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Research Methodology - Topic 1 Part B
Research Methodology - Topic 1 Part B
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
-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?
• 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.
• 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.