NATIONAL SEMINAR ON INTRODUCTION TO RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

On 06th May, 2025 the PG Department of Commerce & Management in collaboration with Research Advisory Committee organised a National Seminar on – “Introduction to Research Methodology” via Google Meet App. The Resource person for the seminar was Dr. Gaganpreet Kaur, a freelance Researcher in the field of labour law in construction companies, workplace flexibility and Doctorate in Human Resource and labour law from Amity University, Noida and also has Scopus Indexed registered research papers and is a recipient of Best Research Papers under many publications. The objective of the seminar was to motivate the students to enhance their research skills and raise awareness with regards to research process and research field.

The resource person initiated the seminar by discussing in about the Research and its importance. She said research plays a crucial role in policymaking by providing evidence based insights for effective governance. Furthermore, it contributes to societal progress by challenging existing paradigms and expanding human knowledge. On a personal level, engaging in research develops critical thinking, analytical skills, and intellectual discipline.

Later, she gave an overview of the research process, emphasizing that effective research typically progresses through several interconnected phases. She explained that it begins with identifying a problem or question, followed by conducting a thorough literature review to understand existing knowledge and identify gaps. This foundation enables researchers to formulate precise research questions and develop appropriate hypotheses when applicable.

She highlighted that hypothesis is a testable statement or prediction about the relationship between variables or potential outcomes of a study. It serves as a proposed explanation for observed phenomena based on existing knowledge and theoretical frameworks. Hypotheses guide the research process by providing clear, specific statements that can be empirically tested. They typically follow an "if-then" structure, suggesting that if certain conditions exist, then specific outcomes will follow. Next, she discussed the formulation of research questions and hypotheses, followed by designing an appropriate methodology after which the researcher then collects data through various techniques such as experiments, surveys, or observations.

She further stressed on the importance of selecting suitable research designs based on the nature of inquiry, whether quantitative, qualitative, or mixed methods. She gave vivid details on data collection techniques, with discussions on the merits of surveys, interviews, experimental designs, and observational methods. Data analysis strategies were covered extensively, with the seminar highlighting both statistical approaches for quantitative data and thematic analysis for qualitative information.