Book - Engineering Research Methodology
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Engineering Research MethodologyA Computer Science and Engineering and Information and CommunicationTechnologies Perspective.Krishnan NallaperumalFirst Edition1
1. BASIC RESEARCH METHODOLOGY.1.1. Objectives and Motivation in Research1.2. Distinct Approaches and Significance of Research1.2.1. Descriptive Research vs. Analytical Research1.2.2. Applied Research vs. Fundamental Research1.2.3. Quantitative vs. Qualitative1.2.4. Conceptual vs. Experimental (or Empirical)1.2.5. How to Approach Research?1.2.6. The significance of research1.3. Research Methodology versus Research Methods1.4. Research Process1.4.1. Finding a Research Advisor/Guide1.4.1.1.What to Look for in a Potential Research Advisor/Guide1.4.1.2.How to Find an Advisor/Guide1.4.1.3.The Advisor-Advisee Relationship1.4.2. Finding a Topic and Beginning Research1.4.2.1.Getting Research Ideas1.4.2.1.1. How to be an Active Reader and Listener1.4.2.1.2. Getting Exposed to Research1.4.2.1.3. Directed Study1.4.2.1.4.Formulating the Research Problem: Develop the Nucleus of an Idea1.4.2.2.Extensive Literature Survey:A Trap to Avoid1.4.2.3.Choosing an Idea1.4.2.4.Stay Active1.5. Measure of Good Research1.6. Common Problems for Researchers2. OVERVIEW OF THE THEORY OF SCIENCE AND HISTORY OF SCIENTIFIC ANDENGINEERING RESEARCH2.1. Introduction – What is Science?2.1.1. Definitions by Goal and Process2.1.2. Definitions by Contrast2.2. What is Scientific Method?2.2.1. Socratic Method vs. Scientific Method2.2.2. Criteria to Evaluate Theories2.3. What is Knowledge?2.3.1. Abstraction2.3.2. The Origins of Knowledge2.3.3. The Role of Science in Knowledge Creation2.3.4. Knowledge and Objectivity2.3.5. Perception and “Direct Observation”2.4. Science and Truth2.4.1. Science as Consensus2.4.2. Science as Controversy2.4.3. Critical Thinking: Logical Arguments2.4.4. Deduction2.4.5. Empirical Induction3. OVERVIEW OF RESEARCH METHODOLOGY FOR ENGINEERING RESEARCH3.1. What Is After All This Thing Called Science?3.1.1. Sciences belonging to several different regions2
3.2. Fusion of Science, Research And Technology3.2.1. Aristotle's Distinctions between Science and Technology3.2.2. Objects: Unchangeable vs. Changeable3.2.3. Principles of Change: Inherent vs. Imposed3.2.4. Ends: General vs. Specific3.2.5. Goals: End in Itself vs. End in Something Else3.2.6. Recent Methodological Distinctions3.2.6.1. Abstracting vs. Modeling Complex Systems3.2.6.2. Conceptualizing vs. Optimizing Processes3.2.6.3. Meta-methodological Distinction: Discovery vs. Invention3.3. Pseudoscience3.4. Science And Ethics3.4.1. The Conventionally Accepted Ethical Norms3.4.2. Precautionary Principle3.5. Science versus Engineering3.5.1. Importance of Knowing What Engineering is all about3.5.2. Problem solving– Engineers! Know Yourself!!3.5.3. Scientific Research vs. Engineering Research3.6. Distinct perspectives of goals3.6.1. Importance of Knowing How Engineering Research is done3.6.2. Stages in Research Execution Process4. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY FOR CIRCUIT BRANCHES4.1. Formulating the Research Problem4.1.1. Understanding a Research Problem4.1.2. Issues with Choosing the Research Problem4.1.3. Need for Defining the Research Problem4.1.4. Various steps involved in Defining the Research Problem4.1.5. A Case Study4.2. Designing a Conceptual Structure for Carrying out Research4.2.1. What is a Conceptual Structure for Research?4.2.2. Need for the Conceptual Structure for Research4.2.3. Components of a Good Conceptual Research Structure4.2.4. Key Parameters of a Conceptual Research Structure4.2.5. Types of Research Structures4.2.6. How to develop an Execution Plan for Research?5. RESEARCH METHODS FOR ENGINEERING RESEARCH5.1. History of ideas in computing5.1.1. Introduction5.1.2. Computer Science Body of Knowledge5.1.3. Debate over Name of the Field5.1.4. Major Fields of Importance for Computer Science5.1.5. Big ideas in Computer Science and Engineering5.1.6. The Great Scientists and their Contributions to the World of Computing5.1.7. Philosophical Problems of Computing5.1.8. Philosophy of Science – A New Paradigm due to the Field of Computing5.2. Evolution of Computing Research5.2.1. Research in Computing Science5.2.2. The Dialectic of Research5.2.3. Models of Argument5.2.3.1. Proof by Demonstration3
5.2.3.2. Proof by Empirical Method5.2.3.3. Mathematical Proof5.2.3.4. Proof by Hermeneutics5.2.4. To Leap Forward5.3. Overview of Research Methods5.3.1.5.3.2.5.3.3.5.3.4.Introduction to scientific methodsTheoretical vs. empirical methods in Computing ScienceTheoretical models in Computing ScienceTheoretical problems in Computing Science5.4. Measurements based research methods in computer Science & engineering5.5. Measurements based research methods in Signal and Image Processing, Graphics,Vision and Pattern Recognition5.6. Deductive Methods in Computing Science & engineering5.6.1. Ordinary Mathematical Proofs5.6.2. Inference systems and their applications5.7. Deductive Methods in Signal and Image Processing, Graphics, Vision and PatternRecognition5.8. Inductive Methods in Computing Science & engineering5.8.1. Mathematical Induction5.8.1.1.The Principle of Mathematical Induction5.8.1.2.The Strong Principle of Mathematical Induction5.8.1.3. Peano's Axioms5.8.2. Recursive definitions and proofs by induction5.9. Inductive Methods in Signal and Image Processing, Graphics, Vision and PatternRecognition5.10.Induction Vs Deduction, Hypothetico-Deductive Method5.11.Repetitions, Patterns, Identity5.11.1. Repetitions and patterns5.11.2. Identity5.11.3. Frege’s Puzzle about Identity Statements5.12.Causality And Determinism5.12.1. Causality5.12.2. Determinism5.13.Limitations In Formal Logical Systems5.13.1. Gödel’s Theorem5.13.2. Axiomatic system of Euclid: Shaking up Geometry5.13.3. Axiomatic system of Principia: Paradox in Set Theory5.13.4. Gödel: Truth and Provability5.13.5. Implications of Gödel's Theorem5.14.Fuzzy Logic5.15.Fallacies5.15.1. Formal Fallacies5.15.2. Informal Fallacies5.15.3. Some not Entirely Uncommon “Proof Techniques”5.16.Evolution Of Scientific Theory – A Brief Account5.16.1. Logical Positivism5.16.2. Logical Empiricism5.16.3. Popper and Falsificationism5.16.4. Kuhn’s Scientific Revolutions4
6. LANGUAGE AND COMMUNICATION6.1.1. Communication6.1.2. Language and Thought6.1.3. The Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis6.1.4. Reality and Communication6.1.5. Hierarchical Structure of Language6.1.6. Ambiguities of Language6.1.7. A Quest for an Ideal Language6.1.8. The Evolution of Language7. ACQUIRING AND DISEMINATING KNOWLEDGE IN ENGINEERING7.1. Searching for research papers7.2. Writing and presentation of a research paper for a conference or journal7.3. Review and opposition of engineering/scientific research papers7.4. Writing a good thesis: Research report writing7.5. Converting your research thesis into a monograph7.6. Research education, the research society and research policy5
1. Basic research methodologyDo we need Research?"All progress is born of inquiry. Doubt is often better than overconfidence, for itleads to inquiry, and inquiry leads to invention"- Hudson MaximAny one can understand the significance of research from the above quote.Humanity gained a lot due to research and many of the comforts we have would nothave been realized without research. Increased amounts of research make progresspossible for humanity. Research inculcates scientific and inductive thinking and itpromotes the development of logical habits of thinking and organization.What is research? - A search for knowledge - A scientific and systematic search forsignificant information on a specific topic – A careful investigation through searchfor new facts in any branch of knowledge – A voyage of discovery – and so on.When the unknown confront us, our inherited instinct of inquisitiveness (curiosity)makes us probe to attain the full understanding of the unknown. The method weemploy to probe for getting the knowledge of unknown can be called research.Research is defining and redefining problems, formulating hypothesis or suggestedsolutions; collecting, organizing and evaluating data; making deductions andreaching conclusions; and finally testing the conclusions carefully to determinewhether they fit the hypothesis formulated.Research is the pursuit of truth with the help of study, observation, comparison andexperiment; the search for knowledge through objective and systematic method offinding solution to a problem is Research. The systematic approach concerninggeneralization and the formulation of a theory is also research.Broadly speaking, research refers to the systematic method consisting of enunciatingthe problem, formulating a hypothesis, collecting the facts or data, analyzing thefacts and reaching certain conclusions either in the form of solution to the concernedproblem or in certain generalizations for some theoretical formulation.This method we employ will vary according to the broader category of knowledgedomains: literature, language, arts, social sciences, science and Engineering.1.1 Objectives and Motivations in Research6
The purpose of research is to discover answers to questions through the applicationof scientific procedures. The main aim of research is to find out the truth which ishidden and which has not been discovered as yet. Research objectives fall into thefollowing broad groupings:1. To gain familiarity with a phenomenon or to achieve new insights into it(known as exploratory or formulative research studies);2. To determine the frequency with which something occurs or with which it isassociated with something else (known as diagnostic research studies);3. To test a hypothesis of a causal relationship between variables (known ashypothesis-testing research studies).Why do people aspire for research? What makes them undertake research? Thismotivation is of fundamental importance. The possible motives for doing researchmay be either one or more of the following:¾¾¾¾¾¾Aspire to get a research degree along with career benefits;Aspire to take up the challenge in solving the unsolved problems;Desire to get intellectual joy of doing a creative work;Aspire to do research to serve the society;Seek to get recognition and respect;Many other;Many more unlisted factors such as directives of government, employmentconditions, curiosity about new things, social thinking and awakening, and the likemay as well motivate or compel people to do research.1.2 Distinct Approaches and Significance of ResearchThere are a few distinct approaches prevalent in doing research which should beknown to a researcher in any field of study so that he analyses his problem in properperspective, understands what methods and tools are needed and decides to choosethe appropriate approaches for his research; some among them are worth comparingand contrasting to get a clear distinction of what should be ones approach towardsresearch. The following are discussed with that objective:1.2.1 Descriptive Research vs. Analytical ResearchDescriptive research includes surveys and fact-finding enquiries of different kinds.The major purpose of descriptive research is description of the state of affairs as itexists at present. This approach is suitable for social sciences and business andmanagement studies for descriptive research studies. The main characteristic of thismethod is that the researcher has no control over the variables; s/he can only reportwhat has happened or what is happening. Most research projects of this nature are7
used for descriptive studies in which the researcher seeks to measure factors likefrequency of shopping, brand preference of people, most popular media programmeetc. Survey methods of all kinds fall under descriptive research, includingcomparative and correlation techniques. In analytical research, on the other hand,researcher makes a critical evaluation of the material by analyzing facts andinformation already available.1.2.2 Applied Research vs. Fundamental ResearchResearch can either be Applied Research or Fundamental Research. The main targetof Applied Research is to find a solution for an immediate problem facing asociety or an industrial / business organization, whereas Fundamental or PureResearch is mainly concerned with generalizations and concentrates on theformulation of a theory. "Gathering knowledge for the sake of knowledge” istermed 'Pure' or 'Basic' or ‘Fundamental’ research. Examples of fundamentalresearch are: research concerning some natural phenomenon or related to puremathematics; research studies aimed at studying and making generalizations abouthuman behaviour. While applied research concentrates on discovering a solution forsome pressing practical problem, fundamental research is focused towardsformulation of theories that may have a broad base of applications either at presentor for future which adds more materials to the already existing organized body ofscientific knowledge.1.2.3 Quantitative vs. QualitativeWhile Quantitative research is applicable to phenomena that can be expressed interms of quantity, Qualitative research is concerned with qualitative phenomenon.For instance, when we are interested in investigating the reasons for humanbehaviour (i.e., why people think or do certain things), we quite often talk of'Motivation Research', an important type of qualitative research. Qualitativeresearch is especially important in the behavioural sciences where the aim is todiscover the underlying motives of human behaviour.1.2.4 Conceptual vs. Experimental (or Empirical)Conceptual research is that related to some abstract idea(s) or theory. It is generallyused by philosophers and thinkers to develop new concepts or to reinterpret existingones. On the other hand, experimental (empirical) research relies on experiment orobservation alone, often without due regard for system and theory. It is data-basedresearch, coming up with conclusions which are capable of being verified byobservation or experiment. In such a research it is necessary to get at facts firsthand,at their source, and actively to go about doing certain things to stimulate theproduction of desired information. In such a research, the researcher must firstprovide himself with a working hypothesis or guess as to the probable results. Hethen works to get enough facts (data) to prove or disprove his hypothesis. He then8
sets up experimental designs which he thinks will manipulate the persons or thematerials concerned so as to bring forth the desired information leading to thehypothesis. Such research is thus characterized by the experimenter's control overthe variables under study and his deliberate manipulation of one of them to study itseffects. Empirical research is appropriate when proof is sought that certainvariables affect other variables in some way. Evidence gathered throughexperiments or empirical studies is today considered to be the most powerfulsupport possible for a given hypothesis.1.2.5 How to Approach Research?From the discussions held above, it is clear that there are two basic approaches toresearch, viz., quantitative approach and the qualitative approach. The formerinvolves the generation of data in quantitative form which can be subjected torigorous quantitative analysis in a formal and rigorous fashion. This approachcan be further sub-classified into inferential, experimental and simulationapproaches research. The purpose of inferential approach to research is to forma data base from which to infer characteristics or relationships of population.This usually means survey research where a sample of population is studied(questioned or observed) to determine its characteristics, and it is then inferredthat the population has the same characteristics. Experimental approach ischaracterized by much greater control over the research environment and inthis case some variables are manipulated to observe their effect on othervariables. Simulation approach involves the construction of an artificialenvironment within which relevant information and data can be generated.This permits an observation of the dynamic behavior of a system (or its subsystem) under controlled conditions. Given the values of initial conditions,parameters and exogenous variables, a simulation is run to represent thebehavior of the process over time. Simulation approach can also be useful inbuilding models for understanding future conditions.Qualitative approach to research is concerned with subjective assessment ofattitudes, opinions and behavior. Research in such a situation is a function ofresearcher's insights and impressions. Such an approach to research generatesresults either in non-quantitative form or in the form which are not subjected torigorous quantitative analysis. Generally, the techniques of focus groupinterviews, projective techniques and depth interviews are used. All these areexplained at length in chapters that follow. Engineering research may not haveanything to do with this approach.1.2.6The significance of research9
This can be understood keeping in view the following points from differentpersons’ perspective: To those students who are to write a master's or Ph.D. thesis, researchmay mean careerism or a way to attain a high position in the socialstructure; To professionals in research methodology, research may mean a source oflivelihood; To philosophers and thinkers, research may mean the outlet for new ideasand insights; To literary men and women, research may mean the development of newstyles and creative work; To analysts and intellectuals, research may mean the generalizations ofnew theories.Thus, research is the fountain of knowledge for the sake of knowledge and animportant source of providing guidelines for solving different business,governmental and social problems. It is a sort of formal training which enablesone to understand the new developments in one's field in a better way.1.3 Research Methodology versus Research MethodsIt seems appropriate at this juncture to explain the difference betweenresearch methods and research methodology. Research methods may beunderstood as all those methods/techniques that are used for conducting research.Research methods or techniques, thus, refer to the methods the researchers adopt tocarry out their research.Research methods can be put into the following three groups:1. In the first group we include those methods which are concerned with thecollection/ acquisition of data; these methods will be used where the dataalready available are not sufficient to arrive at the required solution;2. The second group consists of those mathematical/statistical techniqueswhich are used for establishing relationships between the data and theunknowns;3. The third group consists of those methods which are used to evaluate theaccuracy of the results obtained.Research methods falling in the above stated last two groups are generally takenas the analytical tools of research.10
Research methodology is a way to systematically solve the research problem; itmay be understood as a science of studying how research is done scientifically. Init we formulate the various steps that are to be adopted by a researcher in studyinghis research problem along with the logic behind them. It is necessary for theresearcher to know not only the research methods/techniques but also themethodology, Researc
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