Research Methods (version 2) – by Iman Ardekani Research Methods – ISCG 8024 Introduction to Research Methods Lecturer: Dr Iman Ardekani Unitec Department of Computing and Information Technology
1. Research Methods (version 2) by Iman Ardekani Research
Methods ISCG 8024 Introduction to Research Methods Lecturer: Dr
Iman Ardekani UnitecDepartment of Computing and Information
Technology
2. Research Methods (version 2) by Iman Ardekani Research
Methods Questions to be answered in this lecture: What is research?
What is research for? Who were the first researchers? How research
is developed (research life cycle)? A historical case study (for
identifying common steps in research) How a research study begins?
What is a research question?
3. Research Methods (version 2) by Iman Ardekani Research
Methods What is RESEARCH? Research = SYSTEMATIC investigations What
is SYSTEMATIC? Systematic = having METHODS So there are some
METHODS! Lets find them using a scientific approach!
4. Research Methods (version 2) by Iman Ardekani Research
Methods
5. Research Methods (version 2) by Iman Ardekani Research
Methods What is research for? . . . . . . .
6. Research Methods (version 2) by Iman Ardekani First Classic
Researchers Socrates, 470 399 BC Developed original ideas =
Creating thought
7. Research Methods (version 2) by Iman Ardekani First Classic
Researchers Socrates, 470 399 BC Developed original ideas =
Creating thought Plato 428348 BC Wrote the ideas = Creating
literature (dialogues)
8. Research Methods (version 2) by Iman Ardekani First Classic
Researchers Socrates, 470 399 BC Developed original ideas =
Creating thought/ideas Plato 428348 BC Wrote the ideas = Creating
literature (dialogues) Aristotle 384322 BC Analysed/ Classified the
ideas = Creating knowledge Alexander 356-323 BC ?
9. Research Methods (version 2) by Iman Ardekani First Classic
Researchers Establishing and ruling the biggest empire in the
world
10. Research Methods (version 2) by Iman Ardekani Research Life
Cycle Developing original ideas Describing the ideas Analysing the
ideas
11. Research Methods (version 2) by Iman Ardekani Historical
Case Study Ptolemy thought the Earth was at the center of the
universe Sun, moon and planets all revolved around earth
(Geocentric) Matched peoples expectations about where God would put
Earth Published 140 A.C.E and not seriously disputed for 1400
years. Ptolemy 90-168 AD
12. Research Methods (version 2) by Iman Ardekani Historical
Case Study Ptolemaic Model
13. Research Methods (version 2) by Iman Ardekani Historical
Case Study Copernicus thought the Sun was at the center
(Heliocentric) Moon revolved around the Earth which moved around
the Sun along with all the stars. Published in 1543 Copernicus is
labeled a heretic and dies with no-one believing his theory
Copernicus 1473-1543 AD
14. Research Methods (version 2) by Iman Ardekani Historical
Case Study Galileo discovered that the Sun is at the centre of the
solar system (Heliocenteric) and it rotates. He dioscovered the
basic rules in motion and mechanics and mathematically formulated
them. Galileo Galilei 1564-1642
15. Research Methods (version 2) by Iman Ardekani Historical
Case Study Newton discovered a set of laws the described the motion
of all things in the universe. This served as the basis for our
undestanding how the universe function. How about motion of
electrons in an atom? Isaac Newton 1642-1727
16. Research Methods (version 2) by Iman Ardekani Historical
Case Study What was the Newtons research question? What was Newtons
resources for his investigation? What was Newtons approach for
answering the question? What was the model? What was the data used
by Newton for the verification of his model? What was the drawbacks
of Newtons model?
17. Research Methods (version 2) by Iman Ardekani Historical
Case Study Common steps in research Defining a research question
Developing or borrowing a theory Developing a model Producing data
(observation, measurement, ) Using the data .
18. Research Methods (version 2) by Iman Ardekani Research
Question A good research question 1. answers something new 2. is
based on previous research 3. is practical 4. is simple 5. is based
on primary sources 6. is specific
19. Research Methods (version 2) by Iman Ardekani Research
Question How to find a good research question? answers something
new? is based on previous research? is practical? is based on
primary sources? using a literature review.
20. Research Methods (version 2) by Iman Ardekani Research
Question Class Activity 1. Bring an example for a good research
question. 2. Evaluate your question in accordance with the criteria
discussed in the previous slide.