1. ECON 105 Research Methods and Project Design
Introduction to the Essence of Research

2. Goals of the Course
To equip you with the knowledge to formulate and conduct a research.
Learn the basic elements of research design.
Learn how to find and read scientific literature.
Learn how to collect data.
Learn how to write a research proposal and a report.
Learn how to present your research/report.

3. What We’re NOT Going to Learn in this Course
Specific experimental techniques and methods.
A full treatment of statistical methods of analysis.
Explicit reviews of the history or philosophy of science.

4. Why we need research? help to make informed decisions
need to produce research in career
evaluating research in the media
assist in classes

5. Question: What is Research?
Some possibilities:
Going to the library and reading books, encyclopedias, and magazine articles.
Searching the internet for the highest salary earning jobs above $100,000.
Doing experiments in a college lab course.
A key element: data acquisition and interpretation.
Deriving meaning from collected data.

6. What Research Is Research starts with a question/problem.
Research requires a clear articulation of a goal.
Research follows a particular plan of procedure.

7. Characteristics of Research
objective
precise
verifiable
parsimonious
empirical
logical
probabilistic

8. What Research Is (cont.)
The principal problem is usually divided into smaller sub-problems.
Research is guided by a specific problem, question, or hypothesis.
The importance of the “educated guess”.
Unsupported hypotheses are replaced by new hypotheses.
Multiple supported hypotheses yield theories.
Hypotheses and theories are tentative.

9. What Research Is (cont.)
Research accepts certain critical assumptions.
Assumptions = axioms…self-evident truths.
Research requires interpretation of data.
Data interpretation: objective or subjective?
Research is helical in nature.
One research project provides new questions, new problems for future research.
Enjoy the process!