FACULTY OF ENGINEERING & APPLIED SCIENCES

Department of Biomedical Engineering

Riphah International University, Sector I-14, Hajj Complex, Islamabad, Pakistan

Course Title : Research Methodology

Faculty : Dr. Faraz Akram
Designation : Assistant Professor, Faculty of Engineering & Applied Sciences
E-mail : faraz.akram@riphah.edu.pk
Phone (Off.) : +92-51-8446000-8 (EXT: 297)
Office : B-202

Introduction:

Research Methodology is a hands‐on course designed to impart education in the foundational methods and
techniques of academic research in engineering context. Research scholars would examine and be
practically exposed to the main components of a research framework i.e., problem definition, research
design, data collection, technical writing, and ethical issues in research. Once equipped with this
knowledge, participants would be well‐placed to conduct disciplined research under supervision in an area
of their choice.

Course Contents:

Overview of research and its methodologies: concepts of research, the need for research, types of
research, research process overview – steps in conducting research
Literature review: what is literature review? Why the need for literature review? How to carry out a
literature review? Literature search (web of knowledge etc.)
Research problem and hypothesis: defining the research problem, formulation of the research
hypotheses, the importance of problems and hypotheses, identifying variables, evaluating problems,
functions of a hypothesis
Research design: experimental and nonexperimental research design, field research, and survey
research, Features of a Good Design
Conducting the research: research activities, preparations before conducting your research
Data collection and analysis: data collection methods, Statistical measures,
English language essentials in technical writing: the paragraph structure, the use of first, second and
third person, the use of articles, formatting vertical lists, the use of numbers.
Technical writing venues: journal papers, conference/symposium/workshop papers, technical report,
position paper, patents, unpublished reports, oral presentations, survey paper, peer reviewing
Journal/conference quality factors: index listing (ISI, SCI, SCIE, etc.), impact factor, social factors
Writing research reports and thesis: why the need to write papers and reports? Writing a research
report, writing a technical paper – sections of a paper, contents of a thesis
Making a claim and supporting it: making good arguments, making claims, assembling reasons and
evidence, communicating evidence visually
Citation and attribution: reference & bibliography, why cite? how to cite? quote, paraphrase, and
summarize appropriately
Introductions and conclusions: the common structure of introductions (establish common ground, state
your problem, state your response), setting the right pace for your introduction, writing your conclusion
Ethical issues in conducting research: ethics (intellectual honesty, attribution), legal (copyright, IP
right, trademark and service mark, patent infringement, plagiarism/self-plagiarism, self-publication reuse),
guidelines for conducting research with human participants, conducting research on animals.

Recommended Books:
1. “The Craft of Research”, by Wayne C. Booth, Gregory G. Colomb, Joseph M. Williams
2. “Research Methodology: Methods and Techniques” by C. R. Kothari