Research Methodology

When you start your

research project(PP),
Research
Methodology
Please be aware, nobody
expect you to edit
Wikipedia…
Research Methodology
Imagine that you would decide to write
about Wau. Can you call the following
report as a research??

Contents
1.Pengenalan
2. Sejarah wau
3. Jenis wau
4. Budaya Kelantan
5. Biodata Tukang wau terkenal
6. Material wau
Research Methodology

Unfortunately, many students produced such

reports…

However, we must clearly deny it deserves to

be your final project. Even we must say it is
not a research at all.
Why?
Let’s scrutinise what are problems.
Without Focus
What is your
main topic?
Wau!

I know, Gokuu..
So what??
Without Structure
 Jenis
Material

ka ng
Tu

Each topics are discussed

Se
jar
ah
sporadically.
As if toys were scattered
on floor.
• Nothing New
 What will you
write about
“jenis wau”?

Ada Wau bulan,

Wau Kerching..

Everyone
already knows…
No original source
 How will you
write this paper?

Internet!
I have google!
….. Sorry, I can’t
supervise you
anymore…
A research should:

- have a clear focus.

- try to find out something new
and/or present new idea to readers
- and be based on first hand information
Then, how can we
manage it as a project?
Your project must
have a goal to be
achieved
 Basic flow of PP is as follows:
Literature review Data Analysis

Reviewing what other Answering your

people already original question
discussed about your
Collecting data based
topic on your field work Proposing solution
to the problem you
Proposing what Finding out real found
you try to do problem happening in
the field If possible, making
Determining how you product or
Main Topic will get data proposing
entrepreneurship
Data Collection
Sampling
Reporting
Now, you are on the first
stage. This stage is much
more important than you
imagine.

Proposing what you try to do

Why?
Why?
 Let’s imagine…

You will visit a foreign city for the first time.

Unfortunately, you can’t use your smartphone there.

You can stay there just one day.

What you can do?

 Without planning,
All you can do there is
getting lost….

First, Decide what you want to do.

Set your goal before you start your journey.

What is your purpose of your journey?
What do you want to do during the
journey?

Why your trip is necessary?

Considering your time and budget, there

are things you can’t do.
 Structure of a research proposal is
not far from your daily thinking.

Don’t worry
•First, let’s start why do you want to do
your research.

If it is a journey, you can just say, ‘sebab

menarik’.. But of course, it is not a good
way for a research proposal.
As your research aims at
mitigating problems,

Firstly, you should say what is the

problem.
 Example: A study on Songket

Problem statement:
Elegant songkets in the East Coast has enjoyed its fame.
However, the traditional textile is seriously suffered from aging
among producers: majority of artisans are over 65 years old.
However, expressively you might describe beauty of
songket, it is not relevant here. What is important is to
state problems as clearly as you can.

However, if a problem is clearly beyond your control,

don’t mention it. Focus on a problem which you are
likely to alleviate.

Otherwise, you will fail to create a logical proposal.

Next step is to generate research questions
from the problem statement.

A crucial point here is that these research questions

should be answered in your final chapter.

So, we are now setting your goal.

 Example: A study on Songket
The traditional textile is seriously suffered from aging of
producers; majority of skilled artisans are over 65 years old.

• Why does the industry fail to attract younger generation? (why

there is no involvement from younger generation?)
• How we can attract younger generation?
 Bad Example
The traditional textile is seriously suffered from aging of
producers; majority of skilled artisans are over 65 years old.

• What are famous motifs of songket?

( Even if you might successfully answer this question, this does not
contribute to address the problem you stated above….)
Research question
If you write plural research questions, make sure they are strongly
linked.

Research aims
How can we bring younger generation to Songket Industry? – to
identify younger generation’s participation in songket industry
The traditional textile is seriously suffered from aging of
producers; majority of skilled artisans are over 65 years old.

Research question 1
• What are the factors that hinder younger participation?

Linkage
Objective 1
• To identify factors that hinder participation of younger generation.
Question 2 (research question)
Is a co-curriculum in secondary schools effective?
(To answer question 2 is a step to answer the main question)

Objective 2 To examine the effectiveness of co-curriculum in secondary

school
 Research question
If they differ too much, focus of your research will remain unclear.
As a consequence, your research can’t clearly answer any of the questions within limited
period.

Bad example
Research Question 1
Why does the industry fail to attract younger generation? – aging problems

Research Question 2
What are uniqueness of Malaysian Songket design? – patterns and designs
problems

Research Question 3
How we can promote Songket to foreign tourists? – sales and promotion problems
 Objective

You should also declare your goal as objectives.

•Objectives are the goals you set out to

attain in your study. Since these objectives
inform a reader of what you want to achieve
through the study
 Objectives

Objectives must clearly engage with your

research question.

Don’t set too ambitious or too ambiguous

objectives because your objectives are to be
achieved….
A solution is to link objectives and sub-questions first.
The objectives can be more achievable.
Core question:
How we can attract younger generation to Songket Industry?
Question2 (Sub-question)
Is a co-curriculum in secondary schools effective way?

Objectives….Linkage with the sub-question

1. To evaluate effects of existing co-curriculums offered at secondary schools.
2. To propose a few ways to enhance effectiveness of the said co-curriculums.
 Bad example
Research Question
How we can attract younger generation to Songket
Industry?

Objectives:
1. To register songket on UNESCO world heritage list -
ambitious
2. To know what is Asian beauty - ambiguous
3. To check what are famous motifs – unrelated/no
linkage
 Significances
Next important element of a research proposal is
significances. We should justify why our study is
important/ needed.

They should closely link with objectives.

Imagine what are benefits people can enjoy

if your objectives are successfully achieved.
 Practice
Objectives: To evaluate effects of existing co-curriculums offered at
secondary schools.

If you will successfully achieve it, what will happen?

Let’s try writing.
Alright, let’s see bad examples
 What are significances of
your study about songket?

Songket
Cantik!
Saya suka!
I know, Gokuu..
But you are not an
elementary school boy…
 Let me ask you
again… why?

It saves Malaysian Economy!

It contributes to world peace!

Are you sure????

 Don’t you have a
better answer??

Nobody has ever studied it!

I am the first one!

But… nobody has ever counted how

many trees do we have in UMK too….?
 Significance
Avoid just expressing personal emotion…

Avoid mentioning too ambitious expression, and

linking your study with too big issues.

Avoid simply claiming ‘the first’ or ‘the

latest’.
 Scope and Limitation
You should also set scope of your research

In easy words, you must decide what you will

do and what you will not do.
 Scope and Limitation
Let’s back to example of a trip:

You’ll go to London. There are many

attractions.

Yet, you can stay just one day.

Your budget is also very limited.
 Scope and Limitation
So, you must decide where to go, what you will do
within limited time and budget.

Let’s back to reality… What you can do during two

very limited.
semesters is
You must set your scope.
 Examples
Scope:
The study limits its geographic scope to
Tumpat, Kelantan.

The study evaluates programmes offered to

13-15 years old children. The data will be collected
at two schools in Tumpat.
 Examples
Scope:
The study will examine effect of programmes
offered under “traditional craft revival scheme”
implemented by government from 2008 to 2013.
Scope and Limitation
As we set scope, we find many important things we
can’t/don’t do. No problem!

Everyone single research in the world

only do very limited things.

Just be aware what are limitations of your study.

Scope and Limitation
Statement of limitations is, however, not a
simple escape or complain.

It should logically match with scope you set.

 Examples
Scope:
The study evaluates programmes offered to
13-15 years old children.

Limitations:
Our coverage is limited to 13-15 years old
students. Additional study is required to examine
reaction of elder students.
 Examples
Scope:
The study will examine effect of educational
programmes offered under “traditional craft
revival scheme” from 2008 to 2013.

Limitation: While we are aware that government

also offered subsidise to craftsmen, this study
does not cover effects of financial assistance.
Up to here, we learned how to write a
proposal.

In short, a good proposal is coherent.

Every component in a proposal must logically
link with the rest.
It is a game to
achieve the goal
set by yourself!
Now that you’ve learnt criteria that makes a good proposal