lecture 1 introduction & syllabus

7/25/2019 Lecture 1 Introduction & Syllabus

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RE 3201 Research Methodology

Lecture 1:

Introduction & Syllabus

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Objective of the course

This is very useful and practical module:

Most immediate outcome : it prepares you fordoing the Final Year Project (Case study or

Dissertation) Introduce a quantitative approach to decision-

making and problem-solving in real estate

Enhance your ability to think critically and analyse

over issues Down the road, it helps you in pursuing at higher

degrees(Masters & PhD)

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References

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References

Main textbook

Ghauri, Pervez and Kjell Gronhaug, Research Methodsin Business Studies, 4thEdition, Prenctice Hall

Supplementary references

Field, Andy, Discovering Statistics using SPSS,4thEdition, MobileStudy

Tan, Willie, Practical research methods,3rdEdition Mason, E J and W J Bramble, Understanding and

Conducting Research, 2ndEdition, McGraw Hill

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RE3201

Available at NUS Co-op @ Forum!!

Research Methods inBusiness Studies, 4/E

Author : Ghauri

Publisher :Pearson

ISBN : 9780273712046


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Basis of Assessment

Tutorial Participation (10%)

Individual Project (40%)

2-hour Written Open-book Exam

(50%)

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Announcements

Tutorial 1begins on 4thWeek

Questions will be posted on IVLE

Even week groups beginning on 5 Feb No lecture on 20 January

I will be away to participate in Pacific Rim

Real Estate Conference

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Lecture Topics

Introduction. Why do research?

The research process

Research problems

Research design

Measurements Sources of data

Data collection

Sampling in empirical research

Preparation & analysis of data

Implementation - Quantitative data analysis

Implementation - Qualitative data analysis

Writing the research report

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Since time memorials, human beings are curious

and have not stopped asking questions

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http://www.google.com.sg/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&frm=1&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CAcQjRw&url=http://www.renaissanceconnection.org/innovations_quest.html&ei=SoiwVIrMHI26uASJpoHYBw&bvm=bv.83339334,d.c2E&psig=AFQjCNEs0Pk4eHjwwV1gOUybCBLdJz6X1A&ust=1420941115803546


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Latest...

New Thomson Line

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Thomson Line ready by 2019, 30 km with 22 stations

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Possible research question

What is the impact of this new mrt

line on property values in the

vicinity? This issue is of interest to the

academia, government, developers,

land or property owners.

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LatestStraits Times 6 January 2015

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A possible research question:

Are HDB resale and rent prices affected by

columbariums?

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Research

Google' is not a synonym for

'research'.Dan Brown, The Lost Symbol

Research is the process of going upalleys to see if they are blind.Marston Bates

Research consists in seeing what

everyone else has seen, but thinkingwhat no one else has thought.Albert Szent-Gyorgyi

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http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/630.Dan_Brownhttp://www.goodreads.com/work/quotes/6600281http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/177375.Marston_Bateshttp://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3860612.Albert_Szent_Gyorgyihttp://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3860612.Albert_Szent_Gyorgyihttp://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3860612.Albert_Szent_Gyorgyihttp://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3860612.Albert_Szent_Gyorgyihttp://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3860612.Albert_Szent_Gyorgyihttp://www.goodreads.com/author/show/177375.Marston_Bateshttp://www.goodreads.com/author/show/177375.Marston_Bateshttp://www.goodreads.com/work/quotes/6600281http://www.goodreads.com/work/quotes/6600281http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/630.Dan_Brown


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Meaning

The word researchis derived from the French

language and its literal translation is to

investigate thoroughly.

In the broadest sense, research means to find

out something that we dont know. However,

it is not just about asking what? or who?; it

also requires us to ask why?

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Objectives

Hence, research may be described as an

active, systematic process of inquiry that is

carried out with the intention of:

Describing

Understanding and explaining

Predicting

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Need to analyse

We really cannot take decisions on important

issues unless we investigate more deeply the

relevant info, gathering more info on the

subject matter we are interested in.

Then we analyse all these info to make an

informed judgement about the suitable

solution to our problem or answer to ourquestion(s).

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Types of Research

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Pure vs. Applied Research

Pure research (also known as basic or fundamentalresearch) is exploratory in nature and is conductedwithout any practical end-use in mind.

It is driven by gut instinct, interest, curiosity orintuition, and simply aims to advance knowledge andto identify/explain relationships between variables.

Examplesspace exploration, going to Mars, etc

However, as the term fundamental suggests, pure

research may provide a foundation or bedrock forfurther, sometimes applied research.

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Applied Research

In general, applied research is not carried out for its own sake

but in order to solve specific, practical questions or problems.

It tends to be descriptive, rather than exploratory and is often

based upon pure research.

However, the distinction between applied and pure research

may sometimes be unclear; for example, is research into the

genetic codes of plants being carried out simply to advance

knowledge or for possible future commercial exploitation?

It could be argued that the only real difference between these

two categories of research is the length of time between

research and reasonably foreseeable practical applications,

either in the public or private sectors.

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Albert Einstein mathematically derived his

famous mass-energy equivalence equation in

1906: E=mc2

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J Robert Oppenheimer & the Atomic Bombs

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The Manhattan Project


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Atomic Bomb at Nagasaki

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Fat Man loaded to the

plane on 9 August 1945


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Peace Park

at Nagasaki


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Stephen Hawkingis an English theoretical

physicist, cosmologist, author

and Director of Research at the

Centre for Theoretical

Cosmology within the

University of Cambridge
http://www.google.com.sg/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&frm=1&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CAcQjRw&url=http://healthydebates.com/stephen-hawking-survived-almost-40-years-disease-usually-kills-people-14-months-diagnosis/&ei=1aWuVIjzNImeugS3jYLoAw&bvm=bv.83339334,d.c2E&psig=AFQjCNHb5vJkdtysdRb17k4Ay_c__H4ViA&ust=1420818250623890


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Induction vs. Deduction

In logic, there are two common ways of reasoning, known as thedeductiveand inductiveapproaches.

Deductive reasoning works from the more general to the morespecific.

Sometimes this is informally called a "top-down" approach.

We might begin with thinking up a theory about our topic ofinterest.

We then narrow that down into more specific hypothesesthat wecan test.

We narrow down even further when we collect observationsto test

the hypotheses. This ultimately leads us to be able to test the hypotheses with

specific dataan acceptance (or rejection) of our original theories.

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Theory

Hypothesis

Observations

Accept


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Inductive reasoning

Inductive reasoning works the other way, movingfrom specific observations to broadergeneralizations and theories.

Informally, we sometimes call this a "bottom up"

approach. In inductive reasoning, we begin with specific

observations and measures, begin to detectpatterns and regularities, formulate some

tentative hypotheses that we can explore, andfinally end up establishing some generalconclusions or theories.

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Theory

Hypothesis

Pattern

Observations


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Examples of deductive logic

In mathematics, if A = B and B = C, then A = C.

If the first two statements are true, then the

conclusion must be true.

All men are mortal. Peter Lim is a man.

Therefore Peter Lim is mortal.

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Examples of inductive logic

This dog is black. That dog is black. A third dog

is black. Therefore all dogs are black.

All teachers are nice. Therefore, it can be

assumed that Robert is nice.

Bobby Tan is a financial analyst. Individuals

with professions in finance are very serious

people. Bobby is a very serious person.

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These two methods of reasoning have a very different"feel" to them when you're conducting research.

Inductive reasoning, by its very nature, is more open-ended and exploratory, especially at the beginning.

Deductive reasoning is more narrow in nature and isconcerned with testing or confirming hypotheses.

Most social research involves both inductive anddeductive reasoning processes at some time in theproject.

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Deduction and induction by themselves areinadequateto make a compelling argument.

While deduction gives absolute proof, it never

makes contact with the real world, there is noplace for observation or experimentation, no wayto test the validity of the premises.

And, while induction is driven by observation, it

never approaches actual proof of a theory. Therefore an effective paper will include both

types of logic.

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Concluding comments

Research questions starts when we want

to know whyand/or we wish to find an

answer or solution.

Need to find a topic that one is

interested in, i.e. search for a doable

research topic

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References

Ghauri & Gronhaug, Research Methods in

Business Studies,Chapters 1 & 2

Practical Research Methods, Chapter 1

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lecture 1 introduction & syllabus

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