Understanding Research

There are 2 types of research
1. Problem Analysis
        - Employee turn over
2. Knowledge Area
         - HR Management:_ HR appraisal using 360 Degree Method

Deductive reasoning (logic)

Direction of thinking from general assumption to specific application is known as deductive reason where BIT students do in the final year project. Also this has a basic principle of scientific inquiry where researcher observes individual/group population.The name deductive reasoning is used by scientists to “deduce” the causes of natural phenomena (brown , 2012). This is because scientists often cannot directly observe a cause and can only observe its consequences.

Inductive reasoning

Inductive reasoning is the opposite of deductive reasoning and is not generally accepted in science (Changingminds, 2012). This goes against the principles of the scientific method.

Perfect induction vs. imperfect induction

Perfect induction	Imperfect induction
Observed selected characteristics in all members	Observe small specific number of members in a population

Scientific Method

Darwin is remembered for brilliant science in many ways though the gift in philosophy. He himself made many fundamental changes to the way we approach philosophy, and his work has inspired the work of many philosophers in the last 150 years (Pnas, 1854).

According to Charles Darwin integration of deduction and induction is identified as scientific method. There are some logical steps involve in this process to acquire knowledge.

Steps:-

       1.      Identifying the problem

       2.      Formulating a hypothesis

       3.      Developing a Research Plan

       4.      Collecting and analyzing the data

       5.      Interpreting results and forming conclusions : If the final step is not valid then again return to Step 1!

   (Scientificmethod, 2012)

Hypothesis is a belief, prediction about what you think the data will look like at the end of the study and what that will mean

Theory is a belief, assumption about how things relate to each other by establishing cause effect relationship with goal of explaining and predicting.

Research classifications

•      Basic research

•      Applied research

•      Quantitative research

•      Qualitative research

•      Experimental research

•      Causal-comparative research

•      Descriptive research

•      Correlationl research

•      Historical research

Types of research questions

       ·         Descriptive: Interview subject, observation, measure performance

       ·         Difference: Compare 2 groups

       ·         Relationship: Assess covariation between 2 variables

References

brown (2012) Deductive Reasoning. [online] Available at: http://www.brown.edu/Departments/Philosophy/onlinepapers/schechter/DeductiveReasoning.pdf [Accessed: 24 Nov 2012].

Changingminds (2002) Inductive Reasoning. [online] Available at: http://changingminds.org/disciplines/argument/types_reasoning/induction.htm [Accessed: 24 Nov 2012].

Pnas (1854) Darwin and the scientific method. [online] Available at: http://www.pnas.org/content/106/suppl.1/10033.full [Accessed: 24 Nov 2012].

Scientificmethod (2012) Lessons on the Scientific Method: Basic Steps of the Scientific Method. [online] Available at: http://scientificmethod.com/bpg06_basicsteps.html [Accessed: 24 Nov 2012].