Research Methodology and Special Skills

§  Research: Meaning, Definition, Methodology, research processes, criteria of good research.

§  Types of research:  Fundamental or basic, applied, Historical, descriptive, analytical, qualitative, quantitative, experimental, conceptual, case study.

§  Research design: Meaning, concepts, need, designs for different types of research.

§  Research problem and developing research proposal: Selection of research area and topic, statement of the research problem ,its scope ,steps involved in defining the problem.

§  Literature search: reviewing related literature, referencing, abstracting, computer search, bibliography, evaluation of the problem.

Defining concepts: objectives, basic assumptions delimitations and limitations of the problem, statement of hypothesis.

§  Variables: independent and dependent variables, qualitative and quantitative variables, discrete and continuous variables, methods of controlling variables. Measurement of variables.

§  Sampling: Meaning, characteristics of good sample design, steps in sample design ,types and advantages.

§  Techniques of data collection:

primary data; Questionnaire, schedules, interview, observation and other methods

Secondary data: Reliability ,suitability and adequacy of data

§   Processing and analysis of data : Processing operations :editing, coding, classification and tabulation of data, role of statistics in data analysis, statistical tables.

       § Report writing: types, format

§  Theory of probability: Probability sampling. Simple, random, systematic random sampling. Two stage and multistage sampling. Cluster sampling, Non probability sampling: purposive, quota an volunteer sampling, snow ball sampling.

§  Common distribution function: binomial probability distribution ,Poisson distribution and normal distribution curve.

§   Standard deviation, Standard error

Test of significance:t-test, chi-test, ANOVA,F-test,

§  Microscopy: Light, dark field, phase contrast, interference, polarization, florescence, transmission and scanning electron microscope, Confocal, Deconvolution.

§  Separation Techniques:

Ø  Chromatography - Thin layer chromatography, absorption column chromatography, Ion exchange chromatography, High performance liquid chromatography, Size exclusion Chromatography.

Ø  Electrophoresis SDS-PAGE, Agarose Gels, Electrofocusing, Capillary.

Ø  Centrifugation: Differential and density gradient centrifugation, zonal and isopycnic separation (Brief account).

Modern tools for inventory, monitoring and conservation of biodiversity : GIS and GPS.

§  Spectrophotometry: Colorimetry, spectrophotometry, atomic absorption spectroscopy, Flame emission spectroscopy.

§  P.C.R. and  Types  

Ø  Inverse PCR

Ø  Anchored PCR.

Ø  PCR for site directed mutagenesis.

Ø  Cloning and expression of the PCR product.

Asymmetric PCR for DNA sequencing.