Adopting the right research methodology
By: P.V. Laxmiprasad
The standards of research in Indian universities are under scanner for sometime now. Unfortunately, the research is looked down upon. If one looks at the theses, the quality speaks about the falling standards of methodology.
This is observed when one looks at the theses or research papers being published in journals. All this reflects a disappointing picture of research. A poorly quoted methodology has become evidences of major lapses of research.
There are experts in the field of methodology. There has been no dearth of quality books in research. Who is at fault? Either the research supervisors or scholars have to take the blame for poor submissions of theses and research papers. India has many scholars who received PhD degrees.
The degrees are awarded without a structured panel of adjudicators. The list of examiners is submitted to Controller of Exams without any scientific method. Even the background history of supervisors is arbitrarily done. It is mostly done with the choice of select people.
There are no parameters to say about the so-called supervisors who adjudicate theses without minimum methodology skills. Basic knowledge of methodology is found to be absent among the supervisors. They just adjudicate them and send the reports positively.
When people approach any doctor for consultation, he or she usually refers to a methodology called Pathology tests, scanning, and X -ray as part of his investigation duties. The fundamental duty of any doctor is to investigate, diagnose and then prescribe the treatment. He follows a duly imposed methodology. Even a vegetable vendor who is an illiterate sells away the goods by following a method.
In a similar fashion, the task of supervisor in checking and proof reading of theses is missing to a greater extent. As a result, low quality theses are adjudicated without any rationale.
They are evaluated and recommended for final viva voce exam. The dreams of a budding scholar are fulfilled. His abilities to deal with the methodology in his post research publications are living examples of continued violation of research methodology. The ethical part of research is to look into a systematic approach of methodology.
The citations, works cited, parentheses are to be mandatorily followed. Still, research scholars are using footnotes as against the existing norms of methodology. For example, if a scholar who worked for his thesis in Language and Literature follow the methodology is using against the norms.
There has been a gross negligence in methodology. Is it because the scholar was not properly taught or the supervisors’ inefficiency skills in methodology. ‘Works cited’ and ‘References’ are still mixed up and followed against different methodologies. ‘Font’ and ‘Font size’ remains a confusing item for scholars across the universities. The poorly aligned theses have been brought to light time and again. Bibliography is followed in some theses.
The research supervisors are unmindful of such violations and recommend them for adjudication. Interestingly, the universities have scheduled sessions for classes on research methodology.
Are these classes just classes of entertainment or serious business?The standards speak of low levels of research methodology. These theses have been uploaded successfully on UGC’s portal Shodhganga. They become public documents. He or she receives the doctoral degree without basic knowledge in Research Methodology. Theses and research papers become strong evidences of the violations in methodology.
Against this backdrop, Indian research scholars are in dire need of knowledge in methodology. They can’t do the basic entries according to methodology in the research papers.
Basic acknowledgements are ignored. Just as UGC or ICSSR encourages seminars or conferences on core themes, workshops on research methodology must be made mandatory in all the research institutions These sessions should be planned seriously and handled by experts in that domain.
The need of hour is to restore the lost glory of methodology either in PhD theses or research papers with immediate effect. What is the point in awarding doctoral degrees without basic skills in research methodology?
The concept of “Train the Trainer” is back on platform. The research supervisors need to be updated about latest changes in methodology. Time is ripe for planning and executing such workshops for research scholars as well across the country in the strict sense of quality.
(The author hails from Hyderabad. He is an author and an editor)
