Course

Syllabus

Meaning of Research, Types of Research, Research Process, Problem definition, Objectives of Research, Research Questions, Research design, Approaches to Research – Quantitative vs. Qualitative Approach, Understanding Theory, Building and Validating Theoretical Models, Exploratory vs. Confirmatory Research, Experimental vs Theoretical Research, Importance of reasoning in research.

Problem Formulation, Understanding Modeling & Simulation, Conducting Literature Review, Referencing, Information Sources, Information Retrieval, Role of libraries in Information Retrieval, Tools for identifying literatures, Indexing and abstracting services, Citation indexes.

Experimental Research: Cause effect relationship, Development of Hypothesis, Measurement Systems Analysis, Error Propagation, Validity of experiments, Statistical Design of Experiments, Field Experiments, Data/Variable Types & Classification, Data collection, Numerical and Graphical Data Analysis: Sampling, Observation, Surveys, Inferential Statistics, and Interpretation of Results.

Preparation of Dissertation and Research Papers, Guidelines for writing the abstract, introduction, methodology, results and discussion, conclusion sections of a manuscript. References, Tables and illustrations and Citation.

Intellectual property rights (IPR) – patents – copyrights – Trademarks – Ethics of Research, Scientific Misconduct – Forms of Scientific Misconduct – Plagiarism – Unscientific practices in thesis work.

Course Objectives

• To enable students to define research problems, review, analyse as well as to evaluate literature and possibly to formulate effective solutions.
• To prepare students either for a research thesis or for an industry-based project.
• To provide oral and written communication skills.
• To inculcate a strict adherence to the principles of research ethics and values

Course Outcomes

• Understand the basic concepts of research and its methodologies
• Understand and apply the process of searching for, selecting and critically analysing research articles and papers
• Formulate and evaluate research questions and apply the process of designing a research study and interpreting the outcomes of the study
• Write and present a research report and thesis.

References / Suggested Books:  

1. Bordens, K. S. and Abbott, B. B., “Research Design and Methods – A Process Approach”, 11th Edition, McGraw-Hill, 2022.
2. Roy Sabo and Edward Boone, “Statistical Research Methods: A Guide for Non Statisticians”, Springer, 2013.
3. Davis, M., Davis K., and Dunagan M., “Scientific Papers and Presentations”, 3rd Edition,Elsevier Inc., 2013.
4. Ron Iphofen (Ed), “Handbook of Research Ethics and Scientific Integrity”, Springer, 2020.
5. Elsevier, “Ethics in Research & Publication”, https://www.elsevier.com/ data/assets/pdf_file/0008/653885/Ethics-in-research-and-publication-brochure.pdf