Guarantee
Course Outline (Tentative)
Introduction
Research @NUST
What is research
• A way of thinking
• Types of research
• The research process: at quick glance
Technical writing: manuscript types
Formulating a research problem
• Identifying variables
• Constructing hypotheses
Reviewing literature
• Finding related literature
• Comprehensive understanding of the research problem
• Writing a review 2
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Course Outline (Tentative)
Planning the research study
• Conceptualizing a research design
• Selecting research tools
• Selecting a sample
Writing a research proposal
Processing and displaying data
Research justification
Writing a research report
Scientific presentations
Ethics in research
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Aim of the Course
The course is primarily a research-driven
preparation for the MS/PhD thesis, designed for
MS Energy System Engineering
MS Thermal Energy Engineering
MS Electrical Energy Engineering
PhD Energy System Engineering
Mid term: ~30%
Assignments: ~20%
Final exam: ~50%
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Learning Outcomes of the Course
The students will be able to:
o Understand procedures and policies pertaining to MS thesis
o Constitute relevant and helpful GECs
o Formulate a research problem with SMART objectives
o Write a literature review based on the selected research topic
o Present effective research plan during proposal defense
o Communicate research findings through presentations, posters
and scholarly documentation
o Successfully complete all phases of research activity
o Become life-long independent learners and keen researchers
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Research During Masters Program
NUST PG-Handbook-2016; Chapter 04; Page 26…... The procedure for
thesis research shall be asunder:
i. All students must successfully complete a minimum of 6 credits
in Masters thesis, based on a highly individualized, investigative
study which shall make a significant contribution to knowledge;
ii. Subject of research shall be agreed to by the student and the
research Supervisor/Advisor (thesis advisor), in consultation
with Guidance and Examination Committee (GEC), when
required.
The topics must be original and not plagiarized, and relevant
to the needs of the country;
iii. Thesis shall be graded and counted towards the calculation of
CGPA for all programmes
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Research During Masters Program
iv. A student can start research work after completion of 9 (nine) credit
hours of coursework provided his/her CGPA is ≥3.0.
v. Thesis defense will only be allowed once he/she has attained a
CGPA of ≥3.0 in coursework
vi. The GEC shall comprise at least three members holding preferably a
PhD degree in the relevant field, in addition to Research
Supervisor/Advisor who must be a PhD in a relevant field.
vii. One member of the GEC can be an external from another reputed
national University or constituent institute of NUST or any relevant
organization.
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Submission of TH-1 Form to NUST Main Office
TH-1 Form
Exam Branch of USPCASE will Forward to HQ NUST
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Topic Defense TH-2+TH-2A Forms
TH-2 Form
TH-2-A Form
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Final Exam and TH-3 Form
TH-3 Form
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Final Submission of the Thesis TH-4 Form
TH-4 Form
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WHAT IS RESEARCH?
Any honest attempt to study a problem systematically or to add to man’s
knowledge of a problem may be regarded as research. (Theodorson and
Theodorson 1969 cited in Reber 1995, p.663)
Research in common parlance refers to a search for knowledge. One can also define
research as a scientific and systematic search for pertinent information on a specific topic.
In fact, research is an art of scientific investigation.
The Advanced Learner’s Dictionary of Current English lays down the meaning of
research as “a careful investigation or inquiry specially through search for new facts in
any branch of knowledge”. The Advanced Learner’s Dictionary of Current English, Oxford,
1952, p. 1069.
Some people consider research as a movement, a movement from the
known to the unknown
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OBJECTIVES OF RESEARCH
The prime objectives of research are:
i. To discover new facts
ii. To verify and test important facts
iii. To develop new scientific tools, concepts and theories to solve and
understand scientific and nonscientific problems
iv. To find solutions to scientific, nonscientific and social problems and
to overcome or solve the problems occurring in our every day life.
v. ……………………..
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MOTIVATION IN RESEARCH?
What makes people to undertake research? This is a question of fundamental
importance. The possible motives for doing research may be either one or more of the
following:
1. Desire to get a research degree along with its consequential benefits;
2. Desire to face the challenge in solving the unsolved problems, i.e., concern
over practical problems initiates research;
3. Desire to get intellectual joy of doing some creative work;
4. Desire to be of service to society;
5. Desire to get respectability.
However, this is not an exhaustive list of factors motivating people to undertake
research studies.
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TYPES OF RESEARCH?
Pure VS Applied
Pure research takes place to explore a particular
concept, or issue, without regard for a specific problem,
and may be carried out to simply gain a better
understanding of the overall concepts.
Applied research is undertaken to solve a specific
problem or provide a solution to a practical question.
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TYPES OF RESEARCH?
Descriptive VS Analytical
Descriptive research
Takes place where there is little or no prior knowledge of a
phenomenon. This type of research attempts to gain some
familiarity with the appropriate concepts and looks for patterns
or ideas without any preconceived ideas or explanation. It
includes surveys and fact-finding enquiries of different kinds.
Analytical research
In analytical research, on the other hand, the researcher has to
use facts or information already available, and analyze these to
make a critical evaluation of the material.
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TYPES OF RESEARCH?
Theoretical VS Empirical
Theoretical research generally uses the findings from
existing works to develop new ideas through analysing
existing theory and explanations. These new ideas are not
tested through collecting evidence in the form of primary
data.
Empirical research supports the development of new ideas
through the collection of data (empirical = observation or
measurement rather than theoretical reasoning).
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TYPES OF RESEARCH?
Primary VS Secondary
Primary research
Refers to research that has involved the collection of original
data specific to the particular research project, for example
through using research methods such as questionnaires or
interviews.
Secondary research
Refers to research where no such original data is collected,
but the research project uses existing (or secondary)
sources of data, for example census or archive data.
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TYPES OF RESEARCH?
Quantitative VS Qualitative
Quantitative research
– systematically observe changes in the phenomena of
interest while manipulating what are believed to be
causal influences
Qualitative research
– may be more concerned with the individual’s personal
experiences of the problem under study
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WHAT IS RESEARCH PROCESS?
Research is what we do when we have a question or a problem we want to resolve.
We may think we know the answer to our question already. We may think the answer
is obvious, common sense even. But until we have subjected our problem to
rigorous scientific scrutiny, our 'knowledge' remains little more than guesswork or at
best, intuition.
First priority is to formulate our research question. Then figure out how we are going
to answer it
• How have others answered it?
• How does your proposal fit in with what others have done?
• How will we know when we will have answered it?
Then we can present our answer
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WHAT IS RESEARCH PROCESS?
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