KTU B.

Arch AS408 Research Methodology Semester 8

Module 1
INTRODUCTION

Methodology:
Methodology is the systematic, theoretical analysis of the methods applied to a field of study. It
comprises the theoretical analysis of the body of methods and principles associated with a branch of
knowledge.

Research:
The process of research came into being due to man’s quest to be at tune with his environment and also
understand nature. To achieve this, man uses the tools of experience and reasoning available to him.
Man also makes use of experience and authoritative sources beyond his immediate circle. Experience
and authority are rich and major sources of hypothesis, which are based mainly on common sense
knowledge and haphazard events, therefore it can be unjustified for drawing conclusions on events.
Hence research hypothesis formulation using experience and authority is judged to be unscientific.
Research is a combination of both experience and reasoning and can be said to be the most
appropriate way of discovering the truth, precisely in the natural Sciences.

Why research?
The need to research came due to the following reason
• To acquire a degree
• To get respectability Problem Testable Consequences Evidence Evaluation of Hypothesis New
body of Knowledge/New problem
• To face a challenge
• To solve a problem
• To get Intellectual Joy
• To Serve Society by increasing Standard of living for Science and technology and by showing
right path to society in case of social and behavioral Sciences.

Research methodology:
This is a set of systematic technique used in research. This simply means a guide to research and how it
is conducted. It describes and analysis methods, throws more light on their limitations and
resources, clarify their pre- suppositions and consequences, relating their potentialities to the
twilight zone at the frontiers of knowledge.

Advantages of Research Methodology:

The following are the advantages of research methodology:
• Advancement of wealth of human being
• Provision of tools for carrying out the research
• Develops a critical and scientific attitude, disciplined thinking to observations

According to Clifford Woody research comprises defining and redefining problems, formulating
hypothesis or suggested solutions; collecting, organizing and evaluating data; making
deductions and reaching conclusions; and at last carefully testing the conclusions to determine
whether they fit the formulating hypothesis.

• Enrichment of the research process and provision of chance for in-depth study and understanding
of the subject
• Helps to inculcate the ability to evaluate and use research results with reasonable confidence and
in decision making
• Inculcates the ability to learn to read and think critically

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KTU B.Arch AS408 Research Methodology Semester 8

Types of Research
There are several criteria for the classification of research types these include method of research and
goal of research.

Research can also be classified by the research method used. However, many research projects use
methods from more than one class.

1. Action Research: This type of research is mostly essential in applied research where it requires
implanting recommended changes to a process, bearing in mind to solve a problem and to carry
out research to determine the effectiveness of identified changes. It aims at solving an
identified problem based on recommendations made to a process

2. Creative Research: Creative research involves the development of new theories; new
procedures and new inventions and is used to some extent in all fields, in contrast to
experimental research, creative research is much less structured and cannot always be
preplanned. This type of research includes both practical and theoretical research.

3. Descriptive Research: This type of research is also called a “case –study research”. It
involves studying a specific situation to ascertain whether any general theories may arise out of it
whether an existing theory are borne out by specific situations. e.g in anthropological studies etc

4. Experimental Research: The cornerstone of science is experimental and creative research.

Experimental research is primarily concerned with cause and effect. Here 7 the variables of
interest are identified (i.e. the dependent and independent variables) and the researcher seeks to
determine the effect of changes in the independent variables on the dependent variable.

5. Ex-post facto Research: This is Research “from after the fact” and this type of research typically
occurs using data generated from experimental research. While in experimental research, the
effect is determined from the cause, here the cause is deduced from the effect.

6. Expository Research: This is research based purely on existing information and normally
leads to “review –type reports”. It involves reading widely on a field, comparing and contrasting,
analyzing and synthesizing all points of view and developing new insights.

7. Historical Research: Studies on the past to determine cause-effect patterns. This type of
research is often geared towards using past events to examine current situation and to
predict future situation. e.g. stock market forecasting. Data is gathered from primary sources
(records made at the time of past events) and secondary sources (records made after the event).
( Lodico et al,2010)

The basic types of research are as follows:

1. Descriptive vs. Analytical:

Descriptive research consists of survey and fact-finding investigation of different kinds.
The main purpose of descriptive research is explanation of the set of circumstances as it is
present as such. The term Ex post facto research has been used to elaborate this type of
research in different areas or subjects of research. The main feature of this method is that the
scientist does not have direct control over the variables; he can only report what is happening or
what has happened. For example, why peoples of the south side are suffering from lung cancer
as compared to north-side neighbors and investigation revealed that south side persons have
wood burning stoves and fire places, the researcher could hypothesize the reason that the wood
smoke is a factor of lung cancer. The techniques used in descriptive research are can be of all
kinds like survey methods, comparative and correlational methods etc.

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KTU B.Arch AS408 Research Methodology Semester 8

On the other hand, in analytical research, the researcher could be using the facts,
information, data which is already available, and analyze these sources to make a
hypothesis to evaluation of the material.

2. Applied vs. Fundamental:

Applied research refers to finding a solution for specific, practical problem facing by an
individual, society or an industrial or business organization, for example how to abolish hate
crime, what are the ways to market a product, what is causing increased poverty etc. whereas
fundamental research is mainly concerned with overview and with the formulation of a
theory. The main aim of applied research is to find out a solution for some critical practical
problem, whereas fundamental research is handling towards finding information that has a wide
sense of applications to the already existing organized body of scientific knowledge.

3. Quantitative vs. Qualitative:

In natural sciences and social sciences, quantitative research is based on the aspect of
quantity or extent. It is related to object that can be expressed in terms of quantity or something
that can be counted. Such type of research involve systematic experimental analysis of
observable phenomenon via statistical, mathematical or computational techniques in numerical
form such as statistics, percentages, etc. whereas Qualitative research, is concerned with
qualitative phenomenon, i.e., relating to quality or variety. Such type of research is typically
descriptive and harder to analyze than quantitative data. Qualitative research involves looking in-
depth at non-numerical data. It is more naturalistic or anthropological.

4. Conceptual vs. Empirical:

Conceptual research is that related to some abstract idea(s) or theory. It focuses on the
concept and theory that explain the concerned theory being studied. It is generally used by
logicians, philosophers and theorist to develop new concepts or to again understand the existing
ones.
On the other hand, empirical research relies on experience or observation alone. It is a way
of gaining knowledge by means of direct and indirect observation or experience. We can also
refer it as experimental type of research. In such a research it is necessary to get the facts and
data firstly, their source, and then actively engaged to doing certain things to stimulate the
production of desired information.

5. Some Other Types of Research:

Other types of research may be of different types rather than above stated types like form the
point of view of time one-time research or longitudinal research. In the former case the
research is restricted to a single time-period, while in the latter case the research is carried on
over several time periods. Research can be field-setting research or laboratory research or
model research, which will depend upon the environment in which it is to be carried out.
Research may be understood as clinical or diagnostic research. Such research follows case-
study methods or exhaustively approaches to reach the basic reasons behind the problems. The
research may be exploratory or it may be formalized. The objective of exploratory research is
the creation of hypotheses rather than their testing, whereas formalized research is those with
significant structure and with specific hypotheses to be tested. The term historical research is
referring to that which make use of historical resource like documents, papers, leaflets remains,
etc. to study events or thoughts of the past, including the philosophy of persons and groups at
any point of time. Research can also be classified as conclusion-oriented and decision-
oriented. While doing conclusion-oriented research, a researcher having freethinking to choose a
problem, redesign the queries as he proceeds and is prepared to conceptualize as he wants.
Decision-oriented research is always for the need of a decision maker and the researcher in this
case is not free to get on research according to his own preference.

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KTU B.Arch AS408 Research Methodology Semester 8

Objectives of Research
The major aim of any type of research is to find out the reality and facts which is unknown and which has
not been exposed. Although each research activity has its own particular reason, the objectives of
research can be grouped into the following categories:
• To achieve skillfulness with a trend or to get novel opinions into it (research with this objective
can be termed as exploratory or formulative);
• To find out the characteristics of a particular character, condition or a grouping (research with this
objective can be termed as descriptive research);
• To establish the relationship with which something occurs or with which it is related with
something else (research with this objective are known as diagnostic research);
• To test a hypothesis of a reasonable liaison between different variables (this type of research can
be grouped into hypothesis-testing research).

Ethics in Research
Ethics is basically the code of conduct, which one has to follow as a social necessity. In research, one
should never publish something that is fake or useless because others will take the published work
seriously and read through the paper. This applies to reviewers as well, never judge a paper simply by
your ignorance. Other aspects of being ethical in one’s work can be summarized as follows:

Objectivity: The research has to define specific goals and should arrive at precise and accurate
conclusions. Be objective

Honest and Integrity: Honesty and commitment to a moral code is always required

Carefulness: Very often an excellent work maybe interpreted as worthless if the researcher is careless or
casual in the presentation. Never overlook minor things and be sure of what you do. Check thoroughly
several times before the work is shown to others.

Transparency and Openness: Discussion on your work with trusted colleagues and peers will help a log
way in avoiding the pitfalls and improve the quality of work. Transparency to the extent possible is to be
followed.

Intellectual Property Rights: Never copy from others. Plagiarism is to be avoided at any cost.
Acknowledge earlier work, if you are using, with proper references in text and at the end. Violation of
intellectual property rights can invite strong reprimands, which may result in disqualification of research.

Confidentiality: Preserve the confidentiality of the works of others of they help you. Never disclose things
which others want you to keep confidential.

Mentoring and Social Responsibility: In a research group, many senior students maybe entrusted with
some social responsibility such as mentoring of younger researchers. Even if one is pressed for time, one
has to do it without hesitation.

No discrimination: Never discriminate others by race, religions, gender or social hierarchy and give
them due respect depending on what they deserve.

Qualities of a Researcher
The essential qualities of a researcher can be grouped as follows:

• Intellectual acumen
An objective scientific vision
An inquisitive temper
Clarity of thought
Objective approach in analysis
Capacity to imaginative approach

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KTU B.Arch AS408 Research Methodology Semester 8

• Ethical outlook
Non prejudice
Recognition of others work and contribution
Ethical values – non plagiarism
Boldness to present ideas
Non selfish attitudes

• Perseverance
Perseverance to overcome obstacles
Quick grasp of new ideas
Patience
Attention to minute details
Deep knowledge of the subject

• Involvement in work
Deep involvement in the research area
Capability to take others along in word and deed
Social relationships
Capacity to win genuine confidence of others
Total acceptance of research guidance

QUALITY CRITERIA

Good research is systematic:

It means that research is structured with specified steps to be taken in a specified sequence in
accordance with the well-defined set of rules. Systematic characteristic of the research does not rule out
creative thinking but it certainly does reject the use of guessing and intuition in arriving at conclusions.

Good research is logical:

This implies that research is guided by the rules of logical reasoning and the logical process of induction
and deduction are of great value in carrying out research. Induction is the process of reasoning from a
part to the whole whereas deduction is the process of reasoning from some premise to a conclusion
which follows from that very premise. In fact, logical reasoning makes research more meaningful in the
context of decision making.

Good research is empirical:

It implies that research is related basically to one or more aspects of a real situation and deals with
concrete data that provides a basis for external validity to research results.

Good research is replicable:

This characteristic allows research results to be verified by replicating the study and thereby building a
sound basis for decisions.

RESEARCH IN ARCHITECTURE

Research Areas
Buildings as physical products functions in a number of independent but interactive ways. They are
structural entities, they act as environmental modifiers, they function as social, cultural and economical
symbols. Each of these types of functions can be analyzed separately but the built form itself unifies them
together in such a wat that they interact at three stages namely the process, product and performance of
architecture.

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