SYLLABI FOR PG DIPLOMA IN RESEARCH METHODOLOGY AND STATISTICS OF PUNJAB UNIVERSITY, CHANDIGARH

To monitor the standards of research; the students need rigorous and comprehensive inputs in
research methodology and analytical techniques. The faculty members who are inducted into
supervision also at times need such inputs. This course has been overdue now since students
who are aspiring for doctoral degrees and supervisors who do not have access to such
facilities are increasing in number. The transaction of this course curriculum has been
designed while keeping the working research scholars and faculty members of institutions in
mind. Masters courses can not afford such details in research methodology due to paucity of
time. Hence, this course will also serve as pre-Ph.D. course. This is open to research scholars,
JRFs and SRFs, faculty members & also individuals who have completed doctoral degree.
GENERAL RULES:
1. This module based course is to be completed in one year.
2. This modular and specialized course will be taught by faculty from many disciplines,
hence will utilize services of visiting faculty.
3. The examination will be held once a year ordinarily in the month of May as per
university schedule, by Controller of Examination, Panjab University.

4. Examination will be held in first four theory papers. Fifth paper will be evaluated by
a panel comprised for this by the department.
5. A person who has completed Post Graduation in any stream is eligible to apply for
this course.
6. A student must have 75% attendance to qualify for the examinations. A deficiency of
15 lectures may be condoned by Chairperson of the dept. and upto 25 lectures by
Dean of University instruction.
7. A student to be successful in the examinations must have obtained 50% marks in
aggregate of all subjects.
8. Medium of instruction & examination will be English only.
9. Each successful candidate shall be granted a Diploma by the University.
CURRICULUM TRANSACTION:
This course comprises of five modules which will be covered at five different periods of
the session using different modes.
1. First module on Introduction to Research Methods to be covered in August is mainly
assignment based, since most of the curriculum has been covered at Master’s level.
These assignments after evaluation and correction will be shared by all the students.
Around ten need based lectures will be delivered in two days over a weekend.
2. Second module on experimental designs will be covered in 9 days during autumn
break. About 45 lectures will be delivered in it. Some self study & group discussion
will also be there.
3. Third module on Statistics & SPSS will be covered in winter break in around 30
hours of teaching, 15 hours of learning SPSS and its Practical test of 20 marks.
4. Fourth module on Qualitative research will be covered in 7 days in end of March.
Around 35 lecture hours will be devoted to it. Self study & discussions will have a
role to play.
5. Fifth module having three components will be covered in April. This comprises
lectures on report writing, seminar presentations on any of the topic of course,
proposal preparation and presentation. This module has no internal evaluation.
FEES:
3
Fee will be Rs.10, 000/- total. Examination fee will be as prescribed by university from time
to time.
SEATS
Total number of seats will be 20.
EXAMINATION
Examination will be in first four theory modules, each carrying 100 marks except module III
which has 80 marks.
OBJECTIVES
The students will
a) Comprehend the role of research in theory and practice.
b) Develop competence to design, execute and report research.
c) Be able to apply various statistics to analyse data.
d) Be able to apply research findings in practice.
e) Be able to understand the role of qualitative and quantitative research in generating
knowledge.
COURSE DETAILS
Subjects Total marks
1. Introduction to Educational Research Methods 100
2. Experimental Method in Educational research 100
3. Educational Statistics and SPSS 100
4. Qualitative Research Methods 100
5. Report Writing, Research Proposal and
Seminar
100
MODULE I
INTRODUCTION TO EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH METHODS
100 MARKS
Note: This module is assignments based.
Examiner will set two questions from each unit, student has to attempt five questions, one
from each unit.
UNIT – I
1. Scientific Method and Research: concept of research in education, purpose of
research, types of research – Fundamental, applied and action.
2. Variables: definition, types, independent, dependent, extraneous, secondary,
intervening, continuous, discrete, polytomous, dichotomous, attribute, methods of
controlling variables.
UNIT – II
1. Problem Identification: factors/determinants to decide a problem, sources of
problems. Operational definitions: Definition of purpose and functions.
2. Sample: Concept, factors to determine size, techniques of probability and non
probability sampling, sample bias, and methods to remove it.
UNIT – III
1. Review of literature: Concept, functions, sources, process.
2. Hypothesis: Meaning, formulation, characteristics of a good hypothesis, types
and testing.
UNIT – IV
3. Tests, Tools and Techniques of research
a. Tests: CRT, NRT and Teacher made tests
b. Tools: Questionnaire, rating scale, checklist, score card.
4
c. Techniques: Interview, observation, sociometry
d. Inventories
4. Construction and Standardization of a tool, translation and adaptation.
UNIT – V
5. Descriptive research: Process and limitations of survey method and correlation
method.
6. Ex post facto research: Process and limitations, when to use.
REFERENCES:
• Best, J.W. (1988). Research in Education. Prentice Hall Inc. Englewood Cliffs, 4th
Ed.
• Best, John W. & Kahn, J.V. (1995). Research in Education. New Delhi, Prentice Hall
of India.
• Gay, L.R. (1992). Educational Research Competencies for Analysis and Application.
Maxwell Macmillan International, New York.
• Hopkins, Charles D. (1976). Educational Research: A Structure for Enquiry. Charles,
e. Merrill – Publishing Co., A Bell of Owell Co., Columbus Ohio.
• Kaul, Lokesh (1992). Methodology of Educational Research. Vikas Publishing
House, New Delhi
• Morris, T. ( 2006). Social Work Research Methods: Four alternative paradigms. Sage.
• Neuman, W.L. & Kreuger, L.W. (2003). Social Work Research Methods: Qualitative
and qualitative applications. Boston: Allyn and Bacon.
• Tuckman, B.W. (1972). Conducting Educational Research. Harcourt Brace,
Javanovich.
• Van Dalon, D.B. (1962). Understanding Educational Research – An Introduction.
McGraw Hill.
• Varma, M. (1956). Introduction to Educational and Psychological Research. New
York, Prentice Hall
MODULE – II
EXPERIMENTAL METHOD IN EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH
100 MARKS
Examiner will set two questions from each unit, student has to attempt five questions, one
from each unit.
UNIT – I
1. Paradigms of research: Positivism, post-positivism, critical theory and
constructionism.
2. Experiment: Concept, Essential features, steps of experimental research, variance
and its components.
UNIT – II
1. Experimental Validity: Concept, internal and external validity and minimizing
threats to validity. 8th oct, 10.00 kuldeep puri
2. Reliability of experimental research
UNIT – III
1. Experimental Designs: Concept, types, Pre-experimental designs. Quasi
Experimental designs.
2. True experimental designs
UNIT – IV
1. Factorial designs
2. Variables operating in selection of designs.
UNIT – V
1. Single subject research designs – AB, ABA, ABAB, Alternate treatment
2. Time Series designs – Statistics employed in SSR designs
5
REFERENCES:
• Best, J.W. (1988). Research in Education. Prentice Hall Inc. Englewood Cliffs, 4th
Ed.
• Best, John W. & Kahn, J.V. (1995). Research in Education. New Delhi, Prentice Hall
of India.
• Gay, L.R. (1992). Educational Research Competencies for Analysis and Application.
Maxwell Macmillan International, New York.
• Hopkins, Charles D. (1976). Educational Research: A Structure for Enquiry. Charles,
e. Merrill – Publishing Co., A Bell of Owell Co., Columbus Ohio.
• Kaul, Lokesh (1992). Methodology of Educational Research. Vikas Publishing
House, New Delhi
• Lindquist, E.F. (1953). Design and Analysis of Experiments in Education and
Psychology. Houghton Mifflin Co., Boston
• Neuman, W.L. & Kreuger, L.W. (2003). Social Work Research Methods: Qualitative
and qualitative applications. Boston: Allyn and Bacon.
• Tuckman, B.W. (1972). Conducting Educational Research. Harcourt Brace,
Javanovich.
• Van Dalon, D.B. (1962). Understanding Educational Research – An Introduction.
McGraw Hill.
• Varma, M. (1956). Introduction to Educational and Psychological Research. New
York, Prentice Hall
MODULE – III
EDUCATIONAL STATISTICS AND SPSS 100 marks
THEORY 80 MARKS, PRACTICAL 20 MARKS
Examiner will set 8 Questions, two from each unit, student will attempt four questions,
one from each.
UNIT – I
1. Metric and non metric data, types of scales, measures of central tendency.
2. Range, AD, Q, SD, selection of method for variability.
UNIT – II
1. Normal probability curve, its applications, skewness and kurtosis
2. Correlations – r, p, f, Biserial, point Biserial, tetrachoric, partial and multiple.
UNIT – III
1. Regression and path analysis
2. Significance of means and other statistics significance of difference between
means, t and CR, ANOVA and its assumptions, ANCOVA.
UNIT – IV
1. Non parametric tests, differences between parametric and non parametric tests,
sign test, median test, and applications.
2. Mann Whitney U test, Wilcoxon signed Rank Test, Kruscal Wallis test, selection
of appropriate methods.
UNIT – V
Use of SPSS (external practical exam)- 20 marks
REFERENCES:
• Garrett, H.E. (1995). Statistics in Psychology and Education. Vakils, Feffer and
Simons Pvt. Ltd., Bombay
• Guilford, J.P. (1978). Fundamental Statistics in Psychology and Education. McGraw
Hill, 6th Ed.
• Guilford, J.P. (1984). Psychometric Methods.N.Y.: Mc Graw Hill.
• Lindquist, E.F. (1960). Elementary Statistical Methods in Psychology and Education.
Oxford Book Company, New Delhi.
6
• Siegel Sidney (1965). Non-Parametric Statistics. McGraw Hill Books Company, New
York
MODULE – IV
QUALITATIVE RESEARCH METHODS 100 marks
10 Questions will be set by examiner, two from each unit. Student will attempt total five,
one from each.
UNIT – I
1. Concept of qualitative research, differences between quantitative and qualitative
research, purposes. Question of generalization.
2. Interview and observation as techniques of qualitative research.
UNIT – II
1. Historical research: Steps, external and internal criticism.
2. Case study and action research
UNIT - III
1. Exploratory methods
2. Evaluation method
UNIT – IV
1. Ethnography and ethno methodology
2. Phenomenology
UNIT – V
1. Philosophical method, hermeneutics
2. Reliability and validity of qualitative research. Analysis of qualitative data.
Triangulation, Meta-analysis.
REFERENCES:
• Best, John W. & Kahn (1995). Research in Education. New Delhi, Prentice Hall of
India.
• Lyn Richards (2005). Handling Qualitative Data. Sage publications.
• Marilyn Lichtman (2006). Qualitative Research in Education. Sage publication,
Mohan Cooperative Industrial Areas, Mathura Road, Post Bag 7, New Delhi-110044
• Norman Denzin (2005). The handbook of qualitative research. Sage publications.
• Neuman, W.L. & Kreuger, L.W. (2003). Social Work Research Methods: Qualitative
and qualitative applications. Boston: Allyn and Bacon.
• Neuman, W.L. & Kreuger, L.W. (2003). Social Work Research Methods: Qualitative
and qualitative applications. Boston: Allyn and Bacon.
• Patton, M. Q. (1990) Qualitative evaluation. and research methods. Newbury Park,
CA: Sage.
• Uwe Flick (2007). An Introduction to Qualitative Research.
www.sagepublications.com
MODULE V
REPORT WRITING, RESEARCH PROPOSAL & SEMINAR 100 MARKS
1. Report writing, self study
2. Seminar on a Topic of course 50 marks
(25 for content, 25 for presentation)
3. Proposal preparation 50 marks
( 25 for content, 25 for presentation)
7