Designing and Conducting Research_BIIT

8/14/2019 Designing and Conducting Research_BIIT

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www.cdss.ingeniousbd.org

Designing and Conducting Research: Humanistic, Ethical

and Islamic Approach Dr. S. M. Ali Akkas

Email: [email protected], [email protected]

Web: www.cdss.ingeniousbd.org

1. Designing Research

1.1 What is a Research Design?

Decisions regarding what, where, when, how much, by what means concerning anenquiry or a research study constitute a research design. Research design is the

conceptual structure within which research is conducted; it constitutes the blueprint for the collection, measurement and analysis of data. As such the design includes an outline of what the researcher will do from writing the hypothesis and its operational

implications to the final analysis of data.

More explicitly, the design decisions happen to be in respect of:

i. What is the study about?ii. Why is the study being made?

iii. Where the study be carried out?iv. What type of data is required?

v. Where can the required data be found?

vi. What periods of time will the study include?

vii. What will be the sample design?

viii. What techniques of data collection will be used

ix. How will the data be analyzed?x. In what style will the report be prepared?

1.2. Main Parts of Research Design

1. The Sampling Design: This part deals with the method of selecting items to be

observed for the given study




RESEARCH PROCESS IN FLOW CHART

VIIVI

VIV

III

II

I

Define

research

problem

Review conceptsand theories

Review previousresearch findin s

Formulate

hypothesis

Design researchincluding sample

design

Collect data

(Execution)Analyze data(Test hypotheses

if any)

Interpret and

report

F

FF

FF

Where = feed back (Helps in controlling the sub-system to which

it is transmitted.

= feed forward (Service the vital function of providing

criteria for evaluation

F

FF




inclusion in the sample and each one of the possible samples has the same chance of

selection.

3) Systematic sampling : In some instances the most practical way of sampling is to

select every 15th

name of a list, every 10th

house on one side of the street and so on.

Sampling of this type is known as systematic sampling.

4) Stratified sampling : In this technique, the population is stratified into a number of non-overlapping sub-populations or strata and sample items are selected from each

stratum.

5) Quota Sampling : This method of sampling depends on interviewer’s judgment as

regards taking samples from quota of each stratum.

6) Cluster sampling : Cluster sampling involves grouping the population and then

selecting the groups or the clusters rather than individual elements for inclusion in thesample.

7) Multi-stage sampling : This is a further development of the idea of cluster sampling.

Under this method the concept of clustering is applied at different stage say: states,

districts, then towns and finally certain families within towns.

8) Sequential sampling : This is a complex sample design determined according to

mathematical decisions on the basis of information yielded as survey progresses. Thisdesign is usually adopted under acceptance sampling plan in the context of statistical

quality control.

2.2 Collecting the Data

There are several ways of collecting the appropriate data which differ considerably incontext of money costs, time and other resources at the disposal of the researcher. These

are:1) By observation

2) Through personal interviews

3) Through telephone interviews

4) By mailing of questionnaires

5) Through schedules




2.4 Hypothesis Testing

After analyzing data, the researcher is in a position to test the hypotheses, if any, he had

formulated earlier. Do the facts support the hypotheses or they happen to be contrary?

This is the usual question which should be answered while testing hypothses. Various

tests, such as Chisquare test, t -test, F-test, have been developed by statisticians for the

purpose. Hypotheses testing will result in either accepting the hypothesis or rejecting it.

2.5 Generalizations and Interpretation

If a hypothesis is tested and upheld several times, it may be possible for the researcher to

arrive at a generalization, i.e., theory. As a matter of fact, the real value of research leis in

its ability to arrive at certain generalizations. If the researcher had no hypothesis to startwith, he might seek to explain his findings on the basis of some theory. It is known as

interpretation.

2.6 Preparation of Report

Writing of report must contain the following:

1) The layout of the report

The layout of the report should be as follows: (i) the preliminary pages; (ii) the main text,

and (iii) the end matter.

In the preliminary pages of the report should carry title and date for followed by

acknowledgements and foreword. Then there should be a table of contents followed by a

list of tables and list of graphs and charts, if any, given in the report.

The main text of the report should have: (a) introduction; (b) summary of findings; (c)main report, and (d) conclusion.

At the end of the report, appendices should be enlisted in respect of all technical data.

Bibliography, i.e., list of books, journals, reports, etc., consulted, should also be given in

the end Index should also be given specially in a published research report




3. Humanistic, Ethical and Islamic Approach

3.1 Humanistic and Ethical Approach

One of the greatest havoc done in the inquiry of knowledge of social sciences is theseparation or compartmentalization of knowledge without keeping, denying or loosely

accepting interconnections or linkages or interdependency among various disciplines of knowledge. Consequently, research has been brought under narrow framework of

materialistic interpretation of reality. The tendency of making each discipline

independent of other disciplines has denied interpretation of each separate discipline of

knowledge from a broader framework of knowledge i.e., the worldview of reality. Thishas reduced complete knowledge into deformed individual parts having conceptual

frameworks of their own.

As a result, narrow materialistic interpretation in the name of objectivity has been the

framework of modern method of inquiry. This has given unbridled license in the hands of

science to be immoral working against humanity and doing unethical practice. Nuclear

research on developing weapons of mass destruction, thus, could be justified then on

many counts.

In medical science also intracytoplasmic injection of spermatozoon, preimplantatorydiagnosis has raised concerns for the humanity. One of the questions arises at thisoccasion is to determine if research on pre embryo is legitimate or not. The issue

provokes some reluctance and severe criticisms concerning the future of the children

obtained by such techniques: risk of slippery slope, possibly leading to a form of

eugenics, and the fundamental and philosophical problem of the status of the embryo

(Sureau C. website)1

The above along with other medical, ethical and societal concerns about costs, access,

and quality of care are causing health care practitioners to consider for a more

comprehensive model of medical decision making known as Economic, Clinical, and

Humanistic Outcomes (ECHO) to provide a theoretical basis for considering potential

trade-offs among econoimic, clinical, and humanistic variables in optimizing the




3.2 Islamic Approach

3.2.1 Quranic World View

According to Quranic world-view the cosmos has been created and kept in a state of

balance. A close study of the Quran reveals that it wants to educate us for maintaining

equilibrium in every field of human activity. It gives us not only a philosophy but also astructural framework to maintain equilibrium between philosophy and action. The salientfeatures of the Quranic world-view are summarized as:

3

1. There is one and only one Creator who is Almighty, Intelligent, Eternal, Dynamic

and Director of the cosmos; and that is Allah.4

2. The cosmos is all the way and time obedient to the Creator. It is well organized,

integrated and in a state of equilibrium.5

3. Man is vicegerent and slave of the Creator. As a vicegerent he has been given potentialities to understand the world and to work any way he may like. As aslave he is expected to work obediently in coherence with obedience.

6

4. A time will come when the cosmos will be reorganized and man will be judged as

to whether or not he utilized his potentialities as an obedient vicegerent in

coherence with the divine equilibrium and will be rewarded accordingly.7

3.2.2 The Quranic Method of Enquiry

When we talk of the Quranic method of enquiry, the Quranic world-view itself becomes a

paradigmatic part of methodology; revelation i.e., Wahy as such becomes a source of

information and faith, prayer and taqwa incorporate as ethical parts of method. Non-

paradigmatic part consists of spiritual and non-spiritual (or physical) methods. Among

them intuition, inspiration and dream may be considered as spiritual methods while

history, observation, experimentation, reason and inference are included as non-spiritualmethods.8

3.2.2.1 Paradigm

Th I l i h d l i h i d b i li i f h




The most important concept is the unity of this reality. Allah (SWT) has created the entireuniverse. Nothing moves and develops of its own accord. The laws of Allah govern this

universe. It is an ordered universe, a cosmos. All its pieces are finely tuned to the

ultimate Reality. And it is a purposeful universe with an underlying moral intent.

According to Thomas Kuhn “A paradigm is what the members of a scientific community,

and alone, share. Conversely, it is their possession of a common paradigm that constitutesa scientific community of a group of otherwise disparate men.”9. Imre Laktos defined

scientific research program (SRP) as special kind of operational paradigm. “All scientific

research programs may be characterized by the ‘hardcore’ surrounded by a ‘protective

belt’ of auxiliary hypothesis which has to bear the brunt of tests.”10

He shows that an SRP

has two types of components, namely, the rigid element (i.e. the hard core) and the

flexible (i.e. the protective belt). Blaug points out that Lakatos acknowledges the fact thathardcore is irrefutable by its advocates.

11The hardcore is irrefutable because, “it

contains, besides purely metaphysical beliefs, a positive heuristic consisting of a particularly articulated set of suggestions or hints on how to change and develop therefutable variants of the research program, that is on how to modify and sophisticate, the

‘refutable’ protective belt.” We should know that Lakatos’ acknowledgement that the

hardcore contains the normative elements and that it is irrefutable by its advocates. This

acknowledgement helps us to understand the important role of hardcore and its normative

content in the SRP. The recognition by Lakatos that the existence of the normative beliefsin an SRP is perfectly in line with the standard scientific traditions of paradigm building

underscores the importance of the normative content in the hardcore of al Faruqi’s plan.12

The Western paradigm, based on materialism, gives a limited worldview and a specific

theory of knowledge. Discussing the implications of materialism for scientific

investigation Zakaria Bashir says, “The cardinal proposition of materialism is that only

the sensible world is knowable. Consequently, it is possible to make a knowledgeable

claim about the physical world only through the senses.” This position of Western paradigm is known as the Logical Positivist Theory of meaning.

The basic position of the Islamic theory of knowledge is founded on the principle that,

“Islamic epistemology begins with the premise that originally all knowledge is Allah’s

knowledge. He taught Adam, the first man, His ‘worlds’ and ‘names’ and He imparted to

Adam the names of every things.”13




Bashir argues that in the western paradigm of materialism, “there are no divine

revelations, and prophets are merely great men, wise men or heroes. The (oughts) of morality can be reduced to material considerations relating to material interests and

utilities of this life. The reason for this total exclusion of religion from Western

epistemology is not difficult to find. Bashir explains the reason for this: “In the Western

conception, religion is not a domain where reason is exercised. Religion is the domain of

faith, where reason and faith could, at times, be mutually exclusive. Not so in the Islamic

theory of knowledge, where religion is the domain where reason is exercised to its fullestcapacity. When reason is so extended, it will recognize its own limits, and admit the

existence of true, incorrigible, and infallible knowledge, which is obtainable only from

genuine and authentic messengers of God. Hence the Quranic conception of knowledge is

perfectly real and objective, and easily lends itself to all the categories of validation and

confirmation.”14

It is worth mentioning that the new architect of a new Scientific Research Proposal (SRP)

for the enhancement of human knowledge is Dr Islmail Razi al Faruqi. His SRP has beenregarded as great contribution towards the progress and enhancement of the knowledge of all mankind. Since truth is a whole – a unity - while the Western paradigm’s capability is

limited to the materialistic aspect of knowledge only, mankind is in dire need of a

paradigm capable of explaining the entire truth. Here it is that Dr. Faruqi’s SRP for the

Islamization of knowledge provides us with direction, destination, and methodological

guidelines.15

3.2.2.2 From Paradigm to Methodology

From this paradigm follows the basic methodology adopted by the Islamic researcher, the

methodology of synthesis. During the course of investigation it links parts to the whole,

seeks the overall purpose in segments and fits the pieces of reality into the total design.Parts of reality are meaningful only when they are perceived as parts and not the whole.

An event, per se, is meaningless unless linked to the whole and perceived as a pause inthe continuum. Synthesis, therefore, restores the aspects of reality, to individual events,

their legitimate position in the scheme of universe – a position lost in the pursuit of

analytical rigor.




3.2.3 Aim of Islamic research

Research methodology in Islam is not for research sake rather for the sake of finding

whole truth or complete reality.

The single aim which can be set forth for Islamic research is working out of entire

Islamic system of life as applied to the condition of our own times in a way which may beconvincing to the modern mind.

The working of the Islamic system may proceed on the following lines:16

(1) The first problem is to understand the Islamic system. The question is what are

the fundamentals of Islamic system of life? What elements go to characterize a

system as Islamic? These characteristics must be visualized before any step to

work out the system in its details can be undertaken.(2) The next question is related to the utility and practicability of Islam in modern

times? Is the Islamic system of life applicable to modern conditions? How can we

justify this claim in the historical perspective?

(3) The third problem is what will be the complete picture of Islamic system when it

is applied to the condition of our times? What will be its social structure? How

will its economy operate? How will it solve the complicated political problems of

modern society? And how will it deal with the problem of individual life?

All through the history of Islamic research, experimentation and empirical investigationwere pursued with the vigour and spirit to satisfy Allah and to serve mankind. The latter

purpose is the cornerstone of Islamic research structure and helps to define, in

conjunction with former, the scope and goal of scientific endeavour, in general, and

social phenomenon in particular.

The exploration of this world through experimentation to the benefit of mankind, to seek

the sustenance and comforts of life has been strongly recommended by the Quran. “Andseek the bounties of Allah.”

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Thus, Islamic research methodology defines the approach, the perspective of Reality: it

assigns a purpose to research – acquisition of knowledge to seek the Reality, recognizes

All h d h d f h i18




Gantt chartShowing Implementation Plan of a Hypothetical Survey

Month August’06 September’06 October’06

Week

Activities

1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th 10th 11th 12th

1. Selection of the villages

with field visit

4md

2. Questionnaire setting6md

3. Pre-test of questionnaire4md

4. Finalization of

questionnaire 2md

5. Selection and training of

Investigators

4md

6. Fielding of Investigators

and supervision

Transportation

2md

7. Administering of Questionnaires 10md

8. Tabulation information

10md

9. Analysis of data10md

10. Report writing

7md11. Submission of Report

2md

Designing and Conducting Research_BIIT

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