” source of information

What does this mean???? Give an example

Student activity: Your research is based on new corona virus identification
and you are going through different sources of information related to corona virus theories.
Which one are true and which one are untrue – Check the source of information

-Eating garlic can protect you for the new corona virus
-Loss of smell and taste is one of the corona virus symptom
-Drinking water every 15 min, will flush out corona virus that might
enter the mouth
-Exposing the body to sun can kill the new corona virus
-Corona virus is killed on 60 degree Celsius
-Corona virus can live two to three days on plastic surface
Sources of information - Internet 
How do you decide if a source or an author of a website is qualified to discuss the
subject presented? The following are some questions you should ask:
•  Is there an identified author of the Web page or site?
• Is contact information, i.e., an e-mail address and/or address, given for the
author?
• Are the credentials of the author stated?
• Is the author an expert in his/her field?
Hint: Look up the author in a biographical reference source.
• Have others, either in the print media or electronic sources, cited the author?
Hint: If possible, do a search on the author's name in a "citation style" index or a
"keyword" index or look in bibliographies of other sources.
Authority/Source Questions - Internet
• Have other web pages linked to this page or site?
Hint: In Google, search link: and the URL of a website (ex:
link:www.irsc.edu) to see which sites are linked to a certain
page. 
• Does the site comply with current copyright guidelines?
Note that everything that is published on the Internet is
protected under copyright law.
• Is this site sponsored by an organization? If so, is the purpose
and scope of the organization given? Is a phone number and
surface mail address given for the organization, in addition to an
e-mail address?
Fact check
• FactsCanFacts Canada investigates claims made by Canadian federal
politicians and scores them as true, misleading, false, or farcical.
• PolitiFactWinner of the Pulitzer Prize, PolitiFact rates the accuracy of
claims made by politicians and others who speak about American
politics.
• SciCheckCreated by FactCheck.org, SciCheck focuses on debunking
false and misleading scientific claims.
• Snopes.comSnopes.com was launched in 1995 to help debunk
Internet rumours, claims and stories of unknown origin. The site
provides analyses of content to confirm its accuracy.
What Are Journals?

• Journal articles may include original research, re-analyses of research,

reviews of literature in a specific area, proposals of new but untested
theories, or opinion pieces.
• Peer review is a process whereby two or more experts in the relevant
topic area evaluate manuscripts for potential publication at the
request of the journal editor. Reviewers are carefully selected based
on their scientific expertise, research area, and lack of bias toward the
authors of a given manuscript.
• Google Schooler, PubMed are examples of sites where you can search
for published journals
 Newspaper articles: Magazine articles: Trade journal articles: Peer reviewed articles:
         
(Popular) (Popular) (Can be scholarly) (Usually scholarly)
•Typically very short (1-2 pages). •Usually short (seldom more than •May be longer (5+ pages). •Usually longer (10+ pages
•Author may not be listed. a few pages long). •Author will usually be listed. common).
•Usually focused on general •Author may not be listed. •Focused on topics related to the •Author(s) will always be listed
interest topics:  news (local and/or •Some are focused on general target industry. (along with their credentials)
national), entertainment, lifestyle interest topics (news, •Written for professionals, using •Focused on very narrow topics
and popular culture. entertainment and popular some technical or discipline- of interest to researchers in a
•Written for a broad audience, culture), while others are geared specific terms.  Tone is often target discipline.  Research
using informal, everyday toward professional or personal formal. articles/original studies are
language.  interests/hobbies. •May feature photographs or common.
•Featured articles may be •Written for a broad audience, graphics.  Charts and graphs are •Written for professionals and
accompanied by photographs, but using informal, everyday common. researchers, in a formal tone,
most (due to length restrictions) language. •May cite sources or provide a list with plenty of technical or
will not. •Often feature colorful of references. discipline-specific language.
•Rarely, if ever, cite their sources or photographs or graphics.   •Colorful photos/graphics rare,
provide a list of references. •Do not typically cite their Example trade journals:  but articles will often include
  sources or provide a list of Advertising Age,  charts, graphs or tables to
Example newspapers:  references. Infectious Disease News,   illustrate data.
Wall Street Journal,    Rural Educator •Always cite their sources and
New York Times,  Example magazines:  Time,  include a comprehensive list of
Washington Post                    Newsweek, National Geographic references.
Example peer-reviewed journals:
 Basic & Applied Ecology, 
Cold War History, 
Journal of Information Privacy & S
ecurity
 
How can you tell if an article, book or web
page is scholarly?
  You will have to do some detective-work, but there are some telltale signs:
•Author(s): Ideally, you should rely on information that has been published by an
expert..someone who has studied the topic long and hard.    Most scholarly
publications will list an author's credentials (their degrees -- M.S., Ph.D., etc. -  and
the institution that they work for) along with his or her name.
 
•Content:  Look for articles that cover a topic in detail (more than just a few pages
long, typically).   It will probably include some kind of literature review, and discuss
the work of other authors, in addition to any original research findings.  Make sure it
cites its sources (a scholarly article will always have a "references," "bibliography" or
"works cited" list).   Check it for accuracy and bias.
 
 How can you tell if an article, book or web
page is scholarly?
•Audience:  Scholarly articles are written for professionals in the field.  You will
probably notice a lot of technical language and/or discipline-specific jargon.  The tone
will be formal.
 
•Publisher.  Visit the journal's website to see what organization publishes it. 
Professional associations, universities and government agencies are usually good
signs.  As you become more experienced, you'll also start to recognize major
publishing companies in your field of study (Wiley, Elsevier, Sage, etc.).  Be sure that
the publisher is not biased.
 
•Purpose and scope.  When you're on a website (whether for a journal, publisher or
organization), look for an "about" link to learn who the intended audience is and what
kind of information is published.
Student Activity
• Using Google Scholar find some journals related to “Crack
Propagation - Fatigue”
Student Activity
• Is this a journal, newspaper, magazine or internet article?
Student Activity
• Is this a journal, newspaper, magazine or internet article?
•
What's a Bibliography?

• A bibliography is a list of all of the sources you have used (whether

referenced or not) in the process of researching your work. In general, a
bibliography should include:
• the authors' names
• the titles of the works
• the names and locations of the companies that published your copies of
the sources
• the dates your copies were published
• the page numbers of your sources (if they are part of multi-source
volumes)
 What's a Bibliography?

• the authors' names

• the titles of the works
• the names and locations
of the companies that published
your copies of the sources
• the dates your copies were
published
What’s the difference for a bibliography vs.
reference lists?
• A bibliography, is a list of all the sources you consulted to write your
paper. Even if you did not use them directly in your paper, you’ll still
list them in your bibliography. 
• Works cited or reference list is list of all the sources you actually used
while writing your paper.
Major citation styles
• There are (3) major citation styles used in academic writing:
• Modern Language Association (MLA) - reference
• American Psychological Association (APA) - reference
• Chicago, which supports two styles: Notes and Bibliography.

• https://www.citationmachine.net/bibliographies/09694ea7-b3cd-46c
1-a29e-b9aad779c80e
Sources of Data
Field Data
• “Field data” just means it was collected outside of a traditional workplace setting
like a laboratory or office.
• There are many ways to collect field data: interviews, surveys, questionnaires,
observations, oral histories, or case studies, or reviewing documents and records.
• The type of information sought will determine the tools needed, such as a pen and
paper, a camera, a calculator, a ruler, a GPS device, or all of those things and more.
• Many companies collect data to ensure they stay compliant with government
regulations, while others do it to determine the most appropriate location to build a
structure. Still others collect data to verify the status of their physical assets.
• The uses of field data are limitless.
Experimental data
• Experimental data in science and engineering is data produced by a 
measurement, test method, experimental design. In clinical research
 any data produced are the result of a clinical trial. Experimental data
may be qualitative or quantitative, each being appropriate for different 
investigations.
• Experimental data are collected by the researcher to produce and
measure change or to create difference when a variable is altered.
• Experimental data typically allows the researcher to determine a causal
relationship and is typically projectable to a larger population. This type
of data are often reproducible, but it often can be expensive to do so.
Observational Data
• Observational data are captured through observation of a behavior or
activity. It is collected using methods such as human observation,
open-ended surveys, or the use of an instrument or sensor to monitor
and record information -- such as the use of sensors to observe noise
levels at the Mpls/St Paul airport.
• Because observational data are captured in real time, it would be very
difficult or impossible to re-create if lost.
Simulation Data
• Simulation data are generated by imitating the operation of a real-
world process or system over time using computer test models.
• For example, to predict weather conditions, economic models,
chemical reactions, or seismic activity.
• This method is used to try to determine what would, or could, happen
under certain conditions. The test model used is often as, or even
more, important than the data generated from the simulation.
 
Statistical analysis
• SAS/STAT software includes exact techniques for small data sets, high-
performance statistical modeling tools for large data tasks and modern
methods for analyzing data with missing values.
• SPSS Statistics software you can:
• Analyze and better understand your data, and solve complex business
and research problems through a user friendly interface.
• Understand large and complex data sets quickly with advanced statistical
procedures that help ensure high accuracy and quality decision making.
• Use extensions, Python and R programming language code to integrate
with open source software.
• Microsoft Excel is a spreadsheet developed by Microsoft for
Windows, macOS, Android and iOS. It features calculation, graphing
tools, pivot tables, and a macro programming language called Visual
Basic for Applications (VBA).
Quantitative data versus Qualitative data
• Quantitative data focuses on numbers and mathematical calculations,
and can be calculated and computed.
• Qualitative data is a data concerned with descriptions, which can be
observed but cannot be computed. However, questionnaire data is
often assigned numerical values to allow computation.
Inductive and Deductive reasoning
• The main difference between inductive and deductive reasoning is
that inductive reasoning aims at developing a theory while deductive
reasoning aims at testing an existing theory.

• Inductive or Deductive?
Inductive and Deductive reasoning
Maybe you read in newspaper:
• All Grocery store employees wear football jerseys on Fridays-
Theory
Today is Friday. fact
Grocery store employees will be wearing football jerseys today.

• Unlike inductive reasoning, deductive reasoning allows for certainty

as long as certain rules are followed.
Quantitative data versus Qualitative data

Quantitative versus Qualit ative

Quantitative Research Strategy Qualitative Research Strategy
• Investigation aims to assess a pre- • Investigation aims to create a novel
stated theory (Deductive Reasoning) theory (Inductive Reasoning)
• Often involves hypothesis testing • Researcher becomes an inherent part
of the study
• Attempts to minimise the influence
of the researcher on the outcome • Qualitative data infers complex
statements or opinions
• Quantitative data infers statistics
• Data collection therefore permits
• Data collection therefore requires
‘open’ responses
‘closed’ responses
 Sources of Data (Primary)

Data factual information (such as measurements or statistics) used as a

basis for reasoning, discussion, or calculation.

• Case Study- Accrual of detailed information from an individual or event.

• Survey
Cross-sectional: Status of a various groups at a given point in time
Longitudinal: Status of a given group at various points in time
Correlational: Relationships between variables
Sources of Data (Primary)

Hard – verifiable, e.g. geological records, physical surveys, etc.

Intermediate – reliable, e.g. water quality, land values, traffic counts,
etc.
Soft – opinion, e.g. public feeling, use, enjoyment of landscape,
behaviour, etc.
 Probability

• How likely is it for an event is to occur or how likely it is that a proposition

is true.

• Probability is a number between 0 and 1, where, 0 indicates impossibility

and 1 indicates certainty – therefore the probability range is from 0 to 1.

• The higher the probability, the more likely the event will occur.
Grounded theory
• begins with a research situation. Within that situation, your task as
researcher is to understand what is happening there, and you will
mostly do this through observation, conversation and interview.
References
• https://irsc.libguides.com/c.php?g=146743&p=961982
• https://www.apa.org/advocacy/research/defending-research/scientifi
c-journals
• https://apus.libanswers.com/faq/199127
• https://www.plagiarism.org/article/whats-a-bibliography#:~:text=A%
20bibliography%20is%20a%20list,the%20titles%20of%20the%20work
s
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-JV9cLDCgas
• https://analysisproject.blogspot.com/2013/12/sources-of-data-and-in
formation.html
• https://libguides.macalester.edu/c.php?g=527786/&p=3608643
Assignment 1 – Sources of Information
• Explain what is archives, bibliographic sources, current literature,
journals, the Internet and online resources.
• Assess 3 sources of information per each of the following categories:
archives, bibliographic sources, current literature, journals, the
Internet and online resources;
• Take a screen shot of the first page of the source
• Provide the link for each source
• Acknowledge information sources and describe and apply different
referencing techniques.