Course Contents

Chapter 1 – The concept of Research - Introduction

Chapter 2 – Types of Research

Chapter 3 – Research Proposal Development

Chapter 4 – Process in Conducting Research

Chapter 5 – Research Ethics

Chapter 6 – Reporting Research Findings

 About the Course
 Generic

 Concept of scientific research (what it is, how to

plan and conduct)

 Self learning

 Do the exercises for better understanding

 For maximum benefit –

 read ahead,
 attend all lectures and
 actively participate
Defining MSc and PhD
 What is MSc Program?

• MSc is a process of:

 Identifying a research area of interest

 Learning to carry out a research project
 Identifying problems
 Analyzing/ dissecting problems
 Designing/developing solutions
 Proving/Substantiating solution
 Reporting
 Outcome of MSc program

• Understand the issues of concerns within the area of

specialization
• Know the leading researchers/research groups in the
area of study
• Know the relevant industries/companies
• Identify your research strength and weaknesses
(theoretical, experimental; materials, processes,
components/devices, system)
• Conduct research with minimal guidance

Smile…
Chapter 1

The Concept of Research

 Lesson 1. Sources of Knowledge

Research is a quest for knowledge!!

Two major approaches to acquire knowledge:

• Unscientific knowledge
• Scientific knowledge
1.1 Types of unscientific Sources of knowledge

• The method of tenacity - Automatic acceptance of beliefs

without exploring them.
E.g. 1. Black injera has high Fe content.
2. The sun rises in the east.
3. Ethiopians have burned faces.

Problems:
- Knowledge by familiarity alone – no proof of its
truth
- No means for correcting ideas which are proved to
be not true.
 Cont’d …

• The method of Authority - Accepting information we

have been told by authority figure.
E.g. 1. smoking affects our health

Problem:
- It is only useful and beneficial if the authority
figure is knowledgeable in the area.
 Cont’d …

• The a prior method/deductive reasoning - Reason and logic

are the basic tools for a priori method.
E.g.1. Ayele’s family are tall.
Alemitu is in Ayele’s family
FALSE
Therefore, Alemitu is tall. True or False?

E.g. 2. Human being is mortal

Alemu is a human being.
Therefore, Alemu is mortal. True or False? TRUE

E.g. 3. Runoff is a function of catchment area

Gumara and Ribb cathments do have the same
area.
FALSE produce the same volume of
Therefore, the two catchments
runoff. _True or False?
 Cont’d …

• Commonsense - Knowledge acquired from past experience

or from our perceptions of the world.

It is good for routines aspects of daily life but hinders to

widen our knowledge.

E.g. The price of teff increases if the rainy season fails

1.2 Scientific method as a Source of knowledge

• Knowledge acquired systematically. i.e. evaluate observation by

our bodily senses or measuring devices.

• It is sometimes seen as a controlled extension of commonsense

knowledge.

• Therefore, science relies on information that is verifiable unlike

commonsense.
 Scientific Vs. Unscientific Research

Non-scientific research:
Based on experience and intuition

Scientific research:
Focuses on solving problems and pursues a step-by-step logical,
organized, and rigorous method. i.e.
identify problems
collect data
analyze/test them, and
draw valid conclusion
Science:
• Systematically build theoretical structure
• Test them for internal consistency
• test empirically subject aspects of the phenomenon.
 Cont’d …

Expectations from scientific research:

• General rules drawn
• Objective evidences collected
• Testable statements made
• A skeptical attitude to all claims
• Creative, public and productive

Limitations of scientific research:

• Cannot have answer for all questions
• Results may not be applied everywhere
• Imperfection in the measurement devices
 Lesson 2. Definition and purpose of research

What Research Is Not

• Research isn’t information gathering:
– Gathering information from sources such as books or
magazines isn’t research.
– No contribution to new knowledge.

• Research isn’t the transportation of facts:

– Merely transporting facts from one source to another doesn’t
constitute research.
– No contribution to new knowledge although this might make
existing knowledge more accessible.
 2.1 Scientific Research -Definition

What Research Is
The systematic process of collecting and analyzing information
(data) in order to increase our understanding of the
phenomenon about which we are concerned or interested.

The systematic investigation into and study of materials and

sources in order to establish facts and reach new conclusions

A scientific, and systematic search for pertinent information

on a specific topic (A systematized effort to gain new
knowledge)
An attempt to achieve systematically and with the support of
data the answer to a question, the resolution to a problem, or
the greater understanding of a phenomenon .
 2.1 Scientific Research -Definition

In general, we learn from the definition:

• Any scientific research is systematic - follows a clear procedure

so that the experiment can be replicated and the results verified.
• Any scientific research is organized - It is focused and limited to
a specific scope
• All scientific research has a goal/objectives- find an answer to a
problem or better understand a phenomenon.
• Scientific research is impartial, objective, empirical and logical

• Scientific research leads to the development of generalizations,

principles or theories, resulting in to some extent in prediction
and control of events.
 2.2. Purpose of Scientific Research

• The purpose of research is problem solving and acquiring

new knowledge.

• It also reduces the complexity of problems.

• In short, research is used for the purposes of:

 describing phenomena
 explaining phenomena
 predicting phenomena
 controlling phenomena
 comparing phenomena
 2.2. Purpose of Scientific Research

• Description – pictorial account of the phenomenon being studied.

 It is the first step to do in scientific research.
 It find answers to the questions “what, who and where”.

E.g. 1. Alternative structural systems for maximization of net floor area.

Existing structural systems and their characters have to be described
first.

E.g. 2. Scheduling Project Crashing Time using LP Technique

Project crashing shall be described first before testing the possibility

of using LPP.
 2.2. Purpose of Scientific Research

• Explanation – exploring the causes of the occurrence of certain

event.
 It find answers to the questions “why”.

Example 1
Why structural system A is better than B or vice versal
shall be explained with respect to maximizing floor area.
 2.2. Purpose of Scientific Research

• Prediction – generalizing about what will happen in the future.

Example: Structural system A may be preferred by Customers.

The different qualities of structural system A is ...these will make

it popular by the customers – generalization based on collected
data/observation.
 2.2. Purpose of Scientific Research

• Control – intervene and subsequently observe an expected

result.

E.g. Structural system A will remain preferable by the customers

if ….. – intervention of the researcher. Showing that the
research was not done without aim.
 2.2. Purpose of Scientific Research

• Comparison – explore whether two or more groups are similar

or different on a certain behavior or vice versa.

• E.g. The typical qualities and characteristics of structural

system A and B are clearly presented.
2.3 Characteristics of scientific research

• Aim
• Rigorous
• Testability
• Replicability
• Precision and Confidence
• Objectivity
• Generalizability
• Parsimony
 2.3 Characteristics of scientific research

• Aim
The purpose of scientific research is clear – problem
solving.
E.g - least cost design of hydraulic structures
- optimum allocation of irrigation water to beneficiaries

Research begins with a problem.

– This problem need not be Earth-shaking.
– Address only an important question.
– Remember that the aim is to advance knowledge.

• Sources of problems: Observation, literature reviews, professional

conferences, etc.
 2.3 Characteristics of scientific research

• Rigorous
 Based on good theoretical base and sound
methodology
 Careful and scrupulous
E.g all parameters which affect the design of the
structure must be considered

• Testability
 Test theoretical model by simulation or experiment
 Analysis of performance parameter against design
parameter
 2.3 Characteristics of scientific research

• Replicability
 The same relationship stands repeatedly under the same
design parameters
• Precision and Confidence
 Precision refers to closeness of the findings to reality
 Confidence refers to the probability that our estimations
are correct
• Objectivity
 Conclusions drawn from the analysis of data must be
objective
 Proven from trend in data
 Supported by theoretical model
 2.3 Characteristics of scientific research

• Generalizability
 Scope of applicability
 The wider, the better
E.g. Development of a Mathematical Model for design of weir

• Parsimony
 Simplicity in explaining the phenomena or problem
 Assumptions are critical
 Minimize the dependant variable
 2.4 Requirement of scientific research

• Demands accurate observation and description;

• Gathers information from primary or secondary sources.
• Follow carefully designed procedures, always applying rigorous
analysis.
• Requires expertise
• Requires patience and unhurried activity
• Carefully recorded and reported
• Sometimes requires courage
• objective and logical.

• Research requires resources, such as Money; People; Time and

space; Experimental Subjects.
 2.4 Requirement of scientific research

• Demands accurate observation and description;

• Gathers information from primary or secondary sources.
• Follow carefully designed procedures, always applying rigorous
analysis.
• Requires expertise
• Requires patience and unhurried activity
• Carefully recorded and reported
• Sometimes requires courage
• objective and logical.

• Research requires resources, such as Money; People; Time and

space; Experimental Subjects.
 2.5 Motivation in research

What makes people undertake research?

• Desire to get a research degree along with its consequential benefits.
• Desire to solve a challenge in solving the unsolved problems.
• Desire to design appropriate policies
• Desire to contribute to the existing stock of knowledge.
• Desire to get intellectual joy of doing some creative work
• Desire to be of service to society
• Directives of government.
• Curiosity about new things, etc....

Wrong Assumption: “Research” associated with activities substantially

removed from day-to-day life and which are only pursued by
outstandingly gifted persons.
 What you need to know!!!

Research is both enjoyable and frustrating

 Enjoyment comes from considering a specific problem or subject

field.
 Frustration comes from discovering that it is not possible to do all
that is intended to at the start of the investigation.
• The Research topic may be imposed on the student
• The Research must be completed within a given time period.
• Funds for Experiments, travel, and so on may be limited or even
non -existent.
• The results of the research must be presented in a specified
manner.
• The student may possibly have to relate to an academic
supervisor who is not interested
End of chapter 1
 Group Discussion

Group yourself into X.

• Raise a point of discussion on sources of knowledge to your

fields of study or any professional experience.

 Unscientific
 Scientific

Present the gist of discussions