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Research Methods

Higher Education, Teaching & Research

Useful for: UGC NET, OSSC RHT — Regular High School Teacher, Bihar Assistant Professor, CSIR NET, Central Univ./IIT/NIT Faculty, MP Assistant Professor, OPSC Assistant Professor, OPSC PGT

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OSSC Economics, OSSC English, OSSC Foundation Course, OSSC Geography, OSSC History, OSSC Mathematics, OSSC Odia, OSSC Physical Education Instructor, OSSC Political Science, OSSC Science, OSSSC Govt Physical Education Teacher (PET), Rajasthan Assistant Professor, Rajasthan 1st Grade School Lecturer, SSB Lecturer / PGT, SSB Lecturer (Degree Colleges), SSB PET, UP Assistant Professor

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Overview

Research is a systematic process of finding answers through planned data collection and analysis; methods may be quantitative, qualitative or mixed.

Key points

Basic research builds theory; applied research solves practical problems; action research improves one’s own practice.
Quantitative research uses numbers and statistics; qualitative research explores meanings and experiences.
Mixed methods combine both.
The literature review identifies gaps and frames the study.
Research must be systematic, replicable and ethical.
Findings should be reported honestly with limitations.

Explanation

Descriptive research describes; explanatory research tests causes.
Longitudinal studies follow the same people over time; cross-sectional studies compare groups at one time.
Pilot studies test tools before the main study.
Triangulation strengthens conclusions.
Generalisation depends on sampling.

Step by step

Identify the concept, method or policy asked.
Recall the definition, thinker, year or rule.
Apply it to the situation and eliminate extreme options.

Examples

A teacher studies whether peer reading improves fluency in her class → action research.
A survey of 1,000 students’ study hours → quantitative.
Interviews about first-generation learners’ experiences → qualitative.

Traps and advanced points

Trap: Mixing basic and applied.
Trap: Skipping the literature review.
Trap: Treating qualitative as unscientific.

Quick revision

Basic, applied, action.
Quantitative, qualitative, mixed.
Steps in order.

Practice MCQs

Research that improves one’s own classroom practice is —
1. meta-analysis
2. basic research
3. action research
4. historical research
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Answer: (c) action research. Action research is practitioner-led.
Quantitative research mainly uses —
1. only stories
2. no data
3. numbers and statistics
4. only interviews
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Answer: (c) numbers and statistics. It measures variables numerically.
Interviews about first-generation learners’ experiences are —
1. qualitative
2. experimental
3. econometric
4. quantitative
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Answer: (a) qualitative. They explore meanings and experiences.
The literature review mainly helps to —
1. print the report
2. identify gaps and frame the study
3. collect data
4. analyse statistics
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Answer: (b) identify gaps and frame the study. It shows what is known and what is missing.
A study following the same students for five years is —
1. experimental
2. cross-sectional
3. longitudinal
4. case study only
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Answer: (c) longitudinal. Longitudinal studies track the same people over time.
A pilot study is done to —
1. replace the main study
2. avoid ethics
3. test tools before the main study
4. publish results
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Answer: (c) test tools before the main study. Pilots reveal problems in tools.
Using several data sources to confirm findings is —
1. plagiarism
2. triangulation
3. sampling
4. coding
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Answer: (b) triangulation. Triangulation strengthens conclusions.
Basic research mainly aims to —
1. market a product
2. solve an immediate local problem
3. build theory and knowledge
4. improve one class
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Answer: (c) build theory and knowledge. Applied research solves practical problems.
Generalisation of findings depends mainly on —
1. title
2. binding
3. sampling
4. font size
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Answer: (c) sampling. Representative samples allow generalisation.
Mixed-methods research —
1. avoids data
2. is always experimental
3. uses only numbers
4. combines quantitative and qualitative methods
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Answer: (d) combines quantitative and qualitative methods. It combines both approaches.