INSTITUTE –University School of
Business
DEPARTMENT -Management
BUSINESS RESEARCH METHODS
Course Name: 22BAT-624
Dr. Bindu Aggarwal
Associate Professor
Chandigarh University
UNIT-1 –
Experimental DISCOVER . LEARN . EMPOWER
research
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Learning Objectives
Foundations of Research
Will be covered in
Co CO name Level
No
the lecture
.
CO To understand the research process for writing a understand
1 research paper, Ph.D Thesis and dissertation
CO To apply different research designs and sampling apply
2 techniques in various business research problems
CO To analyze and interpret various hypothesis tests analyse
3 to supplement decision making in business
scenario
CO To compare the various sampling techniques for remember
4 collection of data
CO To create and implement a research proposal for understand
5 the real life business problems
Data Processing
• The data, after collection, has to be processed
and analyzed in accordance with the outline
laid down for the purpose at the time of
developing the research plan.
• Technically speaking, processing implies
editing, coding, classification and tabulation of
collected data so that they are amenable to
analysis.
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Processing Operations
• Editing: Editing of data is a process of examining the
collected raw data (specially in surveys) to detect
errors and omissions and to correct these when
possible.
• As a matter of fact, editing involves a careful scrutiny of
the completed questionnaires and/or schedules.
• Editing is done to assure that the data are accurate,
consistent with other facts gathered, uniformly
entered, as completed as possible and have been well
arranged to facilitate coding and tabulation.
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Processing Operations
• With regard to points or stages at which editing should
be done, one can talk of field editing and central
editing.
• Field Editing: Field editing consists in the review of the
reporting forms by the investigator for completing
(translating or rewriting) what the latter has written in
abbreviated and/or in illegible form at the time of
recording the respondents’ responses.
• This type of editing is necessary in view of the fact that
individual writing styles often can be difficult for others
to decipher.
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Processing Operations
• Central Editing should take place when all
forms or schedules have been completed and
returned to the office.
• This type of editing implies that all forms
should get a thorough editing by a single
editor in a small study and by a team of
editors in case of a large inquiry.
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Processing Operations
2. Coding: Coding refers to the process of assigning
numerals or other symbols to answers so that responses
can be put into a limited number of categories or classes.
• Such classes should be appropriate to the research
problem under consideration. They must also possess
the characteristic of exhaustiveness (i.e., there must be
a class for every data item) and also that of mutual
exclusively which means that a specific answer can be
placed in one and only one cell in a given category set.
• Another rule to be observed is that of unidimensional
by which is meant that every class is defined in terms
of only one concept.
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Processing Operations
3. Classification: Most research studies result in a large
volume of raw data which must be reduced into
homogeneous groups if we are to get meaningful
relationships.
• This fact necessitates classification of data which happens
to be the process of arranging data in groups or classes on
the basis of common characteristics.
• In this way the entire data get divided into a number of
groups or classes.
• Classification can be one of the following two types,
depending upon the nature of the phenomenon involved:
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Processing Operations
• Classification according to attributes: As stated
above, data are classified on the basis of common
characteristics which can either be descriptive
(such as literacy, sex, honesty, etc.)
• Numerical (such as weight, height, income, etc.).
• Descriptive characteristics refer to qualitative
phenomenon which cannot be measured
quantitatively; only their presence or absence in
an individual item can be noticed.
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Processing Operations
• Data obtained this way on the basis of certain
attributes are known as statistics of attributes
and their classification is said to be
classification according to attributes.
25
Processing Operations
• Classification according to class-intervals: Unlike descriptive
characteristics, the numerical characteristics refer to quantitative
phenomenon which can be measured through some statistical
units.
• Data relating to income, production, age, weight, etc. come under
this category. Such data are known as statistics of variables and are
classified on the basis of class intervals.
• For instance, persons whose incomes, say, are within Rs 201 to Rs
400 can form one group, those whose incomes are within Rs 401 to
Rs 600 can form another group and so on. In this way the entire
data may be divided into a number of groups or classes or what are
usually called, ‘class-intervals.
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Processing Operations
• Tabulation: When a mass of data has been assembled,
it becomes necessary for the researcher to arrange the
same in some kind of concise and logical order.
• This procedure is referred to as tabulation. Thus,
tabulation is the process of summarizing raw data and
displaying the same in compact form (i.e., in the form
of statistical tables) for further analysis.
• In a broader sense, tabulation is an orderly
arrangement of data in columns and rows.
27
Processing Operations
• Tabulation is essential because of the following reasons:
1. It conserves space and reduces explanatory and descriptive
statement to a minimum.
2. It facilitates the process of comparison.
3. It facilitates the summation of items and the detection of
errors and omissions.
4. It provides a basis for various statistical computations.
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Processing Operations
Generally Accepted Principles of Tabulation:
1. Every table should have a clear, concise and adequate title so as to
make the table intelligible without reference to the text and this title
should always be placed just above the body of the table.
2. Every table should be given a distinct number to facilitate easy
reference.
3. The column headings (captions) and the row headings (stubs) of the
table should be clear and brief.
4. The units of measurement under each heading or sub-heading must
always be indicated.
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Processing Operations
Generally Accepted Principles of Tabulation:
5. Explanatory footnotes, if any, concerning the table should
be placed directly beneath the table, along with the reference
symbols used in the table.
6. Source or sources from where the data in the table have
been obtained must be indicated just below the table.
7. Usually the columns are separated from one another by
lines which make the table more readable and attractive.
Lines are always drawn at the top and bottom of the table and
below the captions.
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Processing Operations
Generally Accepted Principles of Tabulation:
8. There should be thick lines to separate the data under
one class from the data under another class and the lines
separating the sub-divisions of the classes should be
comparatively thin lines.
9. The columns may be numbered to facilitate reference.
10. Those columns whose data are to be compared
should be kept side by side. Similarly, percentages and/or
averages must also be kept close to the data.
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REFERENCES
Reference Books
• Kothari, C.R,(2009), Research Methodology: Methods and Techniques, EW AGE; 2nd edition (30 March 2009) ISBN- 978-
8122415223
• Chawla Deepak, Sondhi, Neena (2018), Research Methodology: Concepts and Cases, 2nd edition, 978-9325982390
Reference Website
• Video lecture on Processing of data
• https://youtu.be/f8Q0MWUnBU8
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Blackboard
Assessment Pattern
Component HT-1 HT-2 Assignmen Surprise Business GD Forum Attendance Scaled
s t Test Quiz Marks
Max. Marks 10 10 6 4 4 4 2 40
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